of Mark Breezy, John Hockins, Ebony Ginger, Samuel
Ravoninohitriniony, Laihova, and Voalavo.

"Well now, this is the queerest go-to-meetin' that I've had to do with
since I was a babby," remarked Hockins, as he looked from side to side
upon the varied crowd of men and women, black, brown, and yellow, rich
and poor, noble and slave, who were joyfully and noisily thronging to
the house of God!

"Das true,--an' look dar!" said Ebony, pointing to a young woman who was
standing as if thunder-struck before a worn-out, feeble, white-haired
man in tattered garments, with a heavy iron collar on his neck.

Recovering from her surprise, the young woman uttered the word "Father"
with a wild shriek, and rushed into the old man's arms.

"Easy to see that he is a banished one returned unexpectedly," observed
Mark, as the young woman, after the first wild embrace, seized the old
man's arm and hurried him towards the meeting-house, while tears of joy
streamed from her eyes.

And this was not the only case they witnessed, for constantly, during
the days that followed the accession of Radama the Second, exiles were
hastening home,--men and women in rags, worn and wasted with want and
suffering--reappearing in the city to the astonishment and joy of
friends who had supposed them long since dead. Yes, the long-desired
jubilee had come at last, and not only was there great rejoicing over
those lost and found ones, but also over many who, through the power of
sympathy, were brought at that time to the Saviour and repentance.

Referring to that period, one of those returned exiles writes thus:--

"On Thursday, 29th August 1861, we that were in concealment appeared.
Then all the people were astonished when they saw us, that we were
alive and not yet buried or eaten by the dogs. And there were a great
many people desiring to see us, for they considered us as dead, and
this is what astonished them. On the 9th of September, those that
were in fetters came to Antananarivo, but they could not walk on
account of the weight of the heavy fetters and their weak and feeble
bodies."

It was a strange gathering, and there were many surprises in the church
that day, and some strange music too, besides that of psalms and hymns
and spiritual songs, for, during the service, several exiles who had
just arrived, hearing what was going on, had hastened to the scene of
reunion without waiting to have their fetters filed off, and entered