ul to the grace of
Jesus Christ, embraced Christianity; and their example wrought so far
upon the inhabitants of Cangoxima, that many of them desired to be
baptized.

These first fruits of preaching promised greater, and the faith
flourished daily more and more in Cangoxima, when a persecution, raised
on a sudden, ruined these fair expectations, and stopt the progress of
the gospel The Bonzas, surprised to see the people ready to forsake the
religion of the country, opened their eyes to their own interest, and
manifestly saw, that if this new religion were once received, as they
only lived on the alms and offerings which were made to their deities,
they should be wholly deprived of their subsistence. They judged, in
consequence, that this evil was to be remedied, before it grew incurable;
and nothing was to be spared for the rooting out these Portuguese
preachers. It was then manifest, that those religious idolaters, who at
first had been so favourable to Xavier, now made open war against him.
They decried him in all places, and publicly treated him as an impostor.
Even so far they proceeded, that one day as he was preaching, in one of
the public places of the city, a Bonza interrupted him in the midst of
his discourse, and warned the people not to trust him; saying, "That it
was a devil, who spoke to them in the likeness of a man."

This outrageousness of the Bonzas failed of the effect which they
desired; the Japonians, who are naturally men of wit, and plain dealers,
came easily to understand the motives of their priests, to change their
manner of behaviour, and finding interest in all they said or did, grew
more and more attentive to the doctrine of the Father.

Some of them upbraided the Bonzas, that their proper concernments had
kindled their zeal to such an height: that religion was not to be
defended by calumnies and affronts, but by solid arguments: that if the
doctrine of the European was false, why did they not demonstrate clearly
the falsehood of it: that, for the rest, it was of little consequence
whether this new preacher was a demon or a man; and that truth was to be
received, whosoever brought it: that, after all, he lived with great
austerity, and was more to be credited than any of them.

In effect, Xavier, for the edification of the people, who commonly judge
by appearances of things, abstained entirely both from flesh and fish.
Some bitter roots, and pulse boiled in water, were all his nourishment