The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1900-02-23

pot. Suf1clent TO say that these were
massive stone buildings that had been
put up at great cost and taxed to the
people. One building, that had been
erected evidently just a few months be.
fore American occupancy. was three
stories. built Of cut marble, finished in
native woods and handsomely frescoed,
and 1t was said to have cost about two
and a half million dollars in its erec.
ton. This would give you nm idea of
the class Of buildings that the govern.
ment had for their own personal use.
The cathedral was another massive
structure. The windows were Of
stained glass; the walls had tho finest
paintings, each Of the twelve stations
of the cross being reputed to be worth
at least $40, 900 alone. The organ in
the loft was possibly one Of the largest
i'll the world. ! was surprised at the
size Of the organ loft and the method Of
watching music. Directly behind the
back OF the orRaDist were grouped seats
around four sides Of the square. In the
center of this square was a large desk
that would hold four books perpendic-
ularly. These books were at least Ave
feet long and three feet broad, upon
the leaves Of which were notes ut least
an inch in diameter. These pages were
illuminated and you could find the bars
of the clefs SO arranged that the bass
or soprano, tenor o. alto singers, from
their respective positions, could look
over the heads or the shoulders of those
in front Of them, and even though they
were ten feet from the music. would be
before them. I attempted to lift one Of
the books, aud it must have weighed
at least fifty pounds. had some
doubt as tn the correctness of my il.
fuence. but one Sunday morning. at
tending early mass at 7 o'clock, / was
convinced that it was correct. for the
music that came from that loft upon
the waiting hundreds that were below
seemed almost like angelic harmony.
The chancel and the altar, in the early
morning sunlight, looked as though
made Of the finest silver. A closer in.
spection. however, revealed the fact
that no silver, but the various tinted
mother. of. pearl had been closely placed
together, so shat it made this front part
Of the church an exquisite blending
under the rays Of the many candles that
were burning upon its altar. The
chalice and the various pieces of fur
that enter into the service. to-
getler with the candlesticks, were of
gold and silver, and were almost price.
less. The robes worn by the arch
and by his acolytes, together
with the attendant priests, were made
Of the finest silks that might be OBJ.
tanned from Japan and China.
"The colleges, contrary to a precon.
opinion, are such as would equal
any of the colleges that might bo
found in the United States, so far as
heir circumstances is concerned. We
Jaw three--the College Of Divinity,
The College Of Medicine and the college
Tor the preparation Of young men and
Young women for teachers aud for the
positions where a high grade of
Intelligence would call them, All the
mathematics. all the higher
branches that can be found in my Of
,ur universities, are taught by mem.
oaIs of the various orders who are ut
The schools. likewise, in old
Manila. were Of a par with the other
buildings of which we have spoken. and
we're divided and subdivided into rooms,
md all grades Of scholars, from the
to the college courses, were
in these old Manila schools.
But as. ia natural where the priests and
sisters of charity were teachers, the
BOOKS were largely devoted to the teach.
.ngs of the church and II you were to
Ind q primary book that would have
he A b 9 on the first page, the second
1age w0uld show tho picture of IA padre
With q class OF boys about him, teach.
ng them some one Of tho tenets of their
nigh religion, and 1t mattered not how
nigh the scholar might 90. the teach
ngs of the church were carried to the
inme point, There were also many
,unyonts aud mOnasteries in the old
Manila, for you must remember now
hat Manila proper is the one partion-
ar city that holds its originality so fur
Is Spanish methods and Spanish plans
re concerned, You may get some
iltle idea us to how the churches were
Imported when ! toll you something
'llout their method OF taxation, The
PRINCIPLE TAX was that Of the sanot0r
I'm, or ohuluh tax, when 1874 cents
vere paid on each oedula persona, Lot
no say IN passing that this oeduln per-
QUA was u small piece of paper that ,
would have ON In face tho name Nf the
his residence, his occupation,
where he desired to travel aud for what
'urpose, aud was issued for u year,
With this paper no was permitted 10
Iayel only through sueh provinces or
nGh pnrts of u province ~ appeared
pom it, face, The priee charged Tor
dependod usually upon the looality
phere they were issued, but the church
Lac AuuLlnl In nat LIZ 4. annlA far nuaL