Section 136 The people of the Order

"That strange Italian?" Trico said dissatisfiedly, "I think he's a suspicious person." ”

Except for Weiss? In addition to Langu, he was accompanied by a young priest named Cecilio. He was a student of the Golden Pavilion, and the monk held him in high esteem.

There are also a lot of goods that will go to Lingao with them. In addition to the various goods sold to Lingao under the supply agreement between the two parties, it also includes Jesuit gifts: church sacristy, church decorations, crosses, stained glass paintings, large cast-iron chandeliers, candlesticks, various sculptures, etc. Many things are bought from the Philippines and even Europe. Father Trigg – or as his own new Chinese name: Jin Lige – looked at the long waybill

"So much to ship?"

"A new church will be completed in Lingao, and they are also planning to expand the main church and the convent in Lingao."

"Since Australians have their own churches and churches and convents, they have the most haode craftsmen on Shijie. Weishenme All supplies must be provided by us? Jin Lige felt puzzled, "There are also three thousand small crosses, do you also have to provide us?" ”

"Yes, it's part of the missionary agreement."

"O God," said Jin Liga, drawing a cross, "are they still the Lambs of God?" ”

"There are a lot of Australians who are atheists." Father Komange drew a cross when he said the word, "God forbid." There are believers in God among them, but they are not the ones who really hold the power. ”

In power were held by a group of businessmen who were no longer philistines - this was the feeling of Father Comange.

Jin Lige's face immediately turned white. In his mind, "atheists" are more terrifying beings than "infidels".

"But their gentlemen are gentle, well-mannered, and learned. Their hearts—" Koman sighed regretfully, "may the light of God shine into their dark hearts......"

"This is the top secret of the Society of Jesus in Macau." Father Komange took out a document from a locked filing cabinet, "You can look at it here and keep it in your heart. ”

What Father Komange handed over to him was a document secretly written on the basis of a letter from Father Lu Ruohua.

Not all of his Correspondence on Lingao circulated in the Church. A lot of key things were removed by the Jesuits. The Jesuits learned the lessons of their missionary work in Japan and resolutely did not allow other religious orders to intervene in the missionary activities on Hainan Island. Not only does it require missionary privileges, but it also requires complete control over critical information.

This document deals with the religious situation and ideological tendencies of the rulers of Lingao, the senators.

One such list is the status of the main clergy in the Australian Church and the Catholics and other denominations among Australians that Lu Ruohua has discovered.

The number of Catholics in Lingao, including in the Loei district, has now grown to more than 1,000, and there are more than 100 men and women in the seminary. But the Jesuits valued the Catholics among the Australians more - they were well aware that Aboriginal believers had no role in the power structure of the Upper Heights.

It was the Jesuit order to recruit as many new believers as possible among the patriarchs - and this was one of the main tasks entrusted by the Jesuits to the Golden Court. Only then will the Jesuits have influence in the Senate of Australians.

"The Lingao Church is now under the jurisdiction of an abbot named Wu Shimang, whose official title is abbot of Lingao seminary." "In the same way, he was a member of the Senate of Australians, with the power of nobility. ”

"Is he a devout believer?" The abbot, who is a very wealthy and complex position of property ownership, is often considered to be the main member of the Church in Europe.

"Ah, according to the letter from Brother Lu Ruohua, Dean Wu is a capable abbot. Very capable. Komange said.

The implication of this is that he was very good at running a monastery, but not very religious.

"Did he receive any holy offer?"

"I don't think so." Father Komange smiled, "Brother Lu said that he doesn't look like a dean who has received holy objects. ”

"Is he a secular dean?"

"It's hard to say that we still don't know the specific organization of the church in Australia. It feels like they have a lot of randomness. "There was also one of his assistants, the priest of the Hundred Churches. ”

"Priest Bai was a very Haode Christian—he was an assistant to Brother Lu, and he did a lot to spread the gospel. He was also a theologian - he provided the Chinese version of the Catechism. ”

"Thank God."

"Diana? Miss Mendoza. He was a devout believer. ”

Jin Lige was disappointed: "Is it only these three? ”

"Yes, judging from the letters of the Lu Ruohua brothers, only these three of the senators of the Australian Senate are the Lambs of God." Komange frowned and said, "There are still Puritans in the Senate. ”

"God," Jin Lige cried.

"It's two European women. Brother Lu said they spoke strange English. ”

"Are they British?"

"I don't think so. Aside from their European appearances, they behave like other Australians. "Although they are heretics, they don't seem to be interested in religion......

"Isn't there a place of worship for the Puritans?"

"Nope." Komange sighed regretfully, "But they have another powerful heretical church. It's called 'the Word'. ”

"Father Matteo Ricci mentioned in his writings that this is the Chinese of indigenous idolatry......"

"Exactly. However, there are no idols in the Australians' "Tao" places, and Father Lu Ruohua talked about this in his letter. "Unfortunately, the Australian senators seem to be more interested in the Tao. ”

"Are they followers of the Word?"

"No, as I said, they're mostly atheists."

"That is to say, they do not favor the Tao because of their faith."

"That's right." "I think the Australian senators are not so much believing in the 'Word' as they are using it as an instrument of domination. The head of the church of Dao was a young man surnamed Zhang. He has a subtle traditional Chinese medicine skill, which has won the support of many believers. Especially in the area of the Savages, it is said to be very popular and will be a major opponent in your path of spreading the gospel. ”

"It's a pity I don't understand medicine."

"When it comes to medicine, neither the Chinese nor ours are as strong as the Australians. What they need is artistic talent. Australians are short of painters, singers and sculptors -- ah, but according to the Lu Ruohua brothers, there should be no shortage of such talents in Australia, but they don't seem to have come to Lingao. You're an artist who excels in sculpture and painting, and the Cecilio brothers know how to play musical instruments, which will be useful at Lingao – and will help you get in touch with Australians. ”

"Zuihou, I want to remind you to pay attention to He Ying. In the secular regime of Australians, his title was 'Religious Affairs Officer'. It was a position of great power - it seems, the Australians and the Dutch or the Ottomans pursued a similar policy: allowing all kinds of beliefs and heresies to circulate in the country. And he is the general administrator and arbiter of all religious affairs. "Giving him a certain benefit will bring great benefits to the cause of evangelism." ”

"Yes, though, I saw the letter from Brother Lu Ruohua, and the Australians don't seem to be interested in gifts. He said the Australians were the most incorruptible and decent rulers he had ever met. ”

"Oh, you can't give high-value gifts—they won't be rare. Could they be a rare Venetian carved cup or something? "Where's your intellect?" Paintings, statues, maybe they still need to build......" Father Komange slowly raised his eyelids and looked at him.

"Yes, I see."

"Also, the church in Australia is very different from us. The congregationaries do not keep Lent. ”

"God"

"According to Dean Wu, the church in Australia has been like this since ancient times." "This question is not unforgivable. I trust that the Holy See will grant a special pardon for this. ”

Father Kimlige returned to his humble place with astonishment, longing and fantasies - to pack his belongings. A priest didn't have much luggage, just a few changes of clothes. The most important thing is the painting supplies. Paintbrushes, paints, greases and all sorts of bits and pieces for painting – many of them are not only not available locally, but even in Europe they have to be bought in Italy. When he came to the Far East, he brought a lot with him.

The priest had a friar named John? Dermot, from Ireland, the "Island of Saints". The apprentice monk had flaming red hair, pale and thin. Not only did he come to study as a monk, but he also studied painting under him. The priest was very fond of this young and diligent monk and often taught him many painting techniques.

Brother Demotte was painting an icon in his room, and Jin Lige watched carefully as he painted the board in a bright blue—a special blue that could only be bought in Venice, and it was a little distressing for him to be smeared with such a large splendor on an unsophisticated painting. Dermot's technique was good, but the portrait was very dull - Jin Lige knew that his disciple's artistic talent was very limited. But he was very fanatical, both for his faith and for painting.

"Are you almost done painting?"

"It's going to be done soon."