The Hawaiian gazette., 1899-03-17
Thirteen Priests Direct Pm he
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JWfv Wat LUCKY 10 eocAPf
Asv,na,do Against Thorn safe N
Manila = church Property
The Future = Cv~sitiss.

priests that was here the other day
aboard the American liner China, oil
the Pacific Mail Company's fleet. rhey
are missionaries OF the order OF ST.
Augustine Recolecios and had been lab
oring In the Philippines, some of them
AS long as forty years. These we're the
names given:
Fathers Felix CULLEN, Julian Cisne-
ros, Bernardino Garcia, Francisco NAL
lagazas, Melton Martinez, Isidoro Mu-
sta, Antonio Armendariz. Paciente
Corral, Miguel Lascaras, hilario san
ches, Eusebio Ortuorte, Celestino Fall
ces, Demetrio Augusta.
A representative OF this paper, for
the purposes OF an interview, was able
to secure the services of DIR. l. +. Al
yarez OF this city, the resident being a
finished Spanish scholar. This is the
story told by DIR. Felix Cullen, a fine
old man who had been in the Philip
pines a quarter of a century and who
was very careful in answering the
many questions. In utterance he was
smiling and deliberate, yet with a tone
of sadness over leaving the country he
had known and loved so well:
I'VE are all from Bohol, in the group
Of the Viscayas. We are going to Cen
trail and South America 70 continue on
our life work as missionaries. 1t Is
best on account OF language for US to
20 to q Spanish country, though any
land where we could be OF use would
be acceptable. The Philippines, OF
course, we like the best. We would
gladly turn back now for our old home.
From our various stations we are
fugitives, fed in terror Of our lives, but
not from Manila. We might stay there
indefinitely in perfect safety, on ac-
count of the flag of the United States
being shown from the staff.
THE rebel leaders melted the ma
tives against us: We have not great
harshness of feeling towards these
leaders, because they had several rea-
sons to believe that we were with the
Spanish Government. The people we
do not blame at all. They wanted to
protect us, but 1t would have been at
the expense of their own lives and
small properties, for the rebels. direct
ed by the bloodthirsty Aguinaldo, a
very bad man, are desperate indeed
What little pay we received came from
the Spanish Government, being shipped
out from Madrid. Then again you know
the priests must learn the languages
of the various localities in which they
are located. The vernaculars are many
All orders, instructions, DEGREES, etc.
from Spain and from the head OF the
see at Manila came to us in the Span.
fish language and We translated to the
natives. When We told them that w
were not the authors of the instruc.
lions, whatever these might be, but
were simply the medium Of communi.
cation, they believed us, for in the let.
tiers were many erroneous statement.
which they knew we could not make
But the rebel chiefs told lLem that We
made the orders read to suit our owl
purposes. Then, OF course. all knew
We were educated in Spain.
I'VE leave Manila and go to the new
fields because Manila is congested will
priests. We could stay there and liv.
with our brethren, but We made up oul
minds that 1t is best to travel ant
work.
1T shall not be said that we fear OF
that we complain greatly. Our lives arr
dear to us, but We do not want thu
people to sin so greatly as to END oul
lives unnaturally. 1t was, as hav,
said, not their disposition to do so, bu
they were urged by the agents OF Agui
naldo, who hopes to drive from II,
Islands every vestige of Spanish su
premacy or rule.
"AguinaldO's fighting did not amour
to much till the Americans came. TheI
his forces greatly grew and he sent mel
everywhere. All people able to fgh
were forced into the revolution ant
were told that they would be estab
lished as rulers of the land by tn
Americans.
There was much slaughter by tn,
rebels, but will tell you chiefly o
their cruel treatment of the mission
aries. There are not so many priests
in the Philippines as many suppose
All that come are trained in Spain To-
the work especially. There ar,
four religious corporations in th,
whole OF the Islands and the work fol
them is assigned by the Bishop o
Manila, though over one or two OF tn
orders he has but slight supervision
they being responsible directly to theil
monasteries in Spain. The Bishop II
OF course practically an officer OF TIN
Government. The orders are the Dom
inicans, the Augustins, the AugustiI
Recolectos and the Franciscans. Thu
priests have their charges the same al
in any other country, but are in al
cases also school teachers and fire
quently physicians and surgeons.
can say to you that some really yer!
able men are buried away in that hith
erto isolated quarter Of the globe. Tn,
church has not been progressive. Al
the fine buildings are in Manila. TIL
head machinery has been running
things in a rut for long time-many
many years.
Priests to the number OF 500 ,wer
made prisoners by the rebels. OF thes