The San Francisco call., 1908-07-18
old MONUMENT OF
CITY'S CIVILIZATION
Mission Dolores Church Stands
a Century and a Half for
Christianity
By Rev. p. J. Cun1n1ins


The old Mission Dolores church has
oeeh always an object Of interest TO
lle people OF san Francisco. 1t is
t4c cradle OF Christianity and civIliza-
. Lon M this city the only monument
we have Of the devoted men who.
nearly century and a half ago. be-
san mere me great work of winnin 3
~ God by Charity and patience the
y l-q uthes that then Inhabited this
A-----s ~-d- II STANDS for the things
~ men admire, herOism and self-sac-
--lle. i-sre WAS, therefore. general
leyo.clna at its preservation IN the
-1S1 --- qlsaster Of Two years ago.
Lhe old church however. did not
tl-t-le4l escape injury. Cracks were
-~---S ~ "a the walls and those LETT from
-sioOs earthquakes were Widened.
p seral Of the roof trusses, tied to-
,setAeE with raWhide. were torn apart.
ne tiles were all displaced and many
81 Ane-A thrown 10 the ground and
.toheh- In the interior. pilasters We're
l-L va down, portions OF the wall fell
-i- and the entire wall surface bears
sL--Ss OF the fearful strain the build
ll.R mao 10 bear.
Hao there been no earthquake the
-~E~5es ot time would have demanded
Sy-lle restoration. The earthquake.
however, has made this work an i'm
peratNe necessity. 4 glance al the
N1-l-s is sufficient TO show this Ex-
PeIts may differ in opinion as to what
: s-sf-,S- 1e cone 70 secure the bullding
s0-i-sl anoIher shock There can be
70 oluerence OF opinion as TO the ur-
senL neeQ OF restoring IL
~ llAout- making any change in its
character, Z should be restored in such
a way that the people OF this city.
toN-s anc old, may regard IL with in
creased interest and show il with pride
Ao every Alsl tor rrom near or far who
comes 70 look upon this monument of
--1 bioilsefS OF civilization on our
7-o+es, to carry on this work about
lnolSand dollars is now avail
aole- A part. OF this sum was con-
-ltoNleq ~ public spirited citizens,
80 eeRe deep interest in the old
nlsslons The rest was secured through
oase IAN game between the knights
a- N0tilnD BUS 3nc team from the At
-&nuc Icet.- The restoration viii be-
--A ~ once and VIII be continued as
---s IS the. resources last. When fur
tler help is needed the generosity Of
1al. francisco Wln supply it.
me. ecJolnlng cemetery should also
receive attention Like the old church
41s = claim on the people Of this
el4s Ia the carly days the mission
-helttns were buried in II. then the
soldiers and. settlers, Spanish and Mex
omen VINO helped 10 build the modern
san francisco. The graves of some
ot these are marked and cared for.
Not Tar from the street q graceful
SHAFT rises over the remains of the
Llrst mexican governor OF California.
Don LUIS Antonio ArguellO. Other
monuments. bearing such names as
Rufnn9, Regan, OXEN. Rowland. show
tnat those who sleep beneath are not
Iorg often However, many graves are
neglected ara the stones that once
marked them lie broken on the ground.
one OF these broken monuments was
erected by the city Of san Francisco
IN 1898 10 the memory of a fireman
killed IN the discharge OF his duty.
The city Of san Francisco could
scarce Go more graceful thing than
20 restore this monument 10 one OF its
heroic nremen- Close by is another
monument adorned with firemen's he'll
NETS and bugIes in stone, and bear
ing the name OF James p Casey. vic
tim OF the Nigilantes. It.. too. stands
IN need Of repair, as does many an
other stone in that hallowed spot. Kind
nature with her vines and creeping
myrtle. has striven TO make UP for
mans neglect.
From 1856 TO December. 1855, when
the last interment took place, 1860
persons were buried in the old mission
graveyard. They are not all forgot
ten The friends of some Of them
would welcome an opportunity Of car
ing for the graves of their departed
ones Z Rls opportunity VIII be given
them n the hope that through their
cooperation the cemetery may have its
full share in the work Of restoration.