The most ample fruit has resulted from the Christian teaching among
the people of Dulac, [43] given by the seven men of our Society. The
foundations of a boys' school have been laid. In it thirty are imbued
with good morals and solid virtues, and give their aid to Ours in
explaining the catechism to the more ignorant people and those of the
lower order, and that with happy results; for whenever Ours go where
these pupils have exerted their diligence, they find all the people
well prepared to receive baptism.
To the old Christians and some of the more intelligent adults familiar
sermons are delivered on the life of Christ and those of the saints,
and on the manner of profitably receiving communion, and notable
results are evident. On account of these pious exercises and the
uprightness of life shown by these converts, the Christian religion is
ordinarily held in such high esteem that few remain who do not desire
to be initiated into it by baptism. In Advent and at the feast of the
Nativity we baptized more than seven hundred persons. We have baptized
in all, from last year to the present date, two thousand and twenty,
or more.
To this residence are annexed, besides other charges, the care of two
great and populous districts, which give surest proof of their virtue
by clean morals and by obedience. We are informed by letters that,
at the feast of the Nativity, in one of them eight hundred infidels
pledged themselves to the Christian faith; and that the believers
do not yield to España in frequenting the sacraments of confession
and communion.
There was found in one little village an old man leading the life
practically of a hermit; and when our father asked him about his
manner of life, he answered so wisely that the father was greatly
surprised. Among other things he said that though his bodily life
was passed on earth, yet his soul lived in heaven. He had no dreams
at night except about the other life, and he was accustomed to see
the blessed surrounded with great splendor, and one among them who
excelled them all. And when the father gave him a picture of the Last
Judgment to look at, in which was expressed the glory of paradise,
he asked him if his dreams agreed with this picture of the blessed
life. The wonderful old man answered: "Should I see nothing but this,
my father? Much more! much more!" The father was amazed to find such
a treasure of spiritual riches laid up in this man; for he afterward
said that his meditation and the occupation of his mind would be of
nothing else than of Jesus and Mary, until he had exchanged this life
for the eternal one.
Two of Ours, happening to enter a wretched rustic hut, found a man
more than eighty years old lying upon some reeds. He was deprived
of all his senses and his whole body was so worn out that the skin
scarcely adhered to his bones--a living image of death. Our fathers
pitied the man, and prayed to God for him that He would not deny
His compassion to this most pitiable of men. Soon after, the dying
man revived, and with great joy received baptism. As soon as he had
received it he was again deprived of his senses, and, gently calling
on the names of Jesus and Mary, he rendered up his soul to God.
Information was brought that there was a man lying grievously ill in
the most distant part of the district. Although we were not a little
deterred from the journey by the darkness of night and the great
number of serpents, as well as by the necessity of crossing a river
full of crocodiles; yet we did not regard all these things as of so
much consequence as the value of a single soul redeemed by the blood
of Jesus Christ. One of the fathers, therefore, went thither, and with
a medicine healed the sick man in the name of Jesus. On the father's
return, something more extraordinary happened to him. He came upon
a sick woman, who, although she did not seem to be dangerously ill,
yet departed to the better life as soon as she had received baptism. As
two of Ours were making their way over a sandy soil at noon, under the
dreadful heat of the burning sun, being without any food or drink, they
laid this their affliction before the Lord God; and behold! suddenly,
at this most unusual time, there was a man sitting on the ground,
who showed himself most kind and courteous. He ungrudgingly offered
to the hungry and thirsty men fresh fruit from his basket. When they
accepted it readily, he not only took great pleasure in that, but
also urged them, with a certain strange earnestness, to feed upon
it as if it were their own. Strengthened with this little meal they
went on, which they could hardly have done otherwise, and offered
great thanks to God that He had come to their assistance in their
extremity. Afterward, when they had considered all the circumstances
of the fact, and of the place in which the man was found with the
fruit, and had reflected that no Indian was in the habit of going on
a journey alone in the heat of the day, and again that, although they
were unknown to him, he had shared the fruit with them so kindly and
generously, they came directly to the conclusion that he was an angel
of God. At least it was a proof of the singular providence of God;
and it is well worthy of belief, that God in this manner had been
willing to show His bounty to them, inasmuch as the said two fathers
had exercised their ministry with great spiritual fruit in that place
from which they had set out on that day.