the Chinese] but that.... And P. Fr. Miguel catechized them
and preached to them in their Chinese language, and taught
the doctrine in it. I myself did not yet know the language,
but the Lord has been served, so that in a short time I
progressed in it." [107]


The account of Aduarte is not so accurate in some details, but
it supplies others not mentioned by Cobo. The first mission which
Benavides and Maldonado (or de San Pedro Martyr as he was later known)
built was near the village of Tondo, in a new settlement specially
founded for Christian Chinese, called Baybay, and it was named for Our
Lady of the Purification. The second mission which was established
by Benavides and Cobo was at first a palm-leaf hut. The name of San
Gabriel was decided upon by making lots with the names of various
saints on them and then drawing. San Gabriel came out three times in
a row, and "all were persuaded that the Lord was pleased to have the
patronage belong to this holy archangel." Soon, because of the good
works of the fathers who established a hospital there for the care
of the sick and poor, the demands upon the hut became so great that
a larger building was planned. At first it was to have been erected
on the site of the hut, but the inhabitants protested that a stone
building so near native houses might do them great damage in the
event of an earthquake, so the friars went to the other side of the
river, and there built a temporary building of wood which was later
completed in stone. It was here then that the Doctrina was printed,
in the Church of San Gabriel, near the Parián of Manila, at the edge
of the Chinese settlement.

Under the care of Benavides and Cobo the mission flourished,