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
Every one of these mission-fields [_doctrinas_] is truly a school
of celestial theology; for just as, in the schools, are seen the
students assembled at the lectures, and their eagerness in studying
and reciting their lessons, and afterward their reception of degrees,
so in these missions it is a cause for praise to God to see old men
become again children, and the chiefs made humble--all learning,
with eagerness, delight, and perseverance, the Christian doctrine,
and writing, repeating, studying, reciting, and singing it. As a
final reward, they receive the degree of holy baptism, a blessing
which those people as anxiously seek and desire, and receive with
as much joy, as do students the degree of doctor or master. In some
places they are assigned on one Sunday the lesson they are to learn
for the next; in others, without being assigned a lesson, they are
questioned as to what they know. In some districts, as here in Ogmuc,
are formed as many classes as there are divisions of the Christian
doctrine, from making the sign of the cross to the act of confession,
and each student, whether child or old man, continues to advance as
he learns, until he takes his degree, and is graduated--that is,
until he knows the doctrine--which, as we said, was done with the
old men of Antipolo. Not only do they, as good students, write
their lessons--mainly in their own characters, and using a piece
of a reed [7] as a book of memorandum, and an iron point as a pen;
but they always carry with them these materials, and whenever one
ceases his labors, whether at home or in the field, by way of rest
he takes his book, and spends some time in study. Such is the fervor
and zeal of these eager students in learning their supernatural and
divine theology; and their ardor in learning is also evident in their
demeanor and actions, for their lively faith enkindles and inflames
their deeds, and after the ardent heart follows the eager and ardent
hand. All this (omitting many other details, which might be related)
is seen in their often frequenting the holy sacraments, with notable
results in the amendment of their lives; and yet these are people
newly born in the church, and but yesterday begotten in Christ. They
devoutly and confidently ask that the gospel may be read to their
sick, and that holy water be given them; and our Lord responds to
their faith by frequently granting them complete health. Accordingly,
they acknowledge these favors from His hand, being thus confirmed in
the faith, and abhorring the sacrifices which in their maladies they
were wont to make to the devil. Even the infidels are so undeceived
concerning these vain illusions that scarcely a case is known of those
accursed sacrifices which formerly were so frequent. Many infidels
have brought their sick children to be baptized, saying that by this
means our Lord would give them health. Indeed it has often happened so,
and their cure has been the cause of converting their parents. They are
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