The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1918-12-23
z CHRISTMAS DAYS
island Of Madagascar the Only
Country Thus Favored.
Queen RanavaIona u on Ascending
Throne Became First Christian
Ruler and Adopted "GIory to
God in Highest" Motto.

There is only one spot in the whole
I world where Christmas is celebrated
/ twice each year and that is the Island
of the southern end of Africa, and
which dominates that part of the In
dian ocean.
Marco Polo, the great traveller, first
made this island known to medieval
Europe in 1898. 1t was nearly two
hundred years later when a Portu-
guese traveller obtained the first au-
thentic information about the island,
in 1897. From that time on there were
attempts by the Portuguese, French and
English to settle the island, and they
met with defeat at the hands of the
wild and savage Hovas, who controlled
the island, and many died from Mala-
gasy fever in the lowlands of the coast.
On Christmas eve in 1872 all the
Frenchmen at Fort Dauphin were MUIR
dered by the natives. In 1910 Hova
chief Radama l, young man, allowed
the Christian missionaries to teach
their Bible doctrines in the island, and
by 1920 Protestant Christianity was
effectively introduced among the
HOvas.
First Christian Ruler.
Radama died in 1928, and one of his
wives became Queen Ranavalona I.
Ahe was bitter against the Christians
and prosecuted them in many cruel
ways, and she had her warriors from
the interior mountains of the island
massacre the native Christians, who
would not renounce the Christian God
and go back to the worship of idols.
The cruel queen reigned until her
death in 1861-a wicked record Of 33
years. Then her son.. Radama II, be-
came king, and although he was a
great drunkard and led wild life
himself, lie allowed the Christian mis-
siOnaries to come into the island again.
He was assassinated in the palace in
1868, and his widow, Rasoherina, was
proclaimed queen. Upon her death in
1868, a niece of Ranavalona I assembled
the throne as Ranavalona ii. When a
girl, her gentle charities and sympa-
| thies with the Christians during their
prosecutions had won respect and love,
and when she became queen it was I'M
! derstoOd that Madagascar had the first
really Christian ruler on it's throne.
Between 1880 and 1885 the entire BIZ
Bile had been printed in the Malagasy
language, also an English Malagasy
| dictionary. So, on the day of her coro-
nation the idol which had been promi-
nent on similar occasions was baniShed
/ by Ranavalona II, and copy Of the
Malagasy Bible placed near the throne |;
while on the canopy above, in golden
letters, We're the words: "Glory to God
| in the Highest, Peace ON Earth, Good
Win to Men," With one hand on the
Bible, the queen addressed the people,
expressing the hope that they would
adopt the Christian faith, but added !:
SIN this matter you shall not be COM
pelled.'
Ordered idols Destroyed.
She ordered her own household idols
! and the chief national idol to be burn
ed and gradually her example was fol-
lowed by the general destruction of
household idols among the Hovas. She
married the prime minister the fol
lowing year and made public profess
sion Of her faith, and from that time
on the Christian religion has been
growing fast in the island.
The words over the canopy at her
coronation the queen knew to be spok-
en- by the angels in the sky when the
shepherds heard the noise of wings
at the time the Christ was born in
Bethlehem. Christmas is celebrated
all over the island now. But the Hovas
| have different way of computing time
and by their system Christmas falls
some time in November, and they cele-
brate 1t then. The Christian date of
December % is also celebrated by the
natives along with the missionaries.
But 1t Is not Christmas of snow
and sleighbells. 1t Is tropical country
and Christmas day is under a torrid
sun, but the sky is brilliant and the
magnificent Towering trees Of many
vivid colors are filled with many Pc
culiar birds of brilliant plumage, while
the ground beneath is bespangled with
wild blossoms of varied hues.