The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1884-10-01
OLD CALIFORNIA MISSIONS.
Junipcro Scrra's Work

Junlnero SeTra, WHICH tue centenary celebIa
tiou at the old mission Of San Carlos de Mon
tercy commentaries, one must visit the places
in whice he labored and see the natural obsta-
clos which his genius and enthusiasm over
came His story is virtGally the story Of the
founding Of the Franciscan missions in Cali
foHia-a narrative Of hardship and priyati0n
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 il the desolato dry season.
EARLY TRIALS or THE FATHERS.
To this wild country inhabited only by scat
tered tribes Of Indians, came the Padre Juni-
pero Sierra and a small body Of his followers
from Mexico. They had been sent by the
FranCisCans 10 take possession Of the country
from which an imperial ciiCt had elected the
Jesuits. Sierra had had a hard noviciate in
Mexico, preaching and founding missions for
nearly twenty years. lie was in the prime Of
life; full OF enthusiasm for the salvation Of the
souls Of the heathen; full too, Of that simple
unguestiouing faith which has almost ceased
TO exist in any church to-day; a man Of iron
will and dogged obstinaCy, so carried away by
the ieryOr Of the missionary spirit that hunger,
thirst and bodily weakness had no power to
turn himfrom his great purpose Of evangeliz-
ing the California Indians. PalOn, one Of his
associates, who has left about the only trust
worthy materials for biography, records the
rapture Of Sierra when be was able to baptizo
an Indian child, aud thus save a soul from
perdition Upon such nature discourage
mcut and hardship simply served as a stimulus
to new eEertion. The story Of the first trip
from Mexico ads like the account Of the cx-
ploration OF a savage land, so barren was the
country, So destitute Of water, so Oyorgrown
with the giant cactus which IN many places
grew so thick that a 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, l769. No sooner this mission
establishod-and the establishment: consisted
OF nothing more than the conservation Of a bit
Of ground enclosed by q 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 prosoyters set out for
Monterey to found mission on the beautiful
bay which NisCaYno had discovered nearly
two centuries before. They made their toll
some way mp along the barren coast, receiving
many presents Of acorns from the Indians.
They passed by the object Of their search,
ioilcd over leagues Of sand and made their way
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 cOnsccralion Of the spot, and
huge cross was put up on the shore, which has
been renewed with pious care and still marks
the place June 3, 100, is the date Of the
erection Of this crOss-the sign Of the perma-
neut b0thold Of the FrlnClsCans on the coast.
RApTD Growth 0F rUF MISSIONS
The years that followed until Serra's death
in 1881, were years Of constant work in found
ing new missions, Of frequent conflicts with
the military authorities, and Of no small per
piexities in keeping under control the large
bodies Of Indian ncopbytGs at the different
missions. So much work was needed to de-
volop the new stations that no effort could be
spared for church-building, which aiterward |
became one Of the chief ambitions Of the Fa-
theirs. After starting a mission, the Indians !
were instructed in the raising Of grain, means |
Of irrigation were devised, fruif-trecs were /
planted, and temporary structures for residence |
and worship were erected. The pioneer labor /
was very heavy and in this rough work Father .
Sierra, who made President Of the missions,
took hand, not disdaining to make adobe with .
the Indians, or 10 clear away tie chapparal .
for the crops. Before his death nine missions
were founded, as follows: San Diego Mon
tcrey, San Antonio dc Padua, San Gabriel, San
Luis Obispo, San Francisco, San Juan Capis-
tranO, Santa Clara, San BOnayentuTa. With
two exceptions these missions now mark the
site Of cities and large towns, and give to tho
geography of California the sonorous Spanish
element so pleasing in comparison with the
rdde Indian names OF Oregon and Washington
Territory or the prolane titles bestowed by the
early miner and adventurer Of all these mis-
sions, that established on the banks Of the Car
mel river, four miles from Monterey was the
tavorite Of Padre Sierra. That he made his
headquarters and 10 that he returned after his
periodical visits TO the sister missions which
80 often needed his aid and counsel There
was no fine church then; only rude chapel.
The eyes Of Sierra never saw the many beau
tiful churches in which the devotion of the
F1nciscans incarnatcd He died at the Carmel
mission, August 2s, lIsi, and his funeral was
the scene Of great lamenlalion among the In-
dians who regarded him as a father.
CHARACTER or PADRE SIERRA.
Of Serra's character there have been various
but nearly all the historians have
agreed in awarding him the zeal of Loyola
without his cruelty. The world to him was a
battlefield; he walked among types Of evil and
OF good, like Bunyan's Pilgrim; even his ordi-
nary business letters are cunOusly intcrlardCd
with scraps Of exhOrtation aud appeals for di-
vine guidance. Though Of slight frame, and
suffering much from bodily weakness, be never
failed TO conduct the long service Of the church,
aud in his sermons it was his practice to beat
liis breast with a stone in order to impress his
hearers with the suiierings which awaited the
in the world 10 come lie sui-
Tered greatly also from a sore leg which he
allowed to 20 without healing, accepting il,
with the false monastic idea Of that age, as i
cross which was put upon him. The records {
Of the time show that he enjoyed The sweets Of
power, and while very tender and consideratc
Of the converts, he could be harsh and dicta-
.orial with the military, whom he regarded as
utruders upon bis territory. His dream was I
10 organize all the missions on the coast under
lue spiritual head, and 10 have no secular in
The fair new territory he held
had been earned by the Franciscans, and to
.hem it should be given to rule as the Jesuits
lad ruled IN Mexico century before. Heice
be Curbed the power Of the military whenever
I was practicable, and aroused that strong J
spirit OF antagonism 10 the missions which bore