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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 longer a safe retreat. Another and more distant rendezvous was, however, appointed; the treasured Bible was not restored to its old place of concealment, but carried off by Totosy, the young preacher, to be reburied in a new place of refuge.
Come let us go to the meeting. You know that the congregation assembles to-day for the first time after many, many, years so many!" "Yes, mother, I know it. Indeed I came here partly to ask you to go with me. And they say that Totosy, the great preacher, is to speak to us." Many others besides these two wended their way to the meeting-house that day.
They also communed of days to come, and especially of that great day of reunion in the Better Land. And intensely earnest was the final prayer of the native pastor Totosy, as he commended his friends to the loving care of God. Next day they set sail for the seaport town of Tamatave.
A Malagasy cheer burst from the sympathetic people. "Praise the Lord! Let us sing!" shouted the wise Totosy, and in a few seconds the congregation was letting off its surplus steam in tremendous and jubilant song, to the ineffable joy of Ebony, who must have burst out in some other way had not this safety-valve been provided. But there were more surprises in store for that singular meeting.
The different portions, of course, did not fit exactly, and some of the verses necessarily overlapped. Nevertheless, a nearly complete and substantial Bible was the result of his labours. Taking up the treasured book with great care, the young man before mentioned by the name of Totosy opened it and selected a text.
It was a sad occasion when they met in the house of their old guide Ravonino, to spend the last evening with him and Rafaravavy, and Laihova, and Ra-Ruth, Reni-Mamba and her husband, Voalavo, Soa, Totosy, the Secretary, and other friends, but it was also a time of pleasant communing about days that seemed so long past, although so recent.
The preacher's duty was one of unusual difficulty, for, besides these peculiar interruptions and the exclamations of surprised friends, the sympathy of his own heart nearly choked his utterance more than once. But Totosy was equal to the occasion. His heart was on fire, his lips were eloquent, and the occasion was one of a thousand, never to be forgotten.
He also prayed with much emphasis that their enemies might be turned into Christian friends at which petition a loud "Amen" arose from the worshippers. "Now Totosy will speak," said the old man, after a brief pause, turning to the young man with the intelligent countenance. "Let the Word be brought forth."
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