Arizona weekly enterprise., 1890-11-08
Gpavayi Ruins
Nooales Recnrd.


 HoS many readers of the Record have been to the ruins of the old Guevavi Mis- sior? How many know that it is only about eight miles from Nogales? We venture that not dozen outside of the few pioneers who know every foot of ground along the water courses, ever dreamed that this interesting spot is within easy driving distance of Nogales.
 The writer had been in its immediate vicinity times innumerable, yet had al ways thought Guevavi thirty or forty miles further north until recently en- frightened as to its exact location.
 But such is the ease. Probably half mile from MT. R. E. Keys home. on slight elevation on the bank of the Santa Cruz, the ancient relic stands, all that is left to point moral or adorn a tale' of the earliest efforts of those heroic martyrs who planted for the ApaGhes to destroy, and who labored in day the difficulties of which we but faintly realize. Yet after all, mayhap they builded better than | they knew. Two centuries. How many of our buildings will endure so long? How many of our race will leave an impress on people and country equal to that left on Arizona and its Indian inhabitants by those old Jesuits ii those trying times that truly tried mems souls, the souls that strove for souls, and gave all things temporal for the chance of saving them. However we criticise the methods and search out their mistakes. none will deny the generous praise that generous hearts must ever lavish on such works. Mexico
 might hold out temporal rich reward to the eonquerer, but Arizona possessed no such lure.
 far better place is than upon the broken walls of one of these old churches, and
 in point interest Guevavi impresses one most because of its greatest antiquity
 Tumacacoi next, because of its greater
 wealth and more recent destruction, San
 Xavier, no doubt for its preservation ano
 veneration by its native worshipers, its
 Papagoes (meaning baptized Indians, and legends, Whatever may be said O.
 the old fathers, none can gainsay thell eye to fair prospect, and an advantage ous situation in the selection of mission
 sites. Guevavi stands on an eminence- or rather it's uins lie there, with no faire prospect desirable than that may be seer ! from it's crumbling wall Remains of an cient ditches, rude mining and grain . grinding works, the crumbling relic 0 the inevitable tower at the church's back some old graves and unmarked grave stoues-that is all that nature howeve ] propitious, rqrifed atmosphere howeve . kindly, has been able to preserve fror 2 Times greedy ravages. It seems tG D | that nature and time are ever at ceaseles 2 warfare.
 D Let none go to Guevavi expecting t
 see church, or even the recognized Out o line, ln the shapeiess mass that once wa | such. Only two churches are said to | It left in anything like preservation, tl Q Tumacacori and the San Xavie Guevayi is less than nothing; and yet, in e bued with the love of the ancient or e of these almost Indian Summer days, or feels more than repaid for visit to Q
 that is left suggesting what has been; ar 'e so it will be, so it will be, long as or a. corner of wall, or even one adobe is le SC there mutely to remind of what once va