On September 17, 1804, beautiful Santa Ynez Mission was founded. Here Father Arroyo, a brilliant scholar, prepared a working grammar of the language of the Indians of the San Juan region. In December, 1817, San Rafael was founded, and made a splendid record of conversions. Not a trace of this mission remains today.
The last mission was San Francisco Solano within the city limits of the present town of Sonoma, and was founded as late as 1823, thus again is shown the wonderful courage and zeal of the missionaries in the face of obstacles, for at this date as we have already noted Spanish Mission power had begun to wane, and while Mexico was unable to wipe out entirely Spanish rule and influence for many years, still she had already claimed California as her own. Many wealthy Russian traders lived in the country about Sonoma, who showed themselves extremely friendly to the missionaries, assisted at the ceremonies of the founding of the mission and made generous contributions for its adornment.
And now our march of El Camino Real is ended; but let us take another look at mission life. The plan of the missions was most wonderful, situated in the most beautiful spots, the journey of one day from one another, and the seats of learning and well earned prosperity in California; their architecture was the best imitation of the Spanish Gothic style which the Spanish laborers could build with the tools and materials which were then possible to have in the New World. The only share the Indians had in the building of the missions was in assisting to carry beams, stone, making the beautiful red tiles found in every mission roof, and the like, but the actual construction was done by Spanish workmen under the supervision of the Fathers.
Besides the church proper, the missions consisted of groups of buildings set aside for converted Indians and their families, a storehouse, a guardhouse, a monastery and spacious quarters for guests. For at a mission not only friends of the Fathers and persons of standing, but every wayfarer whoever he might be "found warmth and plenty" as long as he chose to remain under their blessed shelter. And so great was mission hospitality that a pile of silver was laid in the bedroom of a guest to be taken by him or left as he saw fit; of course no well bred guest who was not in need would impose on the holy Fathers' generosity, but it was their delicate way of assisting an unfortunate pilgrim who might be in need. The missions too, were the centers of important gatherings and peaceful rendezvous of persons of social standing, even after the first two Acts of Secularization had been passed in after years. But these noble entertainment's, wealth of luscious fruits, golden sheaves, luxuriant pastures and fleecy lambs, were as the least gifts of these matchless institutions, for we can never exaggerate the marvels wrought for the betterment of the heathen natives, or the fairer fruits of the countless heroic virtues practiced within these enclosures. The Indians clung to the Fathers like little children to their parents, and from the vices of paganism, under a healthy and kind rule drawn for them by the wise Fathers, christian virtues took a deep root in at least a great many of these poor "children of the soil" and so great was the care exercised by the Fathers that nightly they would make a round of the rooms allotted to every christian and neophyte Indian family to see that order and decency reigned in each group; for we must remember these souls were but recently rescued from the dark sins of heathenism.
Blessed temples! noble hospices! heroic priests! We are loathe to change the scene, but winter's storms must come ere the laurel wreath crowns the glorified brow! Still, we need not leave the "enchanted palace" yet, vernal loveliness still charms the eyes and summer is just begun.
If it be but for one brief moment let us ruminate the glories, the wealth, the beauty of mission joys, before the least cruel echoes of Secularization are heard. The sun of Franciscan and Spanish glory is still mounting the firmament higher and higher. The sky still wears Our Lady's blue [2] and no penitential purple has appeared with the departing rays of sunset, only the royal purple and gold which years before had made the scene a fairylike setting for the heavenset relief ship to San Diego and assured the noble enterprise of the exploration and christianizing of California.
Chapter III
More About San Carlos Mission and Monterey
As we have seen in the preceding chapter, Monterey was the capital of the Spanish Possessions in California, consequently San Carlos Mission was the headquarters of Junipero Serra. And what was not San Carlos Mission of Carmelo in the days of her glory! We are in a maze of thought as to how to begin to tell her story. Of the beauty of the spot where this mission was built we have already spoken, as well as of how the golden valley of Carmelo came to be named. And here we may well exclaim with that dear English Saint of the thirteenth century, Saint Simon Stock, who invoked the Immaculate Virgin with the following beautiful lines: