The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 13 of 55: 1604-1605; Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of The Catholic Missions, As Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Close of the Nineteenth Century
History
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 13 of 55: 1604-1605; Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of The Catholic Missions, As Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Close of the Nineteenth Century
Demarcation line of Alexander VI; Missions -- Philippines; Philippines -- Discovery and exploration; Philippines -- History -- Sources
"Early in my stay there, the people told me that in Caibabayan was a
catalona, or priestess; and in order to cut the thread of evil, and to
gain a knowledge of those distant fields and peoples, I went thither,
desiring to act toward them as a father rather than as a judge; and
the Lord, who is the true Father of all, fulfilled my desire. Finding
no present evil, but only the report of past things, I sought to
reestablish the reputation of the person whom they defamed. I found in
one of the most distant fields, an old man about seventy years of age,
who was crippled and had been sick for days. I baptized him, giving
him the name of Ignacio, and invited many others who had not even
been baptized--encouraging in them the desire for so great a good,
helping them to learn what was necessary, to which they commonly give
attention. Word was sent from one to another among those mountains
and plantations, and those people followed me about with tokens of
love and offered to entertain me. Afterward were baptized there many
persons of all ages--children, youths, and old men. A few days ago I
was informed that in the villages of Malabag, Balete, and Dinglas there
were many sick persons who needed help. I set out in the morning after
saying mass, thinking to return in the evening; but when I arrived
there and saw the needy condition of the people, I changed my plan,
for I found in Malabag many sick persons. After I had cared for them
I heard the confessions of many who were infirm and old, and those
who wished to guard against the malady which was attacking many of
them--and perhaps not a few that they might profit, at little cost,
by the presence of the new confessor in their village. I passed on to
Balete and found that it had become a hospital. I went through all the
houses to hear confessions, but could not finish them on that day; so
I continued this task on the following day, and then went to Dinglas,
where I found the same needs. All, both the sick and those in health,
were greatly consoled by my visit; and finally I returned to Silang
in the night, with the fiscal and others, who accompanied me. I had
occasion to make other and shorter trips among the plantations in
the vicinity of Silang, as they contained sick persons who were in
need; I also desired to ascertain what houses and persons were in
those country districts. Moreover, I thus did something to further my
plan of removing them to the village and to have them carry thither
their rice and their little possessions, desiring to accomplish what
your Reverence so desires, and which is so expedient for the proper
instruction of those people. The great activity and solicitude of
the father, who is my companion, was of great value to me in this as
in all other matters; and the coming of the father rector and Father
Diego Sanchez, who assisted us here until Lent, was most valuable,
adding more energy and ability to our forces, and consoling and
encouraging those people with suitable instruction.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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