been increased
by the outcome of the shipwrecks which we have described, in which he
himself had been present. There was some delay in bringing the image,
so that the father reached the sick woman first; and after he had
confessed her the image arrived. The poor woman was much exhausted,
and, according to the midwife, in extreme danger. The infant was dead,
and as it lay obliquely in the womb, the mother could not obtain
relief by expelling it. The father exhorted her to have confidence in
our Lord, and placing the image before her, left her calling loudly
to heaven in her anguish. A second time they called him to hear
her confession; and the father, having done so and encouraged her
as before, went away. As he was descending from the house the woman
expelled the infant, to the wonder of all at seeing the dead child,
and the mother living and free from so great a peril.

The people of Antipolo celebrated with great solemnity the feast of
the most blessed sacrament, which was attended by the people of our
mission as well as of many others. A dialogue in the Tagal language
was spoken by the children of the seminary with much cleverness and
indication of ability, and to the satisfaction and pleasure of the
hearers. This seminary is making great progress in both spiritual and
temporal affairs. It is aided by the Indians, with generous alms for
its maintenance; and (what is of even greater value) they act with
such harmony and edification that they may well serve as an example
to the Spanish youth. Some of these pupils are of signal virtue,
and our Lord shows them many favors. Every day they go to hear mass,
or, in case there is no one to say it, to commend themselves to our
Lord in the church. They regularly go from their houses reciting
aloud the Christian doctrine; and, upon reaching the church, they
conclude it upon their knees. They celebrate the feasts with much
solemn pomp and music (for the seminary can furnish good music);
and they practice there reading and writing, and other honorable
and virtuous exercises. The hospital is making excellent progress,
and the Confraternities assign each week those of their members who
are to care for the service of the sick, doing this, as I have said,
with great alacrity and devotion.

The new residence of Silan and its Christians. Chapter LXXIX.

This new field of Silan was assigned to the Society of Jesus from
the year 1599, as the people of those villages, among whom w