Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-26
BY A FRANCISCAN MONK
PADRE SIERRA WAS A REMARK.
ABLE MAN.
Planted Chain One Days March
Apart and Converted tho
Indians
BY WILLIAM e. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence Of The Star and the Chicago
Record Herald.

ordered an expedition from Mexico to take
possession of what was then known as
Alta. or Upper California, in his name.
F'riar Marcos. a Franciscan monk, came
here as early as 1889. overland across the
desert. In 1912 a Portuguese adventurer
in the employment Of Spain. named Ca
brillo. cruised along the coast. spent six
days here at anchor In the beautiful harbor.
and christened 1t in honor of Saint Michael.
upon whose anniversary he arrived. In
lGO2 another Portuguese. employed by
Philip III of Spain, made a survey OF the
California coast and gave the names you
now see on the maps to the harbors and
other points. He spent some time in San
Diego bay. but the Spaniards never &C.
tually took possession of the country until
J!1iy III. lI69, when Jose de Galvez, SOL
der of ability and good conscience landed
near the site of the present city and found
ed what is now called the Old town" He
was accompanied by Padre Junipero Sierra,
a franciscan monk and a very remark
able man, who was sent from the monas-
terry Of San Fernando in Mexico City to
establish missions for the conversion of
the Indians. They brought with them two
hundred head of cattle, q full supply Of
all kinds of seeds. grains. vegetables. fruits
and flowers, with an abundance of tools
and implements, and thus introduced the
pastoral, agricultural and horticultural IN
dustries which have gained so much fame
and wealth for the people of California.
Took Formal Possession.
A temporary altar was erected in tho
shade of a tree where Father Sierra cele-
brated high mass and blessed the waters
of the bay Of San Diego de Alcala. as 1t
was christened; while Galvez unfurled the
standard Of Spain and formally took pos
session Of the country in the name Of his
royal master. A mission was planted and
a fort erected, the ruins OF which still
stand; two stately palms planted about
atmosphere. while the old bell that called
the Indians to worship still hangs out
side Of the walls Of the church.
There was a great deal Of trouble with the
Indians at first but the monks soon gained
their confidence and they were converted
to the Roman Catholic faith, almost en-
masse. by the patience and tact and kindly
treatment OF the Franciscan friars. The
history of the colonization and civilization
of the Californian coast under the direc-
ton Of those brave. ingenious and far
sighted monks is in striking contrast with
what occurred in Virginia and New Eng
land. Father Sierra after establishing him.
self at San Diego, moved gradually up the
coast planting a chain of missions one days
march apart, and teaching the Indians how
to farm and raise fruits and vegetables and
make their labor profitable. AS have said.
he was a very remarkable man, and | Won
der that he has not been made saint. l
do not know of any missionary in any part
of the earth-Catholic or Professionalism
accomplished more practical good for his
fellow-creatures, and his heroism, his use
funess, his self-sacrifice, his piety and his
public services for the church and human
ity certainly entitle him to canonization.
He exercised more influence in his day than
any other man on the Pacific coast.
He established not less than fifteen mis-
sons and caused the Indians of Caltfor-
MIA to be called mission Indians. He intro
duced irrigation and was the first farmer
In this part of the country. He introduced
sheep and cattle, olives and oranges; he not
only converted the savages to the faith of
Rome, but made them peaceful, indus
trious, prosperous people. From the time
he offered the first prayer on the beach OF
San Diego until the missions We're abol-
ished by the Mexican republic In 1884, he
and his successors at San Diego mission
baptized 6,63S Indians and. according TO the
records, taught them the following trades:
Farmers, herders, horse tanners, saddlers,
blacksmiths millers, carpenters bakers, sill
versmiths hoopers, candlemakers, wine
makers, shoenrakers, matters, guitarmakers,
ropemakers, painters, masons. stone cut
ters musicians. soapmakers tanners, u!e-
makers WeaVers, fishermen, BARRIERS, bas-
ketmakers potters, wood carvers and other
civilized occupations
Many of the Arts Still Exist.
Some of the finer arts taught by the
monks still remain. such as basket making,
lace and drawnwork, leather work, en-
broidery in gold and silver thread, and con-
siderable revenue is derived by the Indians
in selling specimens of their handiwork TO
curio dealers and tourists. The records
show that 100 900 cattle, 10000 horses, sew
eral million sheep and an immense number
of other domestic animals valued at mil
lions of dollars, were grazing upon mission
pastures at the time of the secuia:izaion-
that is the suppression of the monasterleS
by the Mexican republic. The total aver
Of q
more than 2.0000 U0 a year. 1t Is stated
that at the eighteen missions there We're
500 communicates. Practically all TINS
property was wasted and destroyed and
stolen. When the padres saw that the pol
iticians intended TO confscate their farms
and cattle they converted them INTO money
as rapidly as possible, but at most OF the
places there was no one to buy, and the
property was seized by the avaricious Mex
lean authorities.
The good and wise Father Sierra lived
until August IS, 1874, when he died at the
mission of Monterey. His last words Were:
pray ye therefore, the Lord of the Har-
vest that He send laborers into His vine
yard!'
These good men were hampered and held
down by opposition and obstacles which the
servants of God have met with in all coun-
tries and in all times; and it is astonishing
that they accomplished as much as they
did for it is asserted that there were never
more than forty padres among all the eigh-
teen California missions at any one time.
There were other good and great men as
well as Padre Sierra; men equally devoted
and successful in the cause of their work.
but 1t so happened that Providence Sc
lected him for the founder and leader OF
this memorable work.
Most of the missions are IN ruins. Some
of them have been entirely abandoned,
some have been restored, several are being
protected by the Landmark Club, a society
of earnest, patriotic people in Los Angeles,
of which Charles +. Lummis is president.
The old San Diego mission, the first found
ed by Father Sierra, in honor of La Sonora
de Los Dolores Our Lady of Sorrows),
was destroyed during the Mexican war, and
only few crumbing walls remain to show
the outlines OF the original buildings. The
farm, which was confiscated and sold to a
Mexican politician, was restored to the
church in 1856, and is now used for an in
dustrial school for Indian children from the
reservations in southern California, in care
OF the Sisters of St Joseph. The place is
visited by all strangers who come to San
Diego, and is particularly interesting be-
cause 1t contains the first olive trees ever
planted in North America. The fine old
orchard is still bearing. Tho fruit Is still
considered superior to that produced by
any other trees, and The Old Mission
brands of picked olives and olive oil
famous the world over. About three miles