The San Francisco call., 1906-04-13

think Of the garden after the rain
And hope 70 my heart comes sn sllelns lIe White
At morn the cherry blooms VIII <De Ni4NS
And the Easter bells be ringing!
Yesterday in al the Catholic and Epis-
c,opal churches Of the city the first OF the
three DAYS devotions that end the annual
commemorative drama OF Gethsemane
and Calvary was held.
HOLY Thursday, the Feast OF the Last
Supper, was celebrated with splendid olg-
nifty in the Catholic churches, where the
blessed sacrament reposed upon affairs
gay with blossoms and agleam with the
light from thousands OF canules-
In. the cathedral the morning ceremony
was wonderfully impressive. as II was al
St Ignatius and at Old St Mary S, put
nowhere was the service so fraught WIN
memory and therefore so singularly de-
,-ottonal IS at the Mission Dolores, where
for I80 years the chants have been sung
and the blessings impaired, with never an
interruption in all the years that sa" d
great city germinate ana gro" up aOou'
it. 80.
Yesterday the fact that the famous old
Mission would be open brought hundreds
early TO the sanctuary.
Mass was held in the new church, atter
which a procession was formed "llhln,
led bv hundreds Of little white-ropeo
girls. strewing rose leaves as they
walked. -Four priests followed wrapped
in their richest vestments, bearing a4oIt
the sacred vessels. Overhead OoLne ~
na~ishioners. after the fashion OF the
davs of the padres, a silken canopy smut
ont the glare OF the morning sun
Then followed the choir, chanting, as
she nrocession wended its way through
the churchyard into the Mission church'
there to place the golden vessels upon
the altar as il the days Of the salnteo
Sierra
Thousands iocked to the church our
srss the day many visitors coming from
afar TO renew the sweet memories OF
cb5Idbood And thousands came and
looked into the deserted Gods Acre
that stretches around the MISSION,
abIoom with periwinkle and ivy ana
sweet with the odor Of the Castllian
roses that clamor over tumbled and Tor
gotten tombstones.
And a great shock awaited lheIn-
these folk who peered into the ruined
churchyard. Gone was the tangle OF
weeds from the walks and byways- Inc
afsles that for twenty years had oeeh
choked with a riot of periwinkle anu
Wv we're cleared and clean, and little
child could easily find her way ABOUT
only were the graves left undis-
turbed. with their o'erhanging rose
bushes and clambering vines, nurtureo
these many years by no other hand than
natures.
This forethought-or lack OF lt-saVeo
TO the churehyard its poetry-lts WHO
sweet tangle, and fits it into the picture
Of other beautiful churchyards.
And another shock-one OF pleasure
awaited those who had come from afar-
that the church shall be open to the pub
lie in future, between the hours OF and
4 except upon Sundays and holidays.
Good news.
something long sought for by every
lover of the old Mission. who grieved That
such treasure should be withheld from
the people-whose bad manners, by the
way. caused it to be closed.
Now, dear public, do please be good
and don't covet a finger from St. Joaquin
or an eye from poor old St Francis, as
the chapel has been restored, revealing
the work Of the neophytes Of a century
ago.
Altogether they who made the pilgrim
age yesterday to the aged sanctuary,
wherein the city was Graded, won rich
reward.
And you who didn't may go now, any
day 'twiKt l and 4, save Sundays and hOl-
idays. LAURA BRIDE POWERS