The herald., 1896-12-29
Their Sccularization Discussed
By Bishop Montgomery
A COMMON INHERITANCE
That Shoaid Be Faithfully Preserved and
Held Sacred
The Early History Of the Old Missions
and The Pious Fund Recount
ed by the Bishop

That Bishop Montgomery lectures
are rarely appreciated by the public
was again evidenced by the number that
last night greeted the reverend gentle
man and listened with deep interest to
his lecture on the subject, The Seculariza-
tion of Old Missions.
The lecture was delivered before the
Landmarks club in the rooms OF the
Friday Morning club.
Bishop Montgomery said:
1t is but natural that should feel
heartfelt interest in the Landmarks club,
whose purpose Is to preserve the historic
monuments of California, since the very
first work that has engaged the atten-
ton of the club has been the crumbling
walls Of our old missions. And it is my
only regret that am unable to do more
for the work than has been in my
power. Therefore it is with much pleas
ure that I accepted the offer of your
worthy president to at least contribute
the mite of speaking upon some subject
kindred to the purpose of the assocla-
tion.
AS the society is of an historic char
acter, 1 have thought that it might be
pertinent to treat of a subject touch
ing the history of the missions them
selves, and taking up feature not with
in the reach of all, because the data are
difficult to obtain, namely, what is
known as to the secularization Of the
missions, which really means, in the
light of the facts in the case, their abol-
ition.
And 1 believe that I can better do
Justice to the case in the limited time of
an evenings lecture, by giving the his
tory of what is known as The Pious
Fund. And first / wish to say that
though what i shall advance in the lee
ture is absolutely true, the evidence
OF it for the general reader. is almost
impossible to obtain, as it is scattered in
state papers and documents difficult for
the many to have access to and secondly,
in this matter no merit whatever is due
to myself except in copying almost ver-
batim from a valuable work, of which
there are few copies, written by Mr..
John T. Doyle of Menlo Park, the prin-
cipal attorney in the celebrated case
From the discovery of California in
1884 by the expedition fitted out by Cor
tez, the colonization of the country and
the conversion of its inhabitants to the
Christian faith was a cherished purpose
of the Spanish monarchs. During the
century and half succeeding the discov-
cry, many expeditions for this purpose
were set on foot at the expense of the
Grown, but they were, without exception,
failures. Down to 1897 the Spanish gov
ernment had failed to gain any foot hold
in the CALIFORNIA;. .
AS early as 1G43 the government asked
the Jesuit fathers to accompany those
expeditions aud take charge of the spr-
itual interests of the enterprise. That
expedition was under Admiral Pedro
Portal de Cassante. But, like it's pre-
deceSsors, it failed of any salutary re-
suits. The last of such expeditions un-
der the crown was fitted out in pursu-
ance of a decree of December 20, 1919.
1t was under command of Admiral Is
ddro Otondo, and the spiritual admin
istration was again entrusted to- the
Jesuits, under the leadership of the cell
ebrated Father Kino. Though fitted
out in 1679, it sailed only March, 1853.
After three years of much labor and eX-
Nnse, it too proved a failure.
twas finally resolved by "junta gen.
erap' in the City of Mexico under the
viceroy that 1.-The reduction of the Cal
ifornians heretofore employed was SIM
ply impossible" And it was further
declared that the only way to succeed
was to give the matter into the entire
charge of the Jesuits. This proposition
was actually made by the crown. but
the Jesuits, likely regarding the failure
due to the kind of civil and military
officers chosen for the work, declined to
assume the responsibility unless they
should have the selection of the officers
to accompany them. though holding
themselves at all times ready for the
work.
The Jesuit order finally made formal
offer to undertake it If they should be
permitted to select the men that should
command and accompany the eXpedi-
ton, and that, too, without any eX-
pense whatever to the government
This plan was finally agreed upon Feb
ruary 5, 1897 and the necessary au-
thority was conferred upon Father Juan
Maria SAvatierra Nnd Father Francis
co Eusebio Kino. On the express con-
ditions, however. first that the country
should be Saken possession of in the
name of the Spanish crown; and, sec
ondly, that the royal treasury should
not be called upon for any of the ex-
penses, except by express order of
the king.
In anticipation OF this ARRANGEMENT
the two fathers had already solicited
and received from various religious or
ders and from individuals, voluntary
contributions for missionary work in
California. The funds thus gathered
were held by them in trust for that
purpose. Besides the sums thus given
ior the immediate expenses. it was de-
termlned to establish fund or capital,
tne income of which was to form per-
. manent, endowment for the missionary
work. In a few years this fund grew to
a considerable amount for those days,
and was invested in the form of a trust
fund with the Jesuits as its administra-
tor.
In time and by common acceptance
At acquired the name OF the "Pious
Fund of the CALIFORNIA;" by which it
was ever after known. This pious fund
continued to be administered by the
,Jesuits, and its income sacredly applied
to the purposes Of it's donors, down to
the year 1858, when the Jesuits were ex
PEELED from Mexico.
After the expulsion of the Jesuits the
viceroy placed THE missions in the
hands of the Franciscan Friars. But
IN ITO 1t was ordered that one-half of
the missions Of the CALIFORNIA; should
be given over to the care of the Dominf-
cans The two orders, the Franciscan
F'rfars and the Dominicans, agreed in
1772, among themselves that the Do
mtnfcans should have charge of the mis-
siOns in Lower California and the Fran
ciscans those of Upper California, and
hence these old missions are commonly
known as the Franciscan missions.
Thenceforth the proceeds of the pious
fund were shared by the two orders,
Domhnicans and .Franciscans, for the
purposes named in the trust.
The missions Of Upper California as