The Old Franciscan Missions Of CaliforniaJames, George Wharton
Religion
The Old Franciscan Missions Of California
James, George Wharton
Franciscans -- California; Spanish mission buildings -- California
With new energy, vigor, and hope, Portolá set out again for the search
of Monterey, accompanied by Serra as well as Crespí. This time the
attempt was successful. They recognized the bay, and on June 3, 1770, a
shelter of branches was erected on the beach, a cross made ready near an
old oak, the bells were hung and blessed, and the services of founding
began. Padre Serra preached with his usual fervor; he exhorted the
natives to come and be saved, and put to rout all infernal foes by an
abundant sprinkling of holy water. The Mission was dedicated to San
Carlos Borromeo.
Thus two of the long desired Missions were established, and the passion
of Serra's longings, instead of being assuaged, raged now all the
fiercer. It was not long, however, before he found it to be bad policy
to have the Missions for the Indian neophytes too near the _presidio_,
or barracks for the soldiers. These latter could not always be
controlled, and they early began a course which was utterly demoralizing
to both sexes, for the women of a people cannot be debauched without
exciting the men to fierce anger, or making them as bad as their women.
Hence Serra removed the Missions: that of San Diego six miles up the
valley to a point where the ruins now stand, while that of San Carlos he
re-established in the Carmelo Valley.
The Mission next to be established should have been San Buenaventura,
but events stood in the way; so, on July 14, 1771, Serra (who had been
zealously laboring with the heathen near Monterey), with eight soldiers,
three sailors, and a few Indians, passed down the Salinas River and
established the Mission of San Antonio de Padua. The site was a
beautiful one, in an oak-studded glen, near a fair-sized stream. The
passionate enthusiasm of Serra can be understood from the fact that
after the bells were hung from a tree, he loudly tolled them, crying the
while like one possessed: "Come, gentiles, come to the Holy Church, come
and receive the faith of Jesus Christ!" Padre Pieras could not help
reminding his superior that not an Indian was within sight or hearing,
and that it would be more practical to proceed with the ritual. One
native, however, did witness the ceremony, and he soon brought a large
number of his companions, who became tractable enough to help in
erecting the rude church, barracks and houses with which the priests and
soldiers were compelled to be content in those early days.
[Illustration: MISSION SAN CARLOS AND BAY OF MONTEREY.]
[Illustration: JUNIPERO OAK, SAN CARLOS PRESIDIO MISSION, MONTEREY]
[Illustration: STATUE OF SAN LUIS REY, AT PALA MISSION CHAPEL _See page
246._]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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