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Our Catkolic Heritage in Texas
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transmitted a copy of the letter he had written on August 20 to John D. Morris, chairman of the resolutions committee. In this letter Odin, after expressing great admiration for the sterling character of the de- ceased, explained that it was with deep regret that he had been forced to refuse the request to toll the church bells. "As a private man I would have felt truly happy to have had it in my power to contribute to the pomp of his funeral; no sacrifice would have appeared too great to testify my respect for his memory," he declared. He then continued, "But as an officer of the Catholic Church I have laws to abide by...• Bells are tolled in Catholic churches on the occasion of a funeral, not to add pomp to the ceremony, but to invite the members of the Church to pray ... for the departed soul ... when the deceased was a member of the Church.. . . I am enforcing a law I have not framed, but that I am bound to follow." He closed by further explaining that as an officer of the Church he had to obey and enforce its laws just as officers of the State were in duty and conscience bound to obey and enforce the laws of the State. The dignified tone of the reply and the sincerity of the feelings expressed disarmed the discontented and restored peace and harmony. "The most ardent persecutors," he declared a few months later, ''became the most devoted friends."" Repairs on old San Fernando progressed steadily. Odin, authorized by the trustees, had sold some of the broken silver plate belonging to the church in order to buy needed materials. On October 10, the trustees bought at the rate of twenty-five cents (Texan money) per cartload the loose stones from old Conception Mission's monastery to continue work on San Fernando. Five days later, on Sunday, there was exposition of the Blessed Sacrament after the High Mass. "The cere- mony had not been witnessed for eight, and some say fourteen years." Odin bought Jose Casiano's house and lot for three thousand dollars, half of which was to be paid within one year and the balance in two years. Indian lzostilities and tlze old missio11-s. The Government of the new Republic under Lamar was determined to impress the Indians with its authority and to teach them to respect the settlers. The result was an increase in Indian raids during 1840 and 1841. From January to Oc- tober, 1840, 38 Mexicans and 14 Americans were killed in the vicinity 31 The resolutions adopted by the committee headed by Morris were published in Austin, Texas, in T/,e Se11tinel, August 29, 1840, as was the letter of Odin to the editor with enclosures in the subsequent issue. See also Odin's Diary, entries for August 17-20, September S, 1840; ancl his !etters to Blanc, August 24, 1840, and to Etienne, April u, 1841 1 previously cited.
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