The San Francisco call., 1904-06-23
TO VISIT
OLD SAN JUAN
Tomorrow the One Hundred
and Seventh Anniversary
of Founding of Mission
BY Laura Bride Powers.

When to-morrow's sun rises over the
gables OF the Gabilans and looks down
over the valley of the San Benito, pill
grimages will have been begun from
every village and farmhouse in the
country round about, vending their
way over the gray roads that thread
the valley, focusing In the great plaza
of old San Juan. Tomorrow will be
San Juan's day-San Juan Bautista s
and in the blessed old mission reared in
his honor when the West was young
will fascinating service be held. And
for days past old Father Closa, almost
a relic himself of the pastoral days.
will don the vestments brought into
the country century ago by Junipero
Sierra and chant the mass that for 107
years has been sung on this day and on
this spot uninterruptedly.
1t was one hundred and seven years
ago on June "a that the first pilgrim
age was made into the valley of the
San Benito by a motley crowd of SOL
diers. muleteers and Indians, under the
guidance of Padres Lasuen, Martiarena
and Catala.
Under the shade of a spreading oak
tree a temporary shrine was erected,
a crude cross thrust into the poppy
field and a trio of bells flung over the
branches of a neighboring oak tree.
In this simple fashion the mission was
established and named in honor of San
Juan, whose natal day it was.
A few months later a temporary
chapel of wood was erected, with a
mud roof, which in 1900 was replaced
with the fine old structure whose tile
covered corridor is to-day a thing of
beauty.
1t is in this old sanctuary flooded with
memories of the past that Father Closa
will chant the service of the church and
tell in his soft Castilian tones the story
of the day And his hearers-many of
whom were baptized by him. and their
children's children likewise-foregather
here, partly in honor of the old priest
who for forty years has stood at his
post in the deserted village. When he
passes we'll they know that the old
sanctuary will no longer be the scene
Of weekly service-the village being too
poor to- yield support to a successor.
For forty years, when the winter
rains are threatening, the old padre
has clambered up into the attic of his
loved church and with his own hands
patched holes that the passing year
had made. But now he's old-far too
old for climbing and for heavy labor.
But last year saw him at his annual
tour over the roof. There was no one
else to do it-no one else who cared.
But the LANDMARKS League mas
hopes of taking from the old friar his
heavy burden that the mission may not
suffer as did its sister missions farther
south. But when? The public alone
can solve that.
Senator Joseph r. Knowland presi-
dent of the league, who has done more
for the safeguarding of the landmarks
of the State than any other Califor-
nian. will go down on Friday, If il be
possible that he can leave town, ac
companied by a party of interested
friends, who will be earnest spectators
of this quaint ceremony of a century's
standing.
After the church service a Mexican
dinner will be spread in the plaza, or
if the sun be too hot in the rambling
rooms off the corridor. And at night
the guitars will tinkle and the dance
be on.
Facing the plaza is the famous old
the gay soldiers of the time of Carlos
III. full of color and rich romance.
It was here that Helen Hunt Jackson
went, bent upon laying the scene of
Ramona in the sleepy village of San
Juan. But a misunderstanding led the
chipper old lady-Mrs Flynn by name,
she who guards the old Castro home
To impugn the motives o. the loved
writer, and the negotiations ended.
Else would San Juan Bautista to-day
be famous and the crop of Ramonas
nearer home. For which later service
we may be thankful. for there are liars
enough among us now.