The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1909-12-16
SlI.S0
GREAT MEXICAN CHURCH.

Larger than Westminster, target
even han St paui's, is the Church o
Santo Domingo. This great ediiice
renowned in many countries is KNOW
not only for its size but for the beaut.
and magnifcence OF Its dacoratona
and the many historic events entwine6
In It's history. The church was built
on consecrated ground having been
the site OF the martyrdom Of two Do
minican priests.
II was early in the epoch OF Spanish
occupancy when Cortez sent Nelas.
queH de Leon from Mexico city tt
Coatzacoaleos with band OF men te
protest That port. In those days the
road lay through 0axaca or Oaxacs
itself little was known other than the
news taken back by the few expedi
lions That had been sent to the south
by the condHeror Velasauez de Leon
brought some settlers for Oaxaca.
among them being several Dominican
fl'iars. After the soldiers had pro-
ceeded on their way To the port the
Indians rose against the small band
of settlers and on the spot where the
church WAS afterward erected two OF
the fathers were cruelty put to death.
BY 1850 there were number oil
Dominican friars In 0axaca and the
question OF erecting church and con
vent for the use of the order Was agi-
tated The exact date vi the beginning
OF the work is not known but il must
have been shortly after the middle OK
the sixteenth century they began the
work with few Iaborers, who gave
their services, and every member OF
the order worked hard collecting more
funds. A petition was sent to the
King OF Spain for assistance, 10 which
he responded generously From time
to time the King sent other contrthu-
lions and there was no halt in the
work.
St Paul's cathedral In London meas
ures $40 by $50 feet and cost E74Is5a,
or 7,497,540 pesos or some S,G0o.Oo0
pesos less than Sauto Domingo. Some
idea Of the size Of the structure can
be obtained when it is considered that
four buildings the size IT Westminster
Abbey could be set on the ground coy
cred By this Dominican temple. Al
the present time, however. only a
small part ~ the church Is used Tor
worship. The other portions having
been converted into barracks by the
Government. T.
Owing to the great height and thick.
ness OF he walls OF the church II has
been used for fort on any and every
occasion when necessary. No wars
however, married the serenity ef The
eatly Dopnieans, and each year saw
the church increasing in wealth The
library was ranked among the greatest
in the republic The interior OF tht
church was decorated In many place.
with pure gold The first drug store
In The city of 0axaca was opened by
the Dominicans in the temple
When the struggle with the French
began it was not long until Oa1a,S
was IN The hands OF a French army
Santo Domingo %as turned INTO a bar
rack and the gold decorations, tho nm
| paintings aud costly adornnlants, wer
| ru1hlessly stripped from her walls
| Tire fi'iars were driven out and for 81
yeas the church was fort and moth
ing more The accumulated grandne
| pT 300 years was undone in few bfie
| months The greater part OF W
structure IL still used NY the FEEDERS
! garrison
! About Ten years ago Archbishop GIL
| low received permission from Pres
deut Diaa 10 restore portion Of VI
| church. Thousands Of dollars Wei
spent ON the interior Of the mai
chapel. which is ranked as the mo-
handsome Of The republic The de-
oraticns on The ceilings we're execute
at great cost. Surrounding the frol
Of the edifce Is an immense coar
nicely paved ard enclosed with . his
I iron fence On each post il bron'
angel MEXICAN Herald.
THE MOTOR AND THE FAHMEF