THE DESERT AND THE ROSE 95 



largely replaced by natives, the Spaniards flying 

 before the wrath of an oppressed race. Religious 

 institutions and buildings saw hard times, even 

 the native priesthood gradually vanishing; and al- 

 though they indubitably added to the superstitions 

 of their flock, they at least maintained some kind 

 of religious order. But they went, and the govern- 

 ment swallowed the church property in great gulps 

 until the Jesuits under American rule took posses- 

 sion of New Mexico. 



To revert to our own day ; the large fees demand- 

 ed by the priests for all sacred ceremonies still 

 exists, thoueh in lesser degree. It is claimed for 

 the Pueblo tribes that (left to their own religious 

 rites and ceremonies and secret societies of sun- 

 worshipers still in existence) their communities 

 from earliest times compared favorably in some 

 respects with those of many white communities. 

 Marriage was one of the Christian ceremonies 

 which, during the most corrupt era of the Catholic 

 priesthood was made so expensive for the natives 

 that it was often disregarded. Thus the native fell 

 between two stools ; he was neither moral according 

 to his ancient manner, which, it must be remem- 

 bered, included as constant an increase of the tribal 

 population as could be compassed ; nor moral in his 

 comparatively Christian manner. Our valley Mex- 

 icans still suffer somewhat from priestly exactions, 

 as before mentioned. 



For instance Adelado comes to me. 



"Senora, will you advance me five dollars?" 



"But, Adelado, you are already overdrawn !" 



