both body and soul. In the course of these visitations an incident
occurred which well exhibits the forbearance with which God awaits
our conversion, the ease with which we find Him when we seek Him,
and the patience and perseverance which a minister of the gospel
needs in teaching, convincing, entreating, urging, and waiting for
the conversion of a soul. One of the fathers had been visiting the
sick of a certain village, and was on his way homeward, some distance
away, to partake of a little nourishment and obtain repose, as night
was closing in. Turning his eyes to one side he descried a wretched
house which he did not remember to have visited that day. To satisfy
himself of this he mounted a few steps of the ladder, and looking from
the door into the interior of the house beheld a man stretched upon
the floor. Upon approaching he found him motionless and almost dead,
but with enough consciousness to answer "No" to the father's query
if he desired baptism. The father remained with him a long time,
seeking to convince him. Finally, seeing how little this availed,
and that the hour was late, he concluded to leave him. But grief
at seeing that soul lost, and the secret strength which our Lord
gave him, constrained him to wait, and to persist in urging the sick
man--an action so opportune that the latter at last said "Yes," and
listened to the short instruction which is wont to be given upon such
occasions. Thus, in sorrow for his sins he expired immediately after
baptism, with an "Oh, God!" on his lips, torn from his very heart.

One of the islands adjacent to Ibabao is Maripipi, whose inhabitants
were all baptized in one day in the following fashion. This island
is three leguas distant by sea from Ibabao, for which reason our
fathers could not visit it as often as the people desired. Seeing
this, its inhabitants all resolved to embark in their boats and come
themselves to seek holy baptism. The chiefs disembarked at Tinagon,