The Old Franciscan Missions Of CaliforniaJames, George Wharton
Religion
The Old Franciscan Missions Of California
James, George Wharton
Franciscans -- California; Spanish mission buildings -- California
To-day nothing but the _fachada_ of the church remains, and that has
recently been braced or it would have fallen. There are a few portions
of walls also, and a large part of the adobe wall around the garden
remains. The present owner of the orchard, in digging up some of the old
olive trees, has found a number of interesting relics, stirrups, a
gun-barrel, hollow iron cannon-balls, metates, etc. These are all
preserved and shown as "curios," together with beams from the church,
and the old olive-mill.
By the side of the ruined church a newer and modern brick building now
stands. It destroys the picturesqueness of the old site, but it is
engaged in a good work. Father Ubach, the indefatigable parish priest of
San Diego, who died a few years ago, and who was possessed of the spirit
of the old padres, erected this building for the training of the Indian
children of the region. On one occasion I asked the children if they
knew any of the "songs of the old," the songs their Indian grandparents
used to sing; and to my delight, they sang two of the old chorals taught
their ancestors in the early Mission days by the padres.
[Illustration: FACHADA OF THE RUINED MISSION OF SAN DIEGO]
[Illustration: OLD MISSION OF SAN DIEGO AND SISTERS SCHOOL FOR INDIAN
CHILDREN]
[Illustration: MAIN ENTRANCE ARCH AT MISSION SAN DIEGO.]
[Illustration: THE TOWER AT MISSION SAN CARLOS BORROMEO]
CHAPTER X
SAN CARLOS BORROMEO
A brief account of the founding of San Carlos at Monterey, June 3, 1770,
was given in an earlier chapter. What joy the discovery of the harbor
and founding of the Mission caused in Mexico and Spain can be understood
when it is remembered that for two centuries this thing had been
desired. In the Mexican city the bells of the Cathedral rang forth merry
peals as on special festival days, and a solemn mass of thanksgiving was
held, at which all the city officials and dignitaries were present. A
full account of the event was printed and distributed there and in
Spain, so that, for a time at least, California occupied a large share
of public attention.
The result of the news of the founding of San Carlos was that all were
enthused for further extension of the Missions. The indefatigable Galvez
at once determined that five new Missions should be founded, and the
Guardian of the Franciscan College was asked for, and agreed to send,
ten more missionaries for the new establishments, as well as twenty for
the old and new Missions on the peninsula.
At the end of the year 1773 Serra made his report to Mexico, and then
it was found that there were more converts at San Carlos than at any
other Mission. Three Spanish soldiers had married native women.
A little later, as the mud roofs were not successful in keeping out the
winter rains, a new church was built, partly of rough and partly of
worked lumber, and roofed with tules. The lumber used was the pine and
cypress for which the region is still noted.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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