By the administration of these children, who were so fervently devout, he performed divers extraordinary works, even many of those miraculous cures, which it pleased God to perate by his means.  The coast of Fishery was never so full of diseases, as when the father was there.  It seemed, as he himself has expressed it in a letter, that God sent those distempers amongst that people, to draw them to him almost in their own despite.  For coming to recover on an instant, and against all human appearance, so soon as they had received baptism, or invoked the name of Jesus Christ, they clearly saw the difference betwixt the God of the Christians and the pagods, which is the name given in the Indies, both to the temples and the images of their false gods.

No one fell sick amongst the Gentiles, but had immediate recourse to Father Xavier.  As it was impossible for him to attend them all, or to be in many places at the same time, he sent there Christian children where he could not go himself.  In going from him, one took his chaplet, another his crucifix, a third his reliquiary, and all being animated with a lively faith, dispersed themselves through the towns and villages.  There gathering about the sick as many people as they could assemble, they repeated often the Lord’s prayer, the creed, the commandments, and all they had learnt by heart of the Christian faith; which being done, they asked the sick, “If he believed unfeignedly in Jesus Christ, and if he desired to be baptized?” When he had answered “Yes,” they touched him with the chaplet, or crucifix belonging to the father, and he was immediately cured.

One day, while Xavier was preaching the mysteries of faith to a great multitude, some came to bring him word from Manapar, that one of the most considerable persons of that place was possessed by the devil, desiring the father to come to his relief.  The man of God thought it unbecoming of his duty to break off the instruction he was then making.  He only called to him some of those young Christians, and gave them a cross which he wore upon his breast; after which he sent them to Manapar with orders to drive away the evil spirit.

They were no sooner arrived there, than the possessed person fell into an extraordinary fury, with, wonderful contortions of his limbs, and hideous yellings.  The little children, far from being terrified, as usually children are, made a ring about him, singing the prayers of the church.  After which they compelled him to kiss the cross; and at the same moment, the devil departed out of him.  Many pagans there present, visibly perceiving the virtue of the cross, were converted on the instant, and became afterwards devout Christians.

These young plants, whom Xavier employed on such occasions, were in perpetual disputations with the Gentiles, and broke in pieces as many idols as they could get into their power; and sometimes burnt them, throwing their ashes into the air.  When they discovered any bearing the name of Christianity, and yet keeping a pagod in reserve to adore in secret, they reproved them boldly; and when those rebukes were of no effect, they advertised the holy man, to the end, he might apply some stronger remedy.  Xavier went often in their company, to make a search in those suspected houses; and if he discovered any idols, they were immediately destroyed.