The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-07-14
Observations in the Interior Of
the Island Of LuZon.
CALMLY CONSIDERS THEIR RELIGION
Natives are Well Instructed in
Theological Concepts.

The Rev. Henry Swift, Protestant
chaplain of the Thirteenth infantry, U.
S. A., now in the Philippines, contrib
utes an article on McKinley's "wards"
to "The Living Church" of July 7. Writ
ing from Benilovan, Luzon, he says:
We will consider first, because it is
the most striking feature of these peo-
pies, their religion. With the adventur-
Gus and heroic Spaniard of the fifteenth
and sixteenth centuries, discovery and
missionary zeal marched shoulder to
shoulder. Where the flag of Spain was
/ planted, there the cross was at the same
time set up, the altar raised, and the
wondering native witnessed the impos-
ing rites of the church, and the terrible
steel-clad strangers kneeling humbly on
the sod.
So it was in the Philippines. Discov-
cred and claimed by Spain, that country
at once began the education and con-
version of the natives; and for centuries
these islands have been Christian, solely
from the efforts of the Spanish priests
and friars. Whatever they did, was and
has been, up to 1893, practically un-
touched, and uninAuenced by any out
aside elements, Greek, Anglican or
Protestant And first of all, there has
been no invasion of infdc1ity, or free
thought, or scepticism. The people be-
lieve There is no conception even Of
the possibility of unbelief. Remember l
am speaking of the remote pueblo, not
of cities like Manila, with their hetero-
geneous populations, where side by side
with the general faith may be every
shade of faith, non-faith, or even east
ern heathenisns.
The country is thickly studded with
i pueblos or towns, in our section at about
erintervals of four, six, and eight miles.
The principal feature OF the town is the
church, fanked by a convent. The
church sometimes in ruins, sometimes
y intact, but bearing every mark of age,
is built of brick or rubble work, or stone,
massive and plain. There is usually a
large bell tower Cor towers) with nu-
merous bells. The interior of the church
is plain, the floor of tiles or brick with
few or no seats. There is the usual
grand altar, and down the church mid
way, the side affairs, while near the door
is the baptistery, and in their usual posi-
ton, confessional boxes.
The convent is of two stories with
large, airy, we'll finished and furnished
rooms above, and solid massive stone
rooms below. Here (Benilovan) over
two hundred men find accommodation
on the main floor of the convent, while
the ground floor is used for guard
house, commissary, and quartermaster
store rooms, etc. This vast dwelling
was, before the insurrection, the home Of
from one to three Spanish friars.
The village priest, Filipino, lives in
smaller and substantial house near by.
The church fronts large plaza, which
has twelve stone crosses set around it
at regular intervals. On the other three
sides are the principal houses of the
= place, the Presidencia, the Market, etc.
Streets, generally at right angles, radi-
ate from the plaza, which is Cientro de
Ia Population, and in the houses and
\ nuts on these various streets are gath
( cred population OF some ten thousand
souls.
The church is fanked on one side by
the convent, on the other are two build
ings, used for school purposes; one for
boys, the other for girls And in these
b daily instruction is given to some two
hundred children (free) in reading,
writing, arithmetic, and of course the
catechism; the latter being in the local
dialect, Pangasiuan, the other subjects
being in Spanish.
The church is the scene OF constant
activity. Every day there is mass, and
hundreds attend; then, besides other
services there is constant ringing for
baptisms, weddings, funerals; and in be-
tween you will forever find some kneel-
ing figures engaged in private devo-
tons. Besides this in every home you
\ will find little apartment or corner SET
OF asa shrine; and every night from s
to 10 the air is vocal with the chanted
devotions of the numerous families
where the voices of old. and young join
in quaint quavering chants and tones