Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-07-06
OLD MISSION BELLS.
To Mark Highway 700 Miles In
Length With Ginning Musical
Landmarks.

To perpetuate the work OF the mission
padres who opened the way to civilian
ton in California more than three cen
turtles ago, El Canine Real. the great
boulevard which they constructed be-
tween san Diego and san Francisco. is
being reconstructed for its entire length
The work is nearly finished and the high
way is one OF the finest in the world.
The road is provided with historic land
marks in the nature of mission bells such
as were erected by the padres at the
many missions along the route. one
hundred and twenty-one bells now mark
the King Highway. and a few more are
still to be placed. This work has been
done by E,l Canine Real Association, Los
Angeles branch of which has aided great
ly in the movement. Ten bells are To-
Gated IN Los Angeles.
The bells OF RI Canine Real that now
mark the historic road of the padres are
placed there not merely LANDMARKS
nor as guides to travellers but as testi-
monias to the work of the brown-fr oek-
ed missionaries who first trod this road
in their task of eivillzing the untutored
Indians. They rough-hswed the way and
then made it into paa and roads that
Joined the Mission eA Alishments.
1his road may wei be termed the
Kings Highway and with a religious in
depreciation. meaning the King of Kings
and not the King of Spain. for the paths
were sanctifed by the daily footsteps of
holy men of God whose apostolic spirit
prompted them To leave their homes in
distant Spain and endure the privations
of pioneering missionary life among a
f3a.y f1,, e
Christ and the star Of Bethlehem might
shine in the West.
century ago the matin and the vesper
bells of the Franciscan missions chimed
out the hour of PRAYER To more than So
coo Indian neophYtes Who had been con-
verted to the ways OF civilization and to
a reverence for the name OF Ghrist-today
both the bells and the converts are still
ed and the padres, too have long since
passed to their reward leaving To us but
a memory of deeds faithfully done, lives
successfully spent and a few remaining
edfiees about which Iinger the incense
of holy zeal.
FL Canine Real links this chain of fast
decaying monuments Of California's pie
turesque and pieus past and is rapidly
becoming delight 10 the traveller who
finds historic interest along this way that
is hallowed BY the blood of sacrifice and
is beautified by the hand Of God.
1t extends from san Diego to Sonoma,
passing scenes of varied beauty. scenes
that range from sun-kissed hills 10 snow
crowned mountains. from rugged rocky
shores of feamins breakers to expansive
fields of glistening grain. it passes
through the centers Of population of the
coast counties wherein any mission es-
Enlistment was founded.
There are but 700 miles Of this road of
the padres that California is well proud
to possess and which are being marked
and designated by individauF guide posts
that all may know which road is FL
Canine Real, the main road that joins
the missions, old pHeblos. presidios and
also the county seats and the centers of
population.
The guide post has a mission bell to
identify it and to call attention to the
work of restoration that is in hand. as
the padres first swung bells from the
limbs of trees and rung them Justify to
call the wandering Indians together to
assist in establishing each mission, so the
Canine Real Association is erecting bells
day of golden lust back to the quiet con-
tentment of appreciation-ap appreciation of
work accomplished by noble band of
men who we'll may be memorialiZed as
heroes of California.
1t is to the padres and their faithful
Indian converts that we owe our heritage
of the Golden State. They came carrying
the cross, the bell and the catalogues
they carried the bells, not as adornment,
as the men of Palestine, but they
brought them as sacred symbols, some of
them having been east with religious
ceremonies and consecrated TO this work
by baptism, receiving names and hav-
ing sponsors they were sprinkled with
holy water, anointed and sometimes coy
cred with the white ehrisom or baptismal
cloth.
Therefore We, having adopted the bell
as emblamatic and APPROPRIATE to the
work of reviving the mission road, veil
each bell with the..Nag Of our country
sprinkle it with h@E. water, chrisien it
with The name of soine self-sacrificing
padre or a saint ,pafd. t6ssffcate the bell as
a tribute to the 6sedS, ~ unseIfish worth
which linger az sweets traditions along
the way. -
In 1862 the Franciscans brought the hrst
bell to Americas. lit was taken to the
convent that had been erected by chris
topher Columbus Tor the Franciscan
frars ON the site where later arose the
city of Santo Domingo. Hayu Island.
Other bells were brought to CUBA ana
by 1928 the Franciscans arrived with thelF
bells in Florida. In 1863 the chime OIL
mission bells pealed from leafy power
in the Bay of COSBY, now san Diego
while Father Junipero Sierra chanted sol
emn mass, elevated and adored the hoiy
cross, blessed the newly established mis-
sion. arose and began TO distribute the
bells of Christ along FL Canine Real.
Bells were believed to dispense storms
and pestilepee; to extinguish fires ana
terrify evil spirits; to protect us from
our enemies and ward off the devil in the
hour of death. Against this latter eVii
we have long had the tollinG of the
passing bell'-the funeral bell--and as
to storms. many a chime of bells VIII
yet revive the dying hope Of storm
tossed mariner. even though the bells
are only spirit bells.
A glance at the donors plates that are