The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1918-12-17
leland Of Madagascar The Only
Country Thus Favored.



which dominates that part Of the In
dian ocean. n
Marco Polo. the great traveller. nrst
made this island known to medieval
Europe In 1200 Il was nearly two
hundred years latee when . Porto
guese traveller obtained the nrst 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 tho
wild and savage Hovas, who controlled
the island, and many died from Mala.
easy fever In the lowlands Of the coast.
On Christmas eve In 1874 all the
rrenchmen at Fort nauphin were muir.
dered by the natives. In 1910 Hova
chief, Radama L q young man, allowed
the Christian missionaries to teach
their Bible doctrines IN the island, and
BY 1870 Protestant Christianity was
effectively introduced among the
Hovas, sss~ssssessAbSs-sssina1H -
~~~- First Christian Ruler.
Radama died 10 1928. and one Of his
wives became Queen Ranavalona I.
She was bitter against the Christians
and persecuted 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 1914 wicked record Of 30
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 assasslnated In the palace In
1868, and his widow, Rasoherina, was
proclaimed queen. Upon her death In
1S6S.,a niece Of Ranavalona assembled
the throne as Ranavnlona II. When q
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 un-
derstood that Madagascar had the first
really Christian ruler on its throne.
Between 1880 and 1895 the entire Bi.
BILE had been printed In the Nalagasy
language, also an English alagasy
dictionary. 80, on the day Of her c0r0-
nation the idol which had been promi-
nent - similar oecaslGun was baniaheo
b. HaAavaIons II, and . copy Of the
Nalaeasy Bible placed near the throne |;
while on the canopy above. In golden
letters, were the words: "Glory to God
In the Highest, Peace on Earth, Good
WIN to Mem" With one hand on the
Bible, the queen addressed the people.
expressing the hope that they would
adopt the Christian fhith, but added:
I'm this matter you shall not be COM
pslled.w
ordered Idols Destroyed.
She ordered her own household idols
and the chief national Idol to Be burn
Cd 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
W SAC OutHossuo Heu8sSSSs AsoS OcSAA
growing fhst In the island.
The words over the canopy 1t her
coronation the queen knew to be spok.
"a BY the angels In the sky when the
shepherds heard the noise Of wings
@ the tine the Christ was born IN
Bethlehem. Christmas - celebrated
IN over the island now. hut the Hovas
have . different way Of computing tims
and b. their system Christmas falls
some tine n Novemhef. and they csle'
hsate Il then. The Christian date n
Dscsmbsr - y also eslebrated By the
natives along with ~ missiooariea
But Il b not . Caristmas of SNOW
and slslghbells. II b . tropical country
and Christmas day - under . torrid
sun, but ~ ~ - brilliant ana thu
magnificent Aowering trees 'of many
VIVID co1oss are nlled with many pe'
cullar birds of brilliant plumage, while
the ground beneath = bespangled with
VIA blossoms Of varied hues.