Interpretations

A hurried padding of feet upon the deckboards above brings Souza into a waking state. His eyes scan the cramped quarters as the first light of morning gleams on the opaque glass port, set in the bulkhead. Heavy chain rattles in staccato fashion, heralding the anchor's descent to the seabed. Amboyna! The South Moluccas. His destination. Reached. His first individual posting. His testing charge.

The lean, wiry frame rises from a low bunk and dons its uniform of office: the coal-black cassock. The Black Robe. He splashes cold water from a gimballed basin upon the lightly-bearded visage, then dries with the cassock's hem. Strong, tanned fingers arrange the wavy and unruly hair atop his scalp in haphazard fashion. De Souza is not a man given to wasting time on personal vanities. From a simple Portuguese rural farming stock, before taking up his religious calling.

Dawn's early light silhouettes the island of Amboyna before his eyes as he gains the main deck level. The galleon vessel Nuestra Senora de la Paz stands at anchor in the south-west bay of the mountainous island. To the north-east lies the larger mass of Ceram Island. Due west stands Buru, as large as Ceram, with towering peaks inland. Though Amboyna, the smaller of the group, is the centre for trade for the South Moluccas - and the Ambonese feared and intrepid warriors. Throughout the Spice Islands their mettle in tribal warfare is revered, a formidable enemy.

Yea, but godless heathen, tied to their animist deities: by ignorance alone. De
Souza's clay: to mold and shape, to true Christian virtues. The year is 1598, and these Jesuit missionaries are the forward army of the Pope himself. The stalwart and true soldiers of the Vicar of Christ. In this age of enlightened thought, all was possible, and all would come to pass.

"Father!" calls the vessel's master, Captain-General Enriques. "A fine morning to yourself. We shall lower boats presently, and beach your cargo and artisans. I beg request you will hold Mass for my officers and crew afore you disembark. It will be our last until we reach safe harbour in Lisbon."

"It would be a sad neglect of my spiritual duties were I not to do so, Master-Captain," the priest benignly replied. "How long will it take to load your cargo of spices here in Amboyna?"

"A matter of hours to load and stow. We shall be under sail before the noon's bell is struck," Enriques informed his ecclesiastic passenger. "You will find the Ambonese a difficult people to bring unto God's altar, Father. They admire the strength of man's character through the show of his sword arm, not in his divine spirit. A Jesus meek and mild will hold small attraction in contrast to their barbaric deities."

"Perseverance, and a gentle, understanding love will lead them unto God's altar. Out of the shadows of ignorance, and into the light of Christ's Holy Illumination, Master-Captain," de Souza informed him with a confidence yet to be proven."

"I have spent now one year and a half studying their spoken language, and of their cultural and spiritual deficiencies, while at our mission church in Ternate. I consider not the task ahead one indomitable. My brothers in Christ labour across the Earth's expanse, to bring the heathen to true Christian enlightenment. It is with Christ's own words that I shall usurp the pagan deities of the Ambonese, and conduct this people to civilised piety. They will learn to hold the Holy Trinity in awe, and with respect."

"Your evangelical convictions are admirable in one so young, Father. Yet my experiences of these people are of a more practical nature, not of the theological thread. They are deceitful, and consumed with the art of trickery and cunning. Each occasion my Ship's Factor ventures ashore here to barter trade, they leave no chance untried to cheat him with the volumes and weights of their bundled spices. Heavy stones placed amidst parcels of peppers. Sand mixed with the cloves. They are most inventive towards dishonest commerce."

"Yet through the Gospel's word will they learn such deceits are against the Will of God, and an offence to the Christian mores," the Jesuit ardently countered.

"Father. as I have said, your zeal is admirable, and I wish your mission here well. My crew took confession before we departed Ternate, yet will be back to their sodomic practices once we are upon the high seas and their carnal lusts take fanciful hold. And too, will confess all again inside Mother Church when we secure dock in Lisbon. They absolve themselves of sin so then may sin yet again, for the penance for such sins never be harsh enough."

"This matter is one of mans' free will, Captain Enriques. It is with God alone to pronounce final judgement upon a man's mortal deeds. It is only He who shalt decide upon the final resting place of the immortal soul. Whether the paradise of Heaven's Gardens, or the terrible furnaces of Hell," reproved de Souza, with a scent of mild irritation in his utterance. "We priests are but his earthly tools, to guide with compassion, as firmly as we dare. Lest men are driven from the Christian flock to seek spiritual solace elsewhere."

"Perhaps the College of Life's Harsh Realities has made a cynic of me, Father. Forgive my speculations, I am unqualified to judge man's spiritual nature," was Enriques' compromising reply.

The Jesuit father smiled in acceptance, and turned to observe the ship's longboats ferrying cargo twix mother vessel and shore, assisted by a veritable plethora of native canoes and raft-barges. By morning's eleventh hour commerce with the Ambonese was duly transacted, and when the crew mustered on board, Father de Souza gave their final religious service before the galleon broached the sea's expanse on her arduous and protracted voyage home.

This done, he took his leave of Enriques and a final longboat made the transit from ship to shore. He stood at the edge of the calm bay as the boat returned, was davitted, the main anchor drawn up, sails unfurled, and the tall-masted galleon made her way west: across the clear, jade-green waters of the Flores Sea.

Overcome by a satisfying, inner calm, de Souza prayed silently for some moments. Giving thanks for this mission posting. One he harboured no doubts he would fulfil beyond expectations.

The native Halmaheran artisan labour that had accompanied him from Ternate, eight good converted pagans all, were busy about the tasks of re-stacking their stores and equipments high above the full tide mark. Groups of curious Ambonese indigents gathered around, but were chastised by the artisans when praying fingers strayed too
close to the guarded cargoes.

Father de Souza made his way amongst the native groups, smiling openly, and uttering quiet greetings in their own dialect. Upon reaching the chieftain's, the Chamat's, dwelling, a raised affair of dark timbers and grass panels, he announced his intentions to build a worthy structure to house the essence of the One True God.

After some hours of comprehensive questioning by the Chamat upon the nature of the Christians' ultimate and singular deity, he consented to allow the construction of de Souza's church, and allotted a rise of land behind the village for this purpose. Curiosity toward the culture of this strange, smelly, and hairy people being his deciding factor.

They were surely persons worthy of closer attentions and observations. Did they not have weapons beyond the comprehension of the Ambonese warriors. Weapons that could strike a being mortally, from distances greater than the ranges of arrow, dart, or spear. And clothes woven with bright colours, and metals unknown within these islands before. Yes, for a myriad of reasons, these people were worthy of further study. Not least for the fact of the riches they were prepared to barter in exchange of herbs and spices that abounded the Ambonese hills and valleys. The natural bounty harvested with ease by their womenfolk and children.

Within the span of days that followed, Father de Souza's workmen laboured to erect houses for themselves and their clerical master, conferring with the Ambonese natives as occasion arose. They indicated the hardwood trees in the surrounding forests, which were duly felled, and cut into beams and planks, and roofing shingles. Foundations for the church were dug, and reinforced with corals and rocks. Then the huge main corner posts, of rich brown mahogany, were erected vertically upon this layer.

The weeks passed quickly by, and de Souza observed his Christian church assume shape and form. He too toiled alongside his Halmaheran artisans, for until the edifice was completed, the intended conversion of this lithe, brown people would not be undertaken. Although the Ambonese Chamat, Satu Lebe, would often come to converse with de Souza during the working day, upon the nature of their monotheistic God, and of their European civilisation.
Yet de Souza had concluded in his own mind that it was best to hold congress with the Ambonese collectively, in a temple that contained all the earthly manifestations of the Spirit of God Omnipotent. That represented His very essence. A place holy and inspiring awe.

Time sees the passage of all things. For the patient of heart, this is no arduous task. De Souza's church was now completed, ornamented correctly, and the vestments laid and blessed. On that final day, he and his Christian-convert artisans of Halmahera prayed with grateful thanks to their trusted God.

The fine, airy and voluminous building stood as a landmark atop the hill behind the village. Well-proportioned, its dark woods carved intricately, as were the interior adornments. The ecclesiastic bronzes shipped from Italy and Spain, to Ternate, and on. All hung respectively from their allotted positions. Above the altar, to the right of the heavy brass crucifix, was mounted a huge wood block print etching of the Virgin and Child; presented by the Papal Nuncio in Manila to the Jesuit mission in Ternate.

Why, the sight of this alone would bring the heathen unto the Lord's flock, Father de Souza had often reflected while the building of the church was underway. Such is the belief of one dedicated to his task, to his mission.

Upon invitations by the Jesuit Father, the village Chamat, Satu Lebe, led his council to the church: to inspect the completed structure that now housed the all-powerful spirit of the Christian god. It is true that they were awed by most aspects of the building, and many questions raised as to the pertinence of the religious ornamentia. The heathen Ambonese elders shied the pews and sat cross-legged on the smooth and cool timbers of the polished church floor, and listened with intent ears as the good Father read from the books of Genesis and Exodus; translating fluently into the Ambonese tongue.

The Chamat would often confer with his council on some point uttered by de Souza, then question the Jesuit to clarify the matter. De Souza did so, with eloquent patience.
Yes, it was good that God created the Earth, and all things and beings thereon. That He evicted Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden was wrong though: He should have killed them, and created man afresh. The Serpent translated as a snake, and the Ambonese too hated snakes just as much as the Christian God. They killed and ate snakes.

That Cain killed Abel was correct too, for Abel had offended Cain's sensibilities. Though Abel should have fought back, and at least wounded Cain. For Cain to lie to God concerning Abel's whereabouts was right, for why should Cain admit to his actions and be punished?

Of Abraham's subjugation to God's will, to circumcise himself, and the menfolk of his tribe was good, for did not the Ambonese menfolk too duly circumcise their males as to their God's wishes? And they too would tattoo their flesh in accordance with their religious customs. Did the men of Abraham's tribe tattoo their flesh? No? Why not?
Moses' calling upon God to destroy his enemies, the Eqyptian hordes of Ramases, at the Red Sea, was a fine thing also. That was the purpose of man's gods: to destroy their enemies.

As the afternoon wore on, de Souza tended towards the impatient in his mood of mounting frustrations. These were truly an inquisitive people, but contradictory in the extreme. Their moral values obviously reduced to base levels by the protracted worship of pagan gods, and having no formal religious leader to instruct on, and impose, moral strictures.

Yet their interest never waned, and successive days saw the church's congregation increase, sat cross-legged upon the church floor, one and all. Their interest and curiosity towards the dubious wisdoms contained in the large black book the Jesuit priest called 'Bible' grew accordingly also - though frustrations at their incessant contradictory questionings caused de Souza to move on from the Old to New Testaments - the intent to overawe them with the life of Jesus, and the illuminating message of the Gospels. And thus he expounded the mysteries esoteric of the First Coming to this heathen congregation of aspiring converts.

It was a good and powerful omen for Mary's tribe that she was seduced by a potent elemental spirit: an angel. This point was pronounced by the Chamat to his people, as de Souza raised his eyes to Heaven for patience and inspirational guidance, yet forged on with his sermon regardless.

"She have orgasm how many times when angel lie with her?" Satu Lebe questioned.
"It is irrelevant," the Jesuit countered, barely comprehending the significance of this point to a lusting and primitive society. He, of the Cloth, of celibate vows.

"How many night does angel lie with Mary?" The Chamat further questioned.

"One night only", de Souza replied in rapid fashion.

"Waaa! Very potent spirit to have her with child after only one night of bedding," Satu Lebe proclaimed to his people. Father de Souza stoically continued his sermon.

"Why Three Wise Men not give Jesus baby sword? Sword of good Portuguese steel? Why only gifts for Jesus baby? Mary, Jesus mother not get gift?" the Chamat interrupted once more, accompanied by the chatterings of his tribesmen.
"Because the gifts were of a purely spiritual significance and nature," the priest explained in poignant fashion.

"Baby Jesus father Joseph should have sword of good steel from Three Wise Men. Father of baby should be also given gift," the contradictory Chamat interjected once more.

"It was not the custom in those times to present the father of a newly-born child with a sword. Besides, Joseph was not the true father of Jesus. The child was created in Mary by the spiritual essence of God Almighty," de Souza replied in defence of the Bible's teachings.

"Maybe Joseph not father. Maybe Angel not father. Maybe God Almighty not father. Maybe neighbour of Joseph father of baby. Maybe member of some other tribe. Maybe Mary lie to Joseph. Happen many times in Amboyna. Many woman tell her man “Tree spirit lie with me”, 'Water spirit enter me while I bathe', but many times this is lies, and it is neighbour of same tribe, or man from other tribe that enter her, and she lie to her man. Then he beat wife until she tell truth, then he go and kill man who enter her, and take his head as vengeance. Maybe Joseph should have taken head of neighbour who enter Mary, then kill her too, and throw Jesus baby into river to drown," Satu Lebe stated, with wildly gesticulating gestures.

The poor Jesuit stood mouth agape at the Chamat's sceptical outpouring, then attempted to respond in a cool and composed manner.

"The . . . . the father of Jesus was God Divine. The angel was the . . . . the vehicle by which God delivered His essence unto Mary. He appeared to Joseph in a vision and informed him his wife was impregnated by Divine Power, and would bear the Son of God."

The Chamat shook his head in tedious disbelief, and stood to leave, his tribal charges following en masse. Father de Souza sat heavily on the edge of the altar steps and ran fingers through his hair, pondering his dilemma. Obviously the mysteries of Christ's Coming could be interpreted with incorrect accord by those uninitiated into the fundamental principles of Christian belief. To-morrow he would reveal to them Christ's passion upon the cross, and of His resurrection, to eternal life in the hereafter. The promise of eternal salvation to those who walked the path of mortal Christian righteousness.

That night, the young priest prayed long, and in ardent fashion. For patience. For some small glimmer of converted belief in the eyes of the heathen Ambonese
congregation. Yet his contemporaries laboured in the ultimate privations in their efforts to convert the heathen masses in the jungles of the Americas, and in the islands of the Japans. Some, martyrs to their calling. All diligent in their tasks. This was no test of faith, just a weakened moment within his own psyche. Yes, to-morrow true progress would be made.

But it was not. After the early fishing boats had returned to the village shores, and the womenfolk and children brought their baskets and bundles of spices down from the surrounding hills, the villagers retired to the shadowed cool atmosphere of the airy, elevated church.
To once again hear the stories of the exploits of the Christian's deity: God Almighty. An omnipotent being fraught with all manner of deficiencies. A god who made the whole world in the passing of six suns, yet had to take rest from his labours as the seventh sun traversed the skies. What king of god was this: that had to take rest? The Ambonese gods never rested. They were potent and strong. Nor did they ever make mistakes. Men made mistakes, but never gods. Not the Ambonese gods, anyway.

Father de Souza was overjoyed to see his congregation return to the church after the contradictory outburst of the previous day. He opened his Bible and began to relate the last days of Christ's early manifestation.

"And Judas Escariot, for personal gain alone, did go unto the Romans and tell of the whereabouts of Jesus, for thirty pieces of silver. That they might seize Jesus and do Him harm," the black garbed priest explained.

"Waaa! Very clever man, this Judas. He make good trade with the Roman men for betraying his leader. Our ancestors do this all the time with enemy that they pose as friend to. Make plenty trade with tribes of other islands," proclaimed Satu Lebe as his tribal cohorts broke into raucacious laughter.

"Damn you, damn heathen!" de Souza exploded. "Judas was a very bad man who caused Jesus' mortal death upon the cross at Calvary! This is what the Romans did to Jesus!" he shouted, turning to point to the huge brass crucifix mounted above the altar. "This was His passion, for mortal man! He died so heathen barbarians alike you might achieve eternal salvation!" The Jesuit slammed the holy book closed, and glared at the much-amused congregation seated on the floor before him.

"If he son of your god, why he let Romans nail him to cross of wood? Why not kill Romans' warriors with his great powers?" Satu Lebe pertinently inquired.

"Because He wished to prove to mankind the passion and value of His sacrifice. That they might likewise sacrifice, within their mortal lifetimes, and achieve a state of grace, qualifying them for admission into the Kingdom of Heaven, and the joy of Eternal Life," de Souza explained in softened tone.

The Chamat shook his head in sceptical ponderance, then left the church, his village entourage in tow. Father de Souza sat and leaned back against the pulpit, and this day wept salty tears. Tears of frustration over the Ambonese interpretations of the Bible's sacrosanct truths. His Halmaheran converts tried to console him with the fact that the Ambonese were stupid, and not worthy of converting to the Christian faith. God would have no use for them: on Earth nor in Heaven. Too, he railed at them, for assuming to interpret God's divine will to their own ends. Even if it was meant to cheer him from despondency.

All through that night the Jesuit took no food nor water, just meditated upon the complex dilemma that faced him. Meditated, and prayed. Prayed for the pertinacious resolve to fill his psyche once again. Prayed with fervour and passion. Racked his brain for answers. For solutions. How to convert these people to Christianity. To the faith he was dedicating his life to spreading, amongst the masses of Asia.

If only he might effect their acceptance of God's existence, and of Jesus as God's one begotten son, then surely, and slowly, he might bring them to accept each following precept in turn, and qualify it accordingly. But how to answer the stubborn contradictions favourably, and not have the Chamat lead away his people each day, in a disgusted and skeptical show of exit?

The dawn's sun broke the sky into a fiery orange sheet, and long shadows were cast upon the bleached, white sands of the island by lines of tall, gangling palms. The Jesuit turned to view the spectacle of Nature's daily awakening from his seated position twix the palms. He walked down to the water's edge and looked out over the rise of the island's interior as the sun arose. A moment of inspiration for any who view Amboyna at this magical juncture of night becoming day. Illuminating for the Jesuit father on that particular morning especially, as he stood and prayed, as the sun climbed to full visibility from behind the forested hills of the interior. Inspirational indeed.

Morning passed slowly by, into the balmy heat of noon, and once again Satu Lebe led his tribe up the winding approach to the ornate, dark timber church. To enjoy the cool of the building's interior atmosphere, and debate the worthiness of the Portuguese priest's singular Christian deity: Almighty God.

De Souza entered the pulpit and smiled with a truly compassionate heart. He opened the leather-bound black Bible to where the previous day's lesson had so abruptly terminated.

"Judas Escariot betrayed his master and mentor, Jesus Christ, for thirty pieces of silver coins. This was paid to him by the Roman oppressors of Judea. Judas Escariot was a false friend to Jesus, who had provided him with love, food, and shelter. And Judas repaid his debt to our Lord Jesus with the dastardly act of betraying him: for monetary reward. A most heinous act of treachery by a man who had accepted Jesus' love and friendship. Against God's law, and the principles of tribal custom."

"Waa!" Satu Lebe once more exclaimed. "Jesus the Christ not so clever a man for Son of God Almighty if he let Judas betray him." The gathered tribal congregation murmured their tacit agreement."

"Ah, but this is where you are wrong, Satu Lebe, for Jesus knew Judas would betray him. He told Judas this as the twelve disciples sat to partake of the Last Supper. You see, Jesus was a man of great magic, and could induce prophetic visions. He wished to test the loyalty of Judas to the extreme, and Judas proved himself unworthy of that trust," the Jesuit confidently countered.

"The Romans nail Jesus to wooden beams. Why Jesus not use magic powers to stop them, and kill all Romans?" the Chamat questioned de Souza.

"For He wished to demonstrate to His disciples, and to the Romans, that He was beyond mortal death. He allowed the Romans and other traitors of His race, to crucify
Him, and went into a deep trance. When the Romans thought Jesus was dead, they removed Him from the cross and sealed his body in a deep and dark cave in the mountains. Then they blocked the entrance to this cave with a huge and heavy rock which only twenty men could move. Then Jesus came alive again, healed his wounds from the scourging and the crucifixion, and used His magical powers, which came from His Father, the Lord God, to destroy the great rock which sealed Him inside the cave. He walked out a complete man," de Souza explained.

"So Jesus not dead at all?" asked the Chamat.

"No, He came back to life. His powerful magic overcame death, and then He left the Earth by magic to join his Father in the paradise of Heaven, which is in the skies. All men who believe in God Almighty, and who obey His laws, will eventually join Jesus and God in Heaven, and enjoy life everlasting," the priest clarified for the Chamat.

"This Judas Escariot, did he go to Heaven?" Satu Lebe further inquired.

"No, for his treachery and betrayal of trust, Jesus put a curse on Judas, and this caused him to hang himself. To take his own life. Now he burns for all of time in the terrible consuming fires of the Eternal Hell," the Jesuit related.

A collective cry of astonishment rose from the throats of the Ambonese assembly. To curse a man, or woman, and to have this curse make them destroy themselves was magic of the most potent kind. This they feared, and respected. And to be cast forever into this 'eternal hell' of the Christians, that their god maintained for transgressing mortals, was indeed the ultimate of punishments. To spend forever, beyond time, burning within unquenchable fires, of misery and pain. This they truly feared above all else.

"Tell us again how the Christ Jesus turn the water of the well into the sweet drink you call wine," Satu Lebe requested of their spiritual mentor.

"Jesus used His magical powers to provide wine for the wedding feast when their wine was used up. He passed His hands over the jugs of water, and turned it into red wine. Jesus performed many miracles, as we Christians term such feats of magic. He was a magician, a sorcerer, a shaman, of many powers. Many times He would cure people who were stricken with sicknesses, in whom He could detect a spirit of true purity. These He cured of all their afflictions.

"What man he make alive again when he is dead?" the Ambonese Chamat questioned, eager for further information on the powers of Jesus.

"That was Lazarus. He died, and Jesus laid His hands upon the body, and restored life unto it. This miracle was performed to once again demonstrate the powers that our Lord Jesus possessed, through his Father, Lord God Almighty," de Souza explained.

"Tell us of the place hell where fires burn the souls of God's enemies, and the fallen angel Devil rules as the king," asked the Chamat.

"God cast the fallen angel Satan, who is also called 'the Devil', from Heaven to the underworld prison of darkness and burning fires. Satan chose to challenge God's rule in Heaven, and the powers of his master, Almighty God. So they fought a battle for the control of Heaven, and God defeated Satan, the Devil, and imprisoned him below the Earth, in the deep fires of Hell."

De Souza breathed deeply, then went on. "There too, God dispatches the souls
of men and women who live in conflict with His laws. There, Satan, the Devil, is free to torture and torment their souls for all of time. They scream continually, and never are allowed to sleep, or drink, or partake of food. They are in perpetual misery, burning without respite.”

“This is why I came unto you on Amboyna. To teach the ways of Jesus, and the Laws of Almighty God, His Father, and of Jesus' love and passion for all of man. That you all might learn these ways, and these laws, and thus live and abide by them. So you might absolve your past sins and achieve the state of grace that Christian worship offers, and be admitted into the paradise of Heaven when you die.”
“To deny the existence of the One True God, to ignore His laws, that He provided for each and every man to live by, is to be doomed for eternity, for all of time, to the scorching fires of Satan's kingdom of Hell."

"Now understand, for God imprisoned Satan there as he was an evil angel, and would not obey the laws of God. Too, He imprisons the souls of men who have exited their mortal coil, and whose souls are marked by lives of sin. God has no use for sinners, God will curse any man who hears or His ways and His laws, as you do now, and turns away from them to lives of sin, and the worship of pagan gods. False gods, with no powers of true magic."

"For it is only Almighty God, and His son, Jesus, that are true sorcerers, are powerful magicians. They alone can cast potent spells and curses upon the heads of men who know of their laws and refuse to obey them," de Souza concluded.

"If my people follow the ways of your god, will we all be allowed to go to the
paradise Heaven when we die? If we have the holy water poured over our heads? Will we have our spirits cleansed by this ritual Will they be rid of the sins we have already done in our past life before this?" Satu Lebe sought from the priest, in true respectful tone.

"Yes, Heaven's Gate will be opened to all who obey the laws of God, and the ceremony of baptism will show God that you are being initiated into His church. For when you die and arrive at the gates of Heaven, God will see the magical marks upon your forehead that the ritual of baptism has left. The invisible scars of initiation into God's Holy Church, which only God can see upon a man.”

“When your baptism is performed, then all of your past sins, committed before this time, will be absolved. God shalt forgive you of these past sins, for prior to this time, you were in spiritual darkness. But when you enter into His church as true and practicing Christians, then you must sin no more, lest Jesus or God see this and curse your souls to the fiery Hell of Satan," de Souza pontificated to the mass of wide-mouthed and mesmerised Ambonese.

It was an obedient congregation that therein assembled within the beautiful hardwood church in the weeks that followed. There they dutifully learned of the Laws of God, as given unto Moses. Where they were awed by the power of the hand of God, manifested in the Ark of the Covenant. That which would lay waste to the lands of God's enemies. Within which were kept the tablets containing the Laws of God.

That this God could destroy cities, huge and vast village communities, with a single sweep of His hand: as He did with the sinning cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. A true God. A warrior God. A God of Jealous Nature, of Vengeful Ways. A violent God, of emotions and rages. This was surely a God they could respect and obey.

Yes, within this holy place, this church upon the hill of tropical Amboyna, did the simple people learn the prayers of thanks and devotion. There they sang sweetly, and in harmonious accord, the hymns of praise. Sung in the dialect of Ambonese. There the people of this island were duly baptized, and took names of the Christian gender.

And it was within this same church that Master-Captain-General Enriques observed the religious devotions of the Ambonese, less than two years since he had disembarked the pious Jesuit upon these shores. He related to the priest his profound impressions once that day’s mass had been concluded.

"I am truly amazed that you managed to bring these people onto the path of Christian ways, Father. I would have speculated it an almost impossible task, when last my ship anchored here. That the tales of the Gospels would convert them is truly a miracle manifested here this morning."

"Master-Captain, the ways of the Almighty are truly mysterious," the Jesuit observed with a content smile, "But they are forever the ways of God."