Page:Vol 6 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/610

590 regular branch. At the time of the grito de Dolores in 1810, the old prestige of the friars had almost entirely disappeared. Many of their number joined the revolution, throwing off the monk's habit, and donning the soldier's uniform. The most crushing blow the clergy received at the hands of the Spanish crown was in depriving their revolutionary members of their priestly fuero, and heaven did not come to their relief. From that time the decadence of the religious orders rapidly progressed. Members of families in good social standing had ceased to join, and the few recruits they obtained were generally from the lower classes. Civil laws, authorizing co-action to enforce the fulfilment of monastic vows, were repealed in November 1833. The religious of both sexes were permitted to leave the cloister if they so desired. Organizations of friars were suppressed by the law of July 12, 1859; the priests were to secularize themselves, and be pensioned. The same law extinguished all ecclesiastical congregations, and prohibited novitiates for nuns; the existing nuns being allowed to remain as such with the dowers they brought with them at the time of taking the veil; but such as wished to leave the cloister were to be reimbursed the full amount of their dowers. In 1861 it was ordered that all nuns should be concentrated in one convent.

Santa Anna permitted the Jesuits in 1843 and 1853 to settle in some parts of the republic, and organize missions in order to civilize savage Indians. It seems that the order established some houses, and