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Tlze Beginnings of Civi,lized Life in Texas, I7JI-I745
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eighty-one Indians had been baptized up to 1745 and six hundred and eighty-five Christian burials had been performed. In the mission pueblo there were living at this time three hundred and eleven Indians of both sexes and all ages. Of these, two hundred and seventy-five were baptized Christians and thirty-six were being instructed in the doctrina. The chapel was provided with three silver chalices and patens, a large silver receptacle for hosts with its cover crowned by a cross, a small case of precious wood in which the Blessed Sacrament was carried to the sick, five small silver spoons, three pairs of cruets for wine and water, two baptismal fonts of copper, and two censers. The sacristy was well supplied with vestments for the various services, there being eight complete sets in black. white and various colors. It had three missals, two Roman rituals, two manuals for the administration of the sacraments and many other ornaments for the decent decoration of the altar, all of which were kept in a stand of solid walnut with four drawers. The original church, which seems to have been an adobe structure, had fallen down and a new one was being built at this time. The new edifice was of stone and mo.rtar. While it was being finished, services were held in a large hall which had a place for the choir. A temporary altar hac been erected over which _was a carved statue of Saint Anthony abou one vara high. Above the image there was a large crucifix about two varas in length. To one side of the crucifix was a carved image of Our Lady of Sorrows, and on the other side one of Saint John the Evangelist, both full size figures decorously dressed. There was another altar in the sacristy, whose central figure was a carved image of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, about one vara high. Above it was hung a picture of Saint Francis Xavier, about two varas square, with a gilded frame. On either side of the Immaculate Conception were the images of Jesus the Nazarene, and Jesus Crucified, each about a vara high. In the large hall, which served as the church, there were two benches and two confessionals. In the sacristy four large bells were being kept at this time to be placed in the tower of the new church when this was completed. Twelve large pictures, which were to be placed in the new church, were also stored in the sacristy. One of these was a beautiful picture of Saint Anthony, two varas square, with a gold-filled frame. The other eleven pictures were of various saints of the Franciscan Order each about one vara square. The location of the new chapel was opposite the church of the Villa de San Fernando, about the distance of two gunshots to the east. The Indian pueblo, where the neophytes lived, consisted of two rows
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