Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-09

SATURDAY, DECEMBE
the FIRST walls. and they were several times
afterward extended, and some 81 the bus-
tresses were greatly strengthened
These walls" said the missionary archi-
tect. shall stand for ages to come that the
generations following may look on them and
worship God.
And old Antonio's words kept true TIL
the bloody days OF the instruction. What
the fury Of six earthquakes and the ravages
Of 500 years could not overthrow at las, last
soldier. The great walls had stood 50 long
that the natives evidently thought that they
were impregnabIe. but they had reckoned
without the hosts that had never been de-
feafed. In the old DAYS this church was
famous ~ the shrine Of the Virgin OF
Guadalupe, the original image Of which was
brought from ExtrAmadura. ia Spain. and
Guadalupe HIN. Nultftudes climbed the
stone steps up the hill to the big stone
court In fronk Of the facade. and on many
fiesta day the walls echoed with the muir
muir Of the multitude and the laughter of
little children at play.
The church itself was . striking exam
PIE OF Doric architecture. having massive
Al, OF hewn stone. In 1850 some Of these ex-
ternaI supports gave way and the vault
fell. after withdrawing all the earthquakes;
but in 1852 Father Jose Corusedo set about
damaged portions of the building.
The old monastery was famous for Its
great library and its archives containing
many relics and articles of great ecclesi-
astfcal interest and value. Here were
many manuscripts Of scientific works ON
Philippine subjects. many copies Of the
Flora de Filipinas by Father Bianco,
pumber of unpublished works. documents
containing data of great historical value
and other literary treasures, all of which
were most carefully guarded from careless
hands and profane eyes.
Destroyed In War.
The zeal of the American volunteers car
ried them far beyond the established line
at San Pedro Macati, to Guadalupe and
even to Pasig and Pateros. Who Is re-
sponsible for this Is another question but
on February IA, 1900, the insurgent forces
were concentrated against the isolated
Americans, and while the troops were not
repulsed, it was deemed good tactics to
fali back on Guadalupe and the troops were
quartered in church and convent. During
the night the insurgents ma ssed their
forces In the jungle in front of the church
and waged furious battle from daylight
till noon when the Americans. supported
by the artillery and the gunboat. Laguna
de Bay, on the river, advanced and drove
out the enemy, returning of course to
their position at Guadalupe.
The insurgent general, Pillar now secured
as reinforcements the famous 23d Regiment
Of Aguinaldo and on the 18th the battle
was on In earnest All day and the next
also, the harassing fire continued and on
the morning of the 18th. after a lively
skirmish, the insurgents were driven back
the church and convent fired, and the
Americans fell back to their original posi-
ton at San Pedro Macati
The military records at Fort Santiago
show that there were four companies OF
the LIST California Volunteers at the church
when 1t was burned and abandoned. and
Guadalupe were eight killed and forty-two
wounded.
Present Condition DeplorabIe.
The present condition of the ruin Is very
unsatisfactory. A dense growth of brush
covers all the approaches and fills the
cloIsters. It is almost impossible to pho
tograph any part Of 1t by reason Of the
distractions. and even the paths last made
are hard to find. The visitors first i'm
preston is that of great strength in the
heavy walls which show in great numbers
the holes made by the bullets Of the in
surgent soldiers. Within the church may
be traced the remaining lines Of the deco
rations of the old walls but little Is left
to mark where the altar once stood
The two-story coionnades of the inner
court are beautiful in their moss and vines
and the perfectly-formed arches lift their
heads in mute appeal to the open sky. The
old stone stairway still stands in good
condition. and Is striking I'm the midst of
broken walls. By spikes that some one
has driven into the walls one may climb
to the top of the church wall and from
there walk about the entire ruin The
view from the western gable Is one of the
finest In the valley. The sunsets from the
old upper windows must have been Joy
to behold. The inner court contains the old
cistern which is yet in perfect order and
filled with clear water. 1t probably held
rain water from the clean-tiled roof in the
old days. and with its cement floor, walls
and vault left little to be desired.
Perhaps no spot is of more real interest
than the crypt standing back of the apse
of the church. 1t is partly above ground.
the vault of hewn stone still in good re-
pair, and contains inches for thirty-three
bodies There Is every evidence that 1t
was fully occupied, though the spaces are
now all empty and the broken floor Is
strewn with human bones. There Is no
spot In any Of the ruins that seems SO
utterly old and dead and musty as this
crypt.