This residence is in the province called Pintados, in which the
greater part of Ours have lived and are working for the salvation
of the Indians, although ordinarily not more than three priests and
four brothers labor there. The situation is extremely convenient,
because all the other residences carry on their work from it as a
center. The ministry of the Society is exercised with great profit to
the city. A boys' school has been opened, and the Latin language is
taught. Last year the most reverend bishop, the officials, and other
leading men, in letters sent to his Catholic Majesty, made a full
statement of the great spiritual harvest with which Ours in these
regions exercise their ministry, among both Spaniards and Indians;
and they also earnestly entreated that he would be pleased to render
that residence permanent by some annual provision, in order that they
might be able to continue to enjoy the labors of our fathers.
The excellent bishop walked on foot, although a man sixty years old,
throughout the whole of his diocese; [37] and, turning aside into
our houses, he there dwelt with us in such humility and familiarity
that he seemed to be one of our members. After he had finished the
visitation of the diocese, he was accustomed to say that he had
greatly admired the modesty and piety of the women in it; for in
gossip and conversation their reputation had long been very much to
the contrary. He added that he had seen nothing like it in all Nueva
España. Turning to our fathers, he declared that they ought to be
contented with their lot, because they had undertaken the duty of
disseminating the word of God in those regions; for in his opinion
they were spending their lives in a part of the world which was the
best of all, and the best beloved by God, and that from which they
would be able to obtain the most ample fruit for their labor.
In our churches we began this year the practice of the discipline,
with a great number of penitents and great devotion from the people. We
also delivered sermons, with the Christian catechism, to the garrison,
with extraordinary results.
A certain father added that a sick Indian had lost the faculty
of speech before he had confessed, so that he could not receive an
exhortation to a pious death. Accordingly, he urged him to attempt at
least to pronounce the name of Jesus. The sick man obeyed, and uttered
it obscurely so that he could scarcely be heard. The father continued
to urge him to speak more distinctly. Finally with a moderate effort he
uttered it with the greatest distinctness, made a complete confession,
and on the following day left his bed well.
Father Miguel Gomez [38] was sent to a tribe at a considerable
distance. At first he gave all his attention to learning the names
of those who had not yet been washed in the holy waters of baptism;
and there were brought to him sixty, besides some others who are known
as Visaians. And to all these, after he had sufficiently demonstrated
the vanity of idols and the truth of the Christian belief, he imparted
baptism, with so great a degree of consolation to them all, although
they were old men, that they all marveled. But before dawn, behold
some others, men and women of very great age, who had hidden by the
gate of our house that they might be initiated by means of the same
sacrament. Accordingly sixty, along with six children, were initiated;
and in this number was included the chief of the place, a man already
more than sixty years old.