parents placed no obstacle in the way of their gentle boy's vocation,
and being too poor to pay for his education, the Church did it for them.
At the age of sixteen, Miguel Jose left his father's small estate and
began his studies in his native village, completing them at the
Franciscan College of Palma, the Capital of the Island of Majorca. He
made rapid progress, and a brilliant future opened before him, while his
virtuous qualities were noted by all with whom he came in contact. A
proof of his worth may be seen from the facts that he was ordained
before he attained his majority; also taught in different schools as
professor of theology and received the degree of doctor soon after his
ordination. The fame of his eloquent preaching and persuasive oratorical
powers spread not only throughout Spain but reached other European
countries. Still Junipero Serra (as he was known by his own choice after
an humble disciple of Saint Francis of Assisi, noted for his charity)
was not dazzled by his brilliant mental gifts, and his thirsting desire
to evangelize the heathen savage of the New World grew apace with his
fame. He declined the offer to become the Court preacher and other
ecclesiastical dignities, which he would have been entirely justified in
accepting, and practiced those virtues which clung to him with even more
perfect maturity throughout his life; heroic virtues which enabled him
to undertake wonderful things. In him too were noted those sweet simple
qualities invariably found in great and holy men and women, such as
gentleness, amiability, a tender affection for children and a love for
the beautiful in nature; sun, moon, stars, flowers, birds, the woods and
ocean, all found responsive chords within him. In a few brief lines we
have endeavored to convey an idea of Serra's character, let us now
follow his steps in company with the band of heroic workers who
accompanied him in his voyage across the dark Atlantic, and his
apostolic journeys through Mexico and California to "break the bread of
life" to the unfortunate heathen. Among the notable band of missionaries