or
religion. Comfortable subsistence, with the accumulation of wealth by
the missionaries themselves, was in most instances the lure which
attracted them to Texas, tempting them to risk their lives in the
so-called conversion of the heathen.

The mission-houses were in the monasterial style, many of them on a
grand scale--mansions in fact, with roomy refectories, and kitchens to
correspond; snug sitting and sleeping-chambers; well-paved courts and
spacious gardens attached. Outside the main building, sometimes forming
part of it, was a church, or _capilla_; near by the _presidio_, or
barrack for their military protectors; and beyond, the _rancheria_, or
village of huts, the homes of the new-made neophytes.

No great difficulty had the fathers in thus handsomely housing
themselves. The converts did all the work, willingly, for the sake and
in the name of the "Holy Faith," into which they had been recently
inducted. Nor did their toil end with the erection of the
mission-buildings. It was only transferred to a more layical kind; to
the herding of cattle, and tillage of the surrounding land; this
continued throughout their whole lives--not for their own benefit, but
to enrich those idle and lazy friars, in many cases men of the most
profligate character. It was, in fact, a system of slavery, based upon
and sustained by religious fanaticism. The result as might be
expected--failure and far worse. Instead of civilising the aborigines
of America, it has but brutalised them the more--by eradicating from
their hearts whatever of savage virtue they had, and implanting in its
place a debasing bigotry and superstition.

Most American writers, who speak of these missionary establishments,
have formed an erroneous estimate of them. And, what is worse, have
given it to the world. Many of these writers are, or were, officers in
the United States army, deputed to explore the wild territories in which
the missions existed. Having received their education in Roman Catholic
seminaries, they have been inducted into taking a too lenient view of
the doings of the "old Spanish padres;" hence their testimony so
favourable to the system.

The facts are all against them; these showing it a scheme of
_villeinage_, more oppressive than the European serfdom of the Middle
Ages. The issue is sufficient proof of this. For it was falling to
pieces, long before the Anglo-Saxon race entered into possession of the
territory where it once