estrellas
Mas bela que las mas bellas
A ser la gloria del cielo
Pues para tan alto vuelo
Con un favor sin igual
Sois Maria concebida
Sin pecado original."

"Patrona la mas amada
De nuestro suelo Espanol
Nuestro mas luciente sol
En la noche desgraciada
Pues para ser proclamada
Con el voto mas cordial
Sois Maria concebida
Sin pecado original."

"Concede en fin Madre amada
A tus hijos este dia
La mas cristiana alegria
Y la muerte deseada
Para que seas cantada
En la patria celestial
Sois Maria concebida
Sin pecado original."

Chapter VIII

Retrospection of the work of the Spanish Missionaries,
Explorers and Settlers and their place in California's
Appreciation

We have followed the venerable band of missionaries from their homes in
Spain, where fired with zeal for the conversion of the savage heathen of
the New World they set out for the comparatively newly discovered land
of Mexico, where Spain had already a few establishments and churches, an
archbishopric in the city of Mexico, and the Franciscan Fathers a well
equipped monastery and mission at San Fernando in the northern part of
the country. We have seen the Spanish Franciscans' zeal in the land of
the Aztec, and we have also seen the noble cooperation given them by the
government and civil authorities of Catholic Spain. We have traced
the missionaries' steps, followed by gallant Portola, and his fellow
officers and men, and have sympathized and rejoiced with them in their
hardships and joys. We have no doubt, often marveled at the stupendous
work of the Sons of Saint Francis in the conversion of the unenlightened
heathen, and have seen the Indian tribes turn from the worship of idols
to the altar of the one true God.

Let us now give a brief glance at the work so nobly done by the immortal
heroes which Catholic Spain sent to these shores. Many a time, winter
blasts of misunderstanding and wrong have been cast upon them, and many
a time have noble sympathizers fought just battles with prejudice in
their behalf, with the blessed result that the thickest clouds of errors
and "threadbare calumnies" have almost entirely disappeared, and with
them the remaining mists of wrong are fast vanishing at the powerful
approach of truth's sun, so that in relating the glories of that legion
of splendid characters whose names are so