Page:Vol 3 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/735

Rh The object of this institution was the preaching of the gospel to the natives, especially in the district of Sierra Gorda, but during the first years of its existence, the members confined their labors to the more civilized regions extending from Querétaro to Oajaca and Yucatan. In later years they also established houses in the city of Mexico, under the name of San Fernando, the Hospicio de Nuestra Señora del Destierro at Puebla, and at Zacatecas, the college of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe.

From these establishments and the regular convents of the order issued the Franciscan missionaries, who unceasingly devoted their energies to the conversion of the savages in the northern districts. Missions in the district of Rio Verde were founded in 1612 and succeeding years, and an independent custodia, under the name of Santa Catarina Mártir de Rio Verde, was temporarily established, but more effective labors were delayed till 1686. From that time the gospel was also preached with alternating success in the more remote parts of Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí, and Nuevo Leon, the result being freqently jeopardized by the extortions of the Spaniards, who ever followed the steps of the advancing friars.

It was not until the middle of the eighteenth century, after the conquest of the Sierra Gorda by Escandon, that Christianity became more widely spread and more firmly established there, the missionaries, after that time, being only exposed to such cause of failure as emanated from the generally poor condition of the Indians. These were often unable to furnish the means requisite for the maintenance of the friars, and occasionally it was even necessary to supply some