One can see in this not only his Majesty's favor toward us, directed to the ends of the providence of God (who holds the hearts of kings in His hands), but also the evil (which the Audiencia here regretted) of the separation which was made, and the official report which was made to the credit of this holy providence. And since at last they see us near at hand, and the good reputation that our Lord has given us here in His infinite goodness, those gentlemen are grieved at seeing us suffer--since at that time we were in so great danger of the destruction of this holy province; for giving it such a division amounted to the same thing. But God returned to His cause later; and as His divine mercies have been so abundantly revealed, greater troubles can well be reckoned as well past. [The following six chapters are comprised mainly of accounts of the Chinese missions, and the lives of certain Dominicans.] THE RECOLLECT MISSIONS, 1625-40 [In VOL. XXI (pp. 191-259) the history of the Recollect missions in the Philippines, as related by Luis de Jesús (Historia general de los religiosos descalzos del orden de los Hermitaños del gran Padre, ... San Augustin; Madrid, 1681) was presented for 1621-24. Below follows the history of that author for 1625-38.] DECADE FOURTH Year 1625 CHAPTER FIFTH The founding of the convent of Sevilla. Ours begin to preach the gospel in Baiug and Malanao in the Filipinas. Father Fray Diego de la Anunciation dies in a holy manner in Madrid. [The first three sections of this chapter relate to Spanish affairs entirely.] IIII Preaching of our religious in Bayug and Malanao It had been decided by an intermediary chapter of that province of Filipinas that our laborers should go to the district of Bayug and the vicinity of Lake Malanao [i.e., Lanao], as there were many people there, and hopes were entertained of gathering abundant fruit for the Church. Since the minister of Cagaiang, to whom the visitas of Bayug and the other villages belonged, could not go there, father Fray Juan de San Nicolas was appointed, a man well known for his invincible spirit, and his excellent procedure (howbeit at the cost of many hardships) in reducing obstinate ones, as was proved in the conquest of Cagaiang. Armed, then, with spiritual weapons, he went to the village of Bayug, where he was known and where there were a few Christians. He began to make much of the chief people, for if they are once subdued, the conversion of the common people is not so difficult.