Storia do Mogor 338.8.4

338.8.4

But before they obtained his consent they wrote to San Thome, praying for a padre to be sent to take charge of them. At San Thome they declined to concede this request, but, on the contrary, answered with much scorn, saying: 'What thing is this Madras that we should send a priest there?' After this rebuff they decided on a petition to the Madras Council for their consent to Father Ephraim's appointment. At the instance of these Christians, and to aid them in the necessity he saw them to be in, he decided to remain, with the consent of the government. The latter always held him in high esteem, treating him in the way that is well known. Whence it cannot fail to be seen what a monstrous injustice it is to take from the Capuchins this charge and place it in the hands of others! For they had to serve their church four priests working in the parish, and appointed under different orders — namely, two friars and two secular priests — without reckoning the other claimants, who only awaited the moment when the Capuchins should fail to make good their own pretensions. As to the reply that the lord governor gave to the Reverend Father Dom Guilhermo when he produced his patent of appointment, I say nothing here. I leave it to the judgment of the reader, who will, no doubt, decide wisely, as I trust he will do also in the following case, not merely rare, but actually unheard of. There chanced to come a Frenchman of Pondicherry to be married at Madras, and he was in fact married there.