Amongst the conversions which were made at Fucheo, one of the most considerable was that of a famous Bonza, of Canafama, called Sacay Ecran.  This Bonza, who was very learned, and a great pillar of his sect, seeing that none of his brethren durst attempt Xavier on the matter of religion, undertook a public disputation with him.  The conference Avas made in a principal place of the town, in presence of a great multitude.  Scarcely had Xavier made an end of explaining the Christian doctrine, when the Bonza grew sensible of his errors.  The infidel, notwithstanding, went on to oppose those truths, of which he had already some imperfect glimpse; but being at length convinced, by the powerful reasons of his adversary, and inwardly moved by God’s good spirit, he fell on his knees, and lifting up his hands towards heaven, he pronounced aloud these words, Math tears trickling from his eyes; “O Jesus Christ, thou true and only son of God, I submit to thee.  I confess from my heart, and with my mouth, that thou art God eternal and omnipotent; and I earnestly desire the pardon of all my auditors, that I have so often taught them things for truth, which I acknowledge, and at this present declare before them, were only forgeries and fables.”

An action which was so surprising, moved the minds of all the assistants; and it was in the power of Father Xavier to have baptized that very day five hundred persons, who, being led by the example of the Bonza of Canafama, all of them earnestly desired baptism.  He might perhaps have done this in the Indies, where there were no learned men to oppose the mysteries of our faith, and to tempt the fidelity of the new converts by captious queries.  But he judged this not to be practicable in Japan, where the Bonzas, not being able to hinder the conversion of idolaters, endeavoured afterwards to regain them by a thousand lying artifices and sophistications; and it appeared necessary to him, before he baptized those who were grown up to manhood, to fortify them well against the tricks of those seducers.

Accordingly, the saint disposed the souls of those Gentiles by degrees to this first sacrament, and began with the reformation of their manners, chusing rather not to baptize the king of Bungo, than to precipitate his baptism; or rather he thought, that his conversion would be always speedy enough, provided it were sincere and constant.  Thus, the great care of Father Xavier, in relation to the prince, was to give him an aversion to those infamous vices which had been taught him by the Bonzas, and in which he lived without scruple, upon the faith of those his masters.  Now the king, attending with great application to the man of God, and having long conversations with him, began immediately to change his life, and to give the demonstrations of that change.  From the very fist, he banished out of his chamber a beautiful youth, who was his minion, and also forbade him the entry of his palace.  He gave bountifully to the