 The Mutual Broadcasting System in Cooperation with Family Theatre Incorporated presents The Prayer That Won the West starring Ramon Navarro and Pedro de Cordoba. Henry Fonda is your host. More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. There are certain things in life that belong to all people of every race and age and creed. They are the necessary things, food, clothing and shelter. The beautiful things, happiness and hope, faith and understanding, friendship and kindness, they are the simple things all summed up in one word, home. Home should mean a fullness of life, life's most beautiful experiences and sweetest memories, and our home is really an upward expression of what we are. If there is holiness and happiness in our home, it is because we make an effort to be holy and happy. And these things have a wonderful way of going together, because holiness is the expression of our sincere faith in God. It means tolerance and trust of our fellow man. It means courage and strength to live up to our convictions. It means our unselfishness and kindness to others. That's why in a home where there is the daily practice of family prayer, there is a holiness that always means happiness. Now, Family Theatre presents the Prayer that Won the West, starring Ramon Navarro as one, and Pedro de Córdoba as Padre Cera. More than 178 years ago when our story opens, a sunny morning in the month of May in the year 1769. We're down in Mexico, two or three hundred miles south of the present border, watching an overland expedition prepare to journey north. Here, goods are being nailed into a box. Here, a muscular blacksmith is making a last minute repair on a horse's shoe. And here, down near the end of the long dusty line of beasts and men, a leather-jacketed Spanish soldier is showing an Indian lad how to load a pack mule. Oye, Jose, let me see if you remember how to make the hitch I showed you yesterday. Bueno Juan, first the rope goes like this, then over the back of the mule like this, that's it, then under and back. There, how is that? Casi, casi, almost perfect. Say, you know something? By the time we get to San Diego Harbor, you are going to be a first-class mulleteer, even better than me. It will be a long time before I am that good. That's right, but we'll have a long time. It's more than a hundred leguas to San Diego, they think, and nobody's sure. And we'll be traveling slowly with all this load of bibles and crosses. Juan, tell me something. Why, when you speak of bibles and crosses, you always sound as if you don't like them. I have nothing against them. But the way you say it, it sounds... Well, I'm a practical man, Jose. And when we go to an unexplored land like Nueva California filled with nobody knows what savages, well, I would rather carry more muskets. But the bibles and crosses... Bibles and crosses. Don't forget the king of Spain is behind this. What of that? He is no fool, our king Carlos. He has it planned. Planned? What do you mean? You are not a practical man like me, Jose. You do not perceive these things. Mira, the king knows that around each mission your father is built, there will grow a little town, no? Si. In each town there will be a presidio, eh? And in each presidio will be soldiers. Si. Seguro. And there, Jose, is the real reason why the king sends all these men and nules and the ships to meet us at San Diego. Christiani, you see, but also soldiers to keep out Catherine the Great. Catherine? Did you not tell me you studied at the Collegio de San Fernando in Mexico? Did you not learn of Catarina? Oh, si, the new empress of all the Russians. Si, a lady with very convenient morals. What she wants, she takes. And it's rumor that she plans to send men down from the northern ocean to take all California. But California was discovered by Spain. That may be so, but what is this? Is something wrong? Look, look what I just noticed on this poor boros back, a saddle gall. What a shame, pobre burrito. Jose, hand me that cast there on the ground. This one was full of grease. Grease? That's my own secret open for saddle galls, here. Hold back this strap while I rub it in. Bueno. Pobre burrito, this will make you feel much better. Did you not, why didn't you tell your friend Juan that you were in pain? Juan, Peter's done his attention. Pan four. Governor Dor, Portola is coming this way. Ah, de veras, I'm glad you told me. He's a hard man on discipline, this commander of ours. Si, look who is with him, Padre Sierra. That limping old man in the brown robe. Is he the one who's going to build the missions? Shh, they will hear us. Eddie is men. Muchas gracias, señor gobernador. This is Padre Junipero Serra, president of the California missions. He has expressed a desire to meet the men of our company before our journey begins. Greetings. God love you, my children. This man is one of our best muilteers, Padre. Juan Coronel. I'm happy to meet you, Juan. Muchas gracias, Padre. And this Indian boy, I do not know his name. I know his name, señor gobernador, Portola. Buenos dias, José, my son. Padre, I did not think you would remember me. Did not I baptize you when you were a babe in the Sierra Gorda? Yes, Padre. And thought you for a little at San Fernando? Si, Padre, but you have baptized and thought so many. José, when you've tried to bring someone to God, you cannot easily forget him. That reminds me, Juan, I don't think I saw you this morning at our prayers for the success of the expedition. No, Padre, I... Well, someone has to stay with the mules. Can they not be tethered? Oh, you can't trust them, Padre. Mules get strange ideas in their heads. That will be enough of that, Coronel. Speak the truth. Si, señor gobernador. Bueno, the truth is, Padre, I... Well, I'm a practical man. I... I don't believe in prayer. And mules get strange ideas in their heads. Oh, Padre. I respect your right to believe as you wish, Juan. And I'm glad we have a practical man like you going with us. Hmm, eh, what is this on this mules back? Some ointment, Padre. Que as a saddle, Coronel. Poor little beast. What is this ointment? A mixture of my own, Padre. Tallow and certain herbs of which I was told by my father. It heals goals like a miracle. So, well, we may need miracles before we are through. Let us go, señor gobernador. Adios, Padre. Adios, my sons, and God be with you. So, a limping, half-sick old man, and they pick him to build the missions. It only proves what I said, Jose. The missions are not important to the king, for he wants his soldiers in the land. Padre Ser is the best man in Mexico for work. He is as close to Christ as a man can be. That may be so, but see how weak he is? One leg he can hardly move. See, that is where he was bitten by a serpent. Serpent? You do not know this story? No. Twenty years ago, when Padre came here from Spain as missionary, he left ship at Veracruz and walked to Mexico City. He walked? That's a hundred leguas. See, but he is a Franciscan. They are expected to walk as San Fritz Francis did, unless they seek. So, he walked, and on the way he was bitten by a serpent, and the wound never healed. Look, they are lifting him onto a horse. See, that is because of his wound. He is in great pain. Even writing is going to be hard for him. Jose, I'm afraid he was right. Before we are through, we may need miracles. Slower and slower every day, Jose. See, hardly a leak have we gone today. And look how low the sun is. See, it's all these stops for your poor Padre to rest his leg. Poor old man, but he is... Here, look up ahead. The Padre is falling to his horse. Catch him, somebody. Hold, hold the mules. Wow, burritos. Stay here and watch the animals, Jose. I will go and see if I can be of any help. See, Juan. Stay, stay, burritos. Here, put my jacket under the Padre's head. Raise him a little. There. All right, men. Make camp. Prepare to return to the south tomorrow. Yes, Your Excellency. Señor Comenador, did I hear you say return? Go back. As military commander of this expedition, Padre Serra, it is my decision that you cannot continue. I shall not turn back. You must, Padre. You are in agony, and every day you grow weaker. God has given me strength to come this far, and I believe he will give me strength to reach San Diego Harbour. Ah, is that you, Juan Coronel? Back to your mules, man. No, no, no, let him come closer. One, my son. Padre. Some days ago you spoke of this wonderful ointment you put on Gauls. Will you put some on this swollen sick leg? But, Padre, that ointment is for mules. Am I not stubborn enough to be a mule? Please, my son, bring it to me. It is dawn. Wake up. Look who is coming. Padre Serra. Walking. And almost without a limb. Where is the ear, my son? Padre, you walk. Yes, the pain is gone. The leg is much better. Oh, God be praised. I don't understand this, Padre. My ointment could not be this good. It could not cure overnight a swollen, ulcerated leg. I know, Juan. That is why I use something else with it. Something else? Prayer. I pray too, Padre. Gracias, Jose. Prayers did this. Could it not have been your ointment, Juan? You are laughing at me, Padre. No, Juan. I am smiling to myself because you are a practical man. And with the help of God and practical men, we will reach San Diego. Well, Padre, we have reached San Diego. But you do not seem happy, Senor Govnador. No. There is no reason to be happy. Why not? From this point, we can start to build our rosary of missions north. Yes, yes. Those were the plans. But have you looked down there into the harbor? No, Senor Govnador. We were expecting three ships with supplies. Without the supplies, we cannot go ahead. And what do we find? One of our ships has been lost. And as for the other two, almost half the men, a hundred altogether, are dead. Dead? Bad water, bad food, scurvy, and more are dying. Those huts, you can see on the beach, are filled with the dying. God have mercy on them. We must hurry to give them our help. I have been thinking, Padre. Perhaps the best thing is to put them aboard the ships, take our men for sailors, and go back to Mexico. Abandon the expedition. If we stay here, Padre, our well men will contract its sickness and we may all die. Not unless it is the will of God. But Padre, we cannot possibly go on to Monterrey without enough men a surprise. I believe we can, if it is God's will, despite the difficulties with which we are faced. I believe it is God's will that we bring the message of Christianity to these pagans. And I think that you, a soldier, will not grow faint-hearted because there are difficulties. I wonder if our friends in Spain will know how many thorns there are in your grocery of California mission. Then you will go on. I will do this. I will find a few sailors who are strong enough to handle one of the ships. I will send the ship back to Mexico for supplies. Bueno. Then I will take our company here and journey by land to find the harbor of Monterrey. In the meantime, I will stay here and tend the sick. Muy bien. I will give you eight or ten soldiers to help you. You have your choice. Gracias, señor gobernador. First, I would like the Indian lad Jose. He can interpret for me when I speak to the Indians. As you wish. Next, I want my friend Juan Coronel. But you will not need a mule to eat. No, but I will need a man who is gentle with the sick, as he was when he put that ointment on my leg. I will need a man who is strong and he is to help build huts and a chapel and most of all. Yes. I will need a practical man, one who is stubborn. You look very tired Juan. Yes, I am a little. That leg is heavy and this sun is hot even here by the water. I think I sit down. Well, my son, you have finished. No, no, no, no, don't get up. You have earned the rest. Let me look this building over. Muy bien. You've done a very good job. It's no cathedral padre, but we did the best we could with stakes on the roof of grass. It is fine Juan. And next Sunday I will dedicate it the first mission in Nueva California. Well, I must get up. I have much work to do. Say, what is wrong with me? Juan, careful. You almost fell. Come on, my friend. Oh, it's just a little dizziness. I'm all right now. No, my son, I'm afraid you're not. I've been looking at you. I fear you're a sick man Juan. You have scurvy like so many of our others. No padre, not a big strong mule like me. Yes Juan, and this time you're not going to be stubborn. Come, I'm going to see that you're put to bed. How do you feel tonight? It's strange padre. It is like I have been asleep a long time. You have. You've been lying here in a delirium for days. No padre. See, this is the 15th of August, a great feast of our lady. Here my son, lift your head a little if you can and drink this. Gracias padre. Oh, tell me, has the ship returned? The one we sent to Mexico? No, Juan. El señor gobernador portola? The harbora montere is thought to be more than 200 leguas to the north one. Or we cannot expect him back from Manche. Here, drink some more. Gracias. How is my Jose? Jose, he is well and strong one. Right now he's gone down to the stream with some of the soldiers for water. Oh, I'm so anxious to see him. He's a fine lad. I'm very fond of him too and I hope... Padre, what is that? The soldiers, they're shooting. One second one, I'll try to see what it is. Len, what is happening out there in the dark? Len, don't shoot. Padre! Padre, somebody's hurt. Don't try to get up one. Who is that out there? Who is it? It is only us padre, the soldiers. Easy Miguel, carry him gently. He's bleeding. Padre, help me. Jose, my son. The Indians attacked us Padre. He got an arrow in the throat. Bring him in here, man, to the light. Who is it? Jose? Here, here, put him down. Here, gently, gently. Here, let me hold his head up. There, there Jose, it's all right now. Juan, your friend Juan is here. Juan? See, I'm glad you are better. Do not let me slip away Juan. Do not let me Padre. Obsolve me, I die. Oh God, in your infinite mercy, give peace to this innocent soul. Yes Padre, in here you savage. Get in or... No, no, no, do not strike him. But Padre, this is one of the savages... That will be all. You may go. Very well Padre, as you say. You lie down here, my brother. You understand? That's... You'll be comfortable there. Juan, Juan my son, wake up. What is it Padre? You? Padre, why do you bring this Indian in here? You're a little better now Juan. You can help take care of him. Take care of this savage? What is wrong with him? He came to us for help. He has a bullet wound in his shoulder. He must rest until it has healed. A bullet wound? Padre, that means he was one of the savages who killed Jose. Who knows? And you are helping to heal his wound? You are putting him here with me, Jose's friend? Have you never heard Juan that we must love our enemies? Buenas noches Juan, my son. Padre, Padre, come back. Padre, you dirty savage. Can you understand me? Well, then you will know why I'm going to kill you. Yes, helpless as you lie here, I'm going to take this knife and cut your throat, just as you raro cut my friends. You're up and around this morning. You are better, eh? I... I've come to speak with you Padre. I... I have come to make a confession. Confession. Not in the manner of the church Padre, but as man to man. As man to man. Last night, that Indian you left with me, I tried to kill him. I hurled a knife above his throat. I needed only to plunge it down. But I did not have the strength. I was weak as a baby. I... the knife fell from my hands. I do not think it was weakness that kept you from doing that, Juan. You prayed for me? See, Juan. And it was prayer that stopped my hand? Would you not believe so, Juan? Oh, I do not know what to say Padre. I'm a practical man. For seven months, this heroic little band worked in the hills of San Diego to build the first of the California missions. They waited for the return of the ship from Mexico with much needed supplies. And when finally Governor Portola... That is how matters stand Padre. Months of futile search for the Bay of Monterey. We could not find it. Even though it is shown on the navigator's charts. I come back here to find 20 of your men dead and the rest near starvation. So, there is only one decision. We must go back to Mexico at once, before it is too late. I beseech you, Senor Gobernador, wait just a few days more. This ship from Mexico may still come with food and supplies. I fear that ship has been lost many months ago. Listen to me, Senor Gobernador. This is the 10th of March. The 19th is the feast of St. Joseph. Give me until then to make a novena. Nine days of prayer that the ship may come. And if it does not come by the end of nine days... Ah, we will go back to Mexico. Bueno Padre. I will give you nine days until the 19th of March. Coronel, Juan Coronel. You call me, Senor Gobernador? See, help the other mule-teers to get things in readiness. On the 20th of March, we go back to Mexico. I beseech thee, dear lord, send thou the ship that was promised, that it may arrive within nine days, lest we be forced. We must not desert these Indian pagans living in spiritual darkness. Five days remain, oh, send thou the ship. But one more day, oh, tomorrow may the ship arrive. The ship, send it. Hear me, oh, God, hear me. Oh, I did not see you here in the dos, Padre. I have come to ask if I should pack your vestments and the crucifix. Pack them? Tomorrow is the 20th, Padre. We leave at dawn. No, Padre. We will not leave. The ship is coming. But Padre, it is dark now. The day is over. We have no hope. We have always hoped one. When we have faith, we look. Look out there on the horizon. The light. Yes. It is the ship. The ship. It has come. I knew God would hear our prayers one. Your prayers were answered. Yes. God is good one. Now we can continue with the work we have undertaken. We can build our rosary of missions. We can bring thousands of these poor people to the gentle faith of Christ. We can give them schools and farms and trades. We have won the victory. We have won the land. And you have saved it from Catherine the Great. Run and tell the others one. I will stay here. I want to thank God. Padre, Padre, may I stay with you. May I join you in prayer of thanks. One, you, the practical one. Yes, Padre. I have found out something. No, it's you who have taught me something I'll never forget. There is nothing more practical than prayer. Then kneel here beside me one. We lift up our hearts in thanksgiving to thee. Not only for the ship, not only for the salvation of the missions. We give thee thanks that another practical man has been taught the power of prayer. You have heard the prayer that won the west starring Ramon Navarra as one and Pedro de Córdoba as Padre Cera. Now here is tonight's family theater host, Henry Fonda. We have a way of measuring success in life by fixed standards of accomplishment. Public opinion often seems to put home life in a secondary place. There's usually business first. Yes, today we frequently forget fundamentals. Fundamentals like God and family prayer. Fundamentals like the greatest success story in the world, raising a good family and making a real home. And when the importance of fundamentals like these is forgotten, there's an emptiness in a home, an emptiness that nothing else can fill, an emptiness that leads to families breaking up. We need to get back to fundamentals, to the true meaning of success, to the joy and happiness that every family should have through daily family prayer. To a realization that a family that prays together stays together. Before saying good night, I'd like to thank Ramon Navarra and Pedro de Córdoba for their performances this evening. Our thanks to D.H. Johnson for writing tonight's play and to Max Tur for his music. This production of family theater incorporated was directed by David Young. Others who appeared in tonight's play were Don Orrick, Don Morrison, John Alvin, Don Diamond and John Faustini. Next week, our family theater stars will be John Lund and Marguerite Chapman. In heaven is like that. Your hostess will be Leetia Albanese. This is Henry Fonda saying good night and God bless you. This series of the family theater broadcast is made possible by the thousands of you who felt a need for this kind of program by the mutual broadcasting system, which has responded to this need and by a friend of the New York Founding Hospital, which cares for homeless and motherless babies without distinction of race, creed or color. Join us next week at this same time when our family theater stars will be John Lund and Marguerite Chapman with Leetia Albanese as hostess. Tony LaFranco speaking. This is the Mutual Broadcasting System.