OM Catholic Heritage in T e:xas
of considerable forces. Furthermore the first missionaries worked in thickly populated areas, where rich mineral deposits, which attracted numerous Spanish settlers, were found. In the absence of rich mines, other natural resources or wealth were the stimuli that brought settlers, whose presence made the work of the missionaries easier. In the northern frontiers of New Spain, particularly in Texas, condi- tions were far different, he explains. The cooperation of the military arm of the government and of civil officials was of the utmost importance. Wher- ever the missionaries had sallied forth along the northern frontier without an adequate military escort, tragedy had overtaken them and martyrdom crowned their efforts. In New Mexico, in Texas, and more recently in Sonora, experience had demonstrated the truth of this simple fact. Are we to imply from this that Fray Arricivita was a believer in the use of brute force as the most effective means of conversion? Let him explain his position himself. Speaking of the importance of the presence of an adequate military force he says: "The respect which this inspires, and not the exercise of brute force or fury is what the missionaries implore. Without it the missions cannot long endure, either because of the incon- sistency that characterizes the natives, or because they attempt to live within them with the unrestrained liberty and pagan customs of savages." 16 Suggestions of ill arti.nc:; Pacl1eco. The former commander of the ill-fated Presidio of San Agustin at Orcoquisac, in his report on what was wrong with the missions in Texas and Coahuila, frankly admitted that the chief trouble had been the incompetent governors and commanders of the various presidios. Most of these had limited previous experience in dealing with natives and, blinded by selfish interests, they had failed to cooperate with the missionaries, sacrificing to their inordinate ambitions and sordid passions the property and lives not only of the inmates of the missions but of the struggling settlers in these remote provinces. The failure to support the efforts of the missionaries had resulted in the abandonment of the missions by many Indians, who had sought refuge either with the numerous tribes that lived along the coast, or with those in east Texas, or the fiercer nations of the north. These apostates, who were acquainted with the missions and Spanish settlements, were more dangerous and caused greater losses to the Spaniards in Texas than those who had never known Christianity. Many of the runaways would never have left the missions, or having left them would long since have been
t6Arricivita, Cronica, 442-443.
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