ed by their surroundings.

This we believe is, in broad lines, the religious character of the
Indians of Filipinas. Let us now see what has been said recently
also in regard to this same point by another contemporaneous witness,
with whom we almost entirely agree. Mr. Peyton, a Protestant bishop,
said, when speaking of Catholicism in the Filipinas, at a meeting
of the Protestant bishops of the Episcopal church held at St. Louis
(United States), in the month of last October: "I found a magnificent
church in every village. I was present at mass several times, and the
churches were always full of natives--even when circumstances were
unfavorable, because of the military occupation. There are almost no
seats in those churches, while the services last--an hour, or an hour
and a half. Never in my life have I observed more evident signs of
profound devotion than in those there present. The men were kneeling,
or prostrated before the altar; and the women were on their knees,
or seated on the floor. No one went out of the church during the
service, or talked to others. There is no spirit of sectarianism
there. All have been instructed in the creed, in the formal prayers,
in the ten commandments, and in the catechism. All have been baptized
in infancy. [156] I do not know whether there exists in this country
a village so pure, moral, and devout as is the Filipino village."

Granting the above, would freedom of worship be advisable for
Filipinos?

Since, then, the religion in Filipinas, and consequently their morals,
is so unanimous, would it be advisable to introduce freedom of worship
into this country? If one understands by freedom of worship only
actual religious toleration, by virtue of which no one can be obliged
to profess Catholicism, and no one be persecuted for neglecting to be
a Catholic, or that each one profess privately the religion that he
pleases, that freedom has always existed in Filipinas; and no Filipino
or foreigner was ever obliged to embrace the Catholic religion. But
if one understands by freedom of worship the concession to all
religions (for example, to those of Confucius, Mahomet, and to all the
Protestant sects) of equal rights to open schools, erect churches,
create parishes, and celebrate public processions and functions,
as does the Catholic church, we believe that not only is this not
advisable, but that it would be a fatal measure to any government
which rules the destinies of Filipinas. If,