The Old Franciscan Missions Of CaliforniaJames, George Wharton
Religion
The Old Franciscan Missions Of California
James, George Wharton
Franciscans -- California; Spanish mission buildings -- California
In the main, this complaint received attention from the Junta in
Mexico. Fages was ultimately removed, and Rivera appointed governor in
his place. More missionaries, money, and supplies were placed at Serra's
disposal, and he was authorized to proceed to the establishment of the
additional Missions which he had planned. He also obtained authority
from the highest powers of the Church to administer the important
sacrament of confirmation. This is a right generally conferred only upon
a bishop and his superiors, but as California was so remote and the
visits of the bishop so rare, it was deemed appropriate to grant this
privilege to Serra.
Rejoicing and grateful, the earnest president sent Padres Fermin
Francisco de Lasuen and Gregorio Amurrio, with six soldiers, to begin
work at San Juan Capistrano. This occurred in August, 1775. On the
thirtieth of the following October, work was begun, and everything
seemed auspicious, when suddenly, as if God had ceased to smile upon
them, terrible news came from San Diego. There, apparently, things had
been going well. Sixty converts were baptized on October 3, and the
priests rejoiced at the success of their efforts. But the Indians back
in the mountains were alarmed and hostile. Who were these white-faced
strangers causing their brother aborigines to kneel before a strange
God? What was the meaning of that mystic ceremony of sprinkling with
water? The demon of priestly jealousy was awakened in the breasts of
the _tingaivashes_--the medicine-men--of the tribes about San Diego, who
arranged a fierce midnight attack which should rid them forever of these
foreign conjurers, the men of the "bad medicine."
Exactly a month and a day after the baptism of the sixty converts, at
the dead of night, the Mission buildings were fired and the eleven
persons of Spanish blood were awakened by flames and the yells of a
horde of excited savages. A fierce conflict ensued. Arrows were fired on
the one side, gun-shots on the other, while the flames roared in
accompaniment and lighted the scene. Both Indians and Spaniards fell.
The following morning, when hostilities had ceased and the enemy had
withdrawn, the body of Padre Jayme was discovered in the dry bed of a
neighboring creek, bruised from head to foot with blows from stones and
clubs, naked, and bearing eighteen arrow-wounds.
The sad news was sent to Serra, and his words, at hearing it, show the
invincible missionary spirit of the man: "God be thanked! Now the soil
is watered; now will the reduction of the Dieguinos be complete!"
At San Juan Capistrano, however, the news caused serious alarm. Work
ceased, the bells were buried, and the priests returned.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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