The people of the Philippines, their religious progress and preparation for spiritual leadership in the Far East,

THE IGLESIA FILIPINA INDEPENDIENTE 141

lands proved feasible. Negotiations were begun at once and
in I903, after much bargaining, the deal was completed by
the purchase from the holding companies of I67,127 hectares
for $7,239,784.66. This price ($I8 an acre) was high for
the best agricultural land in the Philippines.'
The interest on this sum of money at six per cent would
amount to twice what the friars were getting for rentals.
But it was the best that could be done, and getting rid of
this land trouble would have been cheap at twice the price.
While this was an immense relief to the American officials,
the real anxiety of the Filipinos centered upon the expulsion
of the friars. And in this point Taft was not so successful.
He suggested the substitution of the Spanish friars by native,
foreign, or American priests. The Pope refused to promise
to withdraw the friars within any fixed period for he did not
wish to become involved in a dispute with Spain. A promise
was made however to introduce clergy from other countries
gradually, and not to return the friars to the parishes. But
this substitution of one foreign priesthood by another was
precisely what the Filipinos did not desire. The Filipino
priests wanted ecclesiastical independence as ardently as their
parishioners wanted political freedom.
When Taft returned with the dismal news of his failure
to secure the immediate eviction of the friars, Aglipay broke
decisively with Rome, signed the "third epistle" of the new
church on October 17, I902, and nine days later celebrated
his first Mass as "Obispo Maximo of the Philippine Independent Church" in the open air near the church in Tondo,
before several thousand people. "The sensation produced was
tremendous." 2
In one important respect Aglipay became a thoroughgoing
Protestant. He permitted himself to be invested as bishop
by an ecclesiastical council. At first he was sorely puzzled
about the question of apostolic succession and contemplated
going to England or the Continent for the purpose of receiving his investiture from an Episcopal bishop. He consulted
'Willis, "Our Philippine Problem," p. 199.
2Stuntz, "The Philippines and the Far East," p. 490; also The Manila Times,
October 26, I902.