The Newtown bee., 1904-07-01

Ao O00A AuIOuSu Iuo Hyoo OA
 an Esteemed Newtown
 Gentleman,
 E. L. JOHNSON.
 The objective point for our trip from Redlands on Saturday, June 4, was Santa Barbara, a beautiful old town of 10000 inhabitants on the coast, no leaving home from our outward trip it seemed fitting that we should make the Capital of our Nation our starting point, so here, 1t has seemed our trip would be incomplete not to reach the extreme western limit where we could look off upon the broad expanse of wa ter of the greatest of all oceans.
 It was late in the afternoon when "Santa Barbara" was called. We were soon quartered in a first-class hotel where everything was so satisfactory as to make our three days stay restful and pleasant. Our first days outing was to be Sunday. Looking over the papers we found that at the Santa Barbara mission high mass was to be celebrated at o'clock, to be followed by sermon, and that the services at the other churches were to be held at II o'clock. The Santa Barbara mission was one of the places that we especial ly wished to visit and we were only too glad to be able to have our first look on the old historic building on Sunday and at time when services were being held. At the
 SOUND OF THE OLD MISSION BELLS, a congregation of 50 or 60 had gathered, some of whom like ourselves had been drawn there because of the historical interest connected with the early set- clement of Southern California in which the Franciscan fathers bore so prominent a part. Did it ever occur to you, thoughtful reader, that re- ligion was the impeIling force in the settlement on the shores of the Pacific, as on the Atlantic coast of our coun- try, though the difference in the two forms of faith was as wide as the differ ence in the two portions of the coun- try. The faith of the Puritans was as stern, hard and unyielding as was the rock-bound, wintry land to which they came. In the balmy land of sunshine and perennial beauty, like that from which they had come, the religion of the Spaniard found its natural en- vironment. But to return. Of course the service was new to us, but that, with the reverent congregation mostly of Spanish descent, the old, historic paintings on the walls, the quaint ar- chitecture, the grand volume of music that poured forth from Is or 20 male voices from the choir loft in the high arch at the rear, together with the fact that we ourselves were far from home, all combined to make the scene impressive and exceedingly interest," ing. At the conclusion of the reading of the Epistle and Gospel for the day, we listened to most interesting ser mon, scholarly in it's simplicity, and practical in its application, closing with an appeal to those present not of their faith to be charitable in their judgment of them and their methods of worship. At II o'clock we attended service at Trinity church, and to our great surprise found in Rev Benjamin Davis, the rector, a close friend of the former rector of Trinity church, New town, Rev George T. Linsley, who had preached for him in our home church some 10 years ago. This we learned, after having introduced ourselves to him as having come from Newtown, Conn. A level-headed, wide-awake, judicious man, he had come to the Pacific coast for Ithe benefit of his wife's health. Delighted they were to see us, and by invitation we took din- ner with them later in the day. Sun day afternoon we went specially to visit the old mission. Visitors are made welcome at stated hours and con- ducted through the mission by one of the Fathers. With its gray towers and time-stained walls there is much of stirring interest around and within the picturesque building. We climbed the winding stair way of stone steps that led to the tower from which the bells have chimed their music daily since the mission was founded in 1786. From the openings in the tower fine view to the mountains beyond, and to the ocean two miles below,is to be had. There is room where old manuscripts and other things that connect with past centuries, are kept. The Father who took us around was clad in gray gown, cowl and sandals, and kindly gave such information as we desired. It is claimed that the mission is the best preserved of all such editices built by the Franciscan brotherhood, and the only one in which the daily minis trations by this order have not ceased since it's founding in 1786. It's walls are massive stone six feet in thickness, so made as to be used as a fortress, if need be, in those early days in case of an attack from hostile foe. A high stone wall of solid masonry encloses a small area in the rear, that can only
 be entered by going through the mis. sion building. This space is a cem'
 etery, where the Father told us were
 the remains of 5000 baptized worship. CTS of the early days of the mission