Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1888-05-03
SKETCHES o. TRAVEL OVER
THE SUNSET RGuTE.

When her feet and array we're
The most formidable on the
and she. the leading pow
er among nations ia all The arts
aud sciences, ia all that tended
20 benefit aud enligbtea man
But while they are monuments
of her ancient glory. while they
exhibit The mnnihcenee and
grandeur that sSe could pro-
fuseIy scatter throughout o vast
wilderness, they bear upon their
dungeons. upon the defensive
character Of their construction.
aud upon their multiplicity, the
undeniable evidence Of her des-
po;ism. From the days OF the
conquest by Ccrtez, dOEn tOthe
overthrow Of the authority OF
spain in 1921, about three hun
bred years. Mexico was eXces-
sively governed hy the c0mbIu-
ed power of military, civil and
spiritual officers
The Pope, DESTROYS Of spread
ing the dominion Of his church.
granted 20 the mOnastie orders
the privilege of organizing in
dependent. VI self-suppOrting
missions.
The King Of Spain, regarding
the church as his auxIiliaTy, 81
lowed the full extension oi the
privileges given ty the Pope
Hence, side by side, Tia mission
arg aud soldier advanced. tar
Their and farther INTO the inter-
OF OF the new country, establish.
ing. every three or four miles a
preside and q mission. thus
forming "a strong Gordon for the
protection Of the invader. aud
for the thraldOm Of the natives.
his was = well developed plan
for suppresSiug the Indians and
for utilizing them 40 serve the
selfish ends of dominant PEG,
pie.
The noise and smoke Of battle
were scarcely cleared away be.
fore the TeIIgionist. 10y forcing
the subdued ~neophyte TO LABOR,
began the process 0f{erecting
substantial houses of stone or
adobe. Many II them were
magnificent ia form aad Orna
m~entatiOn, requiring artistic
taste and skill to plan and exc
cute the work. as well as gigan-
tic labor. to- obtain. transport,
and place the enormous stones
that were used. \ grant of land
was given Icy the king to each
mission, and with 1t. was under.
stood q grant of absolute au-
thOrity over the men and women
occupying the land TIie inhabi
tauts were forced 20 contribute
To the support of the mission.
and To render military service
when necessary.
These relations Of lord aud
vasSal smack strongly of tie
ieudai system OF Eas0ya during
the Middle Aces though estab-
lIshed IN the name OF the church.
and the Holy Virgin aud
maintained by exciting the fear.
Iud by strengthen ns the super
stIs.On OF an ignorant and credu-
ious race No dOabt there were
many self denying and exenpla-
~ irIarS. VINO, Ike Las Casas.
aimed to au.eiioEate the conti-
ton of the natives Yet MANY
heinous crimes were committed
by some OF the padres, TO en-
force their authority.
These evils were not the re
suit Of christianity, though ct
feeted in the name Ofthe church
of Christ.
Interruptions men avail them.
selves of any creed, .riueipIe.
or dogma. that they can use as
a stepping stone to Wealth or
power.
Nhen man, having dominion
over his fellow beings. is not
restrained by civil OF eceIesias-
teal VoIity, by physical or moral
he fails to recognize the
limit Of his authority as a hu
name ruler, and ignores the
rights OF bis subjects.
Petty monarch monks prac
iIced their priest craft. and play
at kim craft Ia tue West
more than two hundred and fftvI
years
At length. the King Of Spain
and the Pope united their efforts
TO deprive the monks OF their
power and possessions. The.
Iriars by means of their wide
spread Influence among The pee
PIE eudeay0rsd - maintain,
heir supremacy. \ Var OF bit
.eT words and shameful recriml.
iatIohs vas waged between the
NO parties; The monks and their
IdheFents on one side. the secu-
ar clergy and the kings officials
IN the other. The mOnastic or.
iers we're forced TO reliuguish
heiF Claims. aud the clergy took
possession of the established
MISSIONS.
SAN ANTONIO.
Since eur arrival in San An
OHIO, the tourists feel grateful
o the Fathers of the Exenr-
Ion, for the privilege OF stop