that year three fathers who had gained a mastery of their language. If
there had been many more, each one would have had something to occupy
him, on account of the great number of the Indians, not only within
the city, but beyond the walls, in many villages which are in the
vicinity of Manila, and whose inhabitants attend our church. In that
year our Lord was pleased to favor this ministry with new tokens of
His favor; for although in former years the conditions were such as
are described above, in this year [1598] the attendance in our church
for sermons and confessions was extraordinary--indeed, there was one
father who heard more than three hundred general confessions. This
was due partly to the increase in the number of fathers who knew
the language; and partly to the cessation of the sermons which were
formerly preached by other religious orders, through the press of
other labors with which they ever busy themselves most zealously in
the service of God. By these holy means we set aright many important
affairs which concerned enmities and sinful lives. As an instance of
this, certain legal proceedings were instituted for the separation
of a married pair; these had made considerable progress, but were
abandoned, and the husband and wife were reconciled, and again
lived together in peace. Efforts were also made to break up illicit
relations, and separate those who lived therein; and the result was
that, through the mercy of God, those persons have not relapsed into
evil ways. Although among these were some cases of special interest,
I will confine myself to other matters which occur to me, which are
cleaner and more agreeable. The first concerns an infidel Indian woman
whose conversion was a difficult matter, on account of her marriage
with a Chinese or Sangley who was also an infidel; for her husband
kept her, as is the custom among the Chinese, under close confinement
and guard. One of our fathers was desirous to gain this woman for
Christ; and, finding no other means, placed some Christian Indians