Father Gabriel Sanchez writes thus, in a letter of October 5:  “Our Lord has favored the plans and labors of the father rector and other fathers; for in uniting the villages, their people have been so thoroughly converted to the Lord that I know not what to say, except that the Lord, who created and redeemed them, has been pleased to call them with so special a vocation.  Of the people in those reductions there have been newly baptized in the last four months more than two thousand souls, and it seems to me that, if we had fathers, the whole island would be converted in one month.  I am filled with devotion when I see people who are practically savages come from the mountains, and on their knees ask for baptism, and children as well, like angels, who have already learned the prayers, although I know not who are their teachers.  Today, for instance, one of them came down, a child about ten years old, whom I had never before seen; and yet he knew the catechism and the questions, and was most eager to be baptized.  Catolonas, or priestesses, also come to us, and have given so many proofs of their holy desire that we have not been able to deny them baptism.  Truly, my father, I am living in great consolation and joy; for here in these regions there is nothing more to be desired than that we may faithfully serve our Lord, and that all the people may be brought into the presence of His Divine Majesty.  On Sunday we had in the church of Loboc six or seven hundred souls, which is the usual attendance.  If your Reverence could see in the early mornings nearly a hundred children from the mountains, boys and girls but recently baptized, march with praises to God in a procession along the bank of this river, singing the doctrine with angelic voices that seem to come from heaven, I verily believe that your Reverence would be moved to devout tears, at seeing how God has brought them down from these mountains and dragons’ caves that they may praise and glorify Him.  During the last few days there were baptized in Dita five hundred more souls, so that in this mission of Bohol there are now more than three thousand Christians.  At the beginning, we had eight hundred, and now, with the blessing of God and the mercy that He has shown them, two thousand three hundred have been baptised.  Since God decrees it, may St Peter bless it.  Amen.”

In another letter he writes:  “For days I have been toiling alone; and when I depart from a village, a considerable time passes before I return to it.  But it is evident that the spiritual benefit of those poor people acquits me for this delay, in order that your Reverence may take pity on them.  For this reason, my father, let fathers be brought from Espana; and will your Reverence send hither even twenty, for there will be a harvest for all of them.  In Loboc and Dita in the last few days nearly four hundred little ones have been baptized; this has given me much consolation in the Lord, for I find great satisfaction in these little creatures.  The adults are learning the doctrine with such fervor that even until midnight the sound of their voices is incessant.  We have received information that enemies are coming to attack this island, and the people are therefore greatly disturbed.  Would to God that we might be made captives for His love, and might die for pure love of Him!” All this is from Father Gabriel Sanchez.