The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 23 of 55 / 1629-30 / Explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and their peoples, their history and records of the Catholic missions, as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the political, economic, commercial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the close of the nineteenth century.

by Unknown

Chapter XIII

Of what the religious did in the islands, and how they baptized Tupas

[During the conflict with the Portuguese, the fathers, as became spiritual advisers, did their duty, and bore their full part. The continual illness of Father Gamboa rendered necessary greater activity on the part of Fathers Herrera and Rada. With great effort they succeeded in baptizing the chief Tupas, well knowing the effect the baptism of such a great chief would have upon the other natives, who were completely in the power of their chiefs. With him was baptized his son. The effect was immediate, and natives of Cebú and all the neighboring islands requested baptism. The patache “San Juan” arrived at the island from New Spain in 1569, with two more religious: Juan de Alba,[25] who had spent more than thirty-three years in New Spain; and Alonso Giménez,[26] “who quickly learned the language of these islands.” It was resolved to send one religious to New Spain “to look after the affairs of the islands, and get colonists for them from the many workmen in Nueva España.” The lot fell to Father Diego de Herrera, and he set sail, after having been elected as the first provincial of the Philippines. Medina says: “The intention of the religious is not known. For they had no order from the most reverend general to create a provincial, and such an order was necessary. Their object is unknown, but it is well known that the said father Fray Diego de Herrera was despatched and arrived at Nueva España, bearing this title.” His mission in New Spain and Spain proved successful, and advantageous to the islands; and he set sail again for the Philippines with a number of religious. Of the three religious remaining in the islands, after Father Herrera’s departure—for Father Gamboa had already been sent back on the “San Lúcas,” because of his continual ill-health—Martín de Rada remained in Cebú, Juan de Alba went to the Alaguer River in Panay, and Alonso Jiménez to Ibalon. “There, in those ministries, the religious were learning the language with the greatest assiduity, in order to be able to preach and confess, and to teach the mysteries of our faith.”]