The herald., 1898-12-06
SOME OLD BOOKS
Interesting Papers Read at Historical
Society

The regular monthly meeting of the His
torical society was held last evening, with
Rev. Father Adam, at the residence of Rt.
Rev. Bishop Montgomery, 1l8 East Second
street, with large attendance. President
j. D. Moody called the meeting to order.
The first paper of the evening was read by
Rev. Father Adam, on his recent trip to
Europe, especially Switzerland, which was
listened to with interest. OF all the Eu.
ropean cities the speaker visited Berlin i'm.
pressed him the most favorably, with its
wide streets, fine buildings and excellent
music. The mountain scenery of Switzer-
land was fine, but there are sections of
it. Prof. Policy, who has just returned from
a visit to that country, fully conquered in
Father Adams opinion concerning the seem
cry, except that the California mountains
lack the snow that adds so much to the
beauty of the Alps. The Swiss people are
progressive, intelligent, cultured, and a pic
turesque people in their festivals and merry
makings. 1t is country that must be seen
to be understood, and once seen inspired the
traveller with perpetual enthusiasm.
Prof. A. E. Yerex followed with excerpts
from Winsor's recently published history OF
America, quoting authorities on the much
disputed march of Coronado and his discov.
cry of Quivera and the seven cities of Cibolo.
The most interesting feature of the even.
ng's entertainment and instruction was a
pile of eight or ten very old books, taken
from Bishop Montgomery's library. They
were old music books, containing the church
masses and records from the missiohs of
San Antonio de Padua and San Gabriel
They were written on heavy, tough, parch-
ment paper, bound in sheepslzin. The writ
ing is as beautiful and regular as copperplate
engravings, and though century and quar-
ter has elapsed since some of them were
written, the ink apparently has not faded
a particle. The notes of the music books are
in the old-time square and diamond shapes,
written in red and black ink.
Father Adam read an instructive and en-
tertaining description of some of the con.
tents of these ancient volumes. One of them,
he said, bears the date ITO, one year after
the first explorers set foot in Upper Cali
fornia. Father Adam suggested that some
of the best musicians of the city interpret
the music and give a concert for the benefit
OF the Historical society. Another is writ
ten in Italian, supposed to have been brought
Will suc iuAsslou ldtHerS. "A mass f0r tour
voices is signed by Father Ignacio Jerusalem.
Every mission had its choir and orchestra
of string and wind instruments. Sometimes
it was necessary to lock the musicians UP to
keep them sober for the services, and, aware
of their infrmity, they would sometimes
come to the priest and ask to be locked up.
Another of the books contains the famous
"Misa Catalina" OF "Catalonian Mass" and
still another contains record of the Sole.
dad mission up to the year 1884.
The most curious and valuable of the col
lection is record from San Gabriel, writ.
ten and signed by Father Francisco Palou,
the bosom friend and companion of Padre
Junipero Sierra. 1t was signed October 4,
l773, and contains record of the number
Of masses said for the repose of the souls of
fortytwo priests killed by the Indians up
to 1903, including the father murdered at
San Diego. 1t records the death of Father
Fermin Lassen, in 1903, and Father Miguel
Sanchez, the beloved priest of San Gabriel,
in the same year.
The removal of the mission site from the
old ground to the present, which was better
adapted to the purpose, and the beginning
of the present church in l776 is recorded.
all that now exists of the former extensive
buildings.