as examples of virtue and piety from whatever point this may be considered, and who both profess and exercise piety with the utmost sincerity, and in perfection.  I observed and noted in those people, without distinction of good and bad, three habitual virtues:  they do not blaspheme, they hear mass every day, and they are present at every sermon.  As for confession and communion, I may affirm that there is not a feast-day appointed during the year when they do not, almost every one, confess and receive communion; indeed, we hardly have leisure to administer those sacraments to them, for no sooner is one communion concluded than we must prepare for the next one.  And this piety is displayed not only by select Christians, of recognized virtue, but by almost all the people of the city; and they are constrained thereto by the saintly labors, example, and teaching of these holy religious orders.  These, not to mention other virtues which make them conspicuous in that country, possess two which are especially notable:  first, the strictness of religious observance and the purity of life which they all teach, and which, in truth, they exercise with great consistency; second, the peaceable and fraternal relations which they maintain among themselves—­a virtue which is born from the first.  For the likeness between them in this respect awakens and kindles, in the minds of their members, a readiness to esteem and value one another, and, in consequence, to take pleasure in the society and welfare of their brethren; and thus are born peace and harmony.  Of this and many other excellent things, much could be said.

But to return to our ministries:  with the reenforcement of that year, and the pious inclinations of the people of Manila (which had been aroused and cultivated in them by the hand of the Lord, through tribulations), we had excellent facilities for increasing the practice of pious exercises—­not only maintaining those of former days, but adding others which were new—­in return for which, some notable and edifying events occurred.  First, the students founded the congregation of La Anunciata in imitation of other colleges of our Society, where it flourishes with so much distinction and piety.  Although those who began it were but six, it grew apace, inasmuch as it was a work of God and of His most glorious mother.  As the rays of this light spread through the city, it ravished the eyes and hearts of many laymen of various conditions, filling them with desire to enter this congregation; and in less than eight months its membership grew so large that it was necessary to form two congregations from the one, separating the laymen from the students, and assigning to each congregation its officials.  At public feasts, however, they assemble together, and celebrate their services in the chapel.  These pious and devout exercises, with the example and sweet odor [of piety] displayed in their conduct, and the benefits resulting from it to their own souls, would require a separate narrative.