stles' creed, the commandments, the Lord's prayer, the salutation
of the angel, the confiteor, the salve regina, and, in fine, the whole
catechism.
The translation being finished, the Father got, without book, what he
could of it, and took his way about the villages of the coast, in number
thirty, about half of which were baptized, the rest idolaters.
"I went about, with my bell in my hand," says he himself, "and gathering
together all I met, both men and children, I instructed them in the
Christian doctrine. The children learnt it easily by heart in the compass
of a month; and when they understood it, I charged them to teach it their
fathers and mothers, all of their own family, and even their neighbours.
"On Sundays I assembled the men and women, little boys and girls, in the
chapel; all came to my appointment with an incredible joy, and most
ardent desire to hear the word of God. I began with the confessing God to
be one in nature, and trine in Persons; I afterwards repeated distinctly,
and with an audible voice, the Lord's prayer, the angelical salutation,
and the apostles' creed. All of them together repeated after me; and it
is hardly to be imagined what pleasure they took in it. This being done,
I repeated the creed singly; and, insisting on every particular article,
asked, if they certainly believed it? They all protested to me, with loud
cries, and their hands across their breasts, that they firmly believed
it. My practice is, to make them repeat the creed oftener than the other
prayers; and I declare to them, at the same time, that they who believe
the contents of it are true Christians.
"From the creed I pass to the ten commandments, and give them to
understand, that the Christian law is comprised in those ten precepts;
that he who keeps them all according to his duty is a good Christian, and
that eternal life is decreed to him; that, on the contrary, whoever
violates one of these commandments is a bad Christian, and that he shall
be damned eternally in case he repent not of his sin. Both the new
Christians and the pagans admire our law as holy, and reasonable, and
consistent with itself.
"Having done as I told you, my custom is, to repeat with them the Lord's
prayer, and the angel's salutation. Once again we recite the creed; and
at every article, besides the Paternoster and the Ave Maria, we
intermingle some short prayer; for having pronounced aloud the first
article, I begin thus, and they say aft
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