The Confraternity which has been established among those natives arouses the rest to fervor; for its members are the leaven, with their good example leavening the mass of dough.  At the Christmas feasts they give food to all the poor whom they can assemble, and in such abundance that there is even a surplus for the prisoners (Spaniards as well as Indians), and also for another very needy class of people, those who work in the powder-house.  After this repast they wash and kiss the feet of all the poor, who fall upon their knees and offer up prayers for those who have performed for them this charitable act.  In company with those of our Society, they betake themselves to the hospital of the natives, especially during Advent and Lent, to serve and entertain its inmates.  They make the beds, sweep out the house and clean it thoroughly—­which for them is a great deal, since the Indians are a fastidious people, who are wont to remain in their homes to die, in order not to see the hospital; but with their fervor and devotion the members of the Confraternity overcome this and other obstacles.

They are greatly addicted to prayer and fasting; some, indeed, have passed whole weeks subsisting on bread and water alone.  They have made retreat in our house, to make their general confessions, and perform similar exercises, greatly to their own profit and to the edification of the people.

There was a Christian woman who, in former days, had been made a captive by infidels who had taken her to the islands of Mindanao and Burnei, where the doctrine of Mahoma is taught; and they carried her through many peoples of that infidel land, but never did she relapse from the Christian faith.

A certain Indian had, with others, made his confession for the purpose of receiving communion; but he remained silent in regard to some circumstances of his sins.  He says that in a dream he beheld a very beautiful child who seemed to desire to give him the communion; the Indian excused himself from receiving it, as being so great a sinner.  The child said to him:  “It is true, thou dost not deserve communion, because in thy confession thou didst conceal this and that circumstance.”  On awakening, the Indian betook himself to our house; and, communicating to one of Ours what had befallen him, he said that he wished to make his confession anew, which he did.

Another Indian, who was wont to take the discipline in our house, became through that excellent practice so accustomed to his prayers and scourgings that, while marching on an expedition with a company of soldiers, he left the camp at night in order to practice his discipline.  One night, while the captain of infantry was going the rounds, he saw this man leave the camp, and followed him, believing him to be some soldier who was going out with some evil purpose.  He saw the man go to a church cemetery, where, after offering his prayers, he began to scourge himself severely.  When his penance was ended, the captain approached him, and recognizing him as an Indian, was even more edified than before.  Asked whence he came, the Indian replied that he belonged to one of the suburbs of Manila, and that he made his confessions to the fathers of the Society.  The captain, impressed by this new converts solicitude for his soul, gave him some money and sent him home, saying:  “Take this and do not corrupt thyself among soldiers.”