El Camino Real 



ancient graves of the founders, and tarried in the 

 quaintly decorated chapel, while the Father whispered 

 the history of the treasures upon the walls. He told us 

 of the struggles of the Fathers; the acts of the Mexi- 

 can Governor in 1827, resulting in the destruction of 

 the revenues of the Mission ; of the desecration that 

 accompanied the demand for secularisation, and various 

 efforts at confiscation. In 1833 tne government suc- 

 ceeded, and the Missions were converted into secular 

 curacies. Later the Missions fell into the hands of 

 commissioners, and in 1834 the public literally seized the 

 Mission lands. We listened to the story of the succes- 

 sive phases of the struggle, of the times under Don 

 Juan Alvarado, of the attempt in 1840 to restore the 

 Missions to power, and of the act of Pope Gregory 

 XVI., in the same year, making California a bishopric, 

 and many other moves resulting to-day in the Missions 

 being, instead of centres of ecclesiastical power, more 

 like simple parish churches. 



This Mission as a whole is a delight to the artistic 

 eye. The cell-like rooms, the ancient and worn stone 

 pavements, the crude doors with huge iron trappings, 

 the high windows, enormous walls, the odour of sanctity, 

 all tend to complete a historical picture of deep in- 

 terest. Without, the commanding front with its two 

 towers of stone and adobe pierced with arched doors, 

 the lofty fa9ade with its finely cut columns, the time- 

 worn statues of the saints above, make the pile at once 

 striking and impressive. No little architectural and 



