286 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



" A council held at Lima," continues Dr. Robertfon, 

 " decreed, that on account of this incapacity they ought 

 " to be excluded from the facrament of the Eucharift. 

 " And though Paul III. by his famous bull, iffued in 

 " the year 1537, declared them to be rational creatures, 

 " entitled to all the privileges of Chriftians ; yet, after 

 " the lapfe of two centuries, during which they have 

 " been members of the church, fo imperfect are their 

 " attainments in knowledge, that very few poffefs fuch a 

 " portion of fpiritual difcernment, as to be deemed wor- 



" thy of being admitted to the holy communion 



" Even after the moft careful inftru&ion, their faith is 

 H confidered feeble and dubious, and though fome of 

 " them have been taught the learned languages, and 

 " have gone through the ordinary courfe of academic 

 " education with applaufe, their frailty is fo much fuf- 

 <c pe&ed, that no Indian is ever ordained a prieft, or re- 

 <c ceived into any religious order." In a few words, 

 here are four errors at leaft. 1 . That a council of Lima 

 had excluded the Indians from the facrament of the Eu- 

 charift, on account of their imbecility of mind. 2. That 

 Paul III. declared the Indians rational creatures. 3. 

 That very few Indians poffefs fuch a portion of fpiritual 

 difcernment as to be judged worthy to approach to 

 the facred table. 4. That no Indian is ever ordained a 

 prieft. 



With refpecl: to the firft, it is true, that in an affem- 

 bly held at Lima, in the year 1552, which was called 

 Primum concilium Lima, though it was not a council, 

 nor had ever any authority of a council, it was ordained 

 that the Eucharift (hould not be adminiftered to the In- 

 dians until they were perfectly inftru&ed and perfuaded 

 in things of faith 5 becaufe that facrament is the food of 



the 



