Page:Our Neighbor-Mexico.djvu/448

436 the revelation; but it came. The first proclamation of independence from Rome was made by Comonfort in 1856, less than ten years after our coming and going. The Bible had been allowed to stay, and was steadily, though slowly and almost imperceptibly, leavening the lump. The street that went out from the western end of the plaza, parallel with the Street of San Francisco, was intercepted by the Convent of San Francisco. Comonfort saw that if he was to improve the city anywhere, it must be begun here. This splendid suite of buildings must be pierced. The archbishop resisted. "Touch that, and all is touched." He was right. He touched that, and all was touched. That fell, and all fell. The convent was cut in twain, and the street opened from the plaza to the gates. That was Mexico's first proclamation against Rome. On one side that street to-day you will see parks and dormitories of the convent; on the other, the patio, chapel, and church, with several blocks of private dwellings, two chapels, used for a stable and a blacksmith shop, and the former library, now used as the chapel for American service, and blocks of residences.

That was the key-note of the revolution. On it went, sweeping out the friars and nuns, and cutting their superb estates in pieces. It was Protestantism in the State, blindly destroying, but not building up.

Juarez followed Comonfort, and the war prevailed yet more. Confiscations of convent property became general. Schools were established without the control of the Church. The institutions of friarhood and sisterhood were abolished, and the claims of the Church, formerly loaned on the estates of the people, were declared of none effect. As this claim covered almost all property, it was a proclamation of universal financial emancipation. The disruption of Church and State was violently going forward. Had no religious influence come in to build up a better Church and State, that conflict would have resulted in the resubjugation of the State to