CHAPTER XXXVII

_Of the election of our father, Fray Alonso Baraona_


Upon the arrival of the time set by the province, namely, the last
day of October of the said year 1617, all the fathers who had a vote
assembled, and discussed, as if in conflict, the question of electing
such a head to the province; that he could settle, as far as he was
able, the past quarrel, which had so upset the reputation of the order,
by his authority, example of life, and morals. For in no time had it
been more important for us to cut loose from our self-love and to fix
our eyes on our mother, the order, which was suffering for her sons;
and so that it might be understood that where there had been religious
who had caused so evil an example, there were also those who could,
by their example, edify a great community. According to this, father
Fray Estacio Ortíz seemed very suitable to those who were present. He
was the founder of the missions in Japon, and had always been known
to be of a very religious life and had been highly esteemed by the
civil government. Others declared that father Fray Alonso Ruiz, who
was known to be a person of singular virtue, was the man who ought to
fill that vacancy. Others, who had reasons therefor, sought another,
as they had present father Fray Francisco Bonifacio. In order to know
who he was, it sufficed to say that he had been prior of the convent
of San Nicolás de Sugbú, which is for the natives, without anything
ever being said in depreciation of his person. That, as was proper,
was regarded as a singular case, and not less that he went free as
did the children of Babilonia from the fire. He was a person who was
always the model for all the Pintados.