The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1917-05-12

- ed, before Puritans began their
conquest of New England for
the sake Of their religious free
dom, a century and Il half earlier than
their wonderful story was begun in
California, the Franciscans had en-
tered upon their work for the conver-
sion of the finest race of aborigines in
the United States, the Pueblo Indians
of New Mexico.
The Pueblos were already far on the
road to civilization and were a peace
loving, BODYBUILDING people, so that
1t is not strange that progress among
them was rapid, even though martyr
dom was the lot of many of the earli-
est missionaries. As monuments to
this first Christian work on this CONT
nent there are standing today nearly
thirty old churches, which are unques-
tionably the most interesting group of
buildings in America, from an antigua
rian and tourist standpoint. Yet they
are practically unknown to the mass
of travellers, ever of the more intelli-
gent class, writes Jessie Mcmillan
Strong in the Los Angeles Times.
The chain of missions established by
the Franciscals, under the leadership
Of Padre Junipero Sierra, along the mis-
sion highway from San Diego to San
Francisco, are justly revered and visit
ed annually by many thousands of tour
lists.
These little-known missions of New
! MnviRn c111,noG &C fhpi. famous ciCrnrg on
at least three counts-the New Mexico
missions are from $50 to 200 years
older than those of California; their
history is more varied and most of
them are still in actual use by the de-
s~cendants of the very folk for whom
they We're originally founded, whereas
the environment of those of California
sions have become merely interesting
historical landmarks.
The missions of New Mexico are cas-
fly accessible. The Ocean-to-Ocean
highway, over which motorists pass in
constantly increasing numbers, goes
directly through many of the towns
and villages where the missions are To-
NllCIf NAAlC III lCSS llluh IOuI " lLltlu
may be seen from the windows of
transcOntinental trains over the Santa
Fe.
In Old Santa Fe.
The tourist to the western coast will
be well repaid for the short side trip
from the main line of the Santa Fe
railway required to visit the quaint old
a - Gt,,A. l.. = ILL.,. A-.r, =. A.
United States can look back upon a
history so varied. No other town is so
quaint in its composite of medieval an
cestry and modern utility.
1t was primarily as missionaries to
the Indians that the Franciscans ac-
companied the Spanish conQuerors.
And it is the little church built in the
Indian quarter of Santa Fe, as a mis-
sion to them, that today claims the dis
tinctiOn of being the oldest place of
worship in the United States. Old San
Miguel was built in 1906. In the Pueblo
rebellion of 1850 the church was
burned, but, so solidly were the mas
sive walls Of stone and adobe brick
constructed, that only the woodwork
was destroyed. Small repair was nec-
essary to make it again fit for use
when the reconquest of New Mexico
was accomplished by De Vargas in
1893.
These repairs were only temporary.
Under the next governor the rebuild
ing was completed in 1710, as an in
scription carved on a massive timber,
which supports the gallery, bears wit
ness. From that time the church has
been in constant use, since 1859 serv-
ing as the chapel for the Christian
Brothers college.
Twelve miles distant from Santo Do
mingo, plainly visible from the train,
is the pretty Indian village of San Fee
lipe, with its trim, w~ell-cared-fOr mis-
sion church, erected early in the eigh-
teenth Gentry, exact date unknown. 1t
has always been served by clergy sta
toned at the more populous Santo Do
mingo. 1t Is interesting to know that
the followers of st. Francis, who
founded and served all these missions
until expelled in 1923 by the Mexican
government, have recently resumed
charge of all the missions in this part
of New Mexico.
Albuquerque was the third town es-
tablished by the Spanish in New Mex
leo. Its church, beautiful San Felipe
de Neri, was from the first a parish
church for the Spanish settlers them
selves, never a mission. But it was
built at the same period as the restora-
ton of the mission churches after the
Pueblo rebellion, having been erected
in 1T06.
Mission of lsleta.
From Albuquerque the Indian village
of Isleta is only 10 miles distant and