The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803; 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, commericial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the beginning of the nineteenth century; [Vol. 1, no. 13]

1604-6o05]

CHIRINO'S RELATION

99

that their prayers never ceased- at night, in their
homes; and by day, in the church. As a result, on the
feast of the glorious St. Joseph I baptized fifty adults,
among them the most prominent persons of this village. To see their leaders already Christians is a
strong incentive for the others to follow these. From
many others I withheld baptism, as it was necessary
to investigate their marriages, and this could not be
done on account of the absence of the persons concerned. Of these latter there is a considerable number, but I trust in our Lord that within a few days
not a man will remain unbaptized in this village;
for already they are all catechumens and attend the
church. At the same time I baptized also fifty children." The father proceeds to relate other devout
exercises of those Christians, which I do not repeat
here, as they are similar to those which I have recounted of others. Afterward, Father Juan de Torres
held another mission in the same town, and our Lord
made him joyful by granting him another rich haul,
when he cast from the pulpit the net of the word of
God, in order to fish for souls. This was a chief, one
of the most powerful in that district; in imitation of
the chiefs of Botuan (although ignorant of what they
had done), he arose like them in the congregation,
and after earnestly asking for baptism, began then
and there his preparation - by publicly asking pardon of all those whom he might have wronged, and
offering full satisfaction, whatever might be the
amount of his obligation; and (an act of much
greater importance) by putting away one of his two
wives. Through this the Spirit of truth,' which is
Marginal reference: "Wisdom, 7."