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

46 THE PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES

as though the rock were all marble; from here rises a thick
wall, high and straight, in the form of the facade of a church
ending at the top in a cavity like a white hood. The interior
road of the cave is smooth and more than four rods in width,
with an average height of six rods, although in some places it
is very high and very wide. The roof forms a thousand beautiful figures, like grand pendants, which were formed by the
constant infiltration of the water. Some are so large that they
measure two rods in straight form, others are like pyramids
with their bases on the roof and in other places are arcs,
between and beneath which it was possible to pass. Not far
distant from the portal, and toward the right, is a sort of
natural stairway; ascending on this one reaches a large room,
at the right of which is another road; and following it to the
room ahead, one finds another stairway, by which one returns
to the principal road....This cave is one of the most singular things known in the Philippines in material, form and
circumstances, since the mountains on either side of it are
of marble." That the ancient Tagalogs used and revered
these caves is certain, and that they changed their interiors to
some extent is probable, but Sr. Paterno makes full use of
poetic license when he says that the ancient Tagalogs actually
excavated them.8
The true state of the Tagalog religion is probably accurately
portrayed by an early Spaniard whom Paterno quotes as an
authority, Fr. Juan Francisco de San Antonio, who thus
describes a Tagalog sacrifice:
"To cure a sick person, the priest commanded that a new
house be built in which to lay the patient; when that was
done... the sick person was changed to it, and they prepared a sacrifice, sometimes of a slave, and more commonly
of an animal such as a pig or fish; and they placed these
s So much space has been given to the doctrine of Bathalism because of its
influence upon Filipino religion during the last fifty years. Rizal and Mabini
referred to it in their writings. It has influenced the Aglipay movement, has
been accepted by the sect of Rizalistas and with modifications has constituted
the foundation of some of the Colorum sects. It is of scientific interest
also as an illustration of the creation, out of almost whole cloth, of a golden
age supposed to have existed a few centuries previously. Sr. Paterno deserves
not the slightest censure-he has excellent precedent in more widely known
religious literature.