CHAPTER FIFTEEN.
THE SPIES AND THE SECRET MEETING--THE PRIME MINISTER FOILED BY THEPRINCE.
The sun was setting, the air was balmy, the face of nature wasbeautiful, the insects and birds were buzzing, humming, and chirpinghappily, as if there were no such things as care and sorrow in the wideworld, when Soa, the prime minister's nephew, with his guide, approachedthe forest in which was the cavern where the persecuted Christians hadarranged to hold their secret meeting.
"I am to go as a Christian!" thought Soa, as he walked on swiftly and insilence, "as a Christian hypocrite and spy!"
The young man's countenance relaxed into something like a smile as hethought thus; then it became solemnised as he offered the silent prayer,"Lord, enable me to do the work honestly and well."
The way was long, but the youth's limbs were strong and agile, so thatnight had not long overspread the land when he reached the end of hisjourney. The night was unusually dark--well adapted for deeds ofsecrecy and crime. If it had been lighter the two spies would have seena number of men and women, and even children, hurrying along stealthilyin the same direction with themselves. They observed only two or threeof these, however, who chanced to fall in their way. They loomed upsuddenly like spectres out of the surrounding darkness and as quicklymelted into it again. Soa paid no attention to these apparitions,neither did he utter a word to his companion during the journey.
Most of the way he kept a pace or two in advance of his guide, but whenthey reached the more intricate and broken grounds of the forest, hefell behind and suffered the other to lead.
At last the path wound so much among broken rocks and over steep knollsthat their progress became very slow--all the more so that theovershadowing trees rendered the darkness profound. Sometimes they hadto clamber up steep places on hands and knees.
Suddenly they were arrested by what seemed to them a faint cry or wail.Listening intently, they perceived that the sounds were musical.
"The Christians are singing," said the spy in a tone which, low thoughit was, betrayed a touch of contempt. "They hold their meeting in acave on the other side of this mound."
"Remain here, then, till I return to you," said Soa. "They know you tobe a spy. They will not suppose that _I_ have come in such a capacity."
The man gave vent to a slight laugh at the supposed joke and sat down,while the courtier advanced alone.
On the other side of the mound the sounds which had reached thelisteners' ears as a wail, now swelled upon the young man as awell-known hymn, in which he had many times joined. A feeling of joy,almost amounting to triumph, filled his heart as he stood therelistening. While he listened he observed several indistinct forms glidepast him and enter the cave. He crept after them.
A strange sight met his eyes. The cave was so large and high that thesingle torch which burned in it merely lighted up a portion of the wallagainst which it was fixed. Even in the immediate neighbourhood of thetorch things were more or less indistinct, while all else was shroudedin darkness profound. Here more than a hundred dusky figures wereassembled--those furthest from the light melting, as it were, into thedarkness, and leaving the imagination to people illimitable space withsimilar beings.
Soa slipped in, and sat down on a jutting rock near the entrance just asthe hymn was closing. Few people observed him. Immediately after, anold man who sat nearest the light rose to pray. Beside him stood ourfriend Ravonino. On the other side sat a young man with a remarkablyintelligent countenance.
With intense earnestness and great simplicity the old man prayed, in thename of Jesus, that the Holy Spirit might bless their meeting anddeliver them from the power of their enemies. He also prayed with muchemphasis that their enemies might be turned into Christian friends--atwhich petition a loud "Amen" arose from the worshippers.
"Now Totosy will speak," said the old man, after a brief pause, turningto the young man with the intelligent countenance. "Let the Word bebrought forth."
"Stop!" cried a man, rising in the midst of the crowd, "it may not besafe to bring out the Word just now."
"Why not, my son?" asked the old man. "Are not all here to-night ourfriends?"
"I think not," returned the man. "As I came along I saw one of theQueen's spies, who is well-known to me. He was walking with the nephewof our deadly foe Rainiharo, and Soa himself sits _there_!"
He turned as he spoke, and pointed straight at Soa, who rose at once andadvanced to the front.
"My friends," he said, in a gentle voice, "the last speaker is right. Iam here, and I was led here by one of the Queen's spies. But the spy isnot here. He awaits me outside. Let two of your young men guard theentrance of the cave so that our conference may not be overheard."
Two stalwart youths rose at once and hurried to the outside of thisprimitive meeting-house, where they mounted guard.
"I have been sent," continued Soa, "by my uncle, with orders to enteryour meeting `_as a Christian_,' take note of your names, and reportthem to him!"
There was a tendency on the part of some to shrink into the backgroundon hearing this.
"Now," continued Soa, "I have come to obey only part of his orders. Ihave come, _as a Christian_, to warn you of the dangers that surroundyou. The Queen is exceeding mad against you. It will be your wisestcourse to refrain from meeting together just now, and rest content withworshipping in your own homes. But let not this distress you, myfriends. The God whom we love is able to turn darkness into light andto make crooked things straight. Neither let it break up our meetingjust now. We are safe at present. Let us get out the Word and enjoythe worship of our Saviour while we may."
There were murmurs of assent and satisfaction at the close of this briefaddress, and one of the young men, with grave--almost mysterious--looks,took up a small spade and went towards that part of the wall whereRavonino sat. The latter rose to let the young men get at a particularspot, which was marked on the wall with a small--almost imperceptible--red square. Here, after turning up a few spadefuls of earth, he struckupon a stone. Lifting it, he disclosed a hole about a foot square. Theold man who presided at the meeting thrust his hands into this hole andgently lifted out a thick volume, which he laid reverently upon a flatrock that formed a sort of natural table in front of him.
This was "the Word" to which reference had been made--an old,much-soiled and worn Malagasy Bible, which had been buried there, sothat, whatever might become of its Christian owners, it might escapebeing found and condemned to the flames, as so many of its fellows hadbeen.
It was a curious Bible this, in more respects than one. In Madagascarthe Bible was printed first in sections by the natives, under thesuperintendence of the missionaries; these sections got scattered, forteaching purposes, and various editions of different sizes were printedat different times. The original owner--if we may not call himfabricator--of the Bible, now referred to as having been dug up in thecave, must, in his desire to possess the Word of God complete, have beenat considerable pains to secure every fragment and leaf that came in hisway, and then had them all bound together. A clasp of leather and aEuropean hook-and-eye fastened the edges. The different portions, ofcourse, did not fit exactly, and some of the verses necessarilyoverlapped. Nevertheless, a nearly complete and substantial Bible wasthe result of his labours. _See Note 1_.
Taking up the treasured book with great care, the young man beforementioned by the name of Totosy opened it and selected a text. "Fearnot, little flock, it is your Father's good pleasure to give you thekingdom."
From this he preached an admirable sermon, full of hope and consolationto men and women situated as his companions were at that time, andholding up Jesus not only as the deliverer of the world from sin butfrom fear of physical death. Strengthening of this sort, truly, wasmuch-needed, for during the previous persecutions of 1837 and 1849 QueenRanavalona had given terrible evidence of her fierce and relentlessnature, so that Christians were now well aware of what they had toexpect if another cruel fit came
upon her.
The sermon finished, another hymn was sung, followed by a prayer, afterwhich, before finally breaking up and dispersing, the worshipperscollected in various groups; and exclamations of surprise, joy, andfervent thanksgiving were heard, now and again, when friends who hadparted as enemies on account of religious differences unexpectedly metas brothers in the Lord.
It has ever been a result of persecution that the persecuted cause hasmade progress--naturally so, for trial and suffering winnow out thechaff and leave the good seed to flourish with increased vigour. Fewfalse professors attended those midnight meetings, which were so full ofjoy and danger, and none of these ever got the length of Ranavalona'sfiery stakes or the fearful "rock of hurling."
For fully a quarter of a century, (from 1836 to 1861), did thepersecution of the native Christians last in Madagascar. During most ofthat dark period Queen Ranavalona the First endeavoured, by cruelprohibitive laws, torture, and death, to stamp out the love of Christfrom her dominions. Through most of that period she tried to preventher people from meeting for worship, praying to God in the name ofChrist, or reading the Scriptures or any other Christian book, and thosewho disobeyed her did so at the risk of losing property, liberty, orlife. Nevertheless, in spite of this, worship was kept up in secret--insecluded villages, in recesses of the forest, in caves, even inrice-holes; the Word was read, faithful natives preached, and Baptismand the Lord's Supper were continuously observed. Small portions ofScripture--even leaves--were carefully treasured and passed from hand tohand until "these calamities" were past; and now, at the present time,the Church in Madagascar is ten times stronger than ever it was before!
Of course active persecution was not maintained throughout the wholeperiod of twenty-five years. The volcano smouldered at times. Forbrief periods it almost seemed as if about to become extinct, but atintervals it burst forth with renewed violence. At the time of which wewrite, (1857), there were mutterings of the volcano, and portents in theair which filled the persecuted ones, and those who loved them, withgrave anxiety.
In a dark corner of the cavern Soa and Ravonino stood apart, after theservice was over, and conversed in subdued tones.
"Do you think the lives of my comrades are in danger?" asked the latter,anxiously.
"It is difficult to answer that," replied Soa. "The Queen fears tooffend the English by putting European subjects to death; but she is ina savage mood just now, and your friends have intermeddled with mattersthat they would have been wise to let alone. Banishment is more likelyto be their fate, but that will be almost equal to death."
"How so?" asked Ravonino.
"Because Ranavalona will probably treat them as she treated theEuropeans who lately tried to overthrow her government. She sent themdown to the coast with orders to their conductors to keep them so longon the way--especially on the unhealthy fever-stricken parts of theroute--that sickness might have time to kill them."
"And was the plan successful?"
"Not quite, for the white people turned out to be tough. They managedto get away from our island alive, but in a state of health, I believe,that will very likely prevent them from ever wishing to return!"
"I have much love for these men," said Ravonino, after a pause. "Youhave influence with Rainiharo. Can you not befriend them?"
"I shall have little influence now with my uncle," returned Soa, sadly,"for I am a Christian, and he will soon discover that. But I will helpthem if I can--for your sake."
"And Rafaravavy," said Ravonino, in a lower voice, "do you think she canbe induced to fly? If she were brought to me here, I should have littledifficulty in taking her to a place of safety."
"The difficulties in your way are greater than you suppose," said Soa."The Queen's spies and soldiers are out all over the land. Even now,were it not that I am your friend and brother in Jesus, you would havebeen caught here as in a trap. Besides, there is the greater difficultythat Rafaravavy is filled with fidelity to her royal mistress, andpities her so much that she will not leave her. You know that sheopenly confesses Christ in the palace, yet so great is the Queen'sregard for her that she will not listen to my uncle, who would gladlysee her tossed over the `rock of hurling.' I had converse with her theother day, and I see that she even hopes to be the instrument of theQueen's conversion to Christianity."
"God bless her!" exclaimed Ravonino, fervently.
"Amen!" returned Soa, "and I doubt not that the blessing will come,though it may not come in the way we hope. It is no easy matter to say`Thy will be done' when we are suffering."
"Prince Rakota has done much for the Christians in time past," urgedpoor Ravonino, who felt that all hope of delivering the girl he loved,at the present time, from the dangers that surrounded her was graduallyslipping away from him; "surely he can and will protect her."
"I fear he has not the power," answered Soa. "He has interfered inbehalf of the Christians so often of late that the Queen is losingpatience; and you know that if she once gives way to her cruel rage, thelife of Rakota himself is not safe. But, you may trust me, my friend; Iwill do my best to move him to aid you--and your friends also."
Most of the people had left the cave while these two were conversing,with the understanding that they were not to return, as it was no longera safe retreat. Another and more distant rendezvous was, however,appointed; the treasured Bible was not restored to its old place ofconcealment, but carried off by Totosy, the young preacher, to bereburied in a new place of refuge.
"Do you follow them?" asked Soa of Ravonino, when the others had allgone and they were about to part.
"No. My companions will come here expecting to find me if they escape.I must remain, whatever befalls. If the soldiers come, I will see thembefore they arrive, and give them the slip. If they give chase theywill find it troublesome to catch me!"
When Soa returned to the city he went straight to the apartments of theprime minister, whom he found impatiently awaiting him.
"You have been long," said the latter.
"The distance is great," replied the nephew.
"Well?" exclaimed the uncle, inquiringly.
"You ordered me to act as a Christian," returned the young man, with aslight smile, "and you know it takes time to do that."
"True--true. And you have brought me the list?"
"No, uncle."
"What mean you, boy?"
"I mean that I have obeyed your first command; I have been to theChristian meeting _as a Christian_."
A puzzled, inquiring look overspread the premier's countenance.
"Well, what then?"
"Well, then, of course I acted the part of a Christian to the best of mypower. I told them why I had been sent, warned them of the evilintended them, and advised them to escape for their lives; but, as noimmediate danger was to be feared, I joined them in their worship."
"And you have brought no list?"
"None."
Rainiharo's visage, while his nephew spoke, was a sight to behold; forthe conflicting emotions aroused produced a complexity of expressionthat is quite indescribable.
"Young man!" he said, sternly, "you have disobeyed my orders. Why haveyou done this? Your head must fall, for you show that you are aChristian."
With great simplicity and gentleness Soa said:
"Yes, my uncle, I _am_ a Christian; and if you please you may put me todeath, for I _do_ pray to Jesus."
Utterly confounded by this straightforward and fearless reply, Rainiharostood for some moments gazing in silent wonder at the youth who thuscalmly stood prepared to abide the consequences of his confession. Atfirst it almost seemed as if, in his anger, he would with his own hand,then and there, inflict the punishment he threatened; but once again, asin the case of Ranavalona, love proved more powerful than anger.
"No, no, boy," he said, turning away with a wave of his hand, as if todismiss the subject finally, "you shall not die. It is a delusion. Youdeceive yourself. Go. Leave me!"
Soa obeyed, and went s
traight to the apartment of Prince Rakota torelate to that fast friend and comrade his recent adventures, andconsult with him about the dark cloud that threatened to burst inpersecution over the unhappy land.
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Note 1. A Bible of the kind here described may now be seen in theMuseum of the British and Foreign Bible Society, 146 Queen VictoriaStreet, London, just as it was dug up out of the earth, where it hadbeen buried by christian natives who probably perished in thepersecutions. The New Testament bears the date of 1830, the OldTestament that of 1835.