The Republican journal., 1904-09-01
Mission of San Luis Rey.
Restoration of Picturesque Spanish Ruins
in California.

Jury are Delng revived IN SOuCnern Cai-
ifornia Brown-robed Franciscan monks
have re-appeared at the ancient mis-
sion of San Luis Rey, fifty miles north
of San Diego, a citadel of strength and
haven of rest in the early days. But
for two generations this mission has
been almost entirely deserted, until in
recent years it has become mere pic
turesque ruin, its gray walls and arches
crumbling, and its capacious halls and
lofty towers abandoned and silent, a
decaying monument of the former
glory of Spain's church and state.
Beginning about the middle of the
Eighteenth century the Franciscans
created chain of these mission settle
ments extending from San Diego, near
the Mexican border, to Sonoma, north
of San Francisco. They were located
about one days journey apart, to con-
venlence travellers, but this feature
was only incidental to the great spirit
ual, educational and economic work
which they did for California. before
the time Of the American occupation.
The Mission Fathers selected the
most fertile spots in beautifully shell
tered valleys for their settlements.
Here they built their churches, found
ed their schools and established com
munitieS which took firm root upon the
soil, Each community was made self
sufficient and self-sustaining. The use
full arts and trades were taught and
carried on. Within the shadow of the
church, artisans and skilled workmen
labored a. their various tasks. Water
was brought in irrigation bitches from
the nearest stream lowing from the
snoW-capped Sierras. and field, orchard
and garden, reclaimed from the desert,
yielded of their abundance. The Fran
ciscans were the teachers of the irriga-
ton Of the southwest, and this is per
haps the deepest and most lasting mark
which they left on California's civiliza-
ton
This new activity at San Luis Bey
has come as an entire surprise to the
quiet neighborhood. Patriotic Ameri-
cans have been engaged for some years
past in all effort to preserve some of
the old missions from further decay
and even to restore them to certain
extent. But those most familiar with
this work did not dream that the in
dustrious followers of St Francis would
ever return to make practical use of
the old landmarks. Even now it is not
known but that the movement is to ex-
tend to other historic spots.
However that may be, the gentle
brotherhood has come back to San
Luis Rey. The old church has been re-
paired and services are again held be-
meath its venerable roof. The cloisters
aqueducts reconstructed. The fields
will be titled again and yield the same
loyal support to the community.
The leader in the movement is Father
. keefe, who came unheralded from
Mexico and quietly set out upon the
restoration of the old landmark.
His felow-laborers are all mem
bers of the Franciscan order and
perform their heavy manual work in
the brown cassocks that were familiar
to generations now passed and forgot
ten. Father @ heefe does not expect
to revive the former economic life of
the settlement i'll all its amplitude.
Much has happened since his predeces-
sogs toiled and taught and ruled in
these lovely southern valleys. Modern
people have come with modern i'm
provements, and there is now no need
of the paternal scheme which did so
much for the simple population of the
country century or more ago. Father
O'keefe's plan is to convert the old
mission into self-sustaining Francis
can college. Thus the spiritual and
educational work will live again, but
the social and economic features will
not be restored, beyond what is neces-
sary to meet the necessities of the
monks themselves.
The mission fathers were the pioneers
of European civilization among the
Coast hills of California. They sup
piled leadership and instruction to
those who were engaged in founding
homes and wrestling living from the
gaunt appearing desert The work
which they began must still be continu-
ed, and upon vastly larger scale, but
it has passed to other hands-to the
government of America and to an army
of settlers who come from all parts of
the world. The government is supply
ing both the capital and the expert
knowledge needed in this conquest of
the desert. 1t is laying the foundation
of prosperity, pointing the way, and in
viting the people to enter into their
heritage. While its resources are far