Note 2 — ERECTION OF THE MANILA CATHEDRAL1

Thus, as one may see, this plain preaching of the word of God won over for Christ and His church a new world, as it is styled, mightier than the old. For that so great and marvelous work, the benignity of our God, whose providence in human affairs is never wanting, received our most glorious rulers of the Spains, the Catholic Sovereigns, at the bidding of the holy Catholic Church, so that what He foresaw should be lacking to preachers, might be supplied by those most powerful and most Christian kings—a thing which was manifestly proved by the result. For with such eagerness, such zeal for the spread of the faith and the Christian religion did the sovereigns themselves welcome the task and ministry thus entrusted to them by the Roman Church, that begrudging no expense, undaunted by toils or dangers, moved neither by losses nor hardships, they at no time set any bounds to their venture. Nay, with no concern for these or other like drawbacks, they labor for this sole end that by the inhabitants of the new world the Lord Christ might be acknowledged, welcomed, and adored. Hence at the bidding and expense of our kings have so many preachers of the mendicant orders and secular clergy been enlisted to scour this new world and lead barbarous men to the worship of the true God. Hence so many Spanish warriors [have been enlisted] to guard these preachers from receiving harm from the barbaric cruelty of infidels. Hence, in fine, so many metropolitan, so many minor cathedral churches, have been erected, and sees established, whereby the hierarchical order as maintained by the Roman Church, might be upheld, and the budding colonies planted in the garden of the Church bring forth fruit of their conversion. Moreover, in order that nothing might be lacking to our most Christian king Philip, in his endeavor to set further forward the bounds of the Roman Church, as he knew had been the practice of his forefathers, from whom he had inherited zeal for the faith and the Christian religion, as well as kingdoms without bound, under his auspices were discovered the isles of the west called the Philippines after his name, which besides being innumerable, abound in worshipers without number, to whom at the behest of the Catholic king, and not without great loss to his treasury, and many hardships and dangers to his soldiers, the truth of the Gospel has been announced, and hearkened to by no petty number, which daily even grows greater, so that one may see fulfilled the prophecy of Isaias, wherein he says: “The islands saw it, and feared, the ends of the earth were astonished, they drew near, and came;” and again: “Thy sons shall come from afar.... Then shalt thou see, and abound, and thy heart shall wonder and be enlarged, when the multitude of the sea shall be converted to thee;” and in another place: “Enlarge the place of thy tent, and stretch out the skins of thy tabernacles, ... lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;”2 to the end that as he forsaw the Church might harbor so mighty a multitude as would be converted to it images to come.