The Philippine review (Revista filipina) [Vol. 2, no. 1]

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THE PHILIPPINE REVIEW

were only few who seemed to come up to my give each of you his own torch?"; but he could
ideal. There was, it is true, an abundance of not say so if the fall were due to the light of
girls with agreeable manners, beautiful ways, the torch of him who fell, as the light might
and modest demeanor, but there was in all an have been dim and the road very bad.
admixture of servitude and deference to the The deceiver is fond of using the saying
words or whims of their so-called "spiritual that "it is presumptuous to rely on one's own
fathers" (as if the spirit or soul had any father judgment", but, in my opinion, it is more
other than God), due to excessive kindness, presumptuous for a person to put his judgment
modesty, or, perhaps, ignorance. They seemed above that of others and try to make it prevail
faded plants, sown and reared in darkness, over theirs. It is more presumptuous for a man
having flowers without perfume and fruits to constitute himself into an idol and pretend
without sap. to be in communication of thought with God;
However, when the news of what happened and it is more than presumptuous and even
at Malolos reached us, I saw my error, and great blasphemous for a person to attribute every
was my rejoicing. After all, who is to blame movement of his lips to God, to represent every
me? I did not know Malolos nor its girls, except whim of his as the will of God, and to brand
one called Emilia, I and her I knew by name his own enemy as an enemy of God. Of course,
only. we should not consult our own judgment alone,
Now that you have responded to our first but hear the opinion of others before doing
appeal in the interest of the welfare of the what may seem most reasonable to us. The
people; now that you have set an example to cassock or the cowl does not give wisdom: the
those who, like you, long to have their eyes wild man from the hills, if clad in a priest's
opened and be delivered from servitude, new robes, remains a hillman and can only deceive
hopes are awakened in us and we now even the weak and ignorant. And, to make my
dare to face adversity, because we have you for argument more conclusive, just buy a priest's
our allies and are confident of victory. No robe as the Franciscans wear them and put it
longer does the Filipina stand with her head on a mare, and you will be lucky if the mare
bowed nor does she spend her time on her knees, does not become lazy on account of the robe.
because now she is quickened by hope in the But I will leave this subject to speak of somefuture; no longer will the mother contribute thing else.
to keeping her daughter in darkness and bring Youth is a flower-bed that is to bear rich
her up in contempt and moral annihilation. fruit and must accumulate wealth for its deAnd no longer will the science of all sciences scendants. What offspring will be that of a
consist in blind submission to any unjust order, woman whose kindness of character is expressed
or in extreme complacency, nor will a courteous by mumbled prayers, who knows nothing by
smile be deemed the only weapon against heart but awits, novenas, and alleged miracles,
insult or'humble tears the ineffable panacea whose amusement consists in playing panguinfor all tribulations. You know that the will gue or in the frequent confession of the same
of God is different from that of the priest; sins? What sons will she have but acolytes,
that religiousness does not consist of long periods priest's servants, or cockfighters? It is the
spent on your knees, nor in endless prayers, big mothers who are responsible for the present
rosaries, and grimy scapularies, but in a spot- servitude of our compatriots, owing to the
less conduct, firm intention and upright judg- unlimited trustfulness of their loving hearts,
ment. You also know that prudence does not to their ardent desire to elevate their sons.
consist in blindly obeying any whim of the Maturity is the fruit of infancy and the infant
diosdiosan, but in obeying only that which is is formed on the lap of its mother. The
reasonable and just, because blind obedience mother who can only teach her child how to
is itself the cause and origin of those whims, kneel and kiss hands must not expect sons
and those guilty of it are really to be blamed. with blood other than that of vile slaves.
The official or the friar can no longer assert A tree that grows in the mud is unsubstantial
that they alone are responsible for their unjust and good only for firewood. If her son should
orders, because God gave each of you reason have a bold mind, his boldness will be deceitful
and a will of your own to distinguish the just and will be used by him for evil purposes; it
from the unjust; you were all born without will be like the bat that can not show itself
shackles and free, and nobody has a right to until the ringing of vespers. They say that
subjugate the will and the spirit of another. prudence is sanctity and the love of God.
And, why should you submit to another your But-what sanctity have they shown us?
thoughts, seeing that thought is noble and free? To pray and kneel a lot, kiss the hands of the
It is cowardice and error to believe that priests, throw money away on churches, and
saintliness consists in blind obedience and that believe all the friar sees fit to tell us: tattle,
prudence and the habit of thinking are presump- callous knees, wiping of the nose......
tion. Ignorance has ever been ignorance, and As to the mites and gifts to God, is there
never prudence and honor. God, the primal anything in the world that does not belong to
source of all wisdom, does not demand that God? What would you say of a servant
man, created in his image and likeness, allow making his master a present of a cloth borrowed
himself to be deceived and hoodwinked, but from that very master? Who is so vain, so
wants us to use and let shine the light of reason insane that he will give alms to God and believe
with which he has so mercifully endowed us. that the miserable thing he has given will serve
He may be compared to the father who gave to clothe the Creator of all things? Blessed be
each of his sons a torch to light their way in the they who succor their fellow men, aid the poor
darkness, bidding them keep its light bright and and feed the hungry; but cursed be they who
take care of it, and not to put it out and trust to who turn a deaf ear to the supplication of the
the light of the others, but to help and advise poor, who only give to him who has plenty and
each other to find the right path. They would spend their money lavishly on silver altar
be madmen were they to follow the light of hangings for the church, or give it to the friar,
another, only to come to a fall, and the father who lives in abundance, in the shape of fees
could upbraid them and say to them: "Did I not for masses of thanksgiving, or in serenades and
l Emilia Tiongson. Rizal met her at Malolos in 1887. He probably did not remember her when he wrote his letter.