Being returned from Baldivia to Nahuel-buapi, I found a fmall Church built. The new Converts appeared very fervent; and several Catechumens, by the Care of Father John Jofeph Guillno, my Companion, were qualified for Baptifm. The whole Nation were highly pleafed with the Governor's Letter, fo that we now began to labour seriously at the Work of God. We have already built a fmall House, and laid the Foundations of a larger Church, as the neighbouring Nations begin to vifit us. Nevertheless, as the Country in which I am fettled, is inhabited by two Nations, the Pulches and the Poyas, a kind of Emulation and Jealousy seems to be now among them; the Pulches having endeavoured to diffuade me from labouring at the Converfion of their Neighbours; declaring, that they are a haughty, barbarous, and cruel Nation, with whom it will be impoffible to have any Correfpondence.

As I knew very well that the Poyas are a gentle, good-natured People, who had earnestly defired me to inftruct them, I faw that the Pulches were actuated only by Prejudice. For this Reafon, having affembled the Chiefs of that Nation fome Days after, I addreffed them in the strongest Terms; and told them the Reafons why I could not be of their Opinion. I obferved, that Heaven was defirous of faving all Men without Diftinction; that the Minifters of Chrift could not exclude any Nation from the Kingdom of God, without being guilty of the most unjuft Prevarication; that thefe Minifters were fent to inftruct and baptize all Nations; that they themfelves, if they were defirous of being truly Chriftians, ought to be the first in endeavouring zealously to procure the Conversion and Salvation of the Poyas; who were their Brethren in Chrift, Heirs of his Kingdom, and equally redeemed by his most precious Blood, which had been

fhed

fhed for the whole World: Laftly, that their oppo!fing the Conversion of their Neighbours, was only an Artifice of the Devil, the common Enemy of Mankind, to deprive this People of that ineftimable Bleffing, the Faith; and to take away from themselves the Merit of it, by making them violate the Precept, by which we are commanded to love all Men. Thefe Reafons made fuch an Impreffion on their Minds, that they promifed that Initant not to oppofe the Inftruction and Converfion of the Poyas. To conclude, after having removed this Obftacle, which might have checked the Progress of the Gofpel; and having disposed the Hearts and Minds of fuch as had appeared most defirous of being admitted to Baptism; I chose a folemn Day for the performing of that Ceremony with greater Splendor, and baptized them all. I now have the holy Confolation to fee the wonderful Change which the Grace of Christ has wrought in their Manners and Conduct; their Fervency, in practicing all the Duties of the Chriftian Life, being very great. I fhall

In how high a Strain of Piety does our Jefuit write on this Occafion, and yet how different is the Doctrine in this Respect laid down, by many Fathers who are confidered as the great Luminaries of their Society. 'Tis well known, that the Jefuits are accufed of quite vitiating the Doctrine delivered by Chrift; by fetting up, inftead of the Regularity and Virtue enjoined by it, a Religion which indulges the Followers of it in the Practice of every Vice, by fuiting the Principles of it to the loofeft Paffions, and by making the Chriftian Syftem the most commodious one that ever was instituted. To inftance only in the Duty of hearing Mafs. ... In the Lettres Provinciales, a Jefuit is fuppofed to argue thus with another Romanist, a Layman.

Our greatest Divines (fays the Father) Gafper Hurtado, de Sacr. to. 2. d. 5. dift. 2. and Conink. q. 83. a. 6. n. 197. have taught, with regard to Mafs, That it is enough to be bodily prefent at it, though a Man be abfent as to the Mind; provided he behave himself with a certain outward Refpe&tfulness'. Nay, Vafquez is a little more indulgent, he faying, That a Man fuifils the Precept of hearing Mafs, even tho' he have not the least Intention to hear it'. All this you may find Likewife in Escobar, VOL. II.

N

I shall not attempt a Defcription of this Country, nor treat concerning the Manners and Customs of the People, I not having refided long enough a

tr. 1. ex. 11. num. 74. and 107, &c. where, to make the Thing more evident, he exemplifies in those who are brought by Force to Mafs, and are fully refolved not to hear it.....I fhould never have believed it (faid I) if another had told me fo much.... To be fhort (fays he) this is a Thing which stands in fome Need of the Authority of thefe great Men; as alfo what Escobar says in tr. 1. ex. 11. num. 31. That a wicked Intention, as haply that of looking on Women with an impure Defire, joined ⚫ with that of hearing Mafs as a Man ought, hinders not a Man from fully performing the Duty; nec obeft alia prava Intentio, ut afpiciendi libidinofe fœminas.

But there is yet a Thing of extraordinary Convenience in our learned Turrianus, Select. p. 2. d. 16. dub. 7. 'That a Man 'may hear one half of a Mass from one Prieft, and afterwards the other half from another; nay, that he may first hear the latter Part of one, and afterwards the Beginning of another.' Nay, to be free with you, it is farther allowed, to hear two ⚫ halves of a Mafs at the fame Time, from two feveral Priests, as if one begins Mafs when the other is at the Elevation, be'cause a Man may direct his Attention both those Ways at the 'fame Time; and two halves of a Mafs make a whole one: Due Medietates unam missam conftituunt. And this hath been decided by our Fathers, Bauny, Hurtado, Azorius, and Escobar, tr. 1. ex. 11. num. 73. in the Chapter, Concerning the Ex⚫ercise of hearing Mafs according to our Society'. And you fhall fee the Confequences he draws from thence, in the fame Book printed at Lyons in 1644, and 1646, to the following Effect. Whence I conclude, that you may hear Mafs in a very 'fhort Time; if, for Example, you meet with four Masses celebrating at the fame Time, which iffued out one after ano⚫ther in fuch manner, as that when one began, another was at the Gofpel, a third at the Confecration, and the laft at the Communion'. .. I must confefs Father (faid 1) that by this Method a Man might hear Mass in an Inftant at Notre Dame. Thus you find (replied he) that we could do no more, as to what concerns the quick and eafy hearing of Mafs. See Les Provinciales, or the Myltery of Jefuitifm, pag. 209. & feq. Hence it appears, how vattly commodious the Jefuits have rendered this Worship. For the better understanding the Paffages above, I am to obferve, that in many of the Romish Churches, four or morePriests are often folemnizing Mafs at fo many Altars, and at the fame Time, to different Congregations; a Practice which appears not a little confufed to a Proteftant, who is very much furprized (at first at the Sight.

mong

mong them for that Purpose. Next Summer I shall know more; I hoping to travel through the whole Country, and to get perfectly acquainted with every Part of it, by which means I fhall be able to make Choice of fuch Places, as will be most proper for fettling our Miffions. This Country reaches to the Streights of Magellan, it ftretching above an hundred Leagues that Way; and is much longer towards the North Sea. I dare not flatter myself that Heaven will employ fo weak an Inftrument as I am, for winning over to Chrift all the Inhabitants of this wide-extended Country; but I hope that his Providence, which has an Eye to the Conversion of Heathens, will raife up Perfons animated with his Spirit, to come and fhare our Labours, and complete what we have so happily begun *.

PHILIP DE LA LAGUNA.

This, reverend Father, is a faithful Extract of the Relation which fell into my Hands. Tho' you do not there meet with the numerous and confpicuous Converfions, which your Zeal makes you defirous of hearing, I yet am perfuaded that you'll perufe it with Pleature; and don't doubt but you'll thank Heaven, for condefcending to make our Brethren the Inftruments of fpreading the Glory of his Name in all Parts of the World.

I am, &c.

A. J. X. NYEL.

I gave the above Detail, from a Suppofition that it might please many Readers, who are defirous of knowing the feveral Steps which the Jefuits take, in their Converfion of ignorart Heathens. To others who have no Curiofity this Way, this Relation muft neceffarily appear very dry and infipid; and not far unlike the Relations which our modern Methodists give of their Miffions.

Father DE FONTANEY, to the Reverend Father DE LA CHAISE, Confeffor to the King.

Moft reverend Father,

Yo

London, 15 Jan. 1704 *.

OU will find, by the Place whence this Letter is dated, that I returned from China into Europe on board an English Ship. I hoped to have waited upon you in Perfon, with the first Letter I wrote to you during our Voyage, which took up fix or seven Months; but I fhall be obliged to make

longer Stay in this City. For this Reafon I'll fend it you the firft Opportunity; and, in the mean Time, will content myself with informing you, by a fecond Letter, of Particulars of ftill greater Importance, than thofe which I took the Liberty to mention to you in my firft.

Tho' the Chriftian Religion has been tolerated in China, ever fince the famous Perfecution of Yamquam-fien, that mortal Enemy to the Chriftian Name; yet the Miffionaries often found it vaftly difficult, to get Admiffion into the Provinces of the Empire, or to exercise their minifterial Functions in them. The only Place by which they could enter China, unmolefted, was the City of Macao, which the Portugueze have poffeffed near thefe hundred Years +; but then it was neceffary to firft have their Leave for that Purpose, and this they did not eafily grant to Foreigners. Those Perfons who took a different Course, were often infulted by the Mandarins, who

*This Date, according to our manner, fhould stand thus, 15 Jan. 1703.

As this Letter is dated in 1704, the Portugueze must have poffeffed Macao about 139 Years. I write this in 1742.

ufed