The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898: Volume 32, 1640: 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.Aduarte, Diego
History
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898: Volume 32, 1640: 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.
Aduarte, Diego
Demarcation line of Alexander VI; Missions -- Philippines; Philippines -- Discovery and exploration; Philippines -- History -- Sources
[While the church was being built, some very notable events
happened. One Sunday, after the Christians had heard mass, they and
a number of heathen who helped them were dragging a very large beam
which was to serve as a column in the building. As they went down
a little hill, it began to roll on some round sticks which they had
placed under it in order that they might move it with less difficulty,
and came at one of those who were dragging it with such force that,
as it seemed, he could in no way avoid being caught by it. The Lord
heard the prayers of some religious who were present, and delivered
him from his danger. In the same church the workmen were setting up
the beams which were to support the four corners of the transept like
columns--which beams were much larger, longer, and thicker than any
of the others. A great number of people were stationed on each of
the four sides of one, to draw it so that it might go straight. The
cables which they used were new and heavy, and there was a workman
seated on the head of the beam to watch the hitches of the cables to
be sure that they did not slip. The weight of the beam was so great
that one of the cables gave way, and when it was broken the others
began to become loose. The workmen dropped their work and fled in
alarm, leaving the man on the head of the beam beyond help, as it
seemed. Father Fray Bartholome Martinez prayed to the Lord for this
man, and the beam rested upon some bamboos standing there, which were
strong, but not strong enough to carry such a weight; and the man got
down by them unhurt, but with his blood curdled by fright. The church
was finished and was most beautiful, being a notable piece of work in
its style. It caused great joy to the Spaniards, and to the Chinese,
both Christian and heathen. In the course of time another event which
greatly edified these Chinese occurred; for on Monday, March 13, 1628,
at one o'clock at night, a fire broke out in the Parian which burnt
down practically the whole of it--since it was at that time built of
reeds and nipa, or of dry boards, which burn like a torch. The only
houses saved were some which were protected by green trees, and some
other small ones which were somewhat isolated. The fire bore directly
toward the church, and had already begun to scorch the wood of it,
when the religious carried out the image of our Lady of the Rosary,
and turned her face toward the fire. The wind instantly changed,
and the church was saved. Although in the construction of this most
beautiful church care had been taken to build it of durable wood,
yet within a few years some of it rotted, and it seemed as if it
would be with this church as with the others. Hence it was deemed
necessary to tear it down, for fear of accident; and another church
was built, with strong pillars of stone.] Since this is very near the
city, we did not fail to build it with stronger frame. But it is very
beautifully decorated, its walls being covered from top to bottom with
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