The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-25

The name OF JunIperO Sierra IS the most
famous in the fascinating history of those
remarkable men who first brought the
doctrine of the Master whose natal day
we are now celebrating to the wilds of
Alta California.
He gave up the presidency of the mis-
slons of Lower California in order to take
that of the missions about to be estab
lShed in Alta California.
This venerable franciscan pioneer was
man in every respect worthy of the work
he undertook. He showed a wonderful
faculty for attaching to himself the affec-
tons of the natives and seemed by his
presence to charm them into new mode
OF life. 1t is said that even before cult
waited audiences he would hammer his
breast with a stone and hold his flesh in
the fame OF a candle to show that pain
had no terror in view of the love OF Christ
that filed him.
In travelling, which he usually did on
foot, though lame from chronic ulcer on
his leg, he wore sandals and no stockings.
The visidor-generais proposal for an ex-
petition to the north of his desolate field
in Lower California chimed exactly with
his desires, and Galvez himself did not
more urgently strive than he to make the
undertaking a success.
When he came up to Governor Portala' s
rendezvous, on the Lower California from
tier, to start for San Diego, he was SO lame
from his long ride, which had exaggerated
the Inflammation of the ulcer on his leg,
he could scarcely mount and dismount
from his mule. Portala gave orders for a
10 ha do hnf
the tender-hearted father would not hear
of burdening the indians to carry him.
After prayer that this cup might be
spared him, he called one of the muleteers
and asked him what to do for his sore
foot, but the muleteer modestly demu rred
that he was no surgeon and was only
equal to curing the sore backs of beasts.
'Then consider me a BEAST said the
father, land my limb as his back"
The muleteer, under shelter of this fancy,
ventured upon the cure and applied to
the ailing limb salve of mashed herbs
and tallow.
The next morning he was in excellent
condition and, mounting his mule, rode off
apparently as well as the rest.
So ardently was he infamed with the
desire of gaining people to Christ, that
after his settlement in San Diego, the first
mission established in Alta California,
every day seemed an age to him till he
made his first conquest among the natives.
Of those who frequented the mission was
a youth of tender years and good DISPOSE
ton. Him the father made use of to OBJ
tain his first subject for baptism. Having
informed him OF the Importance of the
sacrament and the advantage resulting
iherefrom, he urged him to go among his
own people and obtain the consent of some
of the parents for the baptism of their in
fants. The boy, either with the view OF
pleasing the father or from a holier mo-
tive, perhaps mischievous one, pro-
ceeded to the execution of his commission,
and before long reappeared accompanied
bv number of his kinsmen and child
whose parents gave the missionary to I'M
derstand it was their wish it should be
baptized. Father Serra's qualification at
this prosperous issue was unbounded.
Now he was to reap the first fruit of his
labors; now the first conquest was to be
made among the children of error. Full
of this holy and pious idea he ordered the
baby to be clad and invited the soldiers
and civilians to be present.
The preliminary rites were gone through
to the Joy and edifcation of all; already
the moment had arrived when the little
one was to be enrolled among the faithful.
Just as the father was about to pour water
on it's head. the Indians, prompted, no
doubt by the suggestion OF the evil one,
grabbed eagerly at the child, tore it from
the godfather and rushed precipitately
away.
So great was the sorrow which the vener-
able missionary felt at this unexpected re-
suit that for several days grief was visible
in his couItenance. Even in subsequent
years, when relating the circumstances,
the tears would come to his eyes, but how
ever sorely he may have felt the disap
pointment, the loss was afterward amply
rewarded. for by his subsequent labors be