opes for
her son's preferment were steadily reviving, after the cruel blow
which his disgrace in Rome had given them. For his uncle's part, he
hoped that Jose had now seen the futility of opposition to Holy
Church, and that, yielding humbly to her gentle chastisement for the
great injury he had inflicted upon her, he would now make amends and
merit the favors which she was sure to bestow upon him in due season.
To this end the uncle would bring to bear his own influence and that
of His Eminence, the Archbishop of Seville. The letter closed with an
invocation to the Saints and the ever-blessed Virgin.

Jose opened the second letter. It was nominally from the Bishop of
Cartagena, although written, he well knew, by Wenceslas. His Reverence
regretted that Jose had not come to him again before leaving
Cartagena. He deplored exceedingly the necessity of assigning him to
so lowly a parish; but it was discipline. His tenure of the parish
would be a matter of probation. Assuming a penitent desire on the part
of the priest to make reparation for past indiscretions, His Grace
extended assurances of his support and tender consideration. And,
regarding him still as a faithful son, he was setting forth herewith
certain instructions which Jose would zealously carry out, to the
glory of the sacred Mother Church and the blessed Virgin, and to his
own edification, to wit: In the matter of the confessional he must be
unremittingly zealous, not failing to put such questions to the people
of Simiti as would draw out their most secret thoughts. In the present
crisis it was especially necessary to learn their political views.
Likewise, he must not fail to impress upon them the sin of concealing
wealth, and of withholding contributions to the support of the
glorious Mother. He, as priest of the parish, would be held personally
responsible for the collection of an adequate "Peter's Pence," which
must be sent to Cartagena at frequent intervals for subsequent
shipment to Rome. For all contributions he was to allow liberal
plenary indulgences. In the matter of inciting zeal for the salvation
of those unfortunate souls lingering in the torments of purgatory,
Jose must be unflagging. Each family in the parish should be
constantly admonished and threatened, if necessary, to have Masses
said for their deceased members; and he must forward the proceeds from
such Masses at once to Cartagena. No less important, he must keep
constantly before him the gre