The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 23 of 55 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 287 pages of information about The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 23 of 55.

The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 23 of 55 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 287 pages of information about The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 23 of 55.
the dictates of his conscience, he made the latter leave Manila, under pretext of going to pacify an encomienda that he had given him.  Finally, things became so linked together, that the above-mentioned man took refuge in our convent, for he had not found a kindly reception in any other.  There dispossessed of his encomienda, which had been taken from him, he suffered for one year, what that same gentleman knows; until that, with the arrival at these islands of the inspector Don Francisco de Rojas, he left the cloister—­saying that he had not sinned against king, governor, or state; but that, if he suffered, it was for his misconduct toward our order in Sugbu.  I might write thousands of things concerning these events, where, as in the above, one might see the gain made by the religious, and at what cost to them, as said Christ:  Eritis odio omnibus propter nomen meum. [118] Consequently, I cannot quite understand how the Spaniards should desire us in these ministries, so that, by our attending to our obligations, they could take pleasure therein.  This people whom we have in charge are rustic, uncivilized, lawless, and have no more system of action than the will of their chiefs.  Now, then, how can these people become Christians, unless they are gathered together, and restrained; and if the religious, as fathers and masters, do not punish them?  And if a father has the well-known jurisdiction over his son—­and this jurisdiction is extended much more in the case of a master—­why do we not have something for these two titles?  For if the Indians have no fear or respect for the religious, of what advantage is our stay here?  And how can we compel those already christianized to fulfil their duties, if the Indian feels that the father can not punish him?  For they detest, as a rule, church matters—­to such an extent, that they would even pay two tributes to be free from the church.  They love their old beliefs and revelries so strongly that they would lose their souls for them.  Without any fear, how would they attend to their duties?  The extensive kingdom of China is more densely populated than any other that is known, and there is the greatest poverty among the common people, who are given to theft, murder, and innumerable other sins.  Yet it is the most peaceful kingdom known and has no gallows or execution, but [they are restrained] by means only of their fear of the bamboo with which they are beaten.  Now if the Indian lack this fear, who can bring him to reason?  The Indians are daily growing worse, for they are losing fear.  Daily utterances are made against the religious that they cannot punish them, and should not do it.  This reacts against the Spaniards themselves, for, once aroused, the Indians will rebel when least expected; and they know already how to wield a sword and use an arquebus.

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The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 23 of 55 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.