USA > California > Los Angeles County > San Gabriel > The old San Gabriel mission : historical notes taken from old manuscripts and records : with mention of the other California Franciscan missions and their founders > Part 3
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Hon. Francis E. Leupp, commissioner, successor of Jones, says: "The gospel of Indian salvation, if I read aright, puts industry at the top of the list of human vir- tues. Whenever we find the Indian idle we find him a pauper and unruly. Whenever we find him busy, we find him comfortable and docile. It requires sympathy, con- sideration, tact, firm, but gentle, handling on the part of his teacher."
Exterior Old Mission Kitchen. Spanish Anchor and Old Rose Bush, Under Which Many Love Tales Were Told
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THE HISTORY OF MISSION SAN GABRIEL
CHAPTER III.
The Educational System of the Franciscans. They Were More Than Two Centuries Ahead of the Present Educators in Instituting Methods Now Considered Most Modern. Industries and Development.
T O THE Franciscans belong the honor and distinc- tion of introducing the kind of education now considered the most modern. What we now term the Montessori school of instruction of children was in vogue with the Franciscans. and this method was used by them in instructing the youth that came under their care, although it was not then known by that name.
The Franciscan Fathers established kindergarten meth- . ods of instruction, using simple, or fantastic objects for teaching rudimentary subjects. In order to help their dull minds to grasp the significance of doctrinal points they were shown pictures, and to excite the neophytes to prac- tice virtue and avoid all evil habits the missionaries lined and decorated their walls and corridors with various pic- tures and images of Christ, the Blessed Virgin, Angels and Saints especially the patron saints of the Missions. There were also pictures representing Heaven, Hell, Death, Judg- ment, Purgatory, etc., and the fourteen Stations of the Cross were to be found in every Mission.
INTERESTING REPORTS.
During the time intervening between the founding of . the Mission in 1771 up to and including December 31, 1773, an old record reports that there were "80 baptisms, 1 mar- riage, 3 deaths, 38 cattle, 11 horses, 17 mules, 20 hogs, 30 sheep and 12 goats." From that time until the period of secularization in 1832 the total number of baptisms was 7,614; marriages, 1924, and deaths, 5,682.
Confirmations at San Gabriel during Father Junipero's administration numbered 623 persons. When the first cen- sus was taken the Mission settlement contained 409 people of all ages and both sexes. The greatest number of people
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during any one year was 1,701 in 1817; cattle, 25,000 in 1829; horses, 2,400 in 1827; mules, 205 in 1814; hogs, 300 in 1802 and 1803; sheep, 15,000 in 1829, and goats, 1,380 in 1785.
The Mission lands in 1822 extended south three leagues or nine miles to Santa Gertrudis; southwest six leagues or 18 miles to San Pedro; west, one and one-half leagues or four and one-half miles; north, 2 leagues or six miles, and eastward seven-ninths of a league into the Sierra Madre Mountains and towards the Colorado River. They included the Pagan settlement of San Bernardino and fif- teen leagues, or forty-five miles northwest.
In a report of 1828 there were named as Mission ranches, La Puente, Santa Ana, Jurupe, San Bernardino, San Timoteo, San Gorgonio, four sites on the San Gabriel and also lands between the Pueblo and San Rafael.
In 1814 the Mission numbered 175 inhabitants of "Razon" or intelligent white Europeans. In 1812 a private school was founded at San Gabriel.
In 1832 the Missions were confiscated by the Mexican government. They were put in the hands of a secular com- mission. They were plundered and devastated all during the period between that year and the years of restoration to the Franciscans in 1843, but even as late as 1845 the Mexican government resolved to rent the estates. The land, therefore, was turned over to the comisionados, Mex- ican emissaries, who plundered indiscriminately the priests and natives. To incite and incense the Indians against the Fransicans they circulated false and malicious slanders.
Retribution followed some of these robbers. One of them who had deprived one of the Indians of his lands and compelled the native to go to the mountains by that robbery greatly enriched himself, but he squandered his ill-gotten riches and when he came to die money had to be collected with which to bury him.
In 1845 only 250 Indians remained in the San Gabriel settlement, the greater number having been scattered by the confiscation of the Missions and their property allot-
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ments, and the missionaries having during the interval of secularization lost control of them. The Indians went into the wilds and dispersed.
When the property was restored to Father Estenaga there were only 72 head of cattle and 700 head of sheep on the San Gabriel lands.
In June, 1846, the Mission estate was sold by the Mex- ican government to Reed & Workman, for past aid and services, but later their title was declared invalid.
In 1819 the poultry industry was in a flourishing condi- tion. Among other industries there were a soap factory, a shoe shop, a powder factory, a carpenter shop, a tan- nery, a harness shop and a brick kiln. As early as 1804, San Gabriel had a loom mill, in 1819 a mill run by water power for grinding grain, and the same year a saw mill. In 1780 a hospital of adobe was built, its dimensions being 26 varas in length by 51; varas in width, to which in 1815 a ward 110 by 6 varas was added.
Regarding the gloomy days following the confiscation, John Russell Bartlett, who visited the Mission in 1852, wrote:
"I saw more Indians about this place, Los Angeles, than in any part of California that I had yet visited. They were chiefly Mission Indians, namely, those who had been con- nected with the Missions and had derived their support from them until the suppression of those establishments. They were a miserable, squalid looking set, squatting, or lying about the corners of the streets with no occupation. They have no means of obtaining a living, as their lands are taken from them, and the Missions for which they labored and which provided after a sort for many thou- sands of them, are abolished."
The Los Angeles Star voiced much the same sentiment in these lines: "When, at present, we look around and behold the state of the Indians of this country, when we see their women degraded into a scale of life too menial to be domestics, when we behold their men brutalized by drink, incapable of work and following a system of petty
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thievery for a living, humanity cannot refrain from wish- ing that the dilapidated Mission of San Gabriel could be renovated, its broken walls be rebuilt, its roofless houses be covered and its deserted halls be again filled with its ancient, industrious, happy and contented original popu- lation."
Finally the author of "The Old Missions of California," adds: "San Gabriel suffered sadly from the cruel blow of secularization, administered, as it was, at a time wholly premature and ill-advised. Secularization was but a sy- nonym for destruction. Such was the fate of San Gabriel, the fairest of the Franciscan possessions, the gener- ous monastery whose portals were open wide to all the wanderers of its time." This devastation and looting in- cluded the "Pious" fund donated for the assistance of the founders and administrators of the Missions in their work, this fund being the generous contribution of the wealthy persons of Spain. It amounted to a considerable sum, and was confiscated together with all of the property of the missionaries by the Mexicans, although it had a pragmatic sanction by the king of Spain. By the just decision of the Arbitration Court of the Hague, a very considerable portion of this pious fund was restored to the Mission- aries' successors.
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CHAPTER IV.
Art Treasures at San Gabriel. Many Murillos. Some Made by the Indians. They Gave the Features and Dress
of Their Tribe to the Portraits and Images They Made.
M OST impressive of the glories of the Old San Gab- riel Mission is its venerable and massive church structure. Here its most antique and valued relics are exhibited. A few years after the founding of the Mis- sion on the Rio Temblores, as stated hereinbefore, the tem- porary buildings were abandoned and new ones erected on the present site. It was in the latter place that the more prominent work was begun. The first of these structures was the Mission Church, which was dedicated to Saint Gabriel, the Archangel. This church, begun in the last decade of the 18th was completed in the early part of the 19th century.
The dimensions of this structure are 104 feet long, 27 feet wide and 30 feet high. The main walls six feet thick, are made of stone masonry to the windows. From there up the structure is of brick. The accessory walls are built in a similar manner and of like material, but they are not so thick. The main front finishes with a gable, having on either side a strong leaning support, or buttress, called machon, after the style of a Lombard sash, or belt. On the northeast corner there formerly arose a strong tower, which was destroyed by an earthquake on December 8, 1912. Of this tower there remains only the supporting column or springer of an arch.
On the inside there remain, of the original edifice, the very strong pilasters, or square columns after the Tus- can style, which indicate that the original roof was an arched one and the arches were band, or sash arches, called fajones. To correspond with these interior columns, there are buttresses on the outside that are crowned with pretty merlons which give to the whole building a fantastic ap- pearance and the air of a fortress.
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OLD CRUCIFIX AND CHOIR GALLERY
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The original roof destroyed by the earthquake of 1812 was replaced by another made of tiling supported by crossed beams shod with heavy cedar shoes, or blocks, as may be seen in the choir loft or gallery.
So beautiful and harmonious must have been the orig- inal covering that it is a great pity that the present ceil- ing, so out of harmony with the general appearance has taken its place. It is common to attribute to the Mission the Moorish style, but this, perhaps, is without good foun- dation. The missionaries and pioneer Fathers, not lack- ing harmony with the style of their epoch and having been reared close to the Moorish castles in Spain, or closer to more Romanic structures dedicated to Mary, either uncon- sciously, or purposely stamped these Missions with some lasting seal of their early impressions; or perhaps on their return from among the savages they desired to breathe some air of their fatherland and thus imprinted on the key stone of the main entrance, the Star, the symbol of Mary; or in the highest point of the exterior buttresses they imitated the merlons of the battlements of the Muza- rabic monuments. All of these, however, were placed without departing from the general lines of the style of their epoch, which was that of the Renaissance in a popu- lar form which we might term Franciscan.
THE BAPTISTRY.
One of the most interesting places worthy of the vis- itor's notice is the baptistry, located on the Epistle side in front of the main side entrance. Over its massive walls rests a pretty dome, or cupola called "media naranja," half of an orange. In the middle of this room arises a square base of solid masonry upon which rests the baptismal font. This font is made of hammered copper, the work having been done by Indians. The original pouring vessel, in the form of a shell, made of silver, is still kept and used. This pouring vessel, together with the holy oil stocks, censer, holy water pot with the sprinkler, and case for the altar breads, were made of silver. They are found in the first Mission inventory of December, 1773.
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THE ALTAR.
The retablo of the main altar, divided into sections, ex- hibits somewhat the churrigueresco style used towards the end of the 18th century. This style, which was in vogue mostly in Spain during that century, marks a noticeable deviation from the genuine artistic taste. It is remarkable for its extravagant and senseless profusion of adornment and ornamentation. In this case, however, good taste is shown in that it harmonizes more nearly with the rest of the Mission. Their impress of art typical in Spain during the era of their creation marks the stuccoed painted and carved statues and retablo as being older than the ancient church itself.
The statues occur in this order: On the right, St. Joa- quin and St. Francis of Assisi; on the left, St. Anthony of Padua and St. Dominic; in the center above the Arch- angel, St. Gabriel, and in the chief place, as the queen, is the Immaculate Conception. This last one, on account of its delicate execution, its realism in the deep feeling it breathes, stands forth as a product of the early 18th cen- tury. The frontal piece or hanging of this altar, follows the old Spanish style of the 17th century. Accordingly this antependium was made so as to receive a framework, gilded and ornamented within, on which was placed and displayed fine embroidered and ornamental silk tapestry of various colors. These colors were in such number as to meet the requirements of various days and ceremonies.
PAINTINGS.
In addition to the paintings representing the Blessed Virgin and St. Gabriel hanging on the walls of the sanctu- ary, upon the main walls of the church the following paint- ings appear; beginning with the Gospel side we have; St. Peter, St. John, St. Andrew, St. Thomas, St. Matthew, St. Simon, St. Luke, and St. Mark. On the Epistle side there are arranged; St. Paul, St. James the Less, St. Philip, St. Bartholomew, St. James the Greater, St. Thaddeus, and St. Barnabas.
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THE HISTORY OF MISSION SAN GABRIEL
Unfortunately audacious and profane hands, under the pretext of preserving those paintings, robbed them of their original brillance and primitive color, thus depriving them of their former lifelikeness. There is also the famous symbolic painting representing the Blessed Trinity by the noted artist Lucas Mena. All of these paintings are from Spain. Above the exit of the sacristy next to the King's Highway is a most original painting of Dante's Inferno, with the figures being keenly tormented.
THE SACRISTY.
This, of all the buildings is the best preserved. On the right of the main altar is the entrance to this room which is a reliquary of antiquities. It was respected by the earth- quake before mentioned. The roof is the original one. This arched roof, called "cannon," has no mouldings, or frescoed base, save the simple listel which divides the arch from the walls. In the primitive "cajoneras," chest of drawers, the old precious ornaments, imported from Spain by the Franciscan Fathers, are found preserved entire. Among these is a collection of rich copes, canopies, chas- ubles, all made of silk tissue, embroidered velvet, silver cloth and so forth.
There is also a small copper tank with a faucet and a bowl beneath it furnishing water for washing the hands of the priests. There is a holy water vessel likewise, with its sprinkler made of silver, and various candlesticks and two processional Crosses, carried by the missionaries in their excursions among the aborigines. All these appear also in the first Mission inventory. Concerning the statu- ary there is in the Mission Church an old lifesized Crucifix called : "Santo Cristo de Majusqui," and another smaller, placed on the main altar. Finally here also occurs a life- sized carved image of St. Bonaventure and another of St. Joseph, the latter dressed according to the European custom, the only one so clad. Formerly this statue was on a side altar on the Gospel side. It was overturned by an earthquake afore mentioned when the fingers of one hand were broken.
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Several years ago, as anyone may note, the main square windows of the church which marked the typical Francis- can style, were enlarged by hands lacking in taste. Thus the sacred edifice was robbed of the plain, severe, yet beautiful air which gave to the whole structure the odd and fantastic appearance of a fortification.
THE DOORS.
There is a pair of massive and tall doors now in the museum that earlier formed the front portals of the church. There is a door within each of these doors, its presence obviating the opening of the large ones, as the main doors were never opened except on great festivals or other processional days, or for the funerals of distin- guished religious or secular personages and dignitaries. These doors are artistically ornamented with copper nails. The two iron hinges, also massive, are placed near them in the museum. These hinges, as well as the doors, are primitive but extremely artistic.
THE MUSEUM.
The old Mission monastery has been converted into a museum. There are preserved two small silver statues. one of St. James the Greater, and the other of Our Lady of the Pillar of Saragossa, of the 17th century, as well as votive offerings of silver, gold and other metals and a statue of the Immaculate Conception made of solid ivory.
Upon entering this historic building there can be seen the room in which is located the old library. This library is a typical gallery and a living history of the many vicis- situdes of the printing press during several past cen- turies. Its books, brought from Spain by the Fathers, were their constant companions. They are witnesses of their excursions and heroic deeds.
The most antique work among them is the Summa Alex. Ales of the year 1489. It is a theological work which saw the early days of the printing press. Then follows in age the philosophy of Gabriel Biel of the year 1501. and the work of El Tostado, Bishop of Avila. Spain.
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OLD MISSION DOORS These Massive Doors Were Entirely Open Only in Token of Rejoicing on Great Feast Days
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1527. There are three volumes of the Summa Theologica of St. Thomas Aquinas, 1534 and 1535. All of these thus far enumerated were printed in the primitive Gothic Ger- man characters. The work of San Fulgencio de Ruspe shows us the first attempt by the famous Belgian house of Cristof. Plantin at making the French italic characters, while a dozen various works of the 16th century evidence the domain of the character called the round italic used in Spain, France, Belgium and Italy. There are to be found among these works, several incunabula, books of the very first period of the printing press, and of sacred music printed in Salamanca, Spain, in the same century. While these volumes are of great interest, yet even greater attractiveness and curiosity is aroused by the old records and other documents made by the founders of the Mission. These documents show the handwriting and signature of the president and founder of the California Missions, the venerable Junipero Serra, a facsimile of which with a portrait of the estimable prelate appears as one of the illustrations of this book.
San Gabriel Mission can legitimately be proud of hav- ing all of its records from its foundation. There also exhibited in the Mission library are various specimens of the round characters in different parchments of the 14th and 15th centuries and other handwritings of the 16th, 17th and 18th and one map of the Holy Land drawn in 1705.
PAINTINGS IN THE MUSEUM.
In the museum are a number of paintings. It being the purpose of this chapter to give merely an historic account no attempt at criticism of them will be made, but simply the argument of the principal ones given. Being of Spanish art and origin, they represent largely scriptu- ral texts and subjects. Among others there are the Queen Esther, Bethsabee Leaving the Bath, Salome Carrying the Head of St. John the Baptist, and the Massacre of the Innocents, noted for its freshness and expression in har-
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mony with the delicacy of its execution. These belong to the school of Seville founded by the celebrated painter Murillo and continued after his death by his pupils. These paintings, therefore, belong to the latter part of the 18th century. They were done in Seville for the reason that in no other part of Spain, at that time, could such works of art be produced.
Noted for their antiquity are the paintings represent- ing St. Paul bitten by the serpent while on the Island of Malta, the Dream of St. Joseph, His Espousals, another painting of St. Joseph with the child sleeping in his arms, the Vision of St. Peter, etc. Here is also to be seen a Byzantine style copy of a Madonna of the 17th century. There are copies of St. Francis, the Immaculate Concep- tion, and of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, attributed to Murillo and others made in his school by his pupils under his supervision and direction. Some of them bear apparent signatures of Murillo, possibly made before he acquired high reputation for his artistic talent and sold personally by him when he so disposed of a number of his early productions to voyagers sailing from Seville over the Guadalquivir River.
These were called "Sargas," or cheap pictures on rough canvas, which he sold to gain a livelihood. Doubtless some of them found their way to America, and possibly some may be included in the San Gabriel Mission collection.
The most charming picture seems. to be the one rep- resenting St. Mary Magdalene, attributed to Correggio. It attracts especial attention because of its expression and delicately executed work. From Italian artists, there are exhibited in this gallery various copies reproduced on copper of the Madonna called the "Grand Duke," by Raphael, the "Madonna and the Child," by Sarto and others, left to the study and curiosity of the visitors.
Painted on wood and of Mexican origin there are four beautiful pieces representing as many apparitions of the Blessed Virgin of Guadalupe. There are kept as historical mementos of the Mission an old iron anchor, which
SAN GABRIEL MISSION CHURCH MAIN ALTAR
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belonged to one of the first ships arriving from Spain, the first confessional box and arm chair used by the Franciscan Fathers, other objects of Roman and Spanish art of the first centuries of Christianity, and still other articles of Spanish-Arabic art; likewise some of the old Indian craft, and finally the old gigantic rose vine, noted for its fragrant, ever blooming, and snow white mantle that saw the old days of the pioneer Padres.
One of the most striking features of the museum is a rare and genuine collection of various mortars, pestles, grinders, metates, tools, arrowheads, Indian baskets, beads, tomahawks, vestments, and other artistic treasures.
THE BELFRY.
The belfry with its serviceable, yet plain, structure reminds one of the old Franciscan style. The fame of the San Gabriel Campanile with its historical bells is world- wide. It has attracted tourists from far and near. The same bells whose melodious peals called and summoned the savages from their native haunts to this more blessed spot of salvation and civilization, have given inspiration to the poet's rhyme and the story maker's tales.
When San Gabriel's celebrated chimes send forth their seductive argentine voices sweet remembrances and com- forting thoughts come to the pious mind :
"Oh! solemn bells, whose consecrated masses Recall the faith of old: Oh! tinkling bells, that lulled with twilight music The spiritual fold." Bret Harte.
The largest bell called, "The Angelus," rung thrice daily, gives forth the clearest and sweetest sound. Orig- inally there were six bells, but now only four remain. The date. author, names and inscriptions are as follows:
FIRST BELL. AVE MARIA SANTISSIMA. S. FRAN. DE PAVLA RVELAS ME FECIT. N. CO.
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SECOND BELL. CAST BY G. H. HOLBROOK MEDWAY, MASS. A. D. 1828. THIRD BELL. AVE MARIA S. JVAN NEPOMUCENO RVELAS ME FECIT A. D. '95. FOURTH BELL. FECIT BENITVS A' REGIBVS A. D. 1830.
The second bell came to California around by the Horn.
THE OVENS.
One hundred feet to the rear of the church in the garden may be seen the ruins of the old bake ovens, where the Indians trained by the Fathers baked bread for the community, burned brick for the buildings, made soap and candles from the tallow. There can yet be seen the furnaces for the cauldrons.
THE NEW CHAPEL.
Forming a right angle with the old Mission Church from the sacristy a new chapel has been built by the Mis- sionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, now in charge of the Mission. This tall, plain structure, plastered on the outside, in style imitates the old Mission Church externally, while the inside is a graphic reminder of the chapel of the historically famous convent of the Rabida in Spain. This convent was the first to open its wide portals to the great discoverer of America and to offer suport to him in the person of its illustrious Abbot, Fray Juan Perez de Marchena.
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