MISSIONARY SOCIETY. 
3 
to the propagation of their faith, as a proof of their 
heresy: yet supposing that many of the Portuguese 
and Spanish discoverers, who were Catholics, to 
have believed that their own was the true faith; 
while we commend their zeal, we cannot but con¬ 
demn the violence arid absurdity of their proceed¬ 
ings, in forcing what they called Christianity upon 
the tribes they discovered.* 
The published accounts of the voyages from 
Britain to the South Seas, in the latter part of the 
eighteenth century, produced a strong feeling of 
wonder and delight, and excited considerable 
interest in behalf of the inhabitants of the remote 
and isolated regions. Among those whose regards 
for the people were awakened, the late excellent 
* In this respect, few appear to have exceeded the first 
who traversed the Pacific—the adventurous Magellan. At 
Zebul, one of the Philippines, “ the admiral (Magellan) 
persuaded the king, queen, and princes, to embrace the 
Christian faith, which they did with pleasure. Firing of 
cannon, and great solemnity, attended their baptism, at 
which the king received the name of Charles, and the 
prince that of Fernando. In eight days the inhabitants of 
the island, with the exception of one district, were made 
Christians. In order to punish those who refused, the 
Spaniards burnt their village, and built a cross upon its 
ruins. In order to shew the good effects of Christianity, a 
miraculous cure was wrought upon the king’s brother at 
his baptism. The admiral pawned his head for his im¬ 
mediate recovery, should he receive baptism, and break his 
idols : he saved his head ; the prince perfectly recovering 
soon after being thus initiated in the Christian religion. 
At Buthan he gave the chief a banner with a cross and 
crown of thorns painted on it, made his people worship 
it, and directed him to set it on a high mountain, as a 
token of good entertainment for Christians, and a means 
of national safety; stating, that, if devoutly prayed to, it 
would protect them from lightning and tempest.”— 
Abridged from Magellan’s Voyage, in Callander’s Collec¬ 
tion of Voyages, vol. i. p. 91, 93. 
B 2 
