Mission Bells [pp. 1-16]

THE OVERLAND MONTH LY. Vor. XIX. (SFCOND SERIES.) -JANUARY, I892-NO. lo9. ~.'tATHER JUNIPERO, as the old chron icles tell us, \vas accompanied on his ^ourneys of spiritual conquest by several con i~1! verts carrying one of the consecrated bells of the Catholic church. A little over a hundred *? S z <-' i1iI years ago, the brave apostle marched south and east from Monterey with a few com panions and Indian workmen. They traveled along the Salinas, and at a place named by them the !' t ~l | jCanada de los Robles, by the Indians called Tex haya, they hung the bell from the branches of a massive oak. The stories of the time further tell : j-!.g h Church, come and receive the faith." A fewl days ,...!.:C hows the famouls Furanciscanl sainlt rang the bell wlith later tw o tall saplings were hewn dowNn, and a rude cross wNas constructe(d and planted on a hill. Before many \w eeks had passed a mnission, that of San Antonio de l'aclua, \was dluly established in the 'ilderiiess, and the bell moved to its proper place. Clavijero's history of LIower California, (Mexico IS52,) contains also a life of F:ather Junipero, which relates the incident with especial care. "The venerable priest," says the account, " ordered the mules to be unloaded, and the bells to be hung to a branch of a tree; then the servant of God shouted vehemently." After a little, the narrative continues, the priest Miguel Pieros said to the Missionary: "\'vhy do you tire, yourself, when this is not the place where the church is to be built, neither are there any heathen about this region; it is \ 01. NIX. I. (Copyright, I892, by OVE RI ANI) MON1I iLY P UBLISIING Co.) All rights reserved. The nVm. M. ILangton Printing Comipany.