holy faith. To lighten the burdens of these people, that they might
not weary of their constant attendance at church, for the doctrine,
catechism, mass, and sermon--not to mention the frequent publication
of the marriage banns, and the fact that mass is solemnly celebrated
with music and the accompaniment of the organ, in which they spend many
hours--we thought it best to reserve the doctrine and the catechism
for Sundays in the afternoon, and even then not all the people were
obliged to be present--part of them attending on one Sunday, part on
another, and thus in rotation until the turn of the first ones came
again. By such an arrangement this exercise is rendered easier, and
is even more profitable to the people, serving them upon such days as
legitimate diversion, to which they all repair with greater inclination
and pleasure. To this end a bell is rung at the hour of vespers, and
the children go forth through the streets of the place, bearing the
cross, and singing the doctrine, and then, followed by their elders,
they return to the church. The adults, in the presence of the father,
recite the prayers and catechism with great devotion and satisfaction,
spending in all about half an hour. This done, they return to their
homes. Mondays and Saturdays are likewise solemnized with masses,
respectively for the deceased and in honor of our Lady, and are always
attended by a certain number of people. The young men are especially
directed to attend these services that they may continue to practice
Christian habits; upon these occasions some short sermon is preached
them in their own language. The children and old men are those who
are under the strictest obligation to come to the church each day,
at a certain hour, to learn the Christian doctrine--the children,
always; the old men, until they have learned the doctrine. To each
old man is assigned a boy, who instructs him and is careful to
report how much the old man is learning; then, if the old man gives
a good account of himself, he is privileged to cease his attendance,
except with the rest of the people on Sundays. The bell tolls the "Ave
Maria" at dawn, at noon, and at night; and, besides this, some one is
careful to go through the streets at night, sounding a little bell,
and in a loud voice admonishing the people to offer prayers for the
souls in purgatory and for those who are in a state of sin. These,
as well as other pious and devout customs, had been introduced in