Appleton's Cyclopedia of American Biography, edited by James
Grant Wilson, John Fiske and Stanley L. Klos. Six volumes, New York: D. Appleton
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MONTESINOS, Antonio de (mon-te-see'-nos), clergyman, born in Spain in the 15th century. While sub-prior of the convent of St. Stephen of Salamanca, he determined to engage in missionary work in America, and went to Rome, in 1510, to ask permission and the necessary powers for his future field of labor, he arrived in Santo Domingo the following year, })ringing with him a number of Dominicans, with whom he established schools for the colonists and the natives. But, as soon as he attempted to free the Indians from the slavery to which the Spaniards had reduced them, he became an object of persecution. At first he tried quietly to make the conquerors understand the injury they were doing the king and country by their tyranny' but when this failed he denounced their crime in a sermon before the governor and the principal authorities of the colony. This discourse excited great indignation, and he was accused of preaching heresy. As his superiors refused to interfere, and as he was more vehement in his denunciations in his other sermons, the proprietors of the island resolved to denounce the Dominicans to King Ferdinand, and sent a Franciscan monk with a letter to the Spanish court. As soon as Father Montesinos was informed of the charges against him and his order, lie went to plead his own cause, and to enlighten the king on the abuses of which the Indians were the victims. On his arrival at Madrid he found every one against him, and had the greatest difficulty in obtaining an audience with the king. When he finally succeeded, Ferdinand refused to settle the question himself, and referred it to an extraordinary council. This body decided that, while in principle the Indians were free, the interests of the colony required that matters should remain as they were for a time. Although all his hopes were destroyed by this decision. Montesinos returned to Santo Domingo, whence he was sent to the continent with two other Dominicans. During the passage he became very ill, and was landed at Porto Rico. As he showed" no signs of recovering. his companions continued their voyage. He finally recovered, and resolved to remain in Porto Rico. He became the first apostle of this island. and converted the greater portion of the inhabitants to Christianity.
MONTESINOS, Antonio de - Appleton's Biography Edited by
Stanley L. Klos
MONTESINOS, Antonio de (mon-te-see'-nos), clergyman,
born in Spain in the 15th century. While sub-prior of the convent of St. Stephen
of Salamanca, he determined to engage in missionary work in America, and went to
Rome, in 1510, to ask permission and the necessary powers for his future field
of labor. He arrived in Santo Domingo the following year, bringing with him a
number of Dominicans, with whom he established schools for the colonists and the
natives.
But, as soon as he attempted to free the Indians from the
slavery to which the Spaniards had reduced them, he became an object of
persecution. At first he tried quietly to make the conquerors understand the
injury they were doing the king and country by their tyranny, but when this
failed he denounced their crime in a sermon before the governor and the
principal authorities of the colony:
'Me he subido aquí yo que soy la voz de Cristo en el desierto
de esta isla, y por tanto conviene que con atención, no cualquiera, sino con
todo vuestro corazón, la oigáis; la cual voz os será la más nueva que nunca
oísteis, la más áspera y dura, la más espantable que jamás pensasteis oír todos
estáis en pecado mortal y en él vivís, por la crueldad Y tiranía que usáis con
estas inocentes gentes. Decid, ¿Con qué derecho y con qué
justicia tenéis en tan cruel y horrible servidumbre a que estos indios? ¿Con qué
autoridad habéis hecho tan detestables guerras a estas gentes que estaban en sus
tierras mansas y pacíficas, donde tan infinitas de ellas, con muertes y estragos,
habéis consumido? Estos, ¿No son hombres? ¿No tienen
ánimas racionales,? ¿No sois obligados a amarles como a vosotros mismos? ¿Esto
no entendéis, esto no sentís? ... Tened por cierto que, en el estado en que
estáis, no os podéis salvar más que los moros o turcos que carecen y no quieren
la fe de Jesucristo'.
I have
risen here, I who I am the voice of Christ in the desert of this island, and
therefore no one of you agrees with what I have said; but yet with your heart,
you hear it; this voice will be to you the newest, the harshest and the most
lasting voice that you have ever heard, more dreadful than you ever thought to
hear: all of you are in mortal sin and in sin you live, by the cruelty and
tyranny by which you abuse these innocent people. Decide now: By what right and
by what justice have you placed these Indians in such a cruel and horrible
servitude? By what authority have you waged so hateful a war on these people who
were living in their calm and peaceful lands, where you have consumed infinite
numbers of them, with death and ruin? Are these not men? They do not have
rational souls? Are you not obliged to love them as much as you love your very
selves? Do you not understand this? Do you not feel this? ... Know for certain
that, in the state in which you are now, you cannot be saved any more than the
Moors or Turks who lack, and do not want, the faith of Jesus Christ.
This discourse excited great indignation, and he was
accused of preaching heresy.
As his superiors refused to interfere, and as he was more
vehement in his denunciations in his other sermons, the proprietors of the
island resolved to denounce the Dominicans to King Ferdinand, and sent a
Franciscan monk with a letter to the Spanish court. As soon as Father Montesinos
was informed of the charges against him and his order, he went to plead his own
cause, and to enlighten the king on the abuses of which the Indians were the
victims.
On his arrival at Madrid he found every one against him,
and he had the greatest difficulty in obtaining an audience with the king. When
he finally succeeded, Ferdinand refused to settle the question himself, and
referred it to an extraordinary council. This body decided that, while in
principle the Indians were free, the interests of the colony required that
matters should remain as they were for a time.
Although all his hopes were destroyed by this decision,
Montesinos returned to Santo Domingo, whence he was sent to the continent with
two other Dominicans. During the passage he became very ill, and was landed at
Puerto Rico. As he showed no signs of recovering, his companions continued their
voyage. He finally recovered, and resolved to remain in Puerto Rico. He became
the first apostle of this island and converted the greater portion of the
inhabitants to Christianity.
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