The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-05-21
A PEEP AT THE PHILIPPINES.

the sympathy that has been layishel
on them. The latest dispatches say
that they are causing Dewey more trou-
Bile at Manila than the Spanish forces.
FOR the last two or three years the i'll
snrgenls have been rading converts
and monasteres, and removing monks
and priests, and sometimes women and
children. Such measures even if vio-
lent, appear to promise efficient Cooper
alton with the United States in replace
ing Spanish superstition with Protest
ant civilization.
The Malay inhabitants of the Philip
pines, like those Of the Ladrones, had
originally no notion of Deity or any
religious worship until Persian and Arab
conquerors proselyted them to Mahom-
mechanism. But after the arrival OF The
Spaniards and their missionaries, the
false and corrupt memory of Mahomet,"
says Mendoza, was with the gospel OF
Christ easily rooted out" Not, how
ever, without terrible cost both to the
new apostles and 10 their adherents
BY the close of the 10Th century over
5000 Christians had lboen mastered in
the province of Ternate in the most
barbarous manner. Several of the mis-
slonarcs, too, were martyred, among
them being the nobly- born Sanvitores,
who in his first discourse made 1,5NO
converts. and in his life established ele
faith in thirteen islands and baptized
$4,000 idolaters. By the end of the 18th
century. i'll the Philippines over 100000
mad been converted and baptized by
the end of the 18th lidolatry was eytinc.
in the Ladrones. Gilad they priests
enough" remarked the, ardent Protest.
ant Purchas. AL the naighbor nations
would he aubjcct to the Spaniards. for
the Jcsliis arc in reputation with their
converts as demi-gOds." Fifty years
ago the Protestant missionary, Rev. Da-
vid Ahecl, noted the "unbcunded infiu-
encc of the priests" and saw in the
Roman chllrch's having prosclyted to it.
self the entire population of 1000 GOD "a
remarkable example of the power of the
beast" The layman, Mr.. Crawford.
once governor of Singapore. spoke more
literally at missionary meeting whan
he declared that the conversion OF the
natives to Catholicity resulted in IAN
immense Improvement in their social
condition"
There are two very striking features
in the story Of the Spaniards in the
Philippine islands. One is that The
Spaniards have converted the natives in
stead of killing them off according to
the AngloSaXon way of making good
Indians A writer OF fifty years ago
remarks that while Manila and it's sub.
urLs contained 100000 souls, hardly
tenth of them We're Spanish CT Creole.
by the Spanards the natives We're let
themselves. From 3,l53,29O in 1855.
they had grown to 5.56l ,232 in 1877, and
in 1893 we're 1000, 900. Spanish power
and law" says Seaman. gave peace and
tranquility TO the native tribes: hence
even the Malays have improved under
the dominion Of Spain" The very re-
verse, a rapid decrease, threatening
even total extinction. because of i'm
morality, he sees in the similar or kin
dred populations that have been under
Anglo Saxon rule. Christian influences.
and Protestant institutions, with many
educational advantages.
The second feature Of this Spanish III
tlucnce is that ii has not been wrought
only, nor chiefly. by, the ceremonies oil
religion" Much credit is due the
spaniards," says Sir Henry Ellis, for
the establishment of schools Throughout,
the colony. and theT nnremitting exer-
ton to preserve and propagate Chris
tianity by this best Of all possible means,
the diffusion of knowledge" And in
spite of similar prejudlecs of creed and
country. the Scotchman Robert Mae
Micking wrote in 1851: THE church has
long proved to be on the whole, by much
the most cheap and efficient instrument
of good government and order. The
common people very generally learn
reading by its aid. There are very few
Indians who are unable to read. and
have always observed that the Manila
men serving on board ships have been
much oftener able to subscribe their
names to the ships articles than the
British seamen on board the same YES
sells could do" He also pays a grand
tribute to the priests, saying: These
good men have penetrated where SOL
iicrs dare rot enter with arms in their
hands, with good effects to all con-
ccrncd in the reduction Of these wild H.
dams TO the Roman Catholic faith, an,:.
the arts Of civilized life; for many
thousands are now peaceful cutivators
of the SOIL instead of living, as former
ly. at warfare with mankind. and solely