The San Francisco call., 1909-10-18
PORTOLA FESTIVAL
THEME OF SERMONS
Rev. George Bnrlingame DweEIs
on Meaning of Moral Ele- -
ments of RecOnstruction
Rev. R. Logan Says Don Gaspar |:
and Followers Were Police !
for Missionaries

Portola was the theme for sermons
at many churches yesterday. several
clergymen reviewed the history of Sar
Francisco and drew from it material
to illustrate their moral teachings.
Rev. George Burlingame. pastor Of
the First Baptist church. speaking
there yesterday morning. discussed hisi
subject under three heads: San Fran
cisco as the imperial city. the child of
Spain. and the kings prize.
1T is a mercy of God,' he declared
that out of the ashes of San Fran
cisco has come not only new Mar
ket street and a new wholesale dis
trict, but the more precious treasures
of mind and heart; love enshrined in
the family and entempled in the home;
culture fostered by the school. and
piety engendered and protected by thes
church. No mere pageantry can re-
veal the profound significance of these
greater elements in our reconstruc-
tion.
GLORY OF THE RECOVERY Z
NO gIittering miles of light can
sufficiently proclaim the glory of thes
recovery which has included and per-
petuated those priceless moral quail
ties of faith and wisdom and love- Thes
lights and gayety of a week pass.
the parades and bunting and the balls
and battleships will. in a brief moment.
be a thing of the past; but the mat j
ters which are of real and abidinS
significance are these elements OF !
moral life
Let us then look upon the brilliant
Spanish color as ii floats above our.
eyes, the brilliant red and flaming
yellow, seeing in them no sinister /.
suggestions of blood and gold; but
a symbolic representation of the blood ,
coming triumph
PORTOLA AND MISSIONS
Rev. r. Logan. preaching at Lebanon.
Presbyterian church, told of the eN-
petition of PortOla, of his march with
his small band of followers in an at
tempt 10 again locate the bay of Mon
terey sand of his discovery Of San
Francisco bay after failure to locates
what he had originally set out for &
The early history of California is
largely q history of the planting ancF
operation of missions among the In-4
dians," he said; indeed. there are
those who say that the trip Of PortOlf
was really a missionary journey with
Portola and his followers as police.
Then came the trading post, the vil-
lage, and finally a town of SEQ popu-
Iation established by the missionaries.
Thus at an early date were merged
the temporal and spiritual affairs Of
the metropolis of the west
GOOD WORK OF 40 YEARS
How is San Francisco today? Mag
pifcent hotels. fine business blocks, Of
fee buildings. apartment houses. The
celebration will not only honor the dis
coverer of the bay, but will bring
thousands of people from all parts OF
the world to admire the spirit of our
people.
IF so much has been accomplished
in the last 140 years, what may We
expect in the future. Let US hopes
however. that California, beginning its
history under the cross of Christ, will
remain under its influence for all tins
to come
Rev. George c. Adams. pastor of the
First Congregational church. took as
his theme for the morning sermon;
The Spirit of Portola." reviewing this
occas sion of merrymaking and its re-
lation to the moral and religious SEN
timent of the community