cases of need without assurance of profit. Consequently, whenever they made loans (not of money, which they did not use or possess, but of other things, most commonly rice, bells, and gold—this last more than all else, for when weighed it took the place of money, for which purpose every one carried in his pouch a balance), they must always agree upon the profit which should be paid them in addition to the sum that they were to lend. But the evil did not stop here, for the profit or gain itself went on increasing with the delay in making payment—until finally, in the course of time, it exceeded all the possessions of the debtor. The debt was then charged to his person, which the poor wretch gave, thus becoming a slave; and from that time forth all his descendants were also slaves. There was another form of this usury and slavery, by which the debtor or his son must remain from that time a slave, until the debt, with all the usury and interest which were customary among them, was repaid. As a result of this, all the descendants of him who was ether a debtor or security for the debt, remained slaves. Slaves were also made through tyranny and cruelty, by way of revenge and punishment for offenses of small account, which were made to appear matters of injury. Examples of these are: failure to preserve silence for the dead (which we have already mentioned), or happening to pass in front of a chief who was bathing (alluded to in the fable of Actæon), and other similar oppressions. They also captured slaves in war by means of ambuscades and attacks, keeping as such all those whom they did not wish to kill. Since these cruelties were so usual among them, and, on the other hand, the poor are commonly oppressed by the powerful, it was easy to increase the number of slaves. Consequently they used to have, and still do have, a very large number of slaves, which among them is the greatest of riches. This has been no small hindrance to their conversion, and has fettered the hands of many ministers of the gospel, and subjected them to great doubts and perplexities. But since, on the one hand, pious individuals have, although with difficulty, paid ransoms; and, on the other, the royal magistrates have ascertained the facts and provided redress for those thus tyrannically treated who seek their liberty; and, moreover, since God our Lord has influenced many in their baptisms and confessions, an enormous number of ransoms have been given. Usury also quickly diminished, the creditors being satisfied with the original interest, without expecting a continual increase. But now, through the grace of our Lord, all that custom has been abolished, and the natives now proceed with mercy and Christian charity, not only in Ogmuc and throughout the island of Leite, but in all the other islands where there is knowledge of Jesus Christ.
What the Christians accomplished in Carigara. Chapter XXXXVII.
From the very beginning, the people of this mission showed their fervor; consequently, the Christians continued to increase in numbers, although, as I have said, our fathers were very cautious in granting holy baptism. All those Christians have frequent recourse to the confessional, prizing it highly and greatly benefiting their own souls. Those who are not Christians are all catechumens; and there is not one of them who does not desire holy baptism. There was formed in this church, and completed this year, a very delightful musical choir, composed of the children themselves, who are very clever in this exercise; and thus the divine services are celebrated with solemnity.
Of the remarkable increase in the mission of Paloc. Chapter XXXXVIII.
This village is one of the finest and best regulated in all the island, thanks to the labors of one of our fathers, who helped the natives to construct good houses. The Christian doctrine is taught every day to the children in all the villages; and so many of them attend this exercise that it is necessary to appoint four chanters in order that they may be heard. Every day the people attend mass, after they have had their lessons in the doctrine. One day of the week is set apart when all the Christians come together to learn the doctrine and catechism; and, even without the presence of the father, they all assemble in every village. Great benefit has been derived from this practice, for thus those who know the doctrine do not forget it, and those who do not know it may learn it. Every night an Indian goes forth with a little bell, warning all to prepare for death and to repent for their sins, and enjoining the Christians to pray to God in behalf of those who are not, that they may know God. While he is uttering this message, perfect silence reigns, for they call this "the warning of God;" and, in truth, it has been so effective that there is not an Indian who does not reflect on death and desire baptism. Before Lent some sermons were preached to them on confession, and they were taught that they must not conceal their sins; to enforce this, a very appropriate instance was cited, which had such an effect upon them that many persons, though they had left the church very late that night, returned the next morning to make another confession.
Although idolatry was formerly very common among these pagans, who practiced it on every trivial occasion, our Lord has been pleased so to diminish it that hardly anything is now known of it. Two children, whose mother was sick, took three fowls for the purpose of making a sacrifice to the demon. While on the way to the house of the priestess (who in that country is usually old, and belongs to a mean class), one of the children said to the other: "Whither are we going, and what are we doing—we who are Christians and know that God sees us? Let us give up this purpose." With this they abandoned their projected sacrifice, and returning to their home, set the fowls at liberty. The practice of disciplining on Fridays was begun, and was taken up by all the children and the adults of the village. On the first night when they assembled for this purpose, the father made known to them the spirit in which it should be done, and so profoundly impressed them that they soon named Friday (which is the usual day for the discipline) "the day of atonement for sins."
Some notable incidents in Dulac. Chapter XXXXIX.
In this residence, from the month of June in the year ninety-eight to January in the year ninety-nine, there were solemnly baptized more than one hundred catechumens who greatly desired the sacrament and prepared themselves very carefully for holy baptism. This did not include the sick, who through the mercy of God had been but few that year; but among these sick persons, both children and adults, was experienced the virtue of this holy sacrament for bodily health. Some persons who were covered with leprosy and their recovery despaired of, were restored by baptism to so good health that, although borne down by years, they were able to till the soil and sow their fields. I wish to relate the faith of a pagan woman whose husband, also a pagan, lay sick. Believing his condition to be dangerous, she persuaded him to accept baptism. For this purpose she sent for the father, and, when the latter asked the sick man if he desired baptism or instruction, she helped him to make his answers. The father, observing her to be so capable and so desirous of the welfare of her husband, inquired if she also wished to become a Christian. She answered affirmatively, saying that she had heard in the church that only the good Christians went to heaven, and that those who were not Christians must burn in hell; and that for the sake of retaining her husband's affection she was not willing to die an infidel, and come to so bad an end. Finally, when it seemed that the sick man was well prepared, and his sickness was becoming dangerous, he was baptized, and then our Lord was pleased to give him health—whereat the good woman was more than ever anxious to receive baptism for herself. After they were both baptized, they received the nuptial benediction, as do all the other married people who are baptized, renewing their marriage according to Christian usage. I will also mention the death of a child, which was no less remarkable than the recovery of the other. The father was passing through a village late in the day, on his way to another settlement. He was hastening his steps, for the sun was setting and there still remained a considerable strip of road before he could reach his destination. But at the very entrance of the village a Christian came out and called to him, entreating him to go and baptize a child, the son of infidel parents, who was very sick. The father went to the house and baptized the child; and, having offered a prayer for it, went away. No sooner had he gone, than our Lord called the child to Himself; and it seemed as if the little one was only waiting baptism in order to enter heaven immediately.
The method of preaching which our Fathers employed in Tinagon, and the results thereby obtained. Chapter L.
What was accomplished at that time in Tinagon is well related by Father Francisco de Otaço in the following special account which he gave of his labors there: "It is wonderful to see how these people have all at once and generally abandoned their sins. For the greater glory of the Lord,
