ays he in one of his letters, "that for the service of God we run
ourselves into the hazard of death. But we ought to bear in mind, that we
are born mortal; and that a Christian is bound to desire nothing more
than to lay down his life for Jesus Christ."

From thence proceeded that abundant joy which he conceived, when the
faithful poured out their blood for faith; and he wrote to the Fathers at
Rome, on occasion of the massacre of the baptized Manarois;--"We are
obliged to rejoice in Jesus Christ, that martyrs are not wanting, not
even in our decaying times; and to give Him thanks, that, seeing so few
persons make the right use of His grace for their salvation, He permits
that the number of the happy shall be completed through the cruelty of
men." "Admirable news," says he elsewhere, "is lately come from the
Moluccas; they who labour there in the Lord's vineyard suffer
exceedingly, and are in continual hazard of their lives I imagine that
the Isles del Moro will give many martyrs to our Society, and they will
soon be called the Isles of Martyrdom. Let our brethren then, who desire
to shed their blood for Jesus Christ, be of good courage, and anticipate
their future joy. For, behold at length a seminary of martyrdom is ready
for them, and they will have wherewithal to satisfy their longings."

The same love which inspired him with the desire of dying for our
Saviour, made him breathe after the sight and the possession of God. He
spoke not but of paradise, and concluded almost all his letters with
wishing there to meet his brethren.

But his charity was not confined to words and thoughts,--it shone out in
his works and actions, and extended itself to the service of his
neighbour. Xavier seemed to be only born for the relief of the
distressed; he loved the sick with tenderness, and to attend them was
what he called his pleasure: he sought out not only wherewithal to feed
them but to feast them; and for that purpose begged from the Portuguese
the most exquisite regalios, which were sent them out of Europe. He was
not ashamed of going round the town with, a wallet on his back, begging
linen for the wounded soldiers; he dressed their hurts, and did it with
so much the more affection, when they were the most putrified and
loathsome to the smell. If he happened to meet with any beggar who was
sinking under sickness, he took him in his arms, bore him to the
hospital, prepared his remedies, and dressed his meat with his own han