Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-10-10

aetcristlcallA stirring speech on The
Missionary Fathers" The speech fol-
lows in fun
10 the student of history, the story
of the conquest and Christianization
Of New Mexico must be interesting ia
high degree. because here he VIII
find the thrilling exploits of the sol
dier of fortune and the cavalier that
furnish abundant material to the
vivid imagination OF the writer Of ro-
nance, as well as the heroic deeds OF
Christian charity first conceived In
the faith of the common fatherhood
of God and the brotherhood of man.
born of an intense love of humanity
and executed with such utter disre-
gard Of self as to excite the admira-
tiou at the sage ana sober moralist.
other lips viii detail to you the
splendid and brilliant achievements Of
the military chiefs and pioneers that
brought his vast territory under the
dominion of the spanish crown, their
claim To our gratitude and To undying
fame Is wen deserved and history will
carry their names TO the remotcst
generations Let me pay a passing
tribute. feeble though Il be- to that
silent group of unpretentious and
humble soldiers whose uniform WAS
q laose cassock whose only weapon
was the emblem Of our redemption
which they carried In one hand, while
in the other they held the message OF
the Martyr Of Golgotha to mankind,
"Glory be TO God on high, and peace
on earth 10 men of good will" I refer
20 the soldiers OF the Cross to those
immortal benefactors OF humanity
who, n all ages and among all peo-
pies, have ever sought to introduce
God and a ODDLY morality and purity
IN the home. which. IN turn. Is tho
corner stone Of social and political
ORGANIZATIONS among men.
Fate had decreed that, from dis
astrous expedition that has no par
allel in history four men should sur
riyc 70 Wham 70 was given, nf all civ
illzed people, first 20 set their feet
upon and behold what now Is the ter
ritbry % New Mexico.
Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca. Alon-
~ del Castillo. Andres Dorantes. all
Of them Suaniards, and one African
named Estevanioo (Stephen) were. as
far as we can ascertain, the only sur
viVors from a total OF about six hun
drcd men that started to colonize
Florida IN 1897 And these men, left
to themselves among the savage
tribes that inhabited the gulf states.
after long years Of indescribable suf-
ferlng. wandering from tribe TO tribe,
escaping from captivity one day only
20 fan into the hands Of n harsher
master on the following, suffering the
pangs OF hunger and the cutting lash
Of the barbarous Indian, their naked
limbs numbed with the piercing cold
or the winter blasts, now and then
playing the part OF healers TO propi-
tiate their tormentors, now picking
their way through almost impenetra-
BILE woods and then treading the path
less plains. yet never losing hope and
confidence In that gracious Provi-
dence I'm which they trusted for their
safe arrival among their countrymen.
thay crossed the beautiful land Of the
seven cities Of Cihola. and finally arr
rived IN the city Of Mexico IN July ~
the year 1886.
Marcos Dc Nina a. ID. f53g)
The description that Cabeza dc
Vaca and his companions gave about
this country awoke the enthusiasm OF
the spanish authorities In Mexico for
the conquest OF the land that lay to-
wards the unexplorod regions Of the
north. and measures were soon taken
TO effect that object. But n Is worthy
0f motto that the first attempt mad
hy the vice regal government Of Mex
ico io bring This portion Of the then
newly discovered continent under the
dominion ~ the Spanish flag was not
entrusted to any military chief az the
head nf an army but instead we
committed fn The gentle infiGrDcc -
religion Thus 10 ls that within less
chan three wears after the arrival ~
CthDsH fe Naca in Mexico that is.
nn fh. -h day OF March. A.. u. 1889,
80 Hr.He dr Niza. q friar of the Fran-
.is..H order accompanied hy the lay
brothers Daniel and Antonio Dc santa
mrrI1. aHd hv the African stephen.
fHHf hHI shared the pilgrimage of
C.H.sI Iu NHCa and his companions
.r misfortune. started from San Mis-
.0. fs .I.Iacan FOR the tabled laul ~
rHf ..tHu cities. His mission Wrr
purely rsIigious one as plainly HH-
r.1r nsm the Instructions given hiuL
H. tHa ticeroy who charged ni'1.
Hmur 'fher things. to report io him
Hs should find city large enough
.- opinion 60 found "a monastery.
BECAUSE adds THE virerny in tnis
..rHnesf we look only tn the service
Hr oIr Lord and the good Of the IN
re mind g. lost in admirauon ~
. lndaunfcd courage. the sublime
h.Iity. the burrne love - humanity
HI hose humble missionaries who
HIs single handed. With no weapon
h.t the rrucffK' with un shield but
.faIr unfaItcrine faith in God. with
POO hope ~ earthiy reward challenged
.he blind suuersfition. the unbridied
furv ana the uncontrolled passions Of
hose Far1Er tribes. in their sci pur-
l0se tn bring them % a recognition -
he Chri-liHu falth and within the
IHle 81 christian Cifliizationt such.
however are the recorded facts n
history ff b. Hrpareni that such an
rndcrtak under the exlstinE con-
lIiians. could not have brought imme-
diate practical results. yet the mis-
sIurnriee Wfut hraNeiy on aud secured
fhr friendship ~ ihc several iudian