At about this time lived Father Juan Maria Salvatierra, a Spanish Jesuit, who was formerly a missionary in Tarrahumara. He was virt ally the head of all missions, and subsequently Provincial of New Spain or of the Mexican Jesuit Province. He was a man of known zeal for the salvation of souls, of great mind, and not without humility, meekness, patience and gentleness, together with a healthy, strong body and splendid energy, of which he gave many evidences, and which can be read in his biography. While Salvatierra was performing his duty of visiting the missions, Father Kino often spoke to him concerning California. Both longe to go to that region and both asked for mission duty in California. in order to make a beginning toward the conversion of the Californians. This honor, however, was destined by God to be given only to Father Salvatierra, who finally, after much opposition, as well from his superior as from the High Council and Viceroy of Mexico, and after many solicitations and presentations and after the lapse of considerable time, he received permission to go to California, on condition, made by the Viceroy, that the whole undertaking should be at the expense of the Fathers, without expectation or hope of obtaining any assistance from the Treasury. Salvatierra had practically nothing outside of several good friends, a great mind, and his trust in God. These di not forsake him, but on the contrary did him no little good in getting the assistance of benevolent people who desired to participate in such a holy work. Among others, a missionary priest from Queretaro, by the name of Juan Cavillero y Ozio, gave him not less than twenty thousand dollars, with additional promises that he would honor any draft that Salvatierra should draw upon him and promptly pay the same. A rich man from Acapulco, named Gill de la Sierpe loaned him, besides giving certain donations, or alms, a small vessel, and presented him also with a boat. (Page 198). In the meantime, (although innumerable dangers beset the missionaries, such as many shipwrecks, hard work, cares, hunger and suffering, and also skirmishes with the Indians and uprisings of the Californians, because of all of which the entire mission was often upon the point of being destroyed and entirely annihilated), in the meantime, I say, they did not only fortity the two missions already established, named Loreto and St. Xavier, but they established thereafter eighteen other missions. The illustrious Philip V contributed much toward such establishments. Scarcely had he ascended the Spanish throne than he ordered his Viceroy in Mexico to pay yearly to the missionaries in California, and also to others, six hundred florins for their maintenance; to furnish their churches with bells, vestments and other necessary things; to supply a company of twenty-five soldiers; to prepare a ship with a pilot and eight sailors for the service of the missionaries, and to remit to them each year for the permanent support of the missions the sum of thirteen thousand dollars, or twenty-six thousand florins the same to be taken out of the Treasury of Guadalajara. These were the King's commands. Many years passed, however, before these commands were executed. The report from Mexico of the non-execution of these commands not reaching Madrid for many years, the same were accordingly repeated in the rears 1705, 1708 and 1716, until finally in the year 1716 the order or the payment for the first time was obeyed, up to which time, that s, from the year 1697 to 1716, the poor California missions cost over hree hundred thousand dollars, that is, over six hundred thousand lorins, which sum although not so large in the new as in the old world, was still not a small or paltry amount for Father Salvatierra and his co-workers to obtain through donations from generous and benevolent private individuals. The generosity of rich pious Spaniards toward the poor Californians n America, inspired by love of God, was not fruitless of results in nducing others to contribute. Besides these donations, the noble Marquis of Villapuente (whose coffers in Mexico for the Californian and similar missions, as also for other spiritual and corporal work of mercy, were always open) came Into a large inheritance, with which, after making certain alms and donations, he furnished an entire regiment of soldiers for the service. of his King in the long drawn out Spanish war of succession. Father Salvatierra, who was in California at the moment in which his good friend Don Gill de la Sierpe was dying in Mexico, saw in a vision fifty innocent, nicely dressed children leading his good friend into heaven. He related this vision to those who were around him and he soon thereafter received information from Mexico that his vision was true, and that on the very day and hour he had the vision the death of his good friend occurred. The children he had seen, however, were fifty pure, baptized young Californians, since there had been just so many converted, and no more, up to that time. * * * * * * * * * * * Of these fifteen missions established, the Marquis of Villapuente endowed six; the Duchess of Gandia, from the House of Borja, two; the missionary priest Juan Cavillero y Ozio, two; Don Arteaga one; Luvando, a Jesuit from Mexico, and a Californian missionary, who took the money out of his inheritance, one; the Marquis Louis Peña, one; the Marquis Luis Velasco, one; and lastly, a certain brotherhood in Mexico, also one, which for the everlasting glory and heartfelt gratitude toward the magnanimous donors and benefactors, shall be here recorded. (Page 214). INCOME AND MANAGEMENT OF THE MISSIONS IN CALIFORNIA. With the income out of which the missionaries and many Indians were nourished and clothed and likewise their churches maintained, they were safe and sure from other accidents (the dangers of the sea excepted). This money provided them with necessaries which would otherwise have to be obtained by tilling the soil after much labor on the part of man and beast, upon which subject more will be said in the following fifth and sixth sections. Each mission had an endowment of one thousand florins each year, which was provided by those who had founded the same. This money was applied to the support of the missionaries. By the wish, indeed by the command, of Philip V, there was ordered to be given to each of the Californian missionaries and also to others who in the vineyard of the Lord under Spanish dominion in America worked as missionaries, six hundred florins yearly out of the Royal Treasury. These offers, however, were not accepted, partly because it was not sure that the money would be received, because for maty years under like circumstances, the King's orders for money had not been paid, partly because it did not appear to be sufficient; consider-↑ ing the unproductiveness of the land in the Californias and its remoteness from Mexico where the money that was donated had to be spent in obtaining every thing needed for the support of the missions, such as food, clothing, etc.; and partly, also, because there was always a number of benevolent people who would offer one thousand florins to establish missions, and probably also because it was foreseen that for some time to come California would contribute very little to the Royal Treasury, while on the other hand the expenses incurred on account of ships and soldiers were already very large, and in the future would undoubtedly grow larger. Therefore it will be seen that all the missions in California from 1697 to 1768 were not supported by the Catholic King, but by donations from private individuals. These, nevertheless, gave for every new mission either twenty thousand florins cash or as much in property as would produce yearly an income of one thousand florins. EXTRACT FROM THE WORK PUBLISHED UNDER THE TITLE OF From the "Informe" on the condition of the Missions of California by "Rev. Padre Presidente Fr. Francisco Paloú," addressed "to Rev. Padre Guardian Fr. Rafael Verger", in response to his letter of inquiry of June 1, 1671 (1771). "Very reverend father friar Rafael Verger, My true father guardian: (p. 137). * * * * * * * * * * * * With reference to the last point, that I inform you of all that would be advisable for the spiritual and temporal advancement of the missions, there is much to say in addition to what I have intimated to your reverence in this; but since much, or the greater part thereof. * Each volume commences with a certificate of the correctness of the copies contained in it: that at the commencement of Vol. 6, from which these extracts are made, is as follows: "This volume is a faithful copy of its original. Mexico, Dec. 3, 1792. Fr. Francisco Garcia Figueroa." Who or what he was, or for what purpose the papers were certified I ameunaware. J. T. D. I have written by Father Ramos, I will not here repeat it. But, indeed, I cannot do less than to repeat that you should try to procure from His Excellency the restraint of the Governor, that he should not interfere with that which does not belong to him, and that the civilization, education and improvement of these poor neophytes be left to us, because, otherwise, the Government is about to make it public, and then it will be impossible to repair the damage. Nor can I do less, considering the great poverty of the Indians of these missions, than to point out to you the advisability that from the funds of these missions they be supplied annually with clothing to cover their nakedness, since here the means are lacking and most of the missions will never be able to meet these expenses and it is a source of much distress to the missionaries to see them naked and to have not even a rag to give them. In order that this petition may show not only the need which is actual (and to which every one can testify, especially those who have been in these parts) also that, without the least expenditure from the royal treasury, His Excellency can do this service to these poor creatures, since there are fine properties for the purpose which belong to these missions, I obtained an unsigned paper giving account of these lands, and in order that they may be useful to this end, I have not failed to copy it and to insert it in this report in order that your reverence may know of it; I do not know positively whence came the paper; but I judge with some foundation that it came from those belonging to the faculty of the college of San Andrés of that city at the time of the expulsion of the Fathers; where since that was the principal office of the agent of California, the papers which give an account of the whole matter should be found. List of the pious works founded by various subjects for the spiritual conquest of California. Year. 1698 Don Juan Caballero founded the first mission; he gave for the purpose the sum of . $ 10,000.00 1699 The same person founded the second. 10,000.00 same amount . 10,000.00 1702 Several subjects through the Jesuit father José Vidal, 1709 The same person founded the sixth with 10,000.00 10,000.00 had founded the same. This money was applied to the support of the missionaries. By the wish, indeed by the command, of Philip V, there was orderei to be given to each of the Californian missionaries and also to others who in the vineyard of the Lord under Spanish dominion in America worked as missionaries, six hundred florins yearly out of the Royal Treasury. These offers, however, were not accepted, partly because it was not sure that the money would be received, because for many years under like circumstances, the King's orders for money had not been paid, partly because it did not appear to be sufficient; considering the unproductiveness of the land in the Californias and its remoteness from Mexico where the money that was donated had to be spent in obtaining every thing needed for the support of the missions, such as food, clothing, etc.; and partly, also, because there was always a number of benevolent people who would offer oLe thousand florins to establish missions, and probably also because it was foreseen that for some time to come California would contribute ! very little to the Royal Treasury, while on the other hand the expenses incurred on account of ships and soldiers were already very large, and in the future would undoubtedly grow larger. Therefore it will be seen that all the missions in California from 1697 to 1768 were not supported by the Catholic King, but by donations from private individuals. These, nevertheless, gave for every new mission either twenty thousand florins cash or as much in property as would produce yearly an income of one thousand florins. EXTRACT FROM THE WORK PUBLISHED UNDER THE TITLE OF From the "Informe" on the condition of the Missions of California by "Rev. Padre Presidente Fr. Francisco Paloú," addressed "to Rev. Padre Guardian Fr. Rafael Verger", in response to his letter of inquiry of June 1, 1671 (1771). "Very reverend father friar Rafael Verger, My true father guardian: (p. 137). * * * With reference to the last point, that I inform you of all that would be advisable for the spiritual and temporal advancement of the missions, there is much to say in addition to what I have intimated to your reverence in this; but since much, or the greater part thereof, * Each volume commences with a certificate of the correctness of the copies contained in it; that at the commencement of Vol. 6, from which these extractare made, is as follows: "This volume is a faithful copy of its original. Mexico, Dec. 3, 1792. Fr. Francisco Garcia Figueroa." Who or what he was, or for what purpose the papers were certified I ameunaware. J. T. D. |