The San Francisco call., 1904-06-27

, with the sweet faith of children-these
descendants of the neophytes are a
type worthy of contemplation In this
age Of materialiSm-
What think you OF an Indian woman
bearing the weight Of eighty years
Dona Perfecta Encinal-leaving her
mountain home twenty miles above the
mission on the morning Of San Antonio
day. before the first CLINT Of sunlight
crept over the Gabalars, that she might
reach the mission in time to sweep out
the yeStibule, drape 1t with freshly
laundered linen, and make 1t decent for
the great feast that was about to be
celebrated
Her four stalwart sons, Pedro, Tito,
Felipe and Miguel. and their wives and
blinking babies came with Dona Per-
fecta, all gayly clad in festival garb,
heavy laden with flowers from their
mountain home. A crown Of noun
tain daisies wrought with infinite care
was borne in the wrinkled fingers OF
the old Indian woman for the brow OF
San Antoine" and the wreath sparkled
with morning dew.
Our party, consisting Of Mr.. and Mrs.
Will D. Shea, Senator and Mrs. Know
land. Mrs. Lillian Ferguson, Mrs. Rath-
CAB and Miss Gwendolyn Powers, reach
ed the mission at sunrise, but already
had the faithful lovers Of the sacred
place erected temporary altar and
draped 1t with fresh linen. Behind 1t
stretched an immaculate expanse Of
white cloth festooned with lace, that
shrine be made for the statue Of St.
Anthony, brought from Mexico over a
century ago. While minus a few I'm
gers and toe or two-amputated, no
doubt, by relic hunters-the statue is
In excellent condition, and is beauti-
full specimen of wood carving of the
eighteenth century, or perhaps Of an
earlier period. 1t is exquisitely colored
and is draped in a tinsel stuff with
which time has dealt gently. This old
statue, old as we Americans reckon
age. Is cared for from feast day to
feast day by Bob Diaz of the Macon
dray rancho, who bears it tenderly on
the great festival day from it's resting
place to the shrine prepared for it,
Ah The howersI The scarlet
pomegranate, blooming 500 summers
in the ruined patio. graced the
background. sweet-breathed roses Of
CASTLE smiled from the crude altar,
geraniums flashed their flame as II
challenging the promegranate-a riot
of color. discord, perhaps, but the
scheme was born of love. And II any
power on earth can disarm criticism,
no criticism in our hearts. Only won
der at the fervor.
AS the service was about to be said
the Rev. Father Zephryin Englehardt
donned the brown robes of the Fran
ciscan order, of which he is a mem
Der. and the yesteryear was linked
with to-day in the presence of the
cowl and gown.
For the first time since his boyhood,
handsome, old Antonio Gomez had not
the honor of serving as acolyte, the
Rev. Father Farriga making the re-
sponses to his guest, the Franciscan.
The service over, the graves of the
founders of the mission were definitely
located by means of records and tes-
timony, with the following result: Be
ginning at the east wall lies Fray Juan
Bautista Sancho, died 1880; next to
him the Rev. Dorote Ambris (the last
custodian of the mission), died 1880;
next to the west wall are the graves
of Fray Francisco Pujot Y Pujot (died
in 1S01) and Fray Buenaventura Sit
jar. who died in 1913. Between their
tomb and that of Father Ambris lies
Fray Serria, the martyr-priest of Sole
dad, whose body was borne over the
mountain paths on a bier of boughs.
pine torches lighting the way, that he
might lie with his brethren in the
sleep eternal.
For ten years the rains have beaten
down upon the graves of these pioneers,
the winter winds hurting upon them
the rotted timbers of the vanished roof.
And the removal of this debns was no
small task. With picks and shovels the
workmen labored many days to remove
the tons of debris.
Now, fellow Californians, what ex-
cuse can we offer our children, and
their childrens children in the years to
come, If we fail to save for them the
noblest historical structures in Amer
lea? What possible excuse can we fur
nish them, when the expenditure of a
little sentiment, a little energy and
little money will preserve the most
famous of American landmarks for an
other century, or many centuries?
Let all good Californians who really
want to save the missions and other
historical structures attend the annual
meeting of the Landmarks League on
Wednesday night. when new members
will be received into the league. The
annual dues are 81, with life member
ship at $25.
Patriotism, my friends, Is bombast
unless it be made manifest by deeds.
Now is the time at hand for good Cali
forians to prove themselves. Another
year or two and all will be lost. and
deep will be the shame of us whose
boast Is known to be our love of
State"