The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-12-14
Our Duty to the Old Missions.
Mrs NJ Eoean Federated Clubs Texas
Mrs. N. Eooscan Of II,


In presenting the claims OF the missions |
Of Texas for your consideration. and In urg-
ing that You give to them your venerauon,
your tender love, your active Interest, TO
prevent them from falling into hopeless de
cav and rain. feel that am not dealing
with A subject strange or unfamiliar to
you. For two years. at least. the year BOOK
OF the federation has contained reference
10 the work desired to be effected on TINS
line. Each history committee has acted IN
harmony with the preceding one, In sug-
sestlnR nm earnest study OF the history CT
our own state. The committee OF 1901 and
1907, Mrs, j. NJ. Bass chairman, uses the
following emphatic terms In Recommend
ing: II, That each club should adopt one
day IN each year as Texas History Day.
q That the holidays contemplating
eyente Of importance In our state history
be observed 3. That the state ownership
OF the missions and other hallowed GROUNDS
be perslstently urged, with a view to cary
Accomplishment" ,.,,
accepted and acted npon bY each ciup SEP
arsteiy and individually. there Is no doubt
about the time being ripe for united az
tion. II is impossible to study the history
OF our State, especially the storm ana
stress period OF its rude beginning without
becoming enthusiastic In admiration of tue
heroic courage, the sublime constahcy
which wrought our Independence. IT you
are familiar with the history OF those m9nI
mental piles OF Spanish architecture, when
dot the valley OF the san Antonio river
exciting the interest Of every lntelligei
traveller who enters the borders OF Texas,
becoming at once the goal toward WRlrh
his willing feet nre led. then there Is H.
tie need for argument or discourse 10 mako
you feel most earnestly that the miSslona
AZ Texas are Indeed % sacred herllaSc V'
Texans Once this feeling becomes doml.
mint the cultivated patriotic women ~
Texas win be cHpublc Of carving ANY wen
formulated plnr for their preservation 70
speedy accomplishment. But 90 we nee VI
combined action for their preservation
This question has been answered WITHIN
the past year in manner which ! VIII
make plain TO yo4,
Children have to learn hard lessons be-
fore being htted for manhood mud woman
hood, so communities are often subjected 20
severe losses before they realize the fun.
mesa of the wealth which had been theirs.
SO it is often with relics Of history. Even
the great city OF Boston had TO learn htr
lesson before she aroused herself to iull
conception Of the grandeur ut her historic
relations to the past But once HI"uheu,
she has ever since been ON the alert anu
Rrgsping ana shrcWd indeed must be the
individual or corporation that could now
succeed in wrestling from her even lN' most
insignificant or her historic possesa'oae
Pardon me the DEPRESSION whlie l leNle
an important historic fact;
In 1864 the old Hancock house in BIOS
ton. the home Of tho stnunch old patH"l
and gentlcmnu, John Hunrock nc'oIulN-
70 English dicti0u, That terrible lies
perado,' was torn down amid few very
feeble protests The war between ih'
States was absorbing public Interest li'
tory was being malc so rapidly, maj ine
people forgot for the time thht any hRu
ever Dccn male before. ln fa't, the p'"PN
Of the United states hud not vet e"ulg
81 a ~
gence OF thclr heritage from the rcV"lnNon
airy fathers. While fc| may nave Ha"'
what a shame no money was ralSrA w.
snye the hone OF the aren't EthtrsiuA VI
and the noble building. the scene Of many
d gathering of patriots was lcvoled % Iu'
ground. aud It's space hllcd.
Az time went on, the centennial of tint
declaration OF American indenrudence dlrW
rear and with Il the awakening of a Ieel
Ing OF reverence FOR the historic places :"
the revolution. In this very ye9r, OF lS''
another NJ Rostuns historic buildings wy
threatened with destruction. The OIL
South Church stood In the way OF IN
wheels of progress and must porforee CIV
Not sol" said the people OF Bostor
we will not suffer H. We nave had o'
lesson I'm the toss " the Hancock nous
which we would now give millions 10 81
where II once stood the old south enuFr
must stand lust Wncrr II DID when o'
fathers locked there 10 listen 10 inc %
splred speeches OF OTIS and Warren, an
other sons OF Liberty.
The work Of raising money 10 save
was begun; variurs means were ro'orte
to: It stood u the heart of the city, IN
ground was so valuable That am eHofmul
sum was required de not know ho
much Il cost he cltiEcus or Boston, hl
] know that one woman, Mrs. Mary ltrmt'
way, came forward with q contribution
100000 and with Il saved the old Soul
church, Not content with this EeuHro'
contribution, she provided that the hui
Ing, whose sHcrcdncss was enhanced O
the history enacted within IT'S walls, snOu
henccforth be perpctuAlly dedicated tn ~
teaching OF history; 30. II Is through h
wise provision that every summer n cour
OF ten lectures Oh historic subjects Is II
iyered In the old South church, thus co
verting It into living temple or patrio
Ism.
can not leave this subject without me
tioning the name of another noble wont
whose patriotic work deserves the gratitu'
OF all succeeding geuratons, How graz
the thought that It was a southern woma
Miss Ann Pamela Cunningham, VINO co
ceived and carried out the Pan when pl
served the great Washington home Al
tomb for us. We do not hear OF her
often as we ought TO do, but no one e.
visit Mount Vernon without blessing Z
name and memory or her VINO rescue
this SPOT from change. since lSiI, wn
Mount Vernon association, after haNu
held II for more than twenty years, h'
rapid and powerful has been the dirusi
" this divine sentiment or reverence I
the historic places Of our country! y
content with what we have To cousecraI
some OF our wealthy Americans are ey
threatening TO cross the ocean, buy q
meeting house In which William Penn We
SHIPPED and move IT, together with d
tomb, to this country.
Yet, Notwithstanding this fervor or 7
triotic feeling we OF Texas were not at
20 save the old stone fort at Nacocdoch,
The thought OF the Cum .Cuncflio club de-
Gated II to as noble uses as the Old Sou
church, but the time was too short
which 60 work, and while some or {
clubs and patriotic sOce.Aes respond
nobly TO the call for aid. there wna
one who came forward with price
manded for its preservation. The toss
this old building, ! feel, has been 1
lesson OF Texans, as the loss or the hy
cock house was the lesson OF the people
Boston. May we profit by our lesson
they have done by theirsl
49,
Ladies we have still within our bord,
the finest examples OF old spanish arc
lecture in the United States, II not ON Il
continent. The missions Of 'rexas
unique, both In the manner and mater
OF their construction. should they ute
perish it would be Ike the destruction
a sole surviving member of race, I