Morning journal and courier., 1888-11-20
CHRISTIANITY.
Au obiect Lesson Therein.

CHRIsTIANITY.
 An object Lesson Therein.
 It Is by no means clear to the ordinary comprehension that any real advance has been made on either side by the contest of the giants over the truths of revelation, the value of the Bible or the exact status of the religion and teaching of the New Testament In the nineteenth century civilization. Dis- regarding the wise counsel of the late Judge Black to 'leava moral police duty to the laity and attend solely to preaching the word, ," there has not been wanting among the clergy valiant men ready to draw the sword to attack the positions taken by the leading writer in this country against all re- vealed religion. If they or their readers are satisfied with their success, then ''their labor has not been in vain in the Lord"
 When the master claimed credence "for the works sake" his argument seemed inn pregnable, and from that day to this there have not been wanting witnesses for the truth, whose works justified all their claims when they said "the love of Christ constrain- eth us."
 Not long ago the writer saw an exceeding ly we'll gotten up paper, called "Ths Para disc of the Paci6c," devoted entirely to set- ting forth the desirable features of the Ha- waiian Islsnds as home for those who spe- cially wished to escape the rigors of north ern winters, and by singular coincidence about the same time read that 'fFatner Con- rardy, of Oregon, was about to go to Hawaii and assist and take the place of Father Da- mien, who some years since gave himself 10 the work of ministering to the spiritual and temporal needs of the leper settlement on Molokai," Father Damien having fallen victim to his devotion and himself become hopeless leper. A somewhat extended resi- dence in Hawaii and an acquaintance with many who have since become lepers, and consequently sent by the government to the leper settlement, led me to address note to Father Conrardy, wishing him we'll in his work and explaining my former interest in some of the poor native Hawaiians with whom he must henceforth cast his lot.
 did not neglect to say to him that "my respect for the Catholic mission on Hawaii was not on account of similarity of denomi- national belief, for I was at the other ex- treme but that I had learned to Hesteem them very highly in love for their works sake" Not long since l received from him letter, which is. the best commentary on practical christianity that has ever come un- der my observation. Without waiting to ask his consent, copy it entire and with the English as he writes 1t, and give 1t to the readers of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
 KALAwAo LEPER SETTLEMENT,
 July IT, 1888.
 DEAR SIR-Your unexpected, although welcome letter of May last, came to hand in 1,,a Tho aip vvhw 6afa ynd fr answer 1t sooner was that was busy assist ing Father Damien caring for the sick and burying the dead. I arrived here on the 17th of May, and just one month after my arrival we had buried ninety poor, unfortunate lep- ers The 17th of June eleven of them died. We had no physician, but it was just as well, as the one on the pay roR had not the conf- dence of the people here. Another physi- elan arrived yesterday, Dr. l am quite happy here and intend to stay. do not know if I will ever take trip to Europe to say good bye to my relatives and friends. I hurried here to the assistance of Father Damien, who had written to me, "Come int mediately to my assistance, to help me anc replace me; this is the cry of my heart" To do this had to give up the intended fare well visit to my folks at home. But even If God asks me this grest sacrifice am quite willing to do it, hoping he will strengthen me. hope so, for Gods generosity is far greater than ours. Father Damien's general health is pretty good now. Since lsprosy has broken out his face is quite disGgured, being swslled very irregularly, his ears especially being big and repulsive. On one of his knees he has a big lump and his hands threatened to become crippled, but yet he has the use of them. live with him since my arrival at Kslawao. I confess that in the beginning, eating near by him although at 8 separate little table, my appetite nearly left me, not so much on account of the sight | ! kI-L LV.s. used by us was handled by lepers. Meat and everything, for the cattle are killed and sut, handled and brought by lepers. What dis gusted me also was the sight of the chickens (and am very fond of egg) eating all kinds of rotten things, even pieces of rotten flesh from the lepers. The poor father to whom told of my repugnancy, exclaimed, "Pour | le coup, c'est pousser les precautions trop loinl"
 "You carry precautions too farin Now have conquered myself, but eggs-I don't | like to eat them. So he had some chickens l taken away from our yard and given to 8 ! leper to take care of and bring me the eggs These are small details, but when one real ized that one living among lepsrs becomes necessarily in contact with the disease in | hundreds of ways every day, cannot be | blamed to take at 1east some of the precau- | tions prudence requires of me. If leprosy | is to be contracted, taken by inhalation or | my lot also. Lepers are everywhere and touch everything. We have now eighty lep- CT boys living with us. They are as dear to | us as if they were our own children, even 1 dearer, for they have been taken foroibly from their parents, whom they are to see no 1 more Some are not over eight years old, 1 but already have on them faces which make 1 them appear to be sixty years of age. How | could we drive them away from us from our own very rooms, for they like to be with us. 1 Of late, for the last two years, the Hawaii- an government has done great deal toward l alleviating the miseries of the poor Iepere. Many neat little cottages have been built and water pipes laid all over the settlement. This last work was finished abous three i weeks ago. Before that numbers of lepers had to depend mostly rain. Another l great improvement going on is through do- nation from Mir. Bishop, the banker. A house is put up here for the sisters who have charge already of the branch hospital near