Bartolome' de Las Casas (1474-1566), who was called "the Apostle of the Indies," was one of the first Christian missionaries to America.  As the first priest ordained in the New World, he became known for his devotion to the oppressed and enslaved natives.  He provided a great literary service by copying Columbus's original Journal of the First Voyage (El Libro de la Primera Navegacion), into an abstract.  He also wrote Apologetic History of the Indies (Apologetica Historia de las Indias), in 1530, in which he stated:

"It clearly appears that there are no races in the world, however rude, uncultivated, barbarous, gross, or almost brutal they may be, who cannot be persuaded and brought to a good order and way of life, and made domestic, mild and tractable, provided... the method that is proper and natural to men in used; that is, love and gentleness and kindness."  - 1530, in his Apologetic History of the Indies (Apologetica Historia de las Indias), ch. 48, translated by George Sanderlin.  John Bartlett, Bartlett's Familiar Quotations (Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1855, 1980), p. 154.

In the prologue of his book, Historia de las Indias, written 1550-1563, Bartolome' de Las Casas states:

"The main goal of divine Providence in [allowing] the discovery of these tribes and lands... is... the conversion and well-being of souls, and to this goal everything temporal must necessarily be subordinated and directed."  - 1550-1563, in the prologue of his book, Historia de las Indias, translated by Rachel Phillips.  John Bartlett, Bartlett's Familiar Quotations (Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1855, 1980), p. 154.