The testimony of the Bonzas authorised the preaching of the gospel; but their scandalous way of living, hindered them from following our holy law.  Notwithstanding, before the conclusion of the year, two of them of less corrupt manners than the rest, or more faithful to the grace of Jesus Christ, embraced Christianity; and their example wrought so far upon the inhabitants of Cangoxima, that many of them desired to be baptized.

These first fruits of preaching promised greater, and the faith flourished daily more and more in Cangoxima, when a persecution, raised on a sudden, ruined these fair expectations, and stopt the progress of the gospel The Bonzas, surprised to see the people ready to forsake the religion of the country, opened their eyes to their own interest, and manifestly saw, that if this new religion were once received, as they only lived on the alms and offerings which were made to their deities, they should be wholly deprived of their subsistence.  They judged, in consequence, that this evil was to be remedied, before it grew incurable; and nothing was to be spared for the rooting out these Portuguese preachers.  It was then manifest, that those religious idolaters, who at first had been so favourable to Xavier, now made open war against him.  They decried him in all places, and publicly treated him as an impostor.  Even so far they proceeded, that one day as he was preaching, in one of the public places of the city, a Bonza interrupted him in the midst of his discourse, and warned the people not to trust him; saying, “That it was a devil, who spoke to them in the likeness of a man.”

This outrageousness of the Bonzas failed of the effect which they desired; the Japonians, who are naturally men of wit, and plain dealers, came easily to understand the motives of their priests, to change their manner of behaviour, and finding interest in all they said or did, grew more and more attentive to the doctrine of the Father.

Some of them upbraided the Bonzas, that their proper concernments had kindled their zeal to such an height:  that religion was not to be defended by calumnies and affronts, but by solid arguments:  that if the doctrine of the European was false, why did they not demonstrate clearly the falsehood of it:  that, for the rest, it was of little consequence whether this new preacher was a demon or a man; and that truth was to be received, whosoever brought it:  that, after all, he lived with great austerity, and was more to be credited than any of them.

In effect, Xavier, for the edification of the people, who commonly judge by appearances of things, abstained entirely both from flesh and fish.  Some bitter roots, and pulse boiled in water, were all his nourishment, in the midst of his continual labours.  So that he practised, rigorously and literally, that abstinence of which the Bonzas make profession, or rather that which they pretend to practise.  And he accustomed himself to this immediately, upon what Paul de Sainte Foy had told him, that it would look ill if a religious Christian should live with less austerity than the priests of idols should in their course of life.