Father Vicente Sarria, a venerable and saintly missionary in charge of Mission Nuestra Senora de la Soledad at the time the first two acts of Secularization were passed, was one of the keenest sufferers from the injustices of the times, undergoing untold labors and hardships, which in no small degree contributed to his death in 1833, which found him at his post of duty at the mission. Father Sarria's reputation for sanctity was well known throughout California, particularly in Monterey and Soledad, and after his death it was no strange thing to hear both from Caucasian and Indian such an ejaculation as "alma de nuestro Padre Sarria, ayudanos con tu intercesion" (soul of our Father Sarria help us by your intercession). Of course this pious demonstration was not public because for many wise reasons, the church forbids the public veneration or invocation of a saint until the required process of canonization has authorized it, however, the allowable private invocation was freely practiced as it has been done in the case of other saintly missionaries, namely, Junipero Serra, Magin Catala and others. And the following sweet legend is told of Padre Sarria. As the Indian carriers lowered the humble redwood coffin which contained the Father's precious remains into the mission vaults, the edifice was filled with an exquisite fragrance as of roses, and this story told with all earnestness was given much credence about the mission towns. While not authenticated by infallible investigation, may not this incident be classed at least as a probability by the spiritual minded? For is it not in the power of the God of the beautiful in nature to proclaim thus His appreciation for the heroic charity of one of His servants, especially to strengthen the faith of the sorely tried convert Indians who clung so lovingly to the mission in the days of its trials? Father Junipero Serra's Promise