On the grounds of the Catholic mission where the Mormon Battalion camped 150 years ago, some 3,000 spectators observed a sesquicentennial commemoration Jan. 25 of the soldiers' arrival in the San Diego area early in 1847.

The celebration at Old Mission San Luis Rey involved seven stakes in North San Diego County. A celebration in San Diego's Old Town Jan. 18, involved stakes in the southern part of the county. (See coverage in Jan. 25 Church News.))Elder C. Max Caldwell of the Seventy and Rep. Ron Packard, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives who is LDS, were speakers on the program at Mission San Luis Rey. Also featured were Father Warren Rouse, guardian of the mission; Mayor Dick Lyon of Oceanside, who read a proclamation from Gov. Pete Wilson of California; an 80-voice Mormon Battalion Sesquicentennial Choir, composed of Church members in the area; two Mormon Battalion service organizations; descendents of battalion members; and civic and military representatives.

Showers during a portion of the program shortened some presentations, but apparently no one left early from the celebration, which began with a parade on and near the mission grounds.

The parade included the Franciscan Friars; Luiseno Indians; re-enactors; about 75 battalion descendents, all of whom had submitted brief histories of their ancestors to be placed in a time capsule to be buried in front of the monument; about 700 Young Men and Young Women who had participated in a service project at the mission; and full-time and stake missionaries in the California Carlsbad Mission singing "Called to Serve."

Mayor Lyon read a proclamation from Gov. Wilson, which praised the Church and commended the battalion's contributions to the history of California. He also mentioned the Church's Proclamation on the Family, which was presented recently to the city of Oceanside by Carlsbad Stake Pres. Clyde Barson. The mayor gave strong support to the values espoused in the proclamation.

In a re-enactment from history, keys to the mission were symbolically turned over to the battalion. The re-enactment depicted the following incident from January 1847:

When elements of the Mexican Army took over much of California, they drove out all of the Franciscan Friars, who had established the mission system in California. The "Californios," as the Mexicans were called, wanted nothing to do with Europeans, and the Friars were all from Europe.

That left only the Luiseno Indians to tend the mission. They had been employed by the Friars at the mission and felt a responsibility to protect it. Told by Gen. Stephen Kearny that the battalion soldiers would be arriving shortly and they had been ordered by President James K. Polk in Washington to protect not only the mission but the Indians themselves, the Indians welcomed the battalion warmly.

Commemorating that event, Al Cerda of the Luiseno Indian Tribal Council made brief comments, then turned over the keys to Steve Clugston of the Re-Enactors group, who was dressed as Col. Cooke.

In his remarks, Elder Caldwell told of his ancestor, Matthew Caldwell, who had only been a member of the Church three weeks when he was called to serve in the battalion. He was promised by Brigham Young, in the name of the Lord, that he would never have to fire on an enemy, that he would never be fired upon, and that he would find his family in better shape when he returned than when he left them. The prophetic promise was fulfilled.

"His journey became a journey of faith," Elder Caldwell said, adding that Matthew Caldwell's example is typical of all the battalion members.

Rep. Packard said one of the lessons learned from the battalion is the sublime nature of service. "The Mormon Battalion found that public service - losing themselves in helping and building for others - not only eased their own burdens, but it restored their souls with a sense of worth and a quiet sense of inner peace."