CHIMES OF MISSION BELLS

An Historical Sketch of California and Her Missions

By Maria Antonia Field

 To the Revered Memory of Junipero Serra

 And of My Great Grandparents Estéban and Catalina Munrás

 This Book Is Affectionately Dedicated

Acknowledgment of Gratitude

In producing this book I wish to thank my Mother, who wrote for me inmodern notation the music of the hymns of the Mission Fathers which arecontained in this work, and gave me much welcome information; also Rev. Raymond M. Mestres, my zealous parish Priest, successor and compatriotof Junipero Serra and the Mission Padres, for valuable data, and forallowing me access to the early archives of San Carlos Mission and ofthe Mission Church of Monterey. 

Maria Antonia Field Monterey, California, June 1, 1914

Contents

Translation of the Names of the Missions

Tribute to Junipero Serra and the Mission Padres

Chapter I Junipero Serra, Leader of the Heroic Band of SpanishMissionaries of California. His Coming to San Fernando, Mexico, Thenceto California

Chapter II Brief Sketch of the Conquest of California and of theFounding of the Missions. Hospitality of the Missions. Care andBenevolence of the Missionaries Toward the Indians

Chapter III More About San Carlos Mission and Monterey

Chapter IV California Under Spanish Rule

Chapter V California Passes from Spanish to Mexican Rule. Secularizationof the Missions

Chapter VI California Passes from Mexican to American Rule

Chapter VII Mission Anecdotes and Hymns

Chapter VIII Retrospection of the Work of the Spanish Missionaries, Explorers and Settlers and their place in California's Appreciation

Chapter IX Rev. Raymond M. Mestres Writes Historical Drama "FrayJunipero"

Appendix A Letter of Junipero Serra. The Meaning of California Missions. Dances of Early California Times

Preface

In presenting this modest volume to the public, I wish to call theattention of my readers to the following facts. Firstly, my humble workis a work of love--love simple and unalloyed for the venerable SpanishMissionaries of California and for the noble sons and daughters of Spainwho gave such a glorious beginning and impetus to our state. Being adirect descendant of pioneer Spaniards of Monterey, I take a particularinterest in California's early history and development and as my familywere staunch friends of the Missionary Fathers and in a position toknow the state of affairs of those times, and to family tradition Ihave added authentic knowledge from reading the earliest archives ofSan Carlos Mission, as well as other historical references, I feel I canfearlessly vouch for the truthfulness of my little work. Secondly--whilefully appreciating the sympathy and interest of many charming andintellectual characters who grace California to-day, it must be admittedthat there is a sadly ignorant or misinformed number who scarcelyseem to know who Spaniards and their descendants are, judging from thepromiscuous way the term "Spanish" is used, and what is the result ofthis among many? Prejudice, and absurd misunderstanding of the goldendays of Spanish California as well as of the Spanish race and character. It is far from being my wish to offend, but I wish to present correcthistorical facts. Thirdly--there is no pretense to consider this briefsketch a complete or detailed history, but only a truthful outline ofthe heroic and chivalrous Mission days. 

Maria Antonia Field. 

Translation of the Names of the Missions. 

1. San Diego. --A Spanish form of Saint James, who is the Patron Saint ofSpain. 

2. San Carlos. --Saint Charles. Mission San Carlos and the Royal Chapelof Monterey were so named in honor of Saint Charles the Patron Saint ofKing Carlos III under whose reign the mission was founded. 

3. San Antonio De Padua. --St. Anthony of Padua. 

4. San Gabriel. --St. Gabriel (the Angel of the Annunciation. ). 

5. San Luis Obispo. --Saint Louis, Bishop. 

6. Nuestra Señora de Los Dolores. --Our Lady of Sorrows. 

7. San Juan Capistrano. --St. John Capistrano. 

8. Santa Clara. --Saint Clara. 

9. San Buenaventura. --Saint Bonaventure. 

10. Santa Barbara. --Saint Barbara (whose feast is commemorated onDecember 4, the date of the foundation of the Mission. )

11. Purisima Concepcion. --Most Pure Conception (of the Blessed VirginMary). This feast is celebrated on December 8, the day on which thismission was founded. 

12. Nuestra Señora De La Soledad. --Our Lady of Solitude. (In theCatholic Church the Blessed Virgin Mary is venerated under this title tocommemorate her solitude from the time of our Saviour's death until HisResurrection). 

13. Santa Cruz. --Holy Cross (so named in honor of Our Saviour'sPassion). 

14. San José. --Saint Joseph. 

15. San Juan Bautista. --Saint John, Baptist (whose feast occurs on June24, the day this mission was founded). 

16. San Miguel. --Saint Michael. 

17. San Fernando, Rey De Espana. --Saint Ferdinand, King of Spain. 

18. San Luis, Rey De Francia. --Saint Louis, King of France. 

19. Santa Ynez. --Saint Agnes. 

20. San Rafael. --Saint Raphael. 

21. San Francisco Solano. --Saint Francis Solano. 

CHIMES OF MISSION BELLS

Tribute to Junipero Serra and the Mission Padres. 

By Maria Antonia Field. 

Read at the Crowning of the Serra Statue, Monterey, Nov. 23, 1913. 

 The fickle world ofttimes applauds the rise Of men whose laurels are but vainly won, Whose deeds their names could not immortalize For their soul-toils were wrought for transient ends; But heroes of the Cross, they truly great Shall live, their halo shall no hand of fate

 Have power to rob, albeit oblivious years May veil the radiance of their glorious works, Or slight their excellence, their light appears But brighter, statelier in its splendor calm, Or like the flowers that sleep through winter's snow To bloom more fair, their lives' pure beams shall glow

 With greater brilliance and sweetly gleam As lodestars in the firmament of worth; Such is the memory whose holy stream Of noblest virtue, valor, truth and Faith, Illumes our path and stirs our souls today, Immortal Serra by whose tomb we pray!

 What peerless aureole wreathes his saintly brow? What stately monument doth bear his name? Let this admiring thousands tell us now! Let youthful lips pronounce his name with love! Let California proudly sing his praise! Let scions of fair Spain their voices raise, And tell of him to whom so much we owe, Tell of his interceding power with God, His strong and lofty soul his children know, His prayers where Carmel's River flows so clear; O this his aureole, this his monument, The lasting kind which ne'er will know descent. 

 Another lesson must the worldly learn, From him who sought nor praise nor fame; His birth, ten score agone, and still we turn To him in reverence, his name is sweet As vernal bloom, his life shows forth God's might, Through him this soil received Faith's warm sunlight!

 This beauteous land was strange, unknown and wild, Spite all its treasures, lordly trees and flowers; For tribes with pagan rites its wastes defiled, Till came Spain's noble band of godly men, Explorers true and zealous priests who gave Their lives' best years, forgotten souls to save!

 'Tis just we venerate each hallowed stone Which rears the wond'rous "Temples of the West"; The tears, the toils, the nightly vigils lone; The pilgrim-journeys of Saint Francis' sons, The rescued souls by lustral waters cleansed, The wealth of hospitality dispensed. 

 All this and more if but their walls could speak, Would tell this day; and we in whose veins flows The fervent blood of Spain, to us each streak Of light which doth reveal a picture true Of gentle friar and lovely vanished times Is tender as the Angelus' sweet chimes. 

 Well may each Mission have a holy spell, And Serra's name become a household word, What marvels can each yellowed archive tell Of him and of his martyr-spirit band. O faithful, dauntless hearts! What brilliant sons Of that great galaxy of Spain's brave sons!

 We love their saintly lives to ponder o'er, While childhood's fireside tales come back to us, And memory unfolds her precious store, The bygone glories of the Mission towns, The grand old hymns sung at sweet Mary's shrines The Spanish color rich as luscious wines

 Of Mission vineyards, and the festive hours So full of life yet innocent and good, When blessings seemed to fall as welcome showers, The Indian tribes were ruled with Christian love, And shared the sons and daughters of Castile Their loved Franciscan Fathers' patient zeal!

 But still we love each altar and each cross Of these dear fanes; e'en as departing rays Of sun doth kiss the crags outlined with moss, We love to linger by their altars' light. But oh fair Carmel, she of Missions Queen What guarding spirits hover here unseen!

 Sweet Carmel, center of the hero-band, What holy treasures hold thy sacred vaults? Junipero and others! Here we stand In awe of all thou hast been and art still! Cruel times took glory, splendor, power From Missions all, but not their priceless dower, Religion, love and all we hold as dear, No hand can tarnish and no might destroy, And from each hallowed altar ruddy, clear, Still burns the mystic lamp, for God is there! The cross-crowned towers tell that all is not dead, E'en though more splendid times have long since sped. 

 And like a glowing ember in the night Our Lady's love has burned through every change; 'Tis thus the Missions ever saw the light Through labors, ripened harvest-joys and wrongs; Their noon-sun splendors of well won renown Will shine their glorious heritage to crown. 

 O Saintly Serra we implore thy prayer, Thy dauntless spirit sowed the "mustard-seed" Which grew as if by miracle of wonder rare, Upon this now rich land which thou did'st till, O let they mantle on thy clients fall Who on thy gracious aid do humbly call. 

Chapter I. 

 Junipero Serra, Leader of the Heroic Band of Spanish Missionaries of California. His Coming to San Fernando, Mexico, Thence to California. 

Junipero Serra, whose name and labors may be termed a compendium ofChristian virtues, was born on November 24, 1713, in Petra, a village ofthe picturesque Island of Majorca, on the northeastern coast of Spain, and a part of the Province of fair Catalonia, one of the most valuableand beautiful portions of Spain. This child, around whom our storyclusters was baptized on the day following his birth, and receivedthe names of Miguel José. His parents were poor people from a materialstandpoint, but gifted with a rich heritage of the noblest, andsublimest character; qualities which make the Spanish peasant sodelightful. 

From his tenderest youth, Miguel José evinced an ardent desire to enterthe priesthood and displayed a zealous missionary spirit. His piousparents placed no obstacle in the way of their gentle boy's vocation, and being too poor to pay for his education, the Church did it for them. At the age of sixteen, Miguel José left his father's small estateand began his studies in his native village, completing them at theFranciscan College of Palma, the Capital of the Island of Majorca. Hemade rapid progress, and a brilliant future opened before him, whilehis virtuous qualities were noted by all with whom he came in contact. A proof of his worth may be seen from the facts that he was ordainedbefore he attained his majority; also taught in different schools asprofessor of theology and received the degree of doctor soon after hisordination. The fame of his eloquent preaching and persuasive oratoricalpowers spread not only throughout Spain but reached other Europeancountries. Still Junipero Serra (as he was known by his own choice afteran humble disciple of Saint Francis of Assisi, noted for his charity)was not dazzled by his brilliant mental gifts, and his thirsting desireto evangelize the heathen savage of the New World grew apace with hisfame. He declined the offer to become the Court preacher and otherecclesiastical dignities, which he would have been entirely justified inaccepting, and practiced those virtues which clung to him with even moreperfect maturity throughout his life; heroic virtues which enabled himto undertake wonderful things. In him too were noted those sweet simplequalities invariably found in great and holy men and women, such asgentleness, amiability, a tender affection for children and a love forthe beautiful in nature; sun, moon, stars, flowers, birds, the woods andocean, all found responsive chords within him. In a few brief lineswe have endeavored to convey an idea of Serra's character, let usnow follow his steps in company with the band of heroic workerswho accompanied him in his voyage across the dark Atlantic, and hisapostolic journeys through Mexico and California to "break the bread oflife" to the unfortunate heathen. Among the notable band of missionarieswas Father Francisco Paloú, life-long friend and co-laborer of FatherJunipero Serra. 

But why did these heroes choose Mexico and California as the vineyardsof their labors? Why did they not go to Africa or other heathen shores?Here is the answer: Spain and all Europe were filled with stories ofthe New World since the discovery of America by Columbus in 1492, andseveral other Spanish discoveries in later years, among which mustbe remembered that in 1521, Hernando Cortes, one of the great Spanishexplorers of the sixteenth century, explored the hitherto unknownland of Mexico, and as Spain always accompanied her conquests andexplorations with her missionaries to evangelize the heathens, at thetime that Father Junipero Serra set sail for the New World, which wasin 1759, there were in Mexico an archbishopric and several missionsconducted by Spanish priests, among them a well established FranciscanCollege in San Fernando, a settlement in the northern part of Mexico, which the Spanish explorers and missionaries so decided to name afterSaint Ferdinand, a King of Spain, who lived in the thirteenth century. And to this College, Father Junipero Serra and his companions came aftera perilous voyage of nearly one year; for the date of their arrivalwas January 1, 1760; and here they began their labor! Of the nine yearswhich Junipero Serra toiled in Mexico, six were spent in Sierra Gorda, some distance north of San Fernando, and one of the wildest and roughestof those half explored regions. And what marvels attended the labors ofSerra and the other self-sacrificing sons of Saint Francis here! WithJunipero Serra at the helm, the good priests learned some of the Aztecdialects in order to convert the savages. Then what followed? With thegreatest patience the missionaries acquitted themselves to the taskof teaching the classic, cultured language of Spain to these pooraborigines, whose languages like those of the still cruder CaliforniaIndians, did not contain expressions for even the simplest words ofscripture or of the liturgy of the Church. And can we wonder at this?But what were the astonishing results of the good priests' labors? Theywere truly God-wonders! Daily were recorded numerous conversions, and atthe close of six years many Indian congregations of those regions couldbe heard singing the ancient Latin hymns of the Church, and in poor butintelligible Spanish supplying in their prayers and conversationswhat was wanting in their dialects. It was while at Sierra Gorda thatJunipero Serra became afflicted with a painful sore which broke out onhis right leg and which never healed in all his eventful and laboriouscareer. Many historians allude to this sore as a "wound, " but no recordis extant to indicate it as such, the most authentic conclusions beingthat this sore was due to natural causes greatly augmented and broughton by the hardships and climatic conditions he encountered in thismissionary field. 

The average person would think Junipero Serra and his companions hadsurely satiated their thirst for missionary labors during the nine longtoilsome years they spent in Mexico, far, far away from loving home, affectionate kindred and the Old World culture to which they badefarewell when the last glistening silhouette of the Spanish Coastvanished from their view in 1759, but not so! Their pilgrimage wasbut begun! The pilgrimage which was to blossom heavenly and earthlyblessings as beautiful and countless as the flowers which jeweled theslopes and valleys they traversed. The monstrous undertaking begun sogloriously, blessed with the benison of prayers, sacrifices, tears;blessed later with superhuman success and crowned with an immortal halofor endless days!

Here we will make a slight digression for the sake of our story. In1548, just twenty-seven years after Cortes discovered the land ofMexico, Cabrillo's expedition had sailed up the Coast of California, andin 1602 Sebastian Vizcaino had made further discoveries accompanied bytwo Carmelite priests, and landed on the shores of Monterey. Both ofthese expeditions, however, were abandoned and California remained the"mysterious vineyard, " as it was called. But Vizcaino drew a map ofCalifornia placing upon it the harbor of Monterey, and wrote glowingaccounts of the beauty of the spot. On Point Lobos he planted a Cross, and the Carmelite Fathers named that beautiful Valley, four miles fromMonterey, Carmelo, in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, venerated underthe title of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Of these facts we will haveoccasion to speak of more fully later on in this work. 

Years after these expeditions the good Jesuit Fathers establishedseveral missions in Lower California, but were recalled to Spain by KingCarlos III and by this sovereign's request the Franciscan Fathers ofthe College of San Fernando were commissioned to take the newly vacatedmissions and accompany as missionaries the great and glorious enterpriseof Don Gaspar de Portolá, with Vizcaino's map as guide, to furtherexplore California and add it to the Crown of Castile and Leon. 

The Father Guardian of the College of San Fernando, on receiving theletter from King Carlos, immediately appointed Junipero Serra, whosezeal and sanctity were so well known, as the Father President of theband of missionaries to set out for California. Among the missionarieswho volunteered to evangelize California were Fathers Francisco Paloú, Francisco de Lasuén and Juan Crespí. 

Here we will introduce a few characters, not of the missionary band, but who may well be termed faithful co-operators of their labors, menof unimpeachable honor, whose names add luster to the pages of Spanishannals. Don Jose Galvez, the Visitador General (general visitator) ofthe Spanish possessions in Mexico, a man as pious and noble as he wasbrilliant, managed the expedition of gallant Don Gaspar de Portolá andthe missionaries, and gave Junipero Serra and the brave officers andsoldiers much encouragement. This wonderfully managed and well equippedexpedition, on which hinged the future of California, was wisely dividedinto two parts, one to go by sea, the other overland. The sea expeditionconsisted of three ships the San Carlos, the San José, and the SanAntonio, the last named was a relief ship and was started after theother two. The San Carlos and San José carried a large portion of thetroops, all of which received the Sacraments before embarking. On theseships were also placed the Church ornaments, provisions, camping outfitsand cargoes of agricultural implements. Father Junipero Serra thenblessed the ships and placed them under the guidance of Saint Joseph, whom the missionaries had chosen as the Patron Saint of California. Eachship had two missionaries on board and among the crew were bakers, cooksand blacksmiths; on the San Antonio went the surgeon, Don Pedro Prat. Simultaneously with these ships started two land parties, one in advanceof the other in order to stop at La Paz in Lower California, to pick upcattle and sheep wherewith to stock the new country, also to bringsome of the converted Indians of the mission in that region, to aid themissionaries and soldiers by translating the speech of the Indians ofAlta or Higher California; for while the Indian dialects were numerous, there was some similarity among them. This first land expedition wasin command of Captain Rivera y Moncada. The second land party was incommand of the newly appointed governor, Don Gaspar de Portolá, thefirst governor of California, and wise indeed was the choice of thisgood and excellent man! This second land party was doubly blessed withthe presence of Junipero Serra. Many were the dangers and hardshipsencountered by these sterling men both by land and sea; and as therepetition of what is noble never tires, we will again allude to thepainful sore on Junipero Serra's leg, which caused him such intensesuffering, that his continuation of the journey many times seemedmiraculous even before he reached Saint Xavier (the mission establishedat La Paz). When his fellow missionary, Father Paloú advised him toremain a little longer at Saint Xavier's until he would be in a bettercondition to travel, his only answer was "let us speak no more on thesubject, I have placed my faith in God and trust to His Goodness toplant the holy standard of the Cross not only at San Diego but even asfar as Monterey. " And God overshadowed the enterprise undertaken in HisName. The ship San José was never heard from, but its noble crew werealways considered martyrs who brought blessings on the rest of theexpedition. The San Carlos and the two land parties reached San Diego, their first goal almost simultaneously. Here was chanted the first TeDeum in California! Here Serra, head of the religious portion of theexpedition, and Portolá head of the civil and military, conferred witheach other on the course they were to follow. And here we will leavethese incomparable pioneers to celebrate the birthday of California, July 1, 1769. 

Chapter II

 Brief Sketch of the Conquest of California and of the Founding of the Missions. Hospitality of the Missions. Care and Benevolence of the Missionaries Towards the Indians. 

Father Junipero Serra and Don Gaspar de Portolá decided on the followingplan; that Junipero Serra with Fathers Francisco Paloú and Francisco deLasuén would remain in San Diego, where Serra was to establish his firstmission while Portolá with Fathers Crespí and Gomez, Captain Rivera yMoncada, Lieutenant Fages and some of the Spanish dragoons and muleteersstarted overland to explore the country, and in quest of the Harborof Monterey, carrying with them the map of Sebastian Vizcaino. Thisexpedition was to result in the memorable "March of Portolá, " whichlasted about eight months. Missing the Harbor of Monterey on account ofan error in the reckoning of Vizcaino's map, the explorers marched asfar north as what is now San Francisco and discovered the Harbor thatbears that name; so named later by Junipero Serra in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, the founder of the Franciscan Order. After continuinga fruitless search for Monterey, the expedition returned to San Diego. Junipero Serra was overjoyed at the unexpected discovery of the Harborof San Francisco, which Portolá and his companions so enthusiasticallyextolled, and was not discouraged over their failure to find the Portof Monterey, but hoped to make another trial to find that Port on whichtheir most laudable ambitions were centered. But here a sad difficultypresented itself. Governor Portolá returned to San Diego with sad gapsmade into his ranks by sickness and hardship, but hopeful with theexpectation that the relief ship promised by Don José Galvez hadarrived, and that the San Diego Mission well established would be ableto give his forces a well deserved chance to recuperate. But what washis dismay? The relief ship had not arrived, and Junipero Serra hadindeed founded a mission with the usual elaborate ceremonies of theChurch, but the untiring zeal and labors of himself and his companionshad not been blessed with a single convert. No neophyte could be countedamong the numerous natives of the place, who had even proved hostile attimes; and the mission too, was in the sorest need; Junipero Serra andhis companions ofttimes adding to their usual fasts and abstemiousness, "that others might have more. " Still the relief ship was delayed! Surelythis was not the fault of good Don José Galvez, but it might have meta tragic fate; thus thought the discouraged land and sea forces; andGovernor Portolá was too good a soldier not to know that the best courseto follow was to start at once back to Mexico and abandon the gloriousdream, before starvation and death overtook everyone of them. But hereJunipero Serra interposed, and as if inspired pleaded with the Governorfor "one more day;" Portolá out of respect did grant just "one more day"before ordering the whole expedition back. 

Junipero Serra then repaired to the summit of the Presidio Hill andwith arms extended, prayed as if in ecstasy from sunrise until sunset, "storming the heavens" that the relief ship might come, and theconversion of the heathen of California be realized. O unquestionablemiracle! "More things are wrought by prayer, than this world everdreamed of!" As the last rays of sun kissed his venerable brow, from outthe gold and purple horizon, he sighted the top-most point of a mast, which while he was still "pouring his soul" no longer in supplicationbut in thanksgiving, grew into the unmistakable figure of the longexpected ship. But for that "one more day" what would California benow? No converted Indians, no monumental missions, no exploration andcolonization no civilization! The ship had been delayed on account ofthe rough voyage it encountered. But now relief, contentment, renewedhope, renewed courage; and the Mission of San Diego was but the firstof the twenty-one which were to strew El Camino Real (the Royal Road, literally, commonly called the King's Highway) of California. Andchivalrous Portolá, filled with even greater reverence for the humblepriest Junipero Serra, whom his lofty soul had always appreciated, once more gathered his forces, and started anew in search of Monterey. Junipero Serra left the Mission of San Diego in charge of two of thegood fathers and a small garrison as guards, and set out with Portoláon his second expedition; and it was Serra whose very presence seemed todraw the blessings of heaven, who pointed out to the Governor the erroron Vizcaino's map which caused him to miss the Port of Monterey. 

This expedition was also divided into two parts, one to go overland theother by sea. Father Serra went with the sea party which sailed onthe Paqueboat San Antonio. A number of Spanish dragoons from the fairprovince of Catalonia, muleteers, and some of the convert Indiansrecruited from the mission of La Paz were in the overland party. 

On May 24th, 1770, the expedition reached Point Pinos on the Coastof Monterey; after going south about six miles and encamping on apicturesque spot on the shores of the Bay, the missionaries raised analtar and Junipero Serra celebrated the first Mass on the shores ofMonterey on June 3rd, 1770. It is more than likely that the Carmelitefathers who came here with Vizcaino had done so one hundred and sixtyeight years before, but as there is no official record of the fact, the Mass celebrated on the improvised altar under the oak (which ispreserved in the premises of San Carlos Church, Monterey), is recordedas the first. Mass over, Junipero Serra and Gaspar de Portolá exhortedthe Spanish soldiers to hold to the traditional faith and purity ofthe Spanish race, and to kindness to the natives, calling them "weakerbrethren who should be christianized, not debauched. " Then JuniperoSerra planted a Mission Cross and blessed the Spanish flag which Portoláhoisted, taking possession of the land in the name of "His Most CatholicMajesty King Carlos III, by right of discovery. " [1] Junipero Serra alsoblessed the sea and land. 

As Monterey was from the first established as the civil, militaryand religious headquarters of the Spanish kingdom in California, herPresidio was known as el Presidio Real (the Royal Presidio), and thepresent parish church of Monterey, which was built as a chapel for thePresidio was la Capilla Real de San Carlos (the Royal Chapel of SaintCharles). 

Junipero Serra found the Indians of Monterey and the surrounding countryvery docile, while the Indians from Lower California soon learned theirdialect and acted as interpreters of the missionaries. The Cross whichVizcaino had planted in 1602 was found decked with skins and shells. Oninquiry the Missionaries were told by the Indians that they had oftenseen mysterious rays of light around it, and thinking that some god wasangry they were trying to propitiate him by means of those offerings. 

As we have already noted Junipero Serra said his first, Mass in Montereyon June 3rd, 1770, and two years later he recorded his first baptism. From that date the Indians would come in dozens to present themselvesfor instruction. Then the marvels that had attended Junipero Serra atSierra Gorda in Mexico, were repeated in Monterey. The naked savageswere clothed, many of them were beginning to learn Spanish and to singthe Latin responses of the Mass and hymns both in Spanish and Latin, playing such musical instruments as the cymbal and triangle, keepingperfect time to every beat. The flocks and cattle were increasing andthe harvest fields were golden with grain. While some of the Indianswere taught to till the soil others were herdsmen, and some were taughtto work as artisans. Nearly fifty trades were taught the CaliforniaIndians under the supervision of the Missionaries. In 1771 JuniperoSerra founded the San Carlos Mission in the most entrancing location ofthe Carmelo Valley that the nature loving Serra could have chosen; theforests of oak, pine and cypress for which Monterey is noted to thisday, stretch with even greater beauty as we pierce farther into theinterior, while the fertility of the land drained by the beautifulCarmelo River together with the commanding position of the spot, madethe site of the Mission ideal. And this Mission of the Carmelo Valleyof Monterey, was Junipero Serra's headquarters, here he lies buried, andhere was the center of that unequalled hospitality and pure society forwhich every mission was noted. The Spanish Government made large grantsof land to the missions, and under the labor, care and excellent methodsof the missionaries, they became powerful and wealthy institutions, thepride and blessing of New Spain. Fine stock, teeming grain fields andluscious orchards graced every mission, and Mission San Carlos was noexception, indeed it was one of the most prosperous and beautiful. 

Fathers from the Mission at Carmelo, attended the Royal Chapel of SanCarlos in Monterey and continued to do so until long after the last Actof Secularization in 1835 had been passed by the Mexican Government, andSan Carlos of Carmelo was left desolate with no priest to guard her ownaltar light. But of this we shall, alas, have but too much reason tospeak later. Junipero Serra did not stop his arduous work by foundingbeautiful San Carlos of Carmelo and consecrating the Royal Chapel ofMonterey; he was to christianize all California, for all Californiahad now been added to the Crown of Castile and Leon. Spain followedin California the same policy which has distinguished her in her otherpossessions such as Cuba, the Philippines and other colonies, steeped inidolatry until the Spanish Missionary, whose zeal is proverbial, wrestedtheir countless inhabitants from the cymmerian gloom of paganism. Thusas soon as San Carlos Mission was founded, the glorious march of ElCamino Real continued. 

Mission San Antonio de Padua, the third mission, was established in July1, 1771. The beauty of the spot and wonderful eagerness of the Indiansto receive baptism greatly touched Junipero Serra and the other twoFranciscan Fathers who accompanied him as well as some of the soldierswho were in the party. To-day Mission San Antonio is almost in ruins, but its very ruins are piles which speak of mystic beauty, and inthe days of mission glory San Antonio was one of the fairest of themissions. 

On returning to Carmelo, Junipero Serra filled the other missionarieswith joy over this latest conquest of souls, and sent messengers toFathers Soméra and Cambón whom he had left in charge of the Mission atSan Diego, to establish a mission in southern California, which theywould name San Gabriel. The two Fathers, with ten soldiers as guards, started a march northward until they came to the present sight of SanGabriel, which they saw immediately was a good location for a mission, particularly as a beautiful stream flowed through the Valley, andwherever possible the Fathers chose a spot where there was water for themission orchards and gardens. 

Here we may add that the Fathers had a system of irrigation by meansof ditches, traces of which may be seen to this day in the sites wherestood many of the old mission orchards. The fruits from these goodFathers gardens were the fairest and most luscious that California hasever seen, none of our lovely grapes compare with theirs, and theirolives were larger and better than any of which California boaststo-day. 

Although not deviating from our subject we have wandered from the threadof our story in the foundation of Mission San Gabriel. One incidentcontained in the records of this Mission may hardly be passed over insilence. The good Franciscans and their brave little bodyguard found theIndians in a very hostile mood, still they blessed a Mission Cross andplanted it; but the Indians increasing their threatening attitude, theFathers unfurled a large white banner bearing the image of the BlessedVirgin Mary, placing the side of the banner with the image in fullview of the heathens. Priests and soldiers then knelt and implored theintercession of the Redeemer's Immaculate Mother for their safetyand for the conversion of the Indians to the Faith of her Divine Son. Immediately came the answer from Heaven! The Indians not only abandonedevery sign of hostility, but came forward towards the Fathers with everysign of sincere submissiveness, and after due instruction were baptized. For it must be remembered that the Church does not, and cannot force herbelief on anyone who does not willingly accept it; the poor savage isno exception; instruction, kindness, prayers may always be employed, nomore. As in many cases the nature of the Indian was too elementary tobe moved at first by the lessons and exhortations of suffering andself-denial of Our Saviour, and the bridling of the human passions; inmany instances the Fathers would first win the Indians' confidence bygiving them blankets, beads and such things as attracted them, then bydegrees unfolded the tenets of religion and mysteries of faith, to whichin most cases these erstwhile savages clung with firmness and gave manyedifying signs of true and sincere christianity. A band of white beadsaround the head distinguished the christian Indians from the pagan. 

The flocks, vineyards and orchards of Mission San Gabriel, as well asthe skill of its Indians, in time became famous throughout California, and it was from here that Governor Felipe de Neve, third Governor ofCalifornia, started in 1781 with several of the Fathers and a company ofsoldiers to found the present city of Los Angeles. 

The fifth Mission, San Luis Obispo, was founded on September 1, 1772, byJunipero Serra in person; the saintly Father making a pilgrimage therefor that purpose. Thus in the space of three years, five missions werefounded. A royal record of the zeal of the missionaries and of thehumanity of the Spanish Government and Authorities. 

In 1774 the Spanish Viceroy of Mexico informed Junipero Serra thathe intended to establish a presidio in San Francisco "for the furtherextension of Spanish and Christian power. " Junipero Serra, on receiptof this letter, selected Fathers Paloú and Cambón to accompany thesoldiers, and Lieutenant Juan de Ayala was ordered with his shipstationed at Monterey to further explore the San Francisco Bay; Juan deAnza, another brilliant officer, was entrusted with the establishment ofthe new presidio; the site he chose being the identical one on which thePresidio of San Francisco stands today. Lieutenant Juan de Ayala of theRoyal Navy of Spain, was the first to steer a ship through the GoldenGate, and a strange coincidence was that his ship was the San Carloswhich had come to San Diego with a portion of the first Spanish pioneersin 1769. With Lieutenant Ayala was Father Vincente de Santa Maria who, with Fathers Paloú and Cambón, planted a Mission Cross and foundedMission Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, which has withstood so manyravages of time and change, of man and elements. 

The seventh Mission was San Juan Capistrano, founded November 1, 1776, by Father Lasuén. This Mission was also a very flourishing Mission, theIndians were laborers in its construction, which lasted nearly fourteenyears. 

Mission Santa Clara was the eighth to be established. It was founded onJanuary 12, 1777. The original lines of this once beautiful Missionare almost entirely changed but like all its sister missions it stillretains much of its dear old atmosphere, and can boast of the tomb ofFather Magin Catalá who died there in 1836 "in the odor of sanctity. "Mission Santa Clara was founded by Father Tomas de la Peña y Saradia;and its history is fascinating and romantic. The Mission Cross whichFather de la Peña y Saradia planted here, is still standing. 

The ninth Mission was San Buenaventura, founded also by Junipero Serrain person, in company with Governor Felipe de Neve, on Easter Sunday ofMarch 31, 1783. 

From San Buenaventura, Junipero Serra and Governor de Neve marchedto what is now Santa Barbara. Here the Indians were numerous and moreintelligent than any in California, where the Indians were far denserthan either the Incas of South America or the Aztecs of Mexico. Delays, caused by military differences, retarded the foundation of Santa BarbaraMission, which would have been the tenth, but Junipero Serra planteda Mission Cross and selected the site on which it was destined to befounded four years after his death. From here Serra returned to Carmelo;his journeys from one Mission to another being always on foot. 

And here we must pause: We have come in our narrative to that momentousyear in the history, not only of the missions, but of California. Theyear when. Junipero Serra, true priest of God, christianizer, civilizer, wonderful among wonderful pioneers, or as Governor Gaspar de Portoláhad spoken of him years before, "the humblest, bravest man of God I everknew, " had done his work! Junipero Serra was ready for his throne inHeaven, his crown awaited him, his rough Franciscan habit was to beglorified. We have briefly glanced at his chief characteristics fromhis boyhood in historic Spain, and must have gauged the measure of hisuntiring and tried virtue from the time he landed in Mexico and SanDiego, on through the years he labored as the Apostle of California; tothese let us add just a few of the private practices of mortificationwhich he imposed on his innocent flesh, notwithstanding his age, hisphysical infirmities, extraordinary labors and hardships in a new, halfexplored country. Virtually they sound like a passage from the lives ofthe Saints. His journeys were always on foot, although the old soreon his leg remained like an instrument of torture throughout his life, nothing being able to help him. El Camino Real, from San Francisco toMonterey and from Monterey to San Diego, with its rough roads, was asfamiliar to him who walked it with so much difficulty as it is to uswho enjoy it by comfortable travel on the railroad or pleasurable motortrips; his fasts were austere and frequent, wine he never used, thediscipline was no stranger to him, a bed was not among his possessions, on the bare floor or bench at most he would rest his sore missionarybody; yet he never imposed unnecessary penance on anyone, he was hardonly on himself, he was gentle and affectionate to a marked degree, hisfaith, trust in Providence, humility and charity, were heroic. Of hisseventy-four years of life, fifty-four he had been a Franciscan Priestand thirty-five he had devoted to missionary work, of which nine werespent in Mexico and fourteen in California. His wonderful eloquence andmagnetic power for preaching which had won him honors in the OldWorld even as a newly ordained priest, he had used and adapted for theinstruction of thousands of heathens of the New World; and now thatchristianity and civilization were beginning to bud with springtimeloveliness like the Castilian roses he had planted in some of themission gardens, while the sun of Spanish glory was still in theascendency and no threatening omens of the fall of Spanish or Franciscanpower, or nightmares of the Acts of Secularization disturbed thecloudless skies, while the Presidio Real of Monterey bore the arms ofthe Spanish King and the Capilla Real do San Carlos was thronged withgallant officers and brave men of the Royal Army and Navy of Castile andLeon, and Our Lady seemed to smile blessings on her Valley of Carmelo, before the beauteous dream, nay, realization of noble ambitions, hadvanished like a fair sun, God called His faithful Servant unto Himself, in his cell at his beloved San Carlos Mission about 2:30 P. M. On August28, 1784, according to the entry of Father Francisco Paloú, in thearchives of San Carlos Mission, preserved in San Carlos Church ofMonterey. And what a day this was! The archives here are full oftouching detail. Solemn salutes were fired from the ships stationed inthe Harbor of Monterey, and the grief of the people was inexpressible. The Indians were inconsolable. The officers of the Royal Navy claimedhis sandals as a precious keepsake, and the Fathers could not restrainthe people from cutting pieces of his habit to carry away as souvenirs;the Indians claimed his Franciscan cord and many cut locks of hissilver hair; his corpse had to be dressed twice on account of this piousproceeding. In a plain redwood coffin his precious remains were laidin a vault "on the gospel side of the altar within the sanctuary of SanCarlos Mission. " O! holy grave, how many changes thou hast seen! O happySerra, from the dazzling splendors of God's light how often thoumust have prayed for thy work, thy people, thy neophytes! In God'sinscrutable Providence the good are ofttimes permitted to suffer, butthe same All Wise Hand can brush away with a single stroke, the wrongdone to His own, and His time seems near!

We will now resume the story of the foundation of the missions, for wereally stopped at the ninth. Junipero Serra's life-long friend, FatherPaloú was chosen temporary President of the Missions, for within a yearhe retired to the Franciscan College of San Fernando, where he gave mostof his time to writing, and to him we are indebted for a complete andaccurate biography of Junipero Serra. After Father Paloú's resignation, Father Francisco de Lasuén was appointed Father President of theMissions. Father Lasuén was an arduous laborer and able priest of theoriginal heroic band of missionaries, and his first act was to establishMission Santa Barbara, where Junipero Serra had planted a Mission Crossnearly four years previous. This was accomplished on December 4, 1787, and of the twenty-one missions which were spoliated in later years, Santa Barbara was the only one which tyrannical laws could neverdispossess of its lawful owners, hence to this day the Sons of SaintFrancis are there to guard the "altar light. "

From Santa Barbara, Father Lasuén traveled north to Lompoc, and foundedMission La Purisima Concepcion on December 8, 1787. 

Mission de Nuestra Señora de in Soledad was founded in October of 1791. The last Act of Secularization in 1835 fell very heavily on this lovelyMission of which scarcely a trace remains today. This mission was notedfor its fine stock and luxuriant pastures. 

On Christmas day of 1791 was founded the Mission of Santa Cruz. ThisMission never rivaled the other missions in wealth, but in later yearsit was honored with a martyr. Here is the authentic story of FatherQuintana, whose martyr's death occurred here as late as 1817. FatherQuintana was a holy and zealous priest of this mission, who had carriedon the work of the conversion of the Indians most of whom were alreadychristian, but a small portion still remained heathen, and these werevery hostile. As was later discovered, while the good priest was readinghis breviary in his office, some of these hostile Indians entered, andmost cruelly murdered him, then taking his body into the mission orchardplaced it against a capulin tree (a tree much resembling the cherry treein fruit and form). On thus discovering the corpse the other Fathersimmediately sent a message to the surgeon of the Royal Presidio ofMonterey, who at the time was Don Manuel Quixano (step-father of thewriter's great grandmother). After holding an autopsy on the martyredbody, Dr. Quixano found that the saintly Father had been horribly andcruelly murdered. The details are preserved in the Santa Cruz Missionarchives, but are not given to the public. The capulin tree which theIndians made use of to make it appear that the Father's death was anatural one, was at the time in full bloom, and in a few hours became adry lifeless trunk. A remarkable act of Providence indeed!

The fourteenth and fifteenth missions established were Mission San Joseand beautiful Mission San Juan Bautista, founded respectively on June11th and June 24th of the year 1797. 

We have generously used words denoting beauty and prosperity indescribing the missions, but no less can be said of these mighty andbountiful institutions, who, even in their regal ruins are California'schief attraction to this day. 

The sixteenth mission was San Miguel, founded by Fathers Franciscode Lasuén and Buenaventura Sitjar, with very impressive and elaborateceremonials, on July 25th, 1797. The brilliant frescoing of this missionwas done in 1824 by the writer's great grandfather, Estéban Munrás, aSpaniard from Barcelona, who had studied art in his native city, and whowas intimately connected with the early missionaries, especially thoseof Monterey, where he resided. Estéban Munrás did the frescoing of SanMiguel Mission at the request of Father Juan Cabot, also a nativeof Barcelona. Thus we see the undaunted steadfastness of these earlymissionaries who, although California had already passed from Spanishto Mexican rule, and mission power was beginning to wane, still werezealous for the greater adornment of God's holy temples. 

On September 8, 1797, Mission San Fernando, Rey de España was founded. In June of the following year San Luis, Rey de Francia, fifty-fourIndian children being baptized on the day of its foundation. It was inthe patio (court yard) of this mission that the first pepper tree inCalifornia was planted by Father Antonio Peyri. 

On September 17, 1804, beautiful Santa Ynez Mission was founded. HereFather Arroyo, a brilliant scholar, prepared a working grammar of thelanguage of the Indians of the San Juan region. In December, 1817, SanRafael was founded, and made a splendid record of conversions. Not atrace of this mission remains today. 

The last mission was San Francisco Solano within the city limits of thepresent town of Sonoma, and was founded as late as 1823, thus again isshown the wonderful courage and zeal of the missionaries in the faceof obstacles, for at this date as we have already noted Spanish Missionpower had begun to wane, and while Mexico was unable to wipe outentirely Spanish rule and influence for many years, still she hadalready claimed California as her own. Many wealthy Russian traderslived in the country about Sonoma, who showed themselves extremelyfriendly to the missionaries, assisted at the ceremonies of the foundingof the mission and made generous contributions for its adornment. 

And now our march of El Camino Real is ended; but let us take anotherlook at mission life. The plan of the missions was most wonderful, situated in the most beautiful spots, the journey of one day fromone another, and the seats of learning and well earned prosperity inCalifornia; their architecture was the best imitation of the SpanishGothic style which the Spanish laborers could build with the tools andmaterials which were then possible to have in the New World. The onlyshare the Indians had in the building of the missions was in assistingto carry beams, stone, making the beautiful red tiles found in everymission roof, and the like, but the actual construction was done bySpanish workmen under the supervision of the Fathers. 

Besides the church proper, the missions consisted of groups of buildingsset aside for converted Indians and their families, a storehouse, aguardhouse, a monastery and spacious quarters for guests. For at amission not only friends of the Fathers and persons of standing, butevery wayfarer whoever he might be "found warmth and plenty" as long ashe chose to remain under their blessed shelter. And so great was missionhospitality that a pile of silver was laid in the bedroom of a guest tobe taken by him or left as he saw fit; of course no well bred guest whowas not in need would impose on the holy Fathers' generosity, but it wastheir delicate way of assisting an unfortunate pilgrim who might be inneed. The missions too, were the centers of important gatherings andpeaceful rendezvous of persons of social standing, even after the firsttwo Acts of Secularization had been passed in after years. But thesenoble entertainment's, wealth of luscious fruits, golden sheaves, luxuriant pastures and fleecy lambs, were as the least gifts of thesematchless institutions, for we can never exaggerate the marvels wroughtfor the betterment of the heathen natives, or the fairer fruits of thecountless heroic virtues practiced within these enclosures. The Indiansclung to the Fathers like little children to their parents, and from thevices of paganism, under a healthy and kind rule drawn for them by thewise Fathers, christian virtues took a deep root in at least a greatmany of these poor "children of the soil" and so great was the careexercised by the Fathers that nightly they would make a round of therooms allotted to every christian and neophyte Indian family to seethat order and decency reigned in each group; for we must remember thesesouls were but recently rescued from the dark sins of heathenism. 

Blessed temples! noble hospices! heroic priests! We are loathe to changethe scene, but winter's storms must come ere the laurel wreath crownsthe glorified brow! Still, we need not leave the "enchanted palace" yet, vernal loveliness still charms the eyes and summer is just begun. 

If it be but for one brief moment let us ruminate the glories, thewealth, the beauty of mission joys, before the least cruel echoes ofSecularization are heard. The sun of Franciscan and Spanish glory isstill mounting the firmament higher and higher. The sky still wearsOur Lady's blue [2] and no penitential purple has appeared with thedeparting rays of sunset, only the royal purple and gold which yearsbefore had made the scene a fairylike setting for the heavenset reliefship to San Diego and assured the noble enterprise of the explorationand christianizing of California. 

Chapter III

 More About San Carlos Mission and Monterey

As we have seen in the preceding chapter, Monterey was the capital ofthe Spanish Possessions in California, consequently San Carlos Missionwas the headquarters of Junipero Serra. And what was not San CarlosMission of Carmelo in the days of her glory! We are in a maze of thoughtas to how to begin to tell her story. Of the beauty of the spot wherethis mission was built we have already spoken, as well as of how thegolden valley of Carmelo came to be named. And here we may well exclaimwith that dear English Saint of the thirteenth century, Saint SimonStock, who invoked the Immaculate Virgin with the following beautifullines:

 "Carmel's fair flower Rod blossom laden Smile on thy dower Meek Mother--Maiden None equals thee. Give us a sign Thou dost protect us Mark us for thine Guide and direct us Star of the Sea. "

A more perfect replica of the country surrounding the shrine of OurLady of Mount Carmel in Palestine would be hard to find, and the "MeekMother-Maiden" did give many a sign of her protection to her clientsin this new Carmel of the West. And it was at San Carlos Mission ofCarmelo, that the superiors of the different missions convened andgave accounts of their work and numbers of baptisms etc. To the FatherPresident. And how glowing are the records of those accounts! Here onfestival days after the religious services were held social gatheringsand entertainment's of the purest yet merriest order. Marriages, baptisms, all notable events had their share of attention. Thehospitality of the missions, the care and kindness shown to the Indians, the numerous flocks, harvests and orchards which embellished them underthe wonderful management of the good Fathers, all existed in copiousmeasure at San Carlos. 

The huge, beautiful bells of this mission the chimes of which were heardclearly in Monterey were cracked during the years when the mission wasneglected but some of the pieces were later recast and as far as knownthe present bells of the mission were made from them. 

We cannot consider a sketch of this mission however brief, complete, without giving due credit to the Very Reverend Angelo Casanova, parishpriest of Monterey from 1869 until the time of his death in 1893. Thiszealous priest undertook the work of restoring the mission for a portionof it was in ruins, and to-day there would be but little of San Carlosto see and admire but for Father Casanova's timely work of restoration, which he accomplished with some help of friends, but chiefly with hisown private fortune which he inherited. Many a time was Father Casanovaseen assisting the laborers with his own hands. And what a happy day itwas for Monterey when the first Mass was sung in the restored missionafter years of vandalism and neglect! The old statues which had escapedthe ravages of time were replaced in their niches, the sanctuary lampwas re-lighted for the Sacramental Presence once more enthroned on Hisaltar and the organ pealed forth the ancient Latin hymns of the Churchonce more. Another very significant event of this restoration was thatFather Casanova had the four bodies contained in the vaults of themission exhumed and placed on new vaults, built however near theoriginal spots "on the gospel side of the altar, within the sanctuary. "The four bodies are the remains of Fathers Junipero Serra, Juan Crespí, Francisco de Lasuén and Julian Lopez. Another good outcome of this eventwas that it exploded the utterly unfounded story that a Spanish ship hadcarried away the remains of Junipero Serra to Spain. The vestments oneach body were found in a perfect state of preservation at the time thiswork was done in 1882. 

For years the saintly Serra's body was buried under a pile of debris, but his "sepulchre has become glorious" in spite of all. And since therestoration of this mission, the feast of Saint Charles Borromeo, (its Patron Saint) has again been celebrated here every November thetwenty-fourth, and a relic of Saint Charles which Father Junipero Serrabrought from Spain, is as of old carried in procession. While this is ofcourse a Catholic festival, reverent visitors of various creeds attendit. The mission is guarded by a care-taker, living in the premises ofwhat remains of the old mission orchard. 

It was also due to Father Casanova, that Mrs. Leland Stanford donated, in 1890, the Serra Monument [3] which crowns a slope just above the spotwhere this wonderful missionary said his first Mass in Monterey. 

We cannot give sufficient credit to Reverend Raymond Mestres, thepresent parish priest of Monterey, and a Spaniard from the Provinceof Catalonia, like Junipero Serra and many of the early missionaries. Father Mestres has given time, energy and noble efforts unstintingly toperpetuate the memory of Junipero Serra and to more fully restore notonly San Carlos Mission and San Carlos Church, but is encouraging amovement to restore if possible all the California Missions accordingto their traditional and historical plans; may his great enterprise beblessed with all the radiance of crowning success!

We will have ample reason to speak more of Father Mestres' good workelsewhere in this sketch, hence we will pass into Monterey itself. Monterey was named after the Spanish Viceroy of Mexico, who at the timeof her discovery, was the Count of Monterey. As we have many times notedthis city was of royal birth. Unlike any of the other Presidios, herPresidio was el Presidio Real, the chapel attached to it la CapillaReal, and the ships which sailed the blue waters of her crescent baywere the ships of the Royal Navy of Spain. No mission town was withoutits glories, its fascinating history or delightful surroundings, but Monterey was like a fair empress of them all. Yet no jealousy orfeelings of rivalry were felt for Monterey by her sister towns, nor washer right to the sceptre ever contested. From the time that SebastianVizcaino placed her on his map in 1602 and glowingly described herbeautiful harbor, noble forests and majestic hills, Spain focused herattention on Monterey, and when her Port was at last found by Portolá, and the stout old ship San Antonio under the command of Captain JuanPerez entered her harbor on May 31st, 1770, without any discussion orpreamble she was made the capital of New Spain. 

The news of her discovery and of Junipero Serra celebrating Mass on hershores were sent with all possible haste to the Viceroy of the Spanishpossessions in Mexico and to good Don Jose Galvez, also a completestatement of her discovery was drawn up and sent to the Court of Spain. And how were these news received? Solemn masses of thanksgiving werecelebrated in some of the Spanish cathedrals, attended by many of thehighest religious, civil and military authorities, while congratulationsfrom every side poured into King Carlos and his Viceroy. And all thisexultation over the discovery of the lovely spot we all know and love sowell! Monterey, like a "pearl of great price" had been hard to find, butlike a "pearl of great price" was worth the quest. Beautiful Montereywith her shores decked with Vizcainos Cross since 1602, Monterey withher bay blue like a turquoise, matching the azure of heaven, Montereywith her forests and flowers, with her Valley of Carmelo and glorioussunsets, adding to natures charms, her historical and sacred atmosphere, her landmarks and the improvements of man. No wonder thousands yearlythrong this gifted spot of God's earth!

As may be needless to say, Monterey, became the center of thesocial life, beauty and culture of the mission towns. From Monterey, inspiration flowed as from a fountain head. And even to this day sheis irresistible. Even to this day, in spite of the many sad scenes andoblivious years which have stamped their trace upon her loveliness andimpaired her regal splendor, her charm is told by her landmarks andcrowned by her natural fortress of hills, her forests and flower robedmeadows, and lulled at evening by the murmur of the iridescent waters ofher bay reflecting the sunset splendors of the sky. 

About 1810 Monterey was ravaged by buccaneers under Blütcher, whowas such a terror to many sea-port towns, these pirates sailed upthe Pacific Coast, and appeared in Monterey Bay in four large vesselsarriving at midnight. Before they could be driven out of the town theyset fire to some of the Spanish Presidio homes and carried away preciousjewels and silver belonging to the Spanish ladies, and provisions fromthe garrison. 

The former Capilla Real de San Carlos is now the parish church ofMonterey, guarding like a fond mother all that remains of the massivesilver altar vessels and candelabras, paintings, statues, vestments, manuscripts and archives of the pioneer missionaries of this mission. 

Among the modern attractions of Monterey we must not fail to mentionHotel Del Monte built and owned by the Pacific Improvement Company, andthe many beautiful drives constructed by the same, company. Mr. Frank Powers was the founder of the flourishing settlement ofCarmel-by-the-Sea, a few minutes walk from San Carlos Mission and afavorite resort of artists and literateurs. These with many others havebeen no small contributors to the old Capital. Thus while we deploreyears of vandalism, and the thousands who have joined the "carelessthrong" we can always turn to the pleasing contrast of sympathizers andfriends who are always, willing to give "honor to whom honor is due, "and in doing so have spared neither purse nor efforts in aiding thosewho under difficulties have guarded the flame of tradition and love ofthe splendid past with its bright galaxy of "heroes, martyrs, saints. "True, the glowing embers often smouldered beneath a debris of neglectand even harsh misrepresentation but were not and could not beextinguished. And now faithful hearts may beat fast with holy joy forthe feeble light fanned by loving zephyrs has burst into a glowing flamedestined to diffuse its love and influence to all, regardless of creed, race or station. 

Chapter IV

 California Under Spanish Rule

With the landing of Serra and Portolá at San Diego in 1769, began theSpanish period of California. The chief events of this period are ina pith, the following: The establishment of the missions, thechristianizing of the Indians and the exploration and colonization ofCalifornia. It is from the Spanish period that the history and standingof California date. The ten Spanish Governors of California as well asthe officers of the Army and Navy were men of honor and ability, and therecord left by the Spanish settlers is one of which any country mightbe proud. During the Spanish period the geographical lines of Californiawere settled and her harbors surveyed [4]. It was during this periodthat most of the present cities of California were founded, Spainfollowing the plan of building the towns around the missions. The firstGovernor, Don Gaspar de Portolá, was a great and good man as well asa brilliant officer, gentle and reasonable in every respect, he wasbeloved by all; to him California owes the discovery of San FranciscoBay, and the great co-operation he gave to Junipero Serra, as well ashis reverent esteem for this saintly man has endeared his memory toevery true Californian, and immortalized his name in Spain. After aperiod of two years in office Portolá went to Mexico, then under Spanishrule, and from there returned to Spain. 

Portolá was succeeded by Gov. Felipe de Barri, who after three yearswas removed from office on account of infringing on the rights ofthe missionaries and siding with Captain Rivera Y. Moncada who was asomewhat arrogant man, who also on several occasions infringed on therights of the missionaries; but the faults of the latter have beenvery exaggerated by some historians, namely, some declare that hewas ex-communicated from the church on account of insolence to themissionaries, whereas there is no record of such a fact. Excepting theirofficiousness and arrogance, Barri and Rivera were moral and able men. 

Barri was succeeded by Felipe de Neve, a statesman, scholar and worthygovernor who at once declared himself the friend and protector of themissionaries. It was Governor de Neve who drew up California's firstcode of legislation dated from the "Royal Presidio of San Carlos atMonterey" in June 1779. This code known as the "Reglamento" is regardedby capable judges as a most remarkable and valuable document. It wasalso Governor de Neve who founded the present city of Los Angeles, the original name of which was Neustra Señora de los Angeles, latershortened into Los Angeles. The towns of San Jose and Santa Clara alsoowe their foundation to de Neve, who selected the location of thesecities around the mission sites. After eight years of office de Neve wasmarked for higher honors, and was succeeded by Governor Pedro Fages. 

Governor Fages was a good and energetic man, but better fitted forthe army than for the state; he was noted for his lofty principals ofmorality. Fages resigned his office and returned to Spain; he was not atactful ruler, but like many others his name has suffered at the handsof unscrupulous writers. Fages was succeeded in 1790 by Governor JoséAntonio Romeú, a bright and able but very sickly man. Dr. Pablo Solerthe excellent physician and surgeon of the Province of California wasunable to help him; and Romeú died in Monterey in less than two years ofoffice. 

José de Arrillaga was the sixth governor. This governor was a finishedgeneral, and placed the presidios of California on a solid basis; hewas painstaking and careful of detail. He resigned on account of privatebusiness affairs but later returned as he was reappointed governor ofCalifornia. 

The seventh governor was Diego de Boríca. Around this Governor clustermany beautiful pages of Spanish history in California; his was acharacter as gentle, religious and home-loving as he was scholarly andtactful. It was under Boríca's administration that the boundary linesof Upper and Lower California were clearly defined. Boríca, however, wasnot a man who courted public life or honors, and resigned his office, returning to Spain with his charming wife and daughter who always longedfor their mother country. 

Before leaving Boríca did a good service to Spain and California inrecommending the reappointment of José Joaquin Arrillaga. Arrillagacontinued to organize strong military defenses for California. He servedas Spanish Governor of California fourteen years, and first of alldeclared himself on all occasions "a loyal son of the Church. " He diedat Mission Soledad on July 25, 1813, and was buried there. The onlySpanish Governor to be buried in California. 

The ninth Spanish Governor was José Dario Arguello, who was in officeone year, the interval between the death of Arrillaga and the advent ofPablo Vicente de Solá the last Spanish Governor of California. 

When Governor Solá took office in 1814, California had already bloomedinto a garden of beautiful men and women, many of them from the mothercountry, others their children born in this distant province of Castile. Also many Yankee, Russian and English trading ships came to Californiathen, and the Spanish presidios were the scenes of many brilliant dancesand entertainment's. These foreign vessels were always welcome; whilethe Governors were careful that the power of Spain was not infringedupon, perfect courtesy and friendliness was always maintained by bothSpaniards and visitors. Thus when Governor Solá arrived to take hisoffice he was given a royal welcome. Of course, it was in Monterey thatevery governor took up his residence (at the Royal Presidio) and theirfirst act was to attend Solemn High Mass at the Royal Chapel of SanCarlos of Monterey. Solá was no exception to the rule; amid salutesfrom the cannon of the Presidio and the cheers of loyal subjects, bythe Catalonian cavalry, and their officers in their gorgeous velvetuniforms, gold swords and plumed hats, Solá proceeded to the RoyalChapel where the Franciscan Fathers awaited him in their priestlyvestments. Three days of carnival followed, but on the second dayGovernor Solá withdrew from the festivities, made the Stations of theCross [5] which the fathers had erected between Monterey and Carmelo, and on reaching San Carlos of Carmelo was shown to the tombs of JuniperoSerra, Juan Crespí and Francisco de Laséun. Here the Governor knelt andremained long in prayer. 

In California Solá found a pleasing contrast from the conditions ofaffairs he had seen during his sojourn in Mexico. In that country cloudsof revolt against Spanish rule were rapidly gathering. California hefound intensely loyal to the Crown. The neophytes and converted Indiansgreatly touched his generous soul, and the beauty of the countrydelighted him. Solá was in office eight years; his work was well done, and if California was lost to Spain under his administration, no lesscredit can be given to his ability and high principals of honor. Manytimes did Solá quell disturbances from revolutionary vessels whichlanded in Monterey from Mexico, and several attacks from pirates, andmany a noble act is recorded of this loyal governor as well as of the noless loyal Spanish subjects of the Province. If the Mexican Governmentsupplanted Spanish rule and "laid desolate" much of the work doneby this brilliant period of California, we repeat it was due to notreachery or cowardice of Solá and his compatriots as we shall seeelsewhere in this sketch. Spain came into possession of California withhonor, maintained it with honor, and after her three-fold honorablepolicy of exploration, colonization and christianizing of its heathennatives, left it with honor, but her monuments remained. If a fewpolitical troubles and abuses existed, they pale before the light of themyriad of great deeds and purposes, and where is the country or peoplewho are utterly flawless individually? No cruelties or uncleanness canever be proven against Spain or her people here. Spanish societyand refinement was the first which California saw; under Spain werethousands of Indians rescued from savagery, and under Spain wasCalifornia made known to the world, as well as discovered. Under Spaintoo were the first land grants made to her subjects in California. 

Some historians and casual observers are inclined to blame Spain for nothaving lent more aid to her loyal California colonies and enabled herpresidios to have more and better fortifications. But let us examinethese points more coolly. First of all this province was far away fromthe mother country, means of travel and communication were then fardifferent from what they are now, and Spain was also busy with politicaltroubles at home; she had always sent her most representative men asgovernors and officers, her settlers were no less worthy, most ofthem coming here with no "empty purse" as adventurers, but were menof education and standing in their country. The galaxy of saintlymissionaries is superfluous to mention, so above are they of the leaststing of reproach, and lastly so clean are the pages of Spanish historyin California that no serious student of whatever race or creed he orshe may be, can but deplore the calumnies that have at times been hurledat this golden period of California history. It was from the Spanishperiod of California that the present capital of the state dates havingbeen named Santisimo Sacramento (Most Holy Sacrament) in honor of theEucharistic Presence of the Altar. Thus we see the vein of piety of theSpanish settlers who gave names of religious significance to so manyof the towns they founded, and even to their land grants. In fine thesesterling men were worthy compatriots of those giant men and women whichhave appeared at different times in Spain. We refer to Saints, Ignatiusof Loyola, Francis Xavier, Dominic, Theresa of Jesus and a myriadothers, also to the fair array of kings and queens, poets, artists, explorers, whose illustrious names would fill volumes. 

When treading El Camino Real and kneeling by the sacred tombs ofJunipero Serra and his hero band of soul-conquerors we may well recallthat passage of the beautiful Hymn of the Knights of Columbus. 

"Brothers we are treading Where the saints have trod. "

Chapter V

 California Passes From Spanish to Mexican Rule, Secularization of the Missions

Amidst the beauty and glory of Spain's dominion in California, while thegold emblazoned banners of Castile and Leon floated proudly under azureskies, while the Spanish governors, officers and colonists were doinghonor and credit to their ancient race, and the saintly missionarieswere working marvels for the souls and bodies of the aborigines of theland, while Spain was thus lending "her beauty and her chivalry" toCalifornia; Mexico, forgetting her old debt to Spain, when she exploredher then heathen shores, had revolted against Spanish rule and set up anempire of her own, making Augustin Iturbide, a man of half Indian bloodher Emperor. Immediately Mexico claimed California, as well as Texas, Arizona and New Mexico as a portion of her empire, although the peopleof California, with the exception of a handful of Mexicans, had nevershown the least desire of change of government, for the greatest numberof her settlers were Spaniards or their children who were intenselyloyal to the Crown of Spain. Here we will add that no person who heldany office of importance was any other than a Spaniard, or of purelySpanish blood or parentage, hence missionaries, bishops, army and navyofficers, surgeons, etc. Were all "children of Spain, " the highestdecoration that a mixed blood could attain in the Spanish army ofCalifornia or of Mexico was that of Corporal or Sergeant. But whenMexico gained her independence all these corporals and sergeants weresuddenly made generals by their country, Mexico; and here was clearlyseen "who was who" for all mixed bloods as well as those of purelyIndian birth, both in Mexico and California raffled around theirstandard, the new Mexican flag; in this number we will only except manyof the Christian Indians, in California, who clung piteously to themissions, and who had more of their share of suffering. This state ofaffairs enabled the new Mexican authorities, exultant over their victoryin the gain of their independence, to send several war vessels toMonterey late in 1822 and demand of Governor Solá, the surrender ofCalifornia in the name of Emperor Augustin Iturbide. As we have alreadyseen, nowhere in Spain's New World possessions was loyalty to the mothercountry more intense than in California, and the people, army and navywere loud in their demonstrations of opposition, and expressions ofwillingness were offered to the governor to fight the intrusion ofMexico to the end. But the comparative handful of soldiers of thevarious garrisons, as well as the few ships which the Spanish couldmuster in California were no match to the overwhelming forces fromMexico, and Governor Solá considered it no cowardly act but rather hisconscience-bound duty to prevent a useless carnage, wisely preferringan honorable surrender under the circumstances. The prudence of thisdecision was soon seen in a clearer light by the people. It was thusthat the grand old flag of Spain was hurled from her state fifty-threeyears after she had been hoisted amid the blessing of Junipero Serra, the salutes of her proud ships and the loyal acclamations of Portoláand her other gallant sons. Now Spanish rule was virtually ended inCalifornia, but we repeat, not dishonorably. Spain's, work waswell done, her chief purpose gained, namely, the exploration andchristianizing of California. 

As it took sometime for Mexico to mobilize her troops and settle herrule in California, the Royal Presidio of Monterey was not immediatelyemptied of its officers or of the Spanish families, whose positionsentitled them to a residence there, and who continued to live thereclose on to 1824. Thus although the old familiar standard gave place toMexico's new red, white and green, the imprint of Spanish rule remained. 

Indeed it was several years before Mexico could change the face ofCalifornia, and the Spanish element continued to rule social life atleast to a great extent through virtually all the Mexican period. The Mexican society of the time certainly contained some excellentexceptions, but as a general rule it was a sad contrast to that of thepreceding period, nor had the ten governors of this era the energy orstanding of the ever remembered Portolá, Boríca, de Neve, Arrillaga orSolá. At times, the Mexican authorities treated Spaniards shabbily forit is important to note that contrary to what many histories state, Spaniards unanimously refused to take the Constitutional Oath ofAllegiance to Mexico, and withdrew as a consequence from all publicaffairs, only inasmuch as their family interests or the good of thecommunity demanded their intervention. Thus we find no Spaniard asGovernor, General, or the like during this period. But here a curiousthing occurred. In later years when writers and historians of Californiabecame numerous many Mexicans declared themselves Spaniards or classedthemselves as of purely Spanish descent, passing as such into somehistories, while at the same time they did not hesitate to "sting" theSpanish name; and there are many California families who are referredto as "Spanish" whose ancestors in the baptismal and marriage recordsof the various mission archives are recorded as "neófita de la mission"("neophyte of the mission") for the Spanish missionaries were mostaccurate of details, and their records of marriages, baptisms andfunerals are like sketches of the persons concerned; parentage, birthall are given in detail. Thus a child born of Spanish parents isreferred to as "de calidad Española" ("of Spanish quality") or ifof some other purely foreign extraction the same is mentioned. Andfortunate indeed, that this care of detail was had in the new country, else how would much valuable knowledge be obtained?

During our narrative we do not wish to lose sight of the fact that wehave professed our work to be primarily a work of love, avoiding bittertruth, which can do no good, and avoiding personalities, hence theabsence of names may be noted in this chapter, but it is invariablythe unpleasant duty of a writer to tell some unpleasant things in ahistorical sketch, else how could justice be done to others, and howstraighten misunderstandings? We do not wish to merely cast aspersionsat the Mexican race or any other, for the gross and sordid not to saysinful delight of doing so, but we wish to present to the reader plainfacts of this period of history. Here we will add that even as "thereis beauty in a blade of grass" there were and are good qualities andvirtues in many individual Mexicans, but we cannot but wonder at thecontrast of the two first periods of our state's history, and at thedifference so vast between two races and characters so often absurdlyconfused. Here, we must mention perhaps the most deplorable incidentsof this period, incidents to which in spite of ourself we have so oftenalluded, namely the Acts of Secularization of the missions. First, wewill mention that some writers accuse Spain of having passed an Act ofSecularization of Mission property in 1813, but such an assertion isconsidered unfounded by good authorities, perhaps it had rise from thefact that disturbances against Spanish rule were felt in Mexico as earlyas that period and echoes of it reached the small Mexican faction ofCalifornia, causing much uneasiness to the missionaries. But three Actsof Secularization of the missions were passed in the years 1826, 1829and 1835. And what did not the good fathers with their neophytes andconverts suffer! And what did not the many loyal friends of thesebeloved fathers not suffer with them through sympathy! Indeed noSpaniard or his descendants can speak of those Acts without the crimsonof just indignation mounting to the cheek. But Spaniards were powerlessto check the lawlessness of the times. The missions were graduallybut slowly dispossessed of their lawful property, and all their wealthconfiscated, several times were many of the dear Spanish fathersdeported; they returned to Spain where a warm welcome awaited them, buthow sad to leave their missions reared by the most heroic labors ofthe "martyr stuff" within them or their immediate predecessors, Serra, Lasuén, Lopez, Dumetz, Crespí, Paloú, names "held in benediction;" andwhat would become of their poor converted Indians who clung to them sofaithfully and whom they had raised to the plane of christian men andwomen from nakedness, savagery and paganism! Besides the missionaries, many other Spaniards, too, were put on a list of those to be deported, among these there would not have been much resistance offered, as thechanges of the government were sad enough, but before the resolutionwas carried out, while many of them were settling their affairs andpreparing to leave, a few of the better class of Mexicans interposed, saying, "the Spaniards' are of greater value to the Province than anyharm which could ever come from their presence, it behooves us to letthem remain, " so under the condition that they would not be interferedwith, and that no oath of allegiance to Mexico would be forced fromthem, the Spanish families remained, and their presence indeed was of"greater value" than for which credit has been given them. American, English and Russian trading ships continued to make their appearancein Monterey, to these were added French ships. Several mercantileestablishments existed, carried on chiefly by Spaniards and Englishmen, and gay little social gatherings and dances still went on. 

In 1823 Mexico overthrew her empire and established a republic. Butthroughout this period, disturbances and guerrillas scarcely everceased, while the gradual but sure devastation of the missions and thebehavior of the authorities towards the beloved padres heightened theindignation of all noble-minded citizens and increased the unpopularityof the governors and authorities, most of whom were so very different tothe Spanish governors, who at all times declared themselves "loyal sonsof mother Church" and of whom no record of the practice of the contraryexists save a very few minor differences in defining the extent ofmilitary and ecclesiastical power. Good Bishop Garcia Diego, Bishopof California and worthy Prince of the Church was also a suffereron several occasions from the disrespect of the civil authorities ofMexico, who even tried to prevent his landing in Monterey, the seatof the diocese then. Let us repeat a few Mexican authorities wereexceptions of this type, but as we have said, these were few indeed, andslowly Mexican power began to wane. United States, England and Franceall stood in line for possession of California as soon as a ripeopportunity presented itself. This plan was most welcome to theSpaniards, who contrary to the statements of some prominent historians, entertained no dislike for any of these nations. Spaniards, like someothers only wished that a happier and better government would supplantthe inactive yet turbulent government of Mexico, who had hurled theSpanish flag from her position years before and despoiled the missionsof their wealth and glory. Thus United States Consul, Thomas Larkin wasalways well received in the homes of the Spanish families and in turnMr. Larkin always referred to them in words of praise. Meantime, thingswent from bad to worse, a change of government seemed inevitable. Wewill soon see how this came about. 

The only things for which Mexican rule in California was noted, was thecontinuation of the making of large land grants, and an easy, carelessexistence without the "hurry and flurry" of today; feasting, makingmerry, and great parties in the "rancherias" where there were alwayslarge "spreads;" it was during this period chiefly that the typicalMexican dishes of tamales, enchiladas, and others which are stillrelished in California were introduced in this province. In a word thiswas the period of the sweet "mañana, " where everyone seemed to have timeto enjoy the "dolce far niente" and exercised an open handed generositywith regard to the "fleeting goods of earth. "

Chapter VI

 California Passes From Mexican to American Rule

The year 1846 found the Mexican government in California struggling witha poor exchequer and some of its leaders in an unfriendly mood towardsone another on account of petty differences, while France, England andUnited States waited eagerly for an opportunity to seize California, normay their desire be termed dishonest since a change of government eachday seemed more inevitable. 

Americans had often been treated with hostility and not given theirlawful rights under the existing form of government in California. Justabout this time United States Consul, Thomas O. Larkin had been sentto Monterey and Captain John Fremont to Northern California, the latterpresumably to survey the country of the Rocky Mountains and the PacificCoast in the interests of travel, but the real reason of the presence ofthese gentlemen in California was thought to be, that they should keep aclose watch on the turn of affairs. 

When circumstances shaped themselves for the worst, a party of Americansat Sonoma headed by Captain Ezekiel Merritt gave the first signal ofuprising which led to the establishment of the Bear Flag Republicof California. These men applied to Captain Fremont for help, butas Fremont was an officer in the United States army, he could notpersonally take a hand in the affair without authority from the UnitedStates Government, but left his men free to join Captain Merritt'sranks, and many did so. Under Captain Merritt the Americans capturedhorses and arms from a Mexican regiment on the march for Sonoma, alsothe garrison of Sonoma; encouraged by this William B. Ide, one ofMerritt's chief advisers and successor issued a Proclamation whichlaunched the Bear Flag Republic into its existence of twenty-four days. This Proclamation was a praiseworthy document, stating the grievances ofthe American settlers, namely unfriendliness and threats of expulsion, also declaring the justice of overthrowing a government which hadconfiscated mission property calling upon the assistance of peace-lovingcitizens of California and promising not to molest persons who had nottaken up arms. The Bear Flag of the Republic of California was thendesigned by a Mr. William Todd and hoisted in Sonoma on June 14, 1846, also in Monterey. The American flag could not be hoisted because theactions of this party of Americans had virtually been unauthorized, and they would have been responsible to the United States for so doing, however, it was their intention to turn over their conquests to theUnited States as soon as possible. But the Mexican military authoritiesregarded the actions of these Americans as a gross hostility, and fromall sides prepared to attack them. The position of this plucky littleband now became very perilous, and again they laid their cause anddangers before Fremont, who was in his camp on the American River. Nowthe Captain did not hesitate in his decision and with a small mountedforce began action on the field. Fremont was a man of many commendablequalities, possessed of bright mentality, unwavering and extremely loyalto the American cause, but he had his failings, among them being that onseveral occasions he took advantage of the tangled state of affairs, toseize upon personal property considered without the range of his lawfulpower to take, hence the dislike that exists for him among many oldCalifornia residents; still it was the "Pathfinder" as he was called, who with Commodore Robert Stockton, Lieutenant Archibald Giliespie incommand at Los Angeles, General Stephen Kearny and some others foughtthe brief battles which terminated in the raising of the American flagat the Custom House of Monterey on July 7, 1846, thus was Californiaadmitted into the Union as a territory. By a treaty of peace whichfollowed the Mexican War, California was ceded to the United States forthe sum of $15, 000, 000 in 1848. Among Monterey's landmarks Colton Hallis pointed out as the place where representative men from various partsof California convened and framed the first American Constitution forthe State, September 3, 1849. On November third of the same year thefirst election was held, with the result that Peter H. Burnett waselected Governor, John McDougall, Lieutenant-Governor, and EdwardGilbert and John Wright first Congressmen from California. From Montereythe State Capital was removed to San José, where John Fremont andWilliam Gwin were appointed senators, and it was they who pressedthe Government to admit California as a state, with the result thatCalifornia was admitted as such on September 9, 1850. Major RobertSelden Garnett, U. S. A. Designed the state seal. 

In 1854 the capital was removed to Sacramento from Benicia which held itone year, San José having held it two years as, also Vallejo. 

The discovery of gold in 1849 brought on a mad rush of all classesof people into California and acts of lawlessness and violence becamenumerous and frequent; for the purpose of checking these disordersthe "Committee of Vigilance" was formed in San Francisco in 1851. Thiscommittee was composed of responsible men and much good came of it butlike in so many enterprises of the kind, many abuses were committed andmany innocent persons were unjustly punished. 

As soon as affairs became settled and order established, American rulein California became marked by progress and order, the discovery of goldbrought on a wonderful increase in population and more towns and citiessprung throughout the state. 

Much indeed could be said of the present, but as our story is only abrief sketch intended to deal chiefly with the beloved old missionsand missionaries, and unravel if but a few of the tangled skeins ofmisrepresentation cast about the older history of the state which ismore wrapt in mystery, with warm gratitude for what the present is andfor what the future will bring, we will return to the traces of the goodfathers whose missions are still the wonders of California, with them wecan still hear the chimes of mission bells. 

Chapter VII

 Mission Anecdotes and Hymns

Told of Father Vicente Sarría

Father Vicente Sarría, a venerable and saintly missionary in charge ofMission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad at the time the first two acts ofSecularization were passed, was one of the keenest sufferers from theinjustices of the times, undergoing untold labors and hardships, whichin no small degree contributed to his death in 1833, which found him athis post of duty at the mission. Father Sarría's reputation for sanctitywas well known throughout California, particularly in Monterey andSoledad, and after his death it was no strange thing to hear both fromCaucasian and Indian such an ejaculation as "alma de nuestro PadreSarría, ayudanos con tu intercesion" (soul of our Father Sarría help usby your intercession). Of course this pious demonstration was not publicbecause for many wise reasons, the church forbids the public venerationor invocation of a saint until the required process of canonizationhas authorized it, however, the allowable private invocation was freelypracticed as it has been done in the case of other saintly missionaries, namely, Junipero Serra, Magin Catalá and others. And the followingsweet legend is told of Padre Sarría. As the Indian carriers lowered thehumble redwood coffin which contained the Father's precious remains intothe mission vaults, the edifice was filled with an exquisite fragranceas of roses, and this story told with all earnestness was given muchcredence about the mission towns. While not authenticated by infallibleinvestigation, may not this incident be classed at least as aprobability by the spiritual minded? For is it not in the power of theGod of the beautiful in nature to proclaim thus His appreciation forthe heroic charity of one of His servants, especially to strengthen thefaith of the sorely tried convert Indians who clung so lovingly to themission in the days of its trials?

Father Junipero Serra's Promise

One beautiful summer day while walking about the San Carlos MissionGarden, Junipero Serra pondered over the wonderful progress ofCalifornia both in the spiritual and material order; filled with joy thegood priest blessed the land, and made a solemn promise to celebrateone hundred masses for the future peace and prosperity of California, moreover he promised to begin the fulfillment of his promise on thefollowing November, twenty-fourth, feast of Saint Charles, the patronsaint of the mission. Soon after, the venerable Serra was overtakenby his last illness and went to his reward before November, thetwenty-fourth. But every year on the eve of the feast of Saint Charlesjust before midnight a ghostly procession wended its way to San CarlosMission, for all the missionaries, Spaniards, or their descendants whohad ever lived in California would arise from their graves and withthem all the Christian Indians of the mission towns joined the "ghostlythrong" to San Carlos where Junipero Serra would arise from his tomb andcelebrate mass while the spirits sang their ancient hymns, after whichall the scene vanished like silver fumes of smoke, and this continuedfor one hundred years. This most unlikely legend has been told inbeautiful Spanish and English poetry, and for all its unlikelihood hasfound its way with its weird charm into many homes. 

A True Story

Somewhere in the eighteen fifties a non-catholic of very irreligiouscharacter, made targets of the eyes of a statue of Saint Benedict, belonging to San Carlos Mission, taking advantage of the neglectedcondition of the place at the time. A few days after this proceedingthe man was struck blind. This incident is no legend, but within theremembrance of many old residents of Monterey. The unfortunate man lateracknowledged that his calamity was a direct visitation of Almighty Godfor his gross and intentional irreverence to the image of a saint. Thewriter refrains from giving the name of this man who has long ere thispassed to the "Great Beyond" but many Montereyans, who will read thissketch will know it. 

Countless stories and legends of mission times are told and writtenwithout the least foundation for veracity, for example the story of"The Lost Pearls of Loretto;" others are founded on facts but distortedbeyond recognition. Still this is not startling in a land as full ofsentiment and romance as California, where so many writers, (most ofthem "New-comers") have given vent to their poetical imaginations, and it is not hard to believe that the eventful history of the statecontained many authentic stories, and legends with some ground of truth. 

Hymn to the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary [6]. 

 "Para dar vida mortál A Un Dios Autor de la vida Sois Maria concebída Sin pecádo originál. "

 "Para humillar la serpiénte Que con su mortál venéno Dejó todo el mundo lléno De su aliento pestilénte Que marcó à todo viviénte Con el sello mas fatál Sois Maria concebida Sin pecado originál. "

 "Como Estér la mas amada Del mas generoso Asuéro Gracia recibes priméro Que estés del crimen manchada Pues para no ser contáda En la indignacion reál Sois Maria concebida Sin pecádo originál. "

 "Ciudad fuérte y mas hermósa Que de Asírio acometida No logrará vérte herída Su saeta ponzoñosa Pues para ser victoriosa De su poder infernál Sois Maria concebida Sin pecado originál. "

 "Luna lléna de esplandor Sin ser nunca eclipsáda Porque fuiste iluminada De un sol de poder, y amor Pues por no ver el horror De un eclipse criminál Sois Maria concebida Sin pecado originál. "

 "Mujer heróica y valiente Que con divino valor Pisas gloriósa el furor De la engañósa serpiente Pues por no temer el diente De aqeste monstro infernál Sois Maria concebida Sin pecado originál. "

 "Virgen que de nuestro suélo Subes vestida de estrellas Mas bela que las mas bellas A ser la gloria del ciélo Pues para tan alto vuélo Con un favor sin iguál Sois Maria concebida Sin pecado originál. "

 "Patrona la mas amada De nuestro suélo Español Nuestro mas luciente sol En la noche desgraciada Pues para ser proclamada Con el voto mas cordiál Sois Maria concebida Sin pecado originál. "

 "Concede en fin Madre amada A tus hijos este dia La mas cristiána alegria Y la muerte deseada Para que seas cantada En la patria celestial Sois Maria concebida Sin pecado originál. "

Chapter VIII

 Retrospection of the work of the Spanish Missionaries, Explorers and Settlers and their place in California's Appreciation

We have followed the venerable band of missionaries from their homes inSpain, where fired with zeal for the conversion of the savage heathen ofthe New World they set out for the comparatively newly discovered landof Mexico, where Spain had already a few establishments and churches, anarchbishopric in the city of Mexico, and the Franciscan Fathers a wellequipped monastery and mission at San Fernando in the northern part ofthe country. We have seen the Spanish Franciscans' zeal in the land ofthe Aztec, and we have also seen the noble cooperation given them by thegovernment and civil authorities of Catholic Spain. We have tracedthe missionaries' steps, followed by gallant Portolá, and his fellowofficers and men, and have sympathized and rejoiced with them in theirhardships and joys. We have no doubt, often marveled at the stupendouswork of the Sons of Saint Francis in the conversion of the unenlightenedheathen, and have seen the Indian tribes turn from the worship of idolsto the altar of the one true God. 

Let us now give a brief glance at the work so nobly done by the immortalheroes which Catholic Spain sent to these shores. Many a time, winterblasts of misunderstanding and wrong have been cast upon them, and manya time have noble sympathizers fought just battles with prejudice intheir behalf, with the blessed result that the thickest clouds of errorsand "threadbare calumnies" have almost entirely disappeared, and withthem the remaining mists of wrong are fast vanishing at the powerfulapproach of truth's sun, so that in relating the glories of that legionof splendid characters whose names are so tenderly clasped about thefondest memories of mission times, we shall not forget their friends andchampions of later years. 

But first let us see what the brave Spanish pioneers did for California. We will begin with the missionaries. To them we owe the conversion ofthe heathen and savage Indians, which work was super-human initself, and which contrary to the statements of libelers, the fathersaccomplished with heroic patience and charity, teaching the Indiansbesides religion, useful trades, civilizing them, and taking suchconscientious care of them that they made a nightly round of theirquarters, not with whip in hand to punish imaginary misdemeanor, butto see that the spiritual and temporal welfare of their converts andneophytes, was guarded, and so great was the attachment of the Indiansto the fathers that if a father was called on business from one missionto another, the Indians would follow him a long distance weeping. Veryfew of the Indians were taught the art of reading, not because thefathers were in any way unwilling to teach it, but because for this oneart most of the Indians showed no desire or willingness to learn, yetthis has given the ever ready, unscrupulous writer food for sayingthat "the fathers endeavored to keep the Indians in ignorance" and thehealthy rule of the fathers with its hours of prayer, labor, instructionand recreation for the Indian families in the mission quarters, has beendistorted by erroneous histories, and statements have been made bysome writers to the effect that "the Indians were treated harshly andoppressed. " Whereas under what nation were Indians or unenlightenednatives christianized, allowed to remain in their lands or treatedwith more humanity than under Spain or her missionaries, wherever theyexplored and wherever they went?

"Harsh, oppressive, endeavoring to keep the Indians in ignorance, " ifsuch actions mean all that these saintly missionaries accomplished, ifthey mean their leaving refinement, christianity, fond home and kindredin distant Spain to brave untold hardships, nay, martyrdom, to rescuesouls from paganism, and if such conduct as "harshness, oppression, endeavoring to keep the Indians in ignorance" could be compatible withthe practice of heroic virtue and acts of mortification of mind and bodywhich to the spiritual man or woman appear beyond words of admiration, to the scoffer and frivolous (but for this latter class we are notwriting) foolish and impossible. The missions too, with their honestwealth and industry were California's first centers of enlightenment andrefinement. The Spanish missionaries were scholars as well as religious, and their institutions were California's cradles of literature, musicand learning hand in hand with religion. To these early fathers we owethe first paintings and statues brought to California, while their wellequipped missions, even contained medicine chests and medical books, tothem we also owe the first architecture in the building of the missions, the first agricultural implements, even the first system of irrigation, in the state; to these we may add the first stock of sheep, cattle, horses, the first fruits, vineyards and teeming grain fields, yes, eventhe first roses of California were brought here by them, and it wasfrom the missions that Dr. Robert Semple borrowed the printing type, wherewith he printed the first newspaper in California, which appearedin Monterey in 1846, making the letter "w" by joining two vs as theSpanish alphabet contains twenty-five letters, "w" excepted. 

And if the Spanish missionaries did so much what did the Spanish civiland military authorities and settlers do? To Spanish explorers weowe the discovery and exploration of California, as well as of SouthAmerica, Mexico and other portions of the New World, including thePacific Ocean; indeed is it not to Spain and her good Queen Isabella theCatholic, to whom we really owe the discovery of America by Columbus?But not to deviate from Spain's work in California, it was the earlySpanish governors who first framed laws and drew up a constitution inCalifornia, and it was they who made the first land grants, it was bySpanish explorers too that the first maps of California were drawn, under Spanish rule were many of the present towns and cities founded, from Spain came the first dawn of refinement and civilization, the firstarmy and navy, the first artists, musicians, physicians and skilledworkmen, in fine the first white child born in California was born ofSpanish parents settled in Monterey. And what was the record of Spain'sdominion in California? Setting aside unfounded calumnies as absurd asthe one which claims that Philip II passed a law sentencing to death anyforeigner who set foot on Spain's dominions in the New World, relegating such lies to where they belong, Spain's rule in her New Worldpossessions, including California was marked by humanity as well asenergy. Cortes, Pizzaro, Vizcaino, Coronado, Menendez, Ponce de Leon, Cabeza de Vaca, Balboa, as well as the later "pathfinders" governorsand viceroys of Catholic Spain, were men of honor, and sobriety to whosenames no "butcheries and cruelties" may be justly attached. 

Perhaps one of the best proofs of Catholic Spanish humanity is thefact of the preservation of the aborigines of the land wherever Spanishconquests were made. Take for example, the statistics of the lastcensus of Mexico which reveal that of a population of 15, 000, 000 souls7, 000, 000 are pure Indian 5, 000, 000 mestizos or of mixed Indian andforeign extraction and only 3, 000, 000 foreigners or of Mexican birth butof purely foreign extraction. Take, California, Arizona, New Mexicoand other former Spanish possessions of whom the same may be said inproportion. In these places no Indian reservations are seen as wherethe Puritans held sway. If Spain were guilty of the cruelties sofalsely imputed to her, Mexico in particular would be a Spanish orLatin-American Republic, as it is, she may hardly be termed as such. But Catholic Spain acted as explorer, civilizer and with her venerablemissionaries sponsor to the conversion of the heathen tribes of herNew World colonies, leaving in them the traces of her enlightenment andchristianity, yes, leaving them monuments of her humanity!

On the absurd and ludicrous application of the term "Spanish" in ourmidst to many persons who have no claim to it by either birth or descentwe will not dwell, as we would not cheapen our sketch by stooping todiscuss such ignorance or insult our intelligent readers by writing onsuch foolishness, we will only ask their permission to say that manyso-called intelligent people have no conception of the Spanish type, race or character, but these we will leave "a la luna de Valencia" as anancient Spanish saying would express such cases. The California familiesof Spanish descent are comparatively few, this being noted especially bySpanish visitors to California. 

But what of Spanish generosity at home, when the missionaries weretoiling for souls in the New World? Many a pious Spaniard in Spain andin Mexico subscribed immense sums for the missions of California, bothfor the Jesuit and the Franciscan missions. Thus we find the piousMarquis de Villa Puente subscribing $200, 000 for "missions, vesselsand other necessities of California. " The Duchess of Gandía subscribed$60, 000 for the same purpose in 1767 and many others followed the sameexample until the "Pius Fund of the Missions of California" amountedto over two million dollars. At the time of the Secularization of theMissions, the Mexican Government confiscated a large remaining portionof this "Pious Fund. " In 1853 the Spanish Archbishop Alemany, thenBishop of Monterey and successor of Bishop Diego from whom the "PiousFund" had been taken, started a litigation which was continued in turnby his worthy successor Archbishop Patrick Riordan of the archdiocese ofSan Francisco, with the good result that Mexico was made to pay the sumof $43, 050 in Mexican currency annually as the interest at six per centon the sum of $1, 460, 682 of the "Pious Fund" which the national treasuryof Mexico had appropriated on the promise of Mexico to act as trustee ofthe fund and pay an interest of six per cent which it had failed to paysince its appropriation at the time of the Mexican regime in California. Moreover, Mexico had agreed to pay this interest to the object intendedby the donors of the fund, namely, "to the church, for the conversionof the natives of California, for the establishment, maintenance andextension of the Catholic Church, her faith and worship, in said countryof Upper and Lower California. " The litigation was won through theintervention of the United States Government which Archbishop Riordaninvoked through his counsel, and decided by arbitrators under the HagueConvention in 1899. The first payment was made on February 2, 1903. 

Perhaps it is not amiss to quote here a small portion of the speechdelivered in Washington, D. C. By Hon. Joseph Scott of Los Angeles onthe occasion of a banquet following the unveiling ceremonies of thememorial erected in honor of Christopher Columbus by Act of Congress. Among the speakers present at the banquet were Ex-President WilliamTaft (then president), Cardinal Gibbons, Speaker Champ Clark, Ex-speakerJoseph Cannon, Congressman Underwood, Judge Victor Dowling of theSupreme Court of New York and many other notable men of the nation. 

"It affords me unbounded pleasure to have an opportunity to deliver anexpression, feeble though it be, of the sentiments of the Knights ofColumbus of the great West, and particularly of California, regardingthe significance of this great day. Mr. John Barrett of the Pan-AmericanUnion has already given you food for sober thought in the parallelhe has drawn of the marvelous activity and resourcefulness of theLatin-American republics. Possibly I may be permitted at this time toinject a suggestion that, despite the remarks of the previous speakerabout Boston as the modern Athens and the seat of universal learning, "Modern Athens" has nothing in common with the memories aroused bycontemplation of the events which we celebrate today. It may be well totell our friends from New England that before the so-called Anglo-Saxonhad set foot as a colonist upon the American soil, the followers ofColumbus had penetrated into the heart of Kansas and gone down as far asBuenos Ayres. I want to lay stress upon the fact that we have not notedtoo emphatically today that it was the great Spanish race, with itsstrong and sterling faith, which accomplished this wonderful mission ofcivilization. Too long have we endured the stress of so-called historywritten by Prescott and others, some of whom ought to have been put inthe Ananias club before they were born. For nearly three centuriesthe Spanish race, with its indomitable faith, pursued almost alone itsmission of civilization and evangelization of the aborigines of America. Before the Pilgrim Fathers had landed on Plymouth Rock, the CatholicSpaniard had acquired a knowledge of the Indian language sufficient toenable him to translate the Bible into the Aztec Indian language, sothat the new Indian neophyte could read the story of "God's greatestBook" in his mother tongue. "

The Courage of Catholic Spain

I wish to advise those of you who speak now of a burden of four days andnights in luxurious Pullman cars to step out on the soil of Californiaas though you had performed a deed of heroism, that a Spanish soldier, Cabeza de Vaca, with the courage of primitive Christianity, walked fromFlorida to the Gulf of California, though it took him seven years toaccomplish his task; and the wonderfully brave Friar Marcos de Nizapioneered his way on foot thirteen hundred miles into the heart ofArizona through deserts and hordes of Apaches, in his efforts to plantthe cross of civilization among the children of the new world. Nay, theGrand Canyon of Arizona, now one of the greatest natural wonders of theworld, was seen by a young Spanish lieutenant and his twenty soldiersthree hundred years before the Anglo-Saxon took a glimpse at itswonderful and awe-inspiring beauty. These and other similar facts areattested by the report of the Bureau of Ethnology of Washington, as wellas by many other reliable authorities, including that singularly giftedand scholarly student of Spanish history and folk lore, Charles F. Lummis of Los Angeles, himself a Puritan on both sides of his house forseveral generations back. It was the fortitude of this Spanish race, coupled by its strong devotion to the faith which you and I profess, which enabled them to solve the Indian problem as it has never beenattempted since. While under our present system of the government ofthis United States, the Indian has been an outcast and a derelict tobe robbed and cheated by his white brother, yet on the other hand theSpanish missionary brought into the life of the simple native of the newworld the wholesome light of Christianity, which made him recognize inthe Red Man the same soul which was made in the image and likeness ofthe common Creator of us all. In that spirit of brotherhood and charityhe obtained the confidence and good will of the Indians, almost withoutexception, throughout the length and breadth of the countries that heexplored. And while his path was beset with dangers from the grim forcesof nature, and occasionally the crown of martyrdom was given to him byan unthinking hand of those he was coming to evangelize, yet he falterednot in his footsteps. 

Today the memory of Columbus may be coupled with and attributed, onour part, to the splendid heroism and Christian fortitude of the greatSpanish race which continued the work of Columbus with all that itentailed for the betterment of humanity. "

In compliance with our promise not to forget the friends of themissionaries and of their compatriots, of today, we will first speak ofCalifornia's wonderful enthusiasm in the celebration of the Bi-centenaryof Junipero Serra's birth. Of the privileged thousands who visitedMonterey on November 23, 1913 and made a pilgrimage to Serra's tomb atSan Carlos Mission, how many will efface that sight from their minds inyears to come? But this awe-inspiring sight to which Reverend RaymondMestres and the Franciscan Fathers of San Francisco, contributed somuch, and in which the Third Order of Saint Francis so prominentlyparticipated will be yearly renewed. Ecclesiastical and civilauthorities, towns and cities, individuals, all had the "rightspirit. " The accounts of the press were glowing. Mr. Frank Powers ofCarmel-by-the-Sea was California's representative at the celebrationwhich Spain did not fail to hold in honor of her illustrious son;and Mr. Powers indeed proved a worthy representative, returning toCalifornia with renewed enthusiasm for the saintly Serra, and hislectures have been listened to with keen delight. And can any praiseseem superfluous for California's apostles in particular for the saintlySerra? At the civil exercises, held in Monterey on the occasion of thecelebration we are speaking of, Senator Reginaldo del Valle, of LosAngeles, Mr. Michael Williams and Mr. Charles Phillips of San Franciscoeach paid exquisite tributes to our hero whom the opening lines of Mr. Phillips' beautiful ode described as:

 "A young boy dreaming by the Spanish main: Knee-high in waving grain He halts at eve and dreams, Where green Majorca fronts the cycling sea, And far worlds ceaselessly Beckon with passing sail and swinging tide, And plunging galleons ride Home from adventure, or away, away To silken bright Cathay, Or where dark India her golden treasure yields; A young boy dreaming in his father's fields, Who plucks a lily from the bending wheat And stands with veiléd gaze and searching eyes Pale with some great emprise, Beyond the homing waters of his isle, Beyond Majorca's skies;-- And dreams and dreams the while!"

 "And they who love him wonderingly ask: "What lad is this of ours Who dreams away the hours, And when the windy night-tide running sings, So strangely seems Converse to hold with far compelling things? Or what these spirit-smiling ecstasies, " They reverent cry, "That halt him at his task And hold him trancéd in bright reveries? Is this our lad, indeed, Who with such Heaven-given grace-- Ay, with the light of Heaven on his face!-- Makes question of the very world about?"

One of the sweetest features of this day was that hereafter by adecree of Governor Hiram Johnson, who also did not fail to send arepresentative to Monterey in the person of Judge Griffin, Novemberthe twenty-fourth was declared a state holiday. May Serra day longbe welcomed by loyal Californians! We cannot close this chapter afterspeaking of the bright constellation of the past which appeared inCalifornia skies so many years ago, and whose traces we so cherish, without saying a few words about that worthiest of worthy movementsto restore the dear old missions of El Camino Real according to theirtraditional lines, here again Reverend Father Mestres of Montereydeserves the greatest credit in this enterprise, and the Knights ofColumbus of the California councils have proved themselves great helpersin the plan. King Alfonso, his minister, Señor Juan Riaño, the Marquisde la Vega y Inclan who will be King Alfonso's representative at thePanama-Pacific Exposition of 1915, are hearty supporters and sponsorsof this movement, and with cooperation from faithful friends and thesanction of the Bishop of the diocese of Monterey and Los Angeles, wehave no doubt that these glorious landmarks, some of which have alas toolong been allowed to go to "wreck and ruin" while others are stillmore or less neglected, after the cruel years which extinguished theirsanctuary lamps, left their altars bare and their belfries silent savefor the hooting of the night owls, will ere long be in the proper repairto hand down with pride to posterity; and to further repair these holytemples and place them under their historical and original plans themost fitting priests to whom we could entrust them (at least whereverthe necessary satisfactory arrangements are possible) are Spanishpriests, compatriots of their founders, this too would serve to continueand strengthen the old friendly relations between Spain and California, and as whatever Spanish priests would take charge of the missions, wouldbe scholarly men speaking both English and Spanish, the English speakingcongregations would be well served. About three of the old missions areunder Spanish priests now. Let us then not cease our efforts until everymission cross gleams gloriously in the radiance of the California sun, until the devotional chimes of mission bells peal forth again from everysilent belfry, until the altar light beams again before each tabernacleenclosing the Eucharistic Presence, until the empty niches contain againthe images which decked them as of yore, until each tomb of saintedmissionary is restored, until mass is again daily said within theseconsecrated walls, and finally until San Carlos of Carmelo is againa worthier Carmel, "for the greater honor and glory of God" and thepraises of His Virgin Mother once more are sung about this smilingvalley where the Christian Indian children gathered the beautiful wildflowers of the blooming meadows to adorn the hallowed shrines, erechimed the Angelus at evenings mellow glow. 

Chapter IX

 Reverend Raymond M. Mestres of Monterey Writes Historical Drama--"Fray Junipero"

Beautiful among beautiful historical dramas is the mission play "FrayJunipero" written by Reverend Raymond Mestres, pastor of San CarlosChurch (Capilla Real de San Carlos) of Monterey. Many men and women haveundertaken to write about mission times, but we may safely assert thatthis good priest so unassuming in what he does, is above all qualifiedto handle this subject, being first of all a religious, a native ofBarcelona, the Metropolis of the Province of Catalonia, which can claimJunipero Serra and so many of the early Spanish missionaries, explorersand settlers, and being too an artist and scholar in every wayacquainted with the history of the missions, having made it a specialstudy during his twenty-seven years of residence (as a priest) in fourmission towns of California, twenty-one of which have been spent in thatchief of mission towns, Monterey. 

Unbiased, careful of detail and true to history, while not wanting inartistic setting "Fray Junipero" carries the audience in Act I back tothe College of Fernando, when Junipero Serra received his commission tocome to California as Father President of the Missionaries who were tochristianize that "mysterious vineyard. " Act II is a typical picture ofCalifornia Indian Life. Act III depicts the landing of Serra and Portoláon the shores of Monterey, the taking possession of the land in the nameof King Carlos III and the celebration of Junipero Serra's first Mass inMonterey; all facts are taken from the archives preserved in San CarlosChurch, consequently historically authentic. Act IV pictures a piquantfiesta scene with Spanish dancing, the scene being laid in the CarmelValley on the occasion of the baptism of the first white child born inMonterey. This child was born of Spanish parents, Pasqual and TerésaSegura and in baptism received the name of Carlos. According to therecords this baptism occurred in May 18, 1782, the ceremony beingperformed by Fray Junipero Serra just two years before his death. With very slight changes in the names this incident is taken from thearchives of San Carlos Mission. Act V represents Fray Junipero Serrareceiving the last Sacraments, his death and the grief of the people. 

In writing "Fray Junipero" Reverend Raymond Mestres intended it tocommemorate the Bicentenary of our hero's birth, and was presented forthe first time in Monterey on August 28th, 1913 by local talent. Thiswill be an annual event at Monterey on the same date, August 28th, whichis the anniversary of Fray Junipero Serra's death. In spite of pooradvertisement the first production of this drama was a decided success. It was intended to be played three nights, but by request a fourth nightwas added. 

As this sketch goes to press, the rehearsing of the second year ofthe production of "Fray Junipero" begins with great improvement in thestaging, and a greater promise of success as it is now much more widelyknown. 

May an ancient Spanish Nativity Play for Christmastide, which ReverendRaymond Mestres intends to translate into English, and which containsglorious music, and a history of mission times, which this scholarlypastor of San Carlos Church has in store, soon delight Californians andCalifornia's yearly tide of tens of thousand visitors. 

Appendix

Letter of Junipero Serra [7]. 

"Long live Jesus, Mary and Joseph!

"R. P. Fr. Miguel de Petra. 

"My dearest nephew, brother and Sir. 

"It was not for want of love that I did not answer some of your letters. For it was not merely bodily that I left my beloved country. I couldhave been communicating with many persons by letters and friends, bothin and outside our order, but, if our minds were constantly intent uponwhat we once left, what would be the use of leaving it?

"I wrote a long letter to your reverence after your religiousprofession. Besides, your reverence heard of me through the Padre LectorVerger, who is at present our guardian. I received your letter whenI was among the Gentiles over three hundred leagues away from anyChristian settlement. There is my life and there, I hope, God helping, to die. When this hour comes, some member of our province will takecare to notify our brethren that they may pray for me, and then, yourreverence will know it. What else does your reverence desire? Yourreverence lives among saints, and, therefore I do not deem you in needof my advice and counsel, which indeed would be the only justifiablemotive for my writing. 

"Let us improve and make good use of our time, let us walk worthy ofthe vocation in which we were called, let us work out our spiritualsalvation, with fear and trembling, and that of our brethren, with themost ardent charity and zeal, and let all glory be to our great God. In connection with this, I took great pleasure in learning that yourreverence was preaching a mission at Ivisa when Padre Commissary Vergerpassed through there. The time given to this apostolic ministry with theblessing of your superiors, preaching in your words and deeds, hearingconfessions with love and patience, I believe, will be the best and mostfruitful you ever spent. 

"Though a lukewarm, bad and an unprofitable servant, I remember everyday in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, my only and most dear sisterJuana, your mother, her children, and specially my Capuchin. I hope allof you do the same for me that the Lord may secure me from all dangersamong these naked and barbarous peoples. Let this be our mutualcorrespondence, and let God do the rest. 

"And that I may give your reverence some news of my destination, Ibeg your reverence to look on the maps of America. You will see in theshores of the South Sea, most improperly called Pacific, the Peninsulaof California [Lower California]. I was there for a year in the capacityof President of the Missions already founded by the exiled JesuitFathers. Then followed north along the same coast and just a littlebefore what is called Cabo Mendosino, you will find in some maps, thetitle or name the Port of Monte Rey. 

"There your uncle lives, among those poor people. There I went with thefirst Christians in 1770. There I sang the first Mass and there I havebeen in company with Fr. Juan Crespi until the latter part of August. Then I left for this college in order to transact some very importantbusiness with the Most Excellent Lord Viceroy concerning the maintenanceand increase of those Christian settlements and the establishment ofthose already proposed and planned, or that may be planned. 

"Thanks to God, I have been kindly received and given close attention byHis Excellency and he has granted me whatever I have asked of him;so, God helping, I hope for a quick and very extensive expansion andspreading of our Holy Faith and of the domains of our Catholic King. 

"In addition to one Mission where we spread Christianity in California[Lower California] which I called San Fernando de Vellixata, there arefive already founded in that far off land; Monterey which said PadreCrespi and I administer, San Antonio de Padua, twenty-five leaguesdistant, with Padre President, Fr. Miguel Pieras and Fr. BuenaventuraSitjar; that of San Luis Obispo, twenty-five leagues farther away, where I placed two religious members of the Province of Catalonia, Padre Juncosa and Padre Cavallier, that of San Gabriel, seventyleagues farther away towards California [Lower California], for which Iappointed one father from the Province of Los Angeles and another fromthat of Andalucia; and finally that of San Diego, which is the nearestto California [Lower California] though over one hundred leaguesdistant, and I appointed as ministers Padre Fr. Francisco Dumetz andPadre Fr. Luis Jaume. They are all working with earnestness and abundantfruit in their respective fields of labor. 

"When in 1769 I left California [Lower California], I appointed PadrePaloú President of the Missions there and I have not seen him since; butnow these missions, formerly in charge of the Fathers of the Societyof Jesus, are being turned over to the Dominican Fathers. So said PadrePaloú with others, will come to us in order to found the Missions of SanBuenaventura, Santa Clara and San Francisco for which missions I havealready there the ornaments, the sacred vessels, utensils and othernecessary things. 

"The number of Christians in those places, where the name of Jesus hadnever been spoken, though there are some in all the Missions, still upto the present, is not very great; because while we have been very busybuilding our poor houses, little churches, teaching some children to beinterpreters, and providing other necessary things, our efforts couldnot equal our ardent desires. 

"Now that things are going, and His Excellency has given, upon myrequest, various things of which we stood in the greatest need, I hopein God, we shall reap abundant fruits from our humble work. And I saythat our work is so-so, such as it is, because, if I told you all we aredoing, it might seem a great thing, when in reality, upon a closer view, it would seem very insignificant. 

"In spite of the cold, which is very intense in California, the lackof victuals, the poverty of our houses, I have been enjoying very goodhealth, thanks be to God! But this trip to Mexico has been very hardon me. From the hardships of the journey, I arrived in the City ofGuadalajara burning with fever. I was so sick and in such danger thatthe last Sacraments were administered to me a few days after. 

"As soon as the continual fever became intermittent, I continued myjourney, and arrived in the city of Queretaro, again, so weak and sick, that fearing for my life, they administered to me the last Sacramentsof the Church. Yet soon after I experienced a change for the betterand finally I reached this Holy College on February 6th of this presentyear. I remained, however, for a long time exhausted, weak and withoutany ambition or appetite. 

"But now, blessed be God! I am restored and brought back to health, I amtransacting the business for which I came, and feel ready to set out onmy journey back to that vineyard of the Lord. 

"During my sickness in Queretaro, I was nursed with remarkable charityand diligence, by Padre Procurador Fr. Alexandro Llaneras, and soonafter I arrived here, in this College of San Fernando, we heard of hisdeath. He died of a serious fever. Death found him well prepared withall the Sacraments, assisted by Holy Communion, equipped with patienceand entire conformity to the will of God, thus preaching to all with hisexample. I beg your reverence to pray for him. 

"It is only once a year that we can receive letters from and send themto, this College. And if we can only once a year receive and write aletter, is it surprising that we are so slow to write to those livingin another world? However, if with the help of God, I safely arrivein California, I may drop you a letter telling at least of my arrival, should there be nothing of more importance to communicate to yourreverence. Meanwhile, I send my best regards to your mother, my dearestsister, to my niece, and to all our brethren. Remember me to my belovedDr. Onofre Verd, and to the other pupils of mine, friends and neighborsand acquaintances, specially to Fr. Rector de Selva, Dr. Jayme Font, andfinally to all, not without the request that they pray to God, that HisDivine Majesty deign, through His infinite mercy, to make me fit andworthy minister of His Divine Word, and grant me a holy and happy death. 

"From this Apostolic College de Propaganda Fide of San Fernando, Mexico, August 4, 1773. 

"May God keep your reverence for many years;

"Most affectionate uncle, brother and servant. 

"Fr. Junipero Serra. "

The Meaning of California Missions

By Right Rev. Bishop Conaty, of Los Angeles

In the mission celebrations which occur in California from time totime, there are two views which men take--the this-world-view and theother-world-view. In either view the missions stand out gloriously. Inthe first, the builders, who were the padres, are beheld as practicalmen possessing fine artistic sense and creative genius. From thememories of old Spain and the elemental materials at hand, the forests, the soil and sunlight, they made the original picture-building whichartists since have loved to paint, and poets loved to praise. From thissame viewpoint the mission builders are seen as philanthropists whoselected human materials as gross as the mud from which they madethe adobe brick, and from these built up a civilization that was morewonderful than all the mission-edifices which remain as monuments totheir altruistic efforts. 

But there is another view of the missions which must appeal especiallyto Catholics. Indeed it is natural to the farther-seeing Catholic eye. It is the other-world-view. It is the vision of souls. It is seen tohave been the motive of every action of the master-builder padres. Itis the reason for their exile here, the purpose of their sufferings, theobject of their labor, the burden of their prayer, the spirit of theirvocation, the poetry, art, architecture and music of their souls. Theone aim in life was the salvation of souls. 

--The Monitor. 

Dances of Early California Times. 

The Spanish dances of early California times were the Contradanza, Quadrillas Españolas, Varsoviana, Jota Aragonesa, Bamba, Jarabe, Son, Zamacueca, and Fandango. 

With the exception of the first three, which are round dances, thedances are danced by two persons; the steps are very fancy, and for somecastanets are used. It was customary after each change of step for thegentleman to recite a pretty little stanza complimentary to the lady, who in turn responded her refined appreciation also in verse, sometimesmerely witty or comical rhymes were used. The music is very pleasing andlively. 

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 1: Official title of the Kings of Spain. ]

[Footnote 2: Blue and white are the symbolical colors of the BlessedVirgin Mary. ]

[Footnote 3: The Very Reverend Angelo Casanova selected the writerof this sketch and her brother, then little children to unveil thismonument. ]

[Footnote 4: Alberto de Cordoba, an excellent engineer, surveyed theHarbor of San Francisco in 1813, at the request of Governor Boríca. ]

[Footnote 5: A Catholic devotion in honor of Our Saviour's Passion. ]

[Footnote 6: This beautiful hymn is found in many ancient Spanish booksof devotion. ]

[Footnote 7: This letter was written by Junipero Serra soon after hisarrival at the College of San Fernando, Mexico, on a business trip hemade there four years after his coming to California. The letter waswritten to his nephew, also a priest, in Petra, Spain. ]