Life And Apostolic Labors Of The Venerable Father Junipero Serra Founder Of The Franciscan Missions Of California

Author : George Wharton James
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781332318896
Total Pages : 378 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (188 download)

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Download or read book Francisco Palou's Life and Apostolic Labors of the Venerable Father Junípero Serra written by George Wharton James and published by . This book was released on 2015-08-05 with total page 378 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Excerpt from Francisco Palou's Life and Apostolic Labors of the Venerable Father Junipero Serra: Founder of the Franciscan Missions of California Though Palou's "Life and Apostolic Labors of the Venerable Father Fray Junipero Serra" is the first work dealing with the history of Alta California; and though it was originally published in the City of Mexico in 1787, it has never yet been translated for English readers. A few chapters with snatches here and there from the original were done into English and issued by the Reverend Father Adam, Vicar General of the Diocese of Monterey and Los Angeles, in the year 1890, but its inadequacy was an irritant and a source of annoyance. Does it require any lengthened argument to show that such a lack in the literature of the Golden State does not recommend us to the good opinion of outsiders? To have the very first book upon which our knowledge of the history of the state depends inaccessible to all save a few Spanish scholars reveals a lack of state pride and self-respect and a personal indifference that are unbecoming a great state and its progressive people. This would be so even were the character of the "history-maker" one that neither commanded veneration or respect. But when, as in the case of so noble and Godlike a man as Padre Junipero Serra, people of all classes, parties, and religious beliefs acclaim him one of the noblest, purest, most self-sacrificing, devoted, humble. Apostolic and Christlike of men, the careless indifference of the educators, religious leaders and teachers, and scholars of the State borders upon the reprehensible. It seems peculiarly appropriate, therefore, that in this year of our Lord 1913, two hundred years after this His Devoted Servant, Junipero Serra, first saw the light, that a translation of his Life and Labors should be published. For thirty years I have waited, hoping that some competent pen would undertake the work. Father Zephyrin Englehardt, the Official Historian of the Franciscan Order in California, was the man who most properly should have done it, as his great familiarity both with the Spanish language and with the life of his fellow-Franciscan, - whose memory and Apostolic labors he reveres, - eminently fitted him for the task. But his exhaustive studies and work upon the monumental history of the Missions and Missionaries of California, Lower as well as Upper, not yet being completed, he was compelled to forego the pleasure. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works."