ly
forgotten as to unburden us, their teachers, of many cares. This was
clearly seen that year in that very village of San Juan del Monte,
where, although all the inhabitants had been baptized and included
many good Christians, those same good Christians informed us of a fire
of idolatry which in its great fury was burning up our harvests. In
order that this may be better understood, it will be well first to
give some account of their idolatries and superstitions in a separate
chapter; and then we will relate what happened in Taitai and how it
was remedied.

Concerning the false heathen religion, idolatries, and superstitions
of the Filipinos. Chapter XXI.

Although upon entering into the dark abyss of such blind idolatry I
find a disorderly confusion of the vilest and most abominable things
[77] worthy of its inventor, although in examining the walls within
this infernal cave, I discover an infinitude of loathsome creatures,
foul, obscene, truly damnable, it is my task, aided by the light of
truth, to reduce them to order--so that we who upon opening our eyes
find ourselves within the light of truth may offer praise to Almighty
God, and have compassion for those who, blinded by their ignorance,
love and prize these things of darkness, and cannot open their eyes
to any light beyond. I shall speak first concerning the false belief
that they hold concerning the divinity of their idols; second, of
their priests and priestesses; third, and last, of their sacrifices
and superstitions. Their art of writing was of no service to them
in any one of these three things, or in matters of government and
civilization (of which I shall perhaps later tell the little that I
know); for they never used their writing except to exchange letters,
as we have said. All their government and religion is founded on
tradition, and on custom introduced by the Devil himself, who spoke
to them through their idols and the ministers of these. They preserve
it in songs, which they know by heart and learn when children, by
hearing these sung when they are sailing or tilling their fields,
when they are rejoicing and holding feasts, and especially, when they
are mourning their dead. In these barbarous songs they relate the
fabulous genealogies and vain deeds of their gods--among whom they set
up one as the chief and superior of them all. This deity the Tagalos
call _Bathala Mei capal_, which means "God the creator or maker;" the
Bissayans call him _