The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-16
SOLEMN MASS FOR
THE SOLDIER DEAD
impressive Services at
Manila.
DEPARTED HEROES H0N0RED
FIRST CALIFORNIA MOURNS ITS
LOSS.
In the Historic Church of San Miguel
Regimental Chaplain McKinnon
breaches a Touching
Sermon.
BY SOL N. SHERIDAN.
Special Correspondence of The Call.

MANILA, Sept. 6.-Solemn mass was
said in the Church of San Miguel, near
the palace of Malakanan, this morning,
for the repose Of the souls OF the mem
hers of the First California Regiment
who laid down their lives for their
country in this far-off land. Father
Doherty, General Merritts chaplain
was the celebrant and most touchlng
sermon was preached by Father NC
Kinnon, chaplain of the regiment. 1t
was a most impressive scene, the quaint
old interior reminiscent in all its parts
of the appeal of the Spanish mission
aries to the senses Of the savages, the
earnest faces of the American boys in
their brown fatigue suits, the
solemn chanting of the priest,
the strong, clear boys alto of the ma
tive lads of whom Father Mchlnnon
has constituted his choir. 1t was a
scene that those who looked upon will
never forget and there was consolation
in it for those who had felt the sorrow
which must come to the soldier who
sees his comrade stricken down in bat
tie at his side. Certainly, never regi-
ment had a better chaplain than Rev.
Father McKinnon. Faithful to every
spiritual trust, he has periled his life to
go to the front when the lives of his
boys were in peril. He has been the
stay of the strong and the material
staff of. the weak. He has prayed for
the dead, watched by the sick and con-
soled the living. He is man without
fear and without reproach. AS his pray
erS have been freely given, so Will the
weaker petitions of every man who has
felt his ministratiOns ascend to the
throne of grace on his behalf. 1t is
testimony which, though humble, will
be heard at the last day.
And while the Americans keep watch
beside their dead there is growing a
new danger those in authority feel most
keenly. Aguinaldo is not yet ready to
take the fortunes of war, although they
turn against him. He is strengthening
himself in the interior wherever that is
possible, and he has men of his own
in quarters in the suburb of Malate
1t is true that some of his leaders are
not true to him. Your real Tagallo is
true to nobody. He is, in extreme cases,
not even true to himself. Pho Pillar, for
example, would like to set up an army
and a revolution of his own. So would
Pa All, the Chinese leader, out at Ma
lalon. The annexation party, too
among the natives is growing in
aldo is by far the ablest man of the
lot, and it is just possible will be able
to hold the diverse elements together
until he has made his case before the
Paris commission. He wants, or saws
he wants, a Filipino republic with an
American protectorate. That is a dream
the variety of which can be realized
only by those who have seen and stud
led the Tagallo.
The American system is a good sys-
tenn, by your leave, for Americans. You
cannot graft new systems upon the old
Asfattc trunk. It is too old, and the
sap runs too much evil. The graft Is
poisoned and the tree lives on to poison
with its rank growth all the generations
that may ever be born upon this rich
though fetid soil. Eli this we know
who have been here. There is not an
American In the whole army Of occupa-
ton who will not tell you, if this land
is to be regenerated, the regeneration
must come from the rivers Of blood to
follow the determination of every ma
tive in the islands. 1t Is hard-bl1t re-
generation is hard America is strong
for the task, but there must be no
shrinking in the performance nor from
the consequences.
One more Californian has been hon
ored by an order from Headquarters
Major William D. Mccarthy. who or
canned the brigade hospital when the
nrst expedition landed, has been ap-
pointed Superintendent of Spanish Hos
pitfalls in Manila, a position Of trust
such as has been conferred on few nhv-
stcians His Jurisdiction Is wide and
the task will be arduous, but those who
know DR.. Mccarthy will feel that he is
competent for the task. He has Sc
lected for his clerk Corporal Fred
Healy Of Company I. 'u