ABSTRACT
The King’s message rejoiced my heart and was the strongest incentive to do my utmost to avail myself of such good sentiments, inspired by God in His mercy for the success of my Mission. Besides diligently studying the language I began to write a book in Thibettan to explain our Holy Faith and to confute their false religion. The substance of the book was first to show how utterly false was the doctrine among unbelievers that any man could be saved through his religion, and that it was absolutely necessary for them to acknowledge the great important Truth that there is but one Faith leading to Heaven and eternal salvation. Secondly, I demonstrated the virtues to be found in the true Faith, which any man anxious for his own welfare and eternal salvation should zealously try to ascertain. Thirdly, I pointed out and explained the various signs and distinctions by which a man can easily, among the divers and opposite religions there are in the world distinguish the true from the false. When the King and the Minister heard that I was preparing this work they were impatient for it to be finished. Indeed constantly, until their tragic death, they seemed unable to talk of anything but different points of religion. Moved by Divine Grace, far more powerful than any words of mine, they inquired over and over again whether there was any great difference between our Holy Faith and their Sect or Religion. Partly not to diverge in any way from Truth, and partly not to discourage them, I explained that in every religion there were two principal facts; firstly, principles, maxims, or dogmas, to be believed, and secondly, precepts, counsels, or instructions as to what to do or not to do. As regards the first our Religion and theirs were absolutely different but in the second the difference was very slight. This explanation consoled and encouraged them greatly, and they showed in many ways that Divine Grace was gradually animating and inciting them.
