This ought not to induce
inferences against the well-proved zeal of those venerable priests,
that they had neglected their duties in attending to the obligations
of the ministry. For since there was but one ecclesiastic in all
three islands, and those islands occupy so great an extent, and the
villages are so distant from one another, how could he attend to so
many parishioners with the pastoral food? It is a fact that even
after our religious had entered there and three or four were kept
busy continually, scarce could they fully attend to all their duties
as spiritual directors, without some inculpable lack being evident;
and that notwithstanding that each one labored as many, for not
few of them have lost their health because of the work, as we shall
see hereafter. Consequently, one ought not to be surprised if those
Indians were poorly administered before, for it is undeniable that
one person cannot attend to so many laborious cares, as can many,
although he may equal them in zeal.

1112. The bishop and governor convinced, then, in this matter,
despatched the fitting provisions in November 1686 in order that our
reformed branch might take charge of those souls. This plan was of
great moment to the province, for the said islands, besides being the
necessary passage way and very suitable station for those who voyage
from Manila to Carhaga and Zebu, are the stopping place of the ships
which sail from Cavite to Acapulco and return from Nueva Espana to
Philipinas. It is very common for the ships to stop in their ports to
get fresh supplies, and await suitable winds. On that account there
originated the greatest convenience in possessing them in our custody,
because of what makes for the spiritual: for the provincials, when they
sail out upon their visits; for the commissioners when they come to
Espana for missions; for the missions themselves when they arrive at
the islands; and for the multitude of our religious who journey from
one part to another, employed in the holy commerce of souls. Without
doubt those reasons somewhat aided the zeal with which our tireless
workers in those countries have always procured the good teaching of
the faithful, and the conversion of the faithless, at the cost of their
own very great fatigue and of great penalties. On that account it was
determined in the intermediary chapter of 1687 to accept the charge
of that reasonable territory to whose labor God called them by the
mouth of the bis