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]

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THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS

[Vol. 13

on the other hand, of fine colors and flavors, and
eager to see or hear agreeable things. Accordingly,
they cannot endure foul odors, and have great aversion for persons who are wounded or bruised; among
them such persons suffer, in consequence, great privation and neglect, bodily as well as spiritual. On this
point, several sermons were preached to them; but,
as the achievement of victory in such a cause is, in
truth, arduous and heroic, the preacher, seeing that
words were of no avail, determined to preach a sermon of deeds. They had one day in the week set
apart when all the old, the sick, and the wounded
assembled to receive instruction; and the father knew
that some were not present because they had no one
to carry them, or help them to come - among these,
especially, there was a female slave who belonged to
one of the chiefs; her masters had never been willing
to carry her to the church, on account of their great
loathing for her. At a time when many of these
poor creatures were assembled, and the most notable
of the people were present, the father took in his
hands the feet of a poor slave who was covered with
sores, kissed them, and placed his lips on the wound
itself. There was another unfortunate whom they
all held in great contempt, who himself did not dare
to expose his countenance, on account of an ulcer
which had eaten away his mouth, nose, and the
greater part of his face; but the father drew this man
to himself, spoke to him, and caressed him, even
touching his face. This example made so great an
impression upon them that, from that time forth,
they have displayed great compassion for such unfortunates- aiding them in their necessities, and,
when they cannot walk, carrying them on their