Evening star., 1926-04-18
MISSIONS RECALL
CRUSADE OF WEST
Gradual March of First White
Settlers in California Now
Marked by Ruins.

By the Associated Press.
LOS ANGELES. April 17.-Ruins of
81 missions in California, fast crum-
bling back to the earth from which
they were reared by Franciscan
fathers more than q century ago, are
monuments to the blight of govern
mental opposition encountered by the
Catholic faith in its relations then
with official Mexico.
They were built in the first crusade
of the church to carry the Scriptures
into the wilderness of the New World.
Almost uncomfortable hardships were
overcome in the establishments OF
these bulWarkS of Christianity by
missionaries harasSed by hostile In
dian bands. fronted by vast stretches
of frontier as vet unsafe for the white
man and forced to meet sickness and
physical hardShipS with little to buoy
them except the great courage and
leadership of Father Junipero Sierra.
The task of these missionary piu-
neers had the waVering support of Old
Spain and the slender financial back
ing of the piouS fund. contributed by
church leaders in Mexico.
Indians Were Converted.
\ century of coura geous work fol.
lowed the expedition that sailed for
sions rose to prosperity. Untold num-
bers of Indians were converted 10 the
faith and taken within the protecting
walls of the stately religious stock
AIDES.
But all this time the missions stood
within the shadow of ultimate deStruC-
ton. At frequent intervals there was
rumhling in official Mexico and hints
that the government would not stand
by while its territory in this part of
the continent was ColoniZed by the
church.
AS early as January, 1881, a decree
oi SeCulariZation was issued by the
government at Mexico City. A change
in governmental administration pre-
vented this being made effective but
w November, 1884, the act of secular
ization was adopted by Gov. Figueroa.
Missions Began 10 Wither.
The prosperity of the missions began
10 wither and their decline gathered
momentum with the march of time.
The priests and the neophyteS drop
ped away and one at a time the struc-
lures began TO decay. Roofs fell in
and drenching rains slowly washed
the unprotected adobe walls back to
the earth from which they came.
Many years after seculariZation, a
few Of the missions were returned to
the priests, but not until after their
wealth had been dissipated and their
beauty clouded in decay
movement started some years ago
by various organizations has resulted
In restoration to some degree of the
old mission churches. but funds have
not been available to save the greater
number or to restore the church set.
Elements TO their former picturesque
state. I'll Canine Real, the king road
along which are many missions, has
been incorporated into the state high.
WAY system through most of its length
and mission sign posts-bells sur
mounting metal standards-have been
erected at intervals to mark the trek
of the padres in their journey north
ward.
Style Has Been Adopted.
The architecture of the nissionS-a
mixture of Moorish-Spanish bnd
MeXican-has been adopted by Cali
fornia as its own, and each year more
buildings are conforming to this style.
First of the chain of missions
founded was San Diego de Alcala,
near the present site of San Diego, in
1863 by Father Sierra and a small
group of sailors, soldiers and padres.
The yellowed parchment records of
this mission tell the saddest story Of
all, Tor 1t was here that the great
Indian massacre took place. resulting
in the death Of several padres and
scores of neophytes.
From San Diego Father Sierra car
ried his crusade to Monterey, where
the Mission San Carlos Borromeo was
laid out Next San Antonio de Padua
near King City, then San Gabriel
where bells were hung from tree
branches and a hostile demonstration
by Indians aVerted when an old paint
ing of the Virgin Mary was unfurled.
Destroyed by Quake III 1872.
San Luis Obispo de Tolsa was
founded in 1872 and in 1876 San Fran
cisco de Asis was formally dedicated
Retracing their steps southwark the
FranciScanS chose a site midway be-
tween San Diego and Los Angeles to
rear another mission, San Juan
Capistrano.
Tragedy overlook Capistrano in the
great coast.wide earthquake OF 1912.
Thirty-nine persons gathered before
the church altar in the dim light of
early morn were crushed to death be-
meath a falling mass of stone and
adobe.
Not a soul was saved except. the
records relate. Nino del Temblor Child
OF the earthquake) born by the hand
of terror and taken from its crushed