hours in advance, and all, as I have been informed,
fled to the mountains--except three old women and an old man, whom they
killed; and three women and a man, whom they carried away captive. One
of the old women whom they killed had been a notorious witch; but God
our Lord, who loved her soul, inspired her with so fervent a desire to
become a Christian and receive baptism that for three months she did
not cease asking me for it. Finally, on account of her importunity,
I baptized her, after she had several times given evidence of her
sincerity by expressing in public her abhorrence of her idolatrous
belief. But she was fortunate indeed, for soon after she had been
baptized they killed her, which is certainly a singular blessing from
our Lord. The other old woman who was about seventy years of age had
also been baptized a little while before. They did no damage in our
church, although I am told that they disinterred some bodies--why,
I know not. Here is another instance of God's mercy: although they
passed very near the river of Lobo, Dita, and other little villages
belonging to our newly converted Christians, they neither visited
nor attacked them; this seems miraculous, considering that they had,
as your Reverence well knows, committed so deplorable ravages in
other places."

Another of our fathers held a mission in that island, during the
vacation in the Latin studies in the College of Sebu; and, among
other things, he writes thus about his short stay there: "So great is
the heavenly influence which God sends upon this village of Tobigon,
and the abundance of gifts which He bestows upon it, that I have not
dared to go hence, and cut the thread of a progress so auspicious,
thinking it best to remain and behold the marvels of God. The church
is full night and day, and there is no leisure to leave the building,
and hardly to eat when I must; and it is necessary to have my food
brought to me from a distance. All are eager to become Christians and
be baptized. During the two weeks that I have spent here, among those
to whom we have been able to give instruction, one hundred and fifty
adults have been baptized, and today we are to baptize about forty
catechumens; the rest will be left until our return. Their affection
for us is great; they bring their children and sick that we may bless
them, and in the street they fall upon their knees to receive the
benediction. They make frequent use of holy water for their houses,
at th