For what remains, he endured in this barren and inhospitable country all the miseries imaginable, of hunger, thirst, and nakedness.  But the comforts which he received from heaven, infinitely sweetened all his labours; which may be judged by the letter he wrote to Father Ignatius.  For, after he had made him a faithful description of the place, “I have,” said he, “given you this account of it, that from thence you may conclude, what abundance of celestial consolations I have tasted in it.  The dangers to which I am exposed, and the pains I take for the interest of God alone, are the inexhaustible springs of spiritual joys; insomuch, that these islands, bare of all worldly necessaries, are the places in the world, for a man to lose his sight with the excess of weeping; but they are tears of joy.  For my own part, I remember not ever to have tasted such interior delights; and these consolations of the soul, are so pure, so exquisite, and so perpetual, that they take from me all sense of my corporeal sufferings.”

Xavier continued for three months in the Isle del Moro; after which, he repassed to the Moluccas, with intention from thence to sail to Goa; not only that he might draw out missioners from thence, to take care of the new Christianity which he had planted in all those isles, and which he alone was not sufficient to cultivate, but also to provide for the affairs of the company, which daily multiplied in this new world.

Being arrived at Ternate, he lodged by a chapel, which was near the Port, and which, for that reason, is called “Our Lady of the Port.”  He thought not of any long stay in that place, but only till the ship which was intended for Malacca should be ready to set out.  The Christians, more glad of his return, because they had despaired of seeing him again, begged of him to continue longer with them, because Lent was drawing near; and that he must, however, stay all that holy time, in the island of Amboyna, for the proper season of navigation to Malacca.  The captain of the fortress of Ternate, and the brotherhood of the Mercy, engaged themselves to have him conducted to Amboyna, before the setting out of the ships.  So that Xavier could not deny those people, who made him such reasonable propositions; and who were so desirous to retain him, to the end they might profit by his presence, in order to the salvation of their souls.

He remained then almost three months in Ternate; hearing confessions day and night, preaching twice on holidays, according to his custom; in the morning to the Portuguese, in the afternoon to the islanders newly converted; catechising the children every day in the week, excepting Wednesday and Friday, which he set apart for the instruction of the Portuguese wives.  For, seeing those women, who were either Mahometans or idolaters by birth, and had only received baptism in order to their marrying with the Portuguese, were not capable of profiting by the common sermons, for want of sufficient understanding in the mysteries and maxims of Christianity; he undertook to expound to them the articles of faith, the commandments, and other points of Christian morality.  The time of Lent was passed in these exercises of piety, and penitence, which fitted them for the blessed sacrament at Easter.  All people approached the holy table, and celebrated that feast with renewed fervour, which resembled the spirit of primitive Christianity.