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
As a result of the favors bestowed upon the six resident members of the
Society by the right reverend bishop of Sebu, Don Fray Pedro de Agurto,
a religious of the Order of St. Augustine (who entered this year
into his church and erected it into a cathedral), the fruits of our
ministries were at this time most abundant and prosperous. As I have
already stated, these were exercised among the various nationalities
who inhabit that city, or who resort thither from various regions for
their business and traffic. Likewise, at the instance of his lordship,
a school of Latin was opened in our college for his servants and
clergy, who were joined by the sons of some of the citizens. This
school was not only a common and general benefit, but also very useful
as a retreat and aid for those who in the school for children were
already advanced in reading, writing, and reckoning. Although many
of the boys remained in the lower school as pupils, a considerable
number of students began the study of grammar with the new master,
Father Francisco Vicente Puche, who as an initiation to the studies,
and as a welcome to the bishop, gave with his students a two-hours'
dramatic representation in the cathedral, in honor of his Lordship,
which proved most agreeable, learned, dignified, and devout, and gave
extraordinary pleasure to all the citizens, who had never before seen
such a thing in their city.
There were two Indian peoples among whom we were especially laboring
at that time: one the Bissayans, who are the natives of that country,
to whom we preached, on Sundays and feast-days, throughout the year,
in their own language; the other the Chinese--many of whom, coming from
their own land into this (and many do come in the merchant-vessels),
remain here. They have established in this city, near our house, a
quarter of their own, which at that time was in charge of the Society;
and our fathers administered the sacraments to them and their families,
including their women and servants--Chinese, Japanese, Malucos,
and Bissayans. They repaired with great frequency to confession
and communion, especially on days in jubilees and in Lent; and we
always had catechumens among the infidel Chinese, whom we baptized
only at the notable feasts, and with great solemnity--excepting on
occasions when that sacrament was bestowed on persons at the point
of death. The first confirmations which the lord bishop celebrated
outside of his cathedral were in our church, where he most devoutly
bestowed this holy sacrament upon our Chinese and their families. On
Easter of this last year, he celebrated in the same church, as an
encouragement and a favor, the solemn baptism of the catechumens,
of whom there were a large number; and he was greatly delighted and
edified to behold one of our fathers, his assistant on that occasion,
conversing in the Chinese language.
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