The Hawaiian gazette., 1884-10-01
OLD CALIFORNIA MISSIONS.

OLD CALIFORNIA MISSIONS.
Junipcro Serra's Work
To appreciate fully the lifo-work Of Padre
Junipero Sierra, which the centenary celebra-
ton at the old mission of San Carlos de Mon
terey commentaries, one must visit the places
in whice he abored and see the natural obsta-
Cles which his genius and enthusiasm over
came. His story is virtually the story Of the |
founding Of the Franciscan missions in Cali
fornia-a narrative of hardship and privation |
suffered for the cause of religion, unsurpassed |
in the history of the Catholic Church. No one |
can write other than colorlCss narrative OF
his career who has failed to see this California
coast country Ill the desolate dry season.
EARLY TRIALS OF THE FATHERS. !
To this wild country inhabited only by scat
tered tribes of Indians, came the Padre Juni-
pero Sierra and small body Of his followers
from Mexico. They had been sent by the
Franciscans 10 take possession of the country
from which an imperial odict had elected the
Jesuits. Sierra had had a hard noviciate in
Mexico. preaching and founding missions for
nearly twenty years He was in the prime of
lfe full OF enthusiasm for the salvation of the
souls of the heathen full too, of that simple
unquestioning faith which has almost ceased
to exist in any church to-day; man Of iron
will and logged obstinacy, SO carried away by
the fervor of the missionary spirit that hunger,
thirst and bodily weakness had no power to
turn himfrom his great purpose Of evangellz-
ing the California Indians. Palon, one of his
associates, who has left about the only trust
worthy materials for a biography, records the
rapture Of Sierra when he was able to baptlze
an Indian child, aud thus save soul from
perdition. Upon such nature discourage
ment and hardship simply served as a stimulus
to new exertion. The story Of the first trip
from Mexico reads like the account of the ex-
ploratiun OF a savage land, so barren was the
country, SO destitute of water, SO OvergrOwn
with the giant cactus which in many places
grew so thick that roadway had to be hewed
through it. After nearly two months of hard
ships, the band reached San Diego and founded
there the first of the Franciscan missions, on
July l6, 1863 No sooner was this mission
establishod-and the establishment: consisted
of nothing more than the conservation Of a bit
of ground enclosed by rude brush fence,
where mass could be said, and the erection Of
the CrOss-no sooner was this done than a
party Of these eager proselyters set out for
Monterey to found mission on the beautiful
bay which VisCayno had discovered nearly
two centuries before. They made their toll
some way up along the barren coast, receiving
many presents of acorns from the Indians.
They passed by the object of their search,
loilcd over leagues of sand and made their way
through miles of chapparal, until at last they
reached the bay of San Francisco. 1t was only
on a second expedition that Monterey was
found. Then the land and sea expeditions
united in the conservation of the spot, and q
huge cross was put up on the shore, which has
been renewed with pious care and still marks
the place June 3, 1910, is the date Of the
erection Of this cross-the sign of the perma-
nent f6othold OF the Franciscans OH the coast
RAPID GROWTH OF THE MISSIONS.
The years that followed until Serra's dealt
in 1854, were years of constant work in found.
ing new missions, of frequent conflicts will
the military authorities, and of no small per
plexities in keeping under control the larg'
bodies of Indian neophytes at the ditteren
missions. So much work was needed to de.
velop tue new stations that no effort could b.
spared for church. building, which aiterwarC
became one of the chief ambitions of the Fa
theirs. After starting mission, the Indian:
were instructed in the raising Of grain, mean
Of irrigation were devised, fruit-trees wer
planted, and temporary structures for residenc,
and worship were erected. The pioneer labO
was very heavy and in this rough work Fathe
Sierra, who was made President Of the missions
took hand, not disdaining to make adobe wit
the Indians, or to clear away the chappara
for the crops. Before his death nine mission
were founded, as follows: San Diego Mon
terey, San Antonio de Padua, San Gabriel, Sa
Luis Obispo, San Francisco, San Juan Capis
trano, Santa Clara, San Bonayentura. Wit
two exceptions these missions now mark til
site Of cities and large towns, and give to tn
geography of California the sonorOus SPANS
element so pleasing in comparison with tn
rude Indian names OF Oregon and Washingto
Territory or the profane titles bestowed by tn
early miner and adventurer. Of all these mis-
sions, that established on the banks of the Car
mel river, four miles from Monterey was til
favorite of Padre Sierra. That he made hi
headquarters and TO that he returned after IN
periodical visits to the sister missions whic
SO often needed his aid and counsel. Thel
was no fine church then; only rude chape
The eyes of Sierra never saw the many beau
tifuI churches in which the devotion of th
Frauciscans incarnated He died at the Carm
mission, August IS, 1881, and his funeral WI
the scene Of great lamentation among the Ii
dams who regarded him as father.
CHARACTER oP PADRE SIERRA.
OF Serra's character there have been varioJ
estimates, but nearly all the historians hay
agreed in awarding him the zeal of a Logo
without his cruelty. The world TO him was
battlefield; he walked among types of evil Al
Of good, like Bunyan's Pilgrim; even his ord
nary business letters are curiously interlardC
with scraps of exhortation and appeals for d
vine guidance. Though of slight frame, al
suffering much from bodily weakness, lie new
failed to conduct the long service of the churc
and in his sermons it was his practice to be
his breast with 4 stone in order to impress i
hearers with the sufferings which awaited &
unrepentant in the world TO come. lie su
fered greatly also from sore leg which
allowed to 20 without healing, accepting
with the false monastic idea Of that age, as
cross which was put upon him. The recon-
of the time show that he enjoyed the sweets
power, and while very tender and eonsidera
Of the converts, he could be harsh and dict
torial with the military, whom he regarded
intruders upon his territory. His dream W
10 organize all the missions on the coast und
Que spiritual head, and 10 have no secular j
reference. The fair new territory he lie
had been earned by the Franciscans, and
them il should be given to rule as the Jesui
had ruled in Mexico a century before. Hen
he curbed the power Of the military wheney
it was practicable, and aroused that stro
spirit OF aniagonism 10 the missions which be
fruit in later years in their rapid decline a
final ruin. He was a severe disciplinaria
anu eApeOteu oi pIiesls, heupny leh anu Anui
converts the same passionate devotion 10
ligion which he showed in his every day Ii
There are many stories of his severity in c
forcing discipline, and in compelling the &C
verts to labor, but those who have had a
experience with the California Indians will I
Judge him harshly. Naturally averse, Ii
any savage people to continued effort, Sci
and his associates thought them the arts
building and agriculture. The Indians W,
assured Of good living, even in the long
season, their improvidence was kept in che'
they were not allowed to gamble away
earnings of month in a single night, they i
a home from which they could not be ejecl
at the fancy of the white intruder; the r
ceremonial Of the Roman Catholic service
pealcd to their Imagination, and they W
very fond of the festas and other diyersit