FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58  
59   60   61   >>  
ong silence, he walked once more through "the streets of the city," his "enemies beheld him" in wonder. There he stands in the face of day, honoured and known, the native pastor of that church, and the appointed tutor of the Queen's adopted children. When the late Queen took her journey to the sea, large numbers of christians attended the camp on official duty, and, by faithfully observing the Sabbath and holding meetings for worship, afforded numerous opportunities to their heathen companions of hearing the gospel preached and of listening to christian prayers. The impression produced was deep and widespread. When the camp returned to the capital, hundreds of new faces were seen in the churches, and the congregations increased so greatly, that chapel building and enlargement were necessitated on a very extensive scale. With the reign of her youngest sister, the new Queen, all hesitation on the part of the Government respecting christianity seemed to pass away. The leaders had doubted whether it did not necessarily involve the introduction of purely foreign elements into the general government of the island. But reassured by the steadfast loyalty of the Protestant missionaries, who have adhered strictly to their position as religious teachers, and whose prudent, sober conduct in difficult circumstances the Directors consider deserving of high praise, the nobles, believing that christianity had proved itself a great public blessing, began to accept it heartily for themselves. Kind messages were sent from the Queen to the missionaries on her accession; with assurances of public protection for all their converts. The diviners and idol keepers, who had been so influential in the palace, were dismissed to country villages. Numerous members of noble families joined the several congregations in the city, and many of the highest rank were baptized. The congregations both in town and country grew larger and larger, and it was most difficult to find them room. Next a law was passed, putting a stop to all official work on the Sabbath-day: and was followed by another law, which directed that Sunday markets should be held on some other convenient day. After full consideration, the Council repealed the ancient law, which forbade the erection of stone buildings within the capital, and had sanctioned only palaces, houses and walls of wood. Such a step may appear to be a trifle. It may seem to be a matter merely of economy, safet
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58  
59   60   61   >>  



Top keywords:
congregations
 

christianity

 

official

 

Sabbath

 
country
 
missionaries
 

capital

 
difficult
 

public

 

larger


diviners

 

joined

 
converts
 

families

 
Numerous
 
villages
 

influential

 

palace

 
members
 

dismissed


keepers

 

nobles

 

praise

 
believing
 

proved

 
deserving
 

prudent

 

conduct

 

circumstances

 

Directors


accession

 

assurances

 
messages
 

blessing

 

accept

 

heartily

 
protection
 
buildings
 

sanctioned

 

erection


forbade

 

consideration

 

Council

 

repealed

 
ancient
 

palaces

 
houses
 

matter

 
economy
 

trifle