Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1938-04-14
, MORE OF DIR. SCOTS
GOOD LETTERS
Story or The California Missions

I have been visiting the missions
Of California. They belong to the
very first days of Spanish occupa-
tion. Junipero Sierra is great
name here, the founder of the mis-
sions. He came from Spain to
Mexico, and later to Califor-
MIA to convert the Indians. Had the
government been as passionately
sincere about the matter as Sierra,
the result would have been more
happy.
He built marvellous chain Of
mission houses from San Diego to
Sonoma, which lies north of San
Francisco, in all FL. and each a
one. They were truly the founda-
tion of civilization in the early state,
though much hindered by the gov
ernment. Imagine the situation.
Supplies had to be brought from the
city of Mexico, long, distance in
| those days. All building material,
tools, seeds, the first grain and veg
etables, cattle, sheep, must be
transported overland or by ship.
The first oranges, lemons, olives
Ffor, fruits, shrubs and trees that
now grace tn e lovely landscapes are
not Indigenous here.
In 1869 three ships landed at San
Diego, the cross was set up, the
land claimed in the name of God,
and the king of Spain. Here Sierra
with the help of Indians built the
first mission, and 20 more followed
rapidly, with marvellous speed. We
cannot but wonder at the strength
Erected by Indian labor, with un-
skilled hands, crude materials and
tools, this immense task was COM
pleted, and mission Architecture
has had the admiration of the world
ever since. They chose sheltered
fertile valleys, using the local stone
but more often sundried adobe
bricks.
More wonderful still is the effect
the natives. Curiosity attract
ed them, then food Beads gained
the confidence of these simple races
They were converted. They lived at
the missions and joined in the dras-
tic toll of the padres. The Fathers
| instructed and trained them, they
| labored obediently, and followed
| the harsh rules of the brotherhood
of ST. Francis. Great vineyards and
orchards dotted the coastal plain
AS many as 10000 cattle and al
most as many sheep were kept at
many of these missions. Tallow watts
may be seen yet, where they work
ed, and the neophytes produced a
great wealth in hides. However,
all arrangements for the seed time
and harvest, the management of the
livestock, building and weaving fell
upon the friars who toiled on in
loneliness among hundreds of half.
civilized natvie Indians, in the yet
untamed wilderness.
The Mexican government interfer-
| ed, in the interest of the ''free-
dom" of the Indians in 1888, or, as
it might seem in the interest of an
early kind of graft. The mission
aries were withdrawn. The lands
were confscated and divided A
total of $4,000 Indians had been
reached in the p missions, now 16,-
000 Of them were turned back to
| the desert. There was no more
food, clothing, shelter, leadership,
instruction. The government real
| lied too late its great mistake. The
churches were sacked, the herds
gone, the buildings in ruin, the fer
tile fields in weeds. The padres
were like the Baptist John. "Vox
Clamante in Deserto." Then came
the Americans to reap fertile har~
vest in the great golden state. But
the work done by the faithful mis-
sionaries can never be estimated in
| our great complex history.