The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-09-30


esting and unique as those of Cali
fornia is not so widely known. In that
territory where now our American sol
diers are stationed, and still farther
to the north, did the sons of the Power
clio of Assist three hundred years
ago, travel in their efforts for the con-
version of the Indian tribes located
there. Bat lately has a volume ap-
peared telling of the missions estab-
lished by them in New Mexico and
now greater attention is drawn to their
work by the private publication of a
complete translation of the famous
Memorial of Fray Alfonso de Benavides,
"Commissary of the Holy Office and
Conversions of New Mexico" made
through his superiors to the King of
Spain. This Memorial was prepared
in 1890.
In his report Benavides furnishes a.
striking description of the people with
whom he came in contact; the nations
which dwell along the road to New
Mexico" people very fierce, barbar1I
Gus and untamed,' who always gof
totally naked, and have no house and
do no planting" reminding us of the
natives with whom Sierra dealt in Cali
foria; the Mansa nation of the Rio
del Norte," who are always encoun-
tered at the crossing of the river, who
If they see the way, do all the evil
they can; but if unable, all come
peacefully to seek us, that we may
civ of hi To Iul0
likewise are naked and do no sowing;
the many tribes of New Mexico proper,
of various character, living mainly in
pueblos and in houses of adobe Zone
and two stories and sometimes three
and four stories in height; and finally
of the huge Apache nation" which
surrounds all the nations dwelling in
pueblos, and who are "a people very
| fiery and bellicose, and very crafty
| in war;" and who "do not dwell in
| settlements nor in houses, but in tents
| and huts,' moving from mountain
| range to mountain range, seeking
game, which is their sustenance."
Among these various peoples the mis-
sions were established.
In all those places where such estab-
lishments were made were the Indians
not alone instructed in Christian Doc
| trine, but to read and write and to
| play on instruments and sing and in
''all the trades of civilization" Like
a refrain does the statement of this
| fact run through the whole report of
Benavides, giving clear insight into
the policy of the friars. Among the
| Teoas nation we also read that the
land is very fertile because a religious
has brought it water for the irriga-
ton Of it's seed-lands." And in the
| Hemes nation all the Indians were
gathered together that were astray
and were given "a house we had made,
and in it food for some days, and
plowed land for their planting" In
many such ways did the Franciscans
labor for the temporal as we'll as
spiritual welfare of the natives.
He tells of the difficulties and suf-
ferings of the religious from the sor-
cerers of the people. He relates the
story, too, of how peace was made be-
tween some Christian tribes and the
then heather Navaios before the mis-
sion altar, leading to the conversion
of the pagan chief. 1t is one of the
most interesting anecdotes of the
whole narration.
This Memorial of Benavides, it
should DE. known, ..is-to quote Mr.
Charles f. Lummis-"one of the
scarcest of all Americana. A copy of the
thin, parchmented volume, printed in
1880 and of only 104 pages, is worth
its weight in gold" In the time OF
it's appearance it received much atten
ton and was speedily translated into
four other languages than the original
Spanish. It's translation into English
is most welcome, because of this fact
and because of the insight it will give
American Catholics of the Iabors OF
| their missionaries and the part these
men played in the upbuilding of this
country. Their efforts are too often
, forgotten, especially by those of their
own faith. G.. B. of G.. V.