sheep of Christ our Lord,
and his faithful ones with their pastors and ministers, robbed,
dispersed, and pursued even into the fastnesses of the mountains,
imprisoned, captured, and killed?--and the shepherds, with especial
ignominy and cruelty, as we see in [the case of] our most beloved
father, Juan del Carpio, who is happy, fortunate, and chosen, since
he has purchased the eternal crown by the shedding of his blood. [18]
Who would not have compassion at hearing of the fatigues, surprises,
necessities, and dangers, of those of your Reverences who are still
alive--a life that resembles a continual death rather than life? But
this tender compassion must cause pain in us because of the evils,
and encouragement and joy because of the blessings, which follow
from them--truly one and the other feeling; for who can refrain from
weeping at the sight of an offended God, at His holy name blasphemed,
His worship violated, His faithful ones captive, and His priests
killed? But who will not be consoled with that holiness of the great
doctor of the Church, St. Augustine, whom God our Lord permitted [to
be visited by] evils in order that he might derive greater blessings
therefrom--such as are these greater blessings from so many present
evils? Such are the [_word illegible_] acts born from the fervid hearts
of my most beloved fathers, so that they have offered themselves to
their Creator and Lord in so virulent dangers, not as they might wish,
but as a most perfect holocaust, without any fear, placing everything
in His hands--health, honor, blood, and life, for the greater glory
of his Majesty, and the welfare of souls. Peradventure these are not
blessings that enrich those who possess them, but they give courage,
fervor, and glory to our province and Society of Jesus, which has such
sons and so valorous soldiers, the imitators of their Society of Jesus,
their blood shed to deliver their spiritual children and that which
pertains to the Divine and Christian worship--which blessings will
he not bring to our islands and fields of Christendom, and to our
Society of Jesus in those islands? For as says the most illustrious
Tertullian in his _Apologetica adversus gentis_, chapter 49: _Semen est
sanguis Christianorum._ [19] And a Christianity wet with such blood
will doubtless give a most abundant harvest. And what encouragement
will it give to the sons of the Society in Europa! And what desires
will they have to come where they may have