The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898. Volume 13 of 55. Unknown

it but rarely, and are (or rather were) a very churlish and fugitive people. Yet Don Gonçalo (that is the name of the fiscal) has taken hold of them in such a way that he does what he will with them, and that, too, by so quiet, gentle, and efficacious means as to cause one to wonder. Although it is exceedingly difficult to attract their young children from home (especially among those who dwell in the mountains) Don Gonçalo draws them to himself by the same means that I have already mentioned, and to such an extent that he usually has in his house nearly a hundred young boys; such was their number the other day, when I was there, and now he tells me that some twenty or thirty more have just come. He now has them so tamed, gentle, intelligent, and contented that, considering their former savage and terrible character, I know not how I can certify it. Those who formerly knew little or nothing of the doctrine, at present are, by common consent, those who in this mission are most proficient. The fiscal maintains with them a regular plan and order: morning and evening, their prayers and procession; and at night before retiring, and in the morning before dawn, they also offer their prayers—so that the Spaniards, their encomendero said, and the collectors are notably edified thereby. Nor does this occupation depend upon the presence there of the father or of the Spaniards, for it is always maintained. The older boys he sends to their villages for food and shell-fish, and the little ones remain to learn, as if they were in a school. What I especially value is, that it is all done through love; for both the children and their parents have so much affection for this man that, as I noticed the other day, the boys hardly give heed to the father, but are captivated by their Don Gonçalo, and it is he whose permission they seek. This man has received a special blessing from the Lord, and what he does comes entirely from his heart. He not only looks after the knowledge and recitation of the doctrine, but even trains them in good habits, and punishes them gently when they are at fault. He brings together the adult Indians in the church to pray on feast-days, and if it becomes necessary to do or undo anything in the mission, it is always entrusted to him. Without doubt, if there were many men of this sort the lack of ministers here would be well supplied in many respects."

      The arrival in the Philippines of the father-visitor, Diego Garcia, and how he began his visitation. Chapter LI.

      When affairs were in the condition which we have described, the father-visitor, Diego Garcia, very opportunely arrived in the islands, with some companions,3 on the seventeenth of June in the year one thousand five hundred and ninety-nine. His arrival was a source of much consolation and joy, on account of the reënforcement which he brought us, and was of much importance and advantage to the internal government of the Society in those parts, on account of the good order to which he reduced all our affairs, particularly in our ministries and in the methods of aiding those souls. Upon careful investigation he learned that, during those four years while our fathers had given instruction in the islands of Pintados, twelve thousand persons had been baptized, and that there were about forty thousand catechumens—not to mention many others who, although they were not on the list of catechumens, had also an inclination (or at least no repugnance) to receive the faith and the gospel. In accordance with this information, the father-visitor set about organizing the affairs [of the missions], and providing needed assistance, as we shall later see. Before entering upon this, however, I will relate, in order to show the mercies of God toward our fathers, a special instance of this which His Divine Majesty displayed toward them and the vessel which brought them from the port of Acapulco to the Filipinas. The pilots were confidently sailing over their accustomed course, heedless that in it there were shoals. One evening at the hour when the Salve is wont to be repeated, and while all were devoutly reciting it, a young man fortunately (or rather through the singular providence and mercy of God) descried shoals from the maintop and immediately began to shout a warning. With that the crew—although everyone was agitated and fearful lest, with the freshening of the wind, they would be driven upon the shoals—hastened, some to the sails, ropes, and rigging, others to the helm, and the pilot to direct the ship's course. Our fathers, meanwhile, repaired to their quarters and berths to invoke the most blessed Virgin, to call upon God, and to pray for the intercession of the saints—all of them especially invoking that of blessed Father Ignacio,4 a relic of whom the father-visitor carried with him. Showing this to his companions while the rest were busied in the other occupations, he augmented the fervor with which they cried to heaven, and at the same time their confidence that by means of that holy relic our Lord would deliver them from their danger. And so He did; for, upon steering so as to direct the vessel to one side, to avoid the shoals, the vessel, in spite of their efforts, would not obey, but, turning in the other direction, doubled the shoals. If their attempt to steer had been successful, not only could they not have passed the shoals, but they would have drifted hopelessly upon them; but, as it was, the flagship was saved. Moreover, her lighted lantern (for evening had already arrived) guided the other ships, which followed behind her, through the channel, and in this manner all of them were saved.

      Occurrences in Manila at this time. Chapter LII.

      In the latter part of June in the year one thousand five hundred and ninety-nine, the father-visitor and his companions were resting from the hardships of their voyage, and preparing to begin anew their labors—the father on his tour of inspection, and the others in the fishery for souls—for which purpose they had gone into retreat to perform the exercises,5 and to allow themselves more leisure for solitary prayer. At this time there occurred in Manila, as a result of the unusually dry season, a very violent earthquake, which injured many buildings. Among these it rent and laid open the vault of our church; and in the church of Santo Domingo it loosened and tore apart the woodwork (which was very beautiful, and handsomely wrought), and crushed in all the walls in such a manner that it was necessary to tear down the building. We also were obliged to demolish the vault of our church; for whereas that of Santo Domingo could be left standing for a few days, we were compelled to begin at once to tear down the vault of our church, which was the part most injured. The Spaniards came to our aid, with contributions amounting to more than a thousand pesos, to pay the workmen who were tearing down the church, and to aid in the expense of repairing it. The Indians assisted us with their labor, helping us to remove the obstructions, and to clear the building from the ruins and from the earth and stones which remained from them. More than a thousand Indians, without exaggeration, came to offer their services; men, women, and children; young men and girls, and old men; chiefs and common people—all busied themselves to such an extent that the place appeared like an anthill or a beehive. These were assisted by the inhabitants of all the neighboring villages, who, animated and encouraged by the religious of St. Dominic, St. Francis, and St. Augustine, and by the clergy who had them in their charge, aided us to roof the church temporarily with canes and palm-leaves (which is the usage there). Thus in four days was accomplished the work of twenty or thirty days; thus the church was made fit for service, and is being used thus until it can be properly roofed. The industry and good-will with which the Indians assisted us on our church were soon repaid to them by our fathers, when a general malady prevailed among them, causing the death of many persons. Then our fathers aided them, especially by hearing their confessions, and administering to them the communion and extreme unction, in the church itself; hardly ever during the day was it free from sick persons who had been carried thither on the shoulders of men that they might receive those holy sacraments. The devil, who slumbers not, seized the opportunity of this malady to sow the seeds of error among some wretched old women, his ministers—saying that at first the God of Castile had vanquished their anitos, but that the latter were now the conquerors, and were chastising the people for having abandoned them. To counteract this evil, among others, a solemn procession and mass were ordered, wherein our Lord was supplicated for the health of the people. Inasmuch as a sermon was necessary, its preparation was assigned to Father Diego Sanchez, at the instance of the canon, Pablo Ruiz de Talavera, who is the priest of the Indians in Manila; he chose this father on account of his devotion to the Society, and of the great affection of the Indians for him, caused by his eloquence and the many and signal services that he has rendered them. The father, discussing in his sermon the above-mentioned error, refuted it, and expelled it from their minds and hearts with that admirable force of expression and persuasion with which our Lord had equipped him; while He gave to the hearers grace and sensibility to perceive and be influenced by the truth, as since then has been evident on many, and notable occasions.

      In

3

These were Father Melchor Hurtado and Francisco González, and the brother coadjutor Diego Rodriguez. They were sent from Mexico in March by Francisco Váez, the provincial of Nueva España.—Pablo Pastells, S.J.

4

Referring to Ignatius de Loyola (1491-1556), the founder of the Jesuit order, and afterward a saint; he is here mentioned as "blessed," as he was not canonized until 1622.

5

The religious exercises recommended by Loyola, and composed by him while in retirement near Manresa, Spain, in 1522; they from a book entitled Exercitia spiritualia ("Spiritual exercises") which has ever since been a text-book of the Jesuit order.