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Show CALLED MODERN ST. FRAPJCIS Charles Caleb Pierce Tramped and Preached Through California 42 Years Welcomed Everywhere. Memories of a host of picturesque figu.O's In the history of California are .evoked by- the centennial of the missionary mis-sionary society of the Episcopal Churchj which was celebrated Xn-vember Xn-vember 6. The.nrlnd goes back to that morning in January, 1848, when Jim ..Marshall, picked' Up some bits 04. yelw tow- metal in the tall-race below' Suiter's Sui-ter's mill up In the Sacramento v-illey, and the cry of "Gold:" like the ahol Bred at Lexington, was heard rond the world. The rush of the '40ers frd-lowed, frd-lowed, and in the vanguard was Itev. Klavel Scott Mines, who erected (he Brst church lniihling'on the 1'acilic ''const. Trlnitj ctuarch San Francisco, wlkh;h,wa.s oiH'he'd on October 28. 1840. I'rirliahly. no name lias a' more lasting last-ing place in California annals, however, how-ever, than that - of Charles Caloh Pierce, called hy Bishop Morelnnd "a moder-St. Francis." who, -beginning his mlssiunary career In 188, devoted his life to the people of El Dorado coun-ty.t. coun-ty.t. Without private means and scorning scorn-ing to accept a salary, ..Pierce established estab-lished headquarters in a -hide parish church at Placervitle. Sunday always., found him there. Regularly each Man-, day morning he packed his hag with.--: religious literature and "hit the trail." Six days a week, week .in and week'. out, he walked over the county, averaging aver-aging 00 miles each week, every house his home, a place af the table of whatever what-ever house lie' visited or a spare bed always being certain wherever he happened hap-pened tii be. 'He always traveled on foot. His charity was.'unbounded. and he was-the friend and helper of all. For 42-'. years he tramped and preached about El Dorado county, and in all that time he never left the county coun-ty but twice, and" on both occasions against his will. Then. March 30, 190M. the news flashed through the county, "Father Pierce is' d'eail I"' Universal Uni-versal mournhig followed. |