Chimes of Mission Bells | Page 7

established as the civil, military and religious headquarters of the Spanish kingdom in California, her Presidio was known as el Presidio Real (the Royal Presidio), and the present parish church of Monterey, which was built as a chapel for the Presidio was la Capilla Real de San Carlos (the Royal Chapel of Saint Charles).
Junipero Serra found the Indians of Monterey and the surrounding country very docile, while the Indians from Lower California soon learned their dialect and acted as interpreters of the missionaries. The Cross which Vizcaino had planted in 1602 was found decked with skins and shells. On inquiry the Missionaries were told by the Indians that they had often seen mysterious rays of light around it, and thinking that some god was angry they were trying to propitiate him by means of those offerings.
As we have already noted Junipero Serra said his first, Mass in Monterey on June 3rd, 1770, and two years later he recorded his first baptism. From that date the Indians would come in dozens to present themselves for instruction. Then the marvels that had attended Junipero Serra at Sierra Gorda in Mexico, were repeated in Monterey. The naked savages were clothed, many of them were beginning to learn Spanish and to sing the Latin responses of the Mass and hymns both in Spanish and Latin, playing such musical instruments as the cymbal and triangle, keeping perfect time to every beat. The flocks and cattle were increasing and the harvest fields were golden with grain. While some of the Indians were taught to till the soil others were herdsmen, and some were taught to work as artisans. Nearly fifty trades were taught the California Indians under the supervision of the Missionaries. In 1771 Junipero Serra founded the San Carlos Mission in the most entrancing location of the Carmelo Valley that the nature loving Serra could have chosen; the forests of oak, pine and cypress for which Monterey is noted to this day, stretch with even greater beauty as we pierce farther into the interior, while the fertility of the land drained by the beautiful Carmelo River together with the commanding position of the spot, made the site of the Mission ideal. And this Mission of the Carmelo Valley of Monterey, was Junipero Serra's headquarters, here he lies buried, and here was the center of that unequalled hospitality and pure society for which every mission was noted. The Spanish Government made large grants of land to the missions, and under the labor, care and excellent methods of the missionaries, they became powerful and wealthy institutions, the pride and blessing of New Spain. Fine stock, teeming grain fields and luscious orchards graced every mission, and Mission San Carlos was no exception, indeed it was one of the most prosperous and beautiful.
Fathers from the Mission at Carmelo, attended the Royal Chapel of San Carlos in Monterey and continued to do so until long after the last Act of Secularization in 1835 had been passed by the Mexican Government, and San Carlos of Carmelo was left desolate with no priest to guard her own altar light. But of this we shall, alas, have but too much reason to speak later. Junipero Serra did not stop his arduous work by founding beautiful San Carlos of Carmelo and consecrating the Royal Chapel of Monterey; he was to christianize all California, for all California had now been added to the Crown of Castile and Leon. Spain followed in California the same policy which has distinguished her in her other possessions such as Cuba, the Philippines and other colonies, steeped in idolatry until the Spanish Missionary, whose zeal is proverbial, wrested their countless inhabitants from the cymmerian gloom of paganism. Thus as soon as San Carlos Mission was founded, the glorious march of El Camino Real continued.
Mission San Antonio de Padua, the third mission, was established in July 1, 1771. The beauty of the spot and wonderful eagerness of the Indians to receive baptism greatly touched Junipero Serra and the other two Franciscan Fathers who accompanied him as well as some of the soldiers who were in the party. To-day Mission San Antonio is almost in ruins, but its very ruins are piles which speak of mystic beauty, and in the days of mission glory San Antonio was one of the fairest of the missions.
On returning to Carmelo, Junipero Serra filled the other missionaries with joy over this latest conquest of souls, and sent messengers to Fathers Soméra and Cambón whom he had left in charge of the Mission at San Diego, to establish a mission in southern California, which they would name San Gabriel. The two Fathers, with ten soldiers as guards, started a march northward until they came to the present sight of San Gabriel, which they saw immediately was a