The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1889-06-26

In Jail il he stirred of the gloomy PENN.
sula on which the lepers were. Damien
became at Kalawao. as he wrote him.
self, physician Of the soul and body,
magistrate school teacher, carpenter,
joiner, painter, gardener, house-keeper,
cook, and often undertaken and grave
digger" The poor lepers came to
look upon him as their friend and as
sistant in every possible way. He
moved among them, and lived with
them as one of themselves. His infu-
ence became unbounded. He was the
arbiter of all disputes, the final re-
source in every trouble. Finally the
Hawaiian Government came to look
upon Damien kindly. They put him
on the same footing as the medical in
spector who at times visited the colony,
and allowed him every privilege.
Damien did not leave the island, but
remained constantly laboring among
the lepers.
We can not in these columns even
outline the results of Father Damien's
service of sixteen years in the leprous
colony. Suffice it to say the licentious
dances are no more heard of. Com
paratively little of the native alcohol
is distilled. The lives of the people
are much more moral, and the lepers
have taken to cultivating garden spots
around their homes. Kalawao is a
peaceful and apparently happy COM
munity. In their former hopeless con-
dition the lepers jeered at sad omens
and rioted in frenzied attempts to
drown the sense Of their doom.
Damien made representations to the
government. These were followed by
others. Finally the Legislature sent
over committees Of inspection, and
1.-THE devout priest pointed out with
tears what was needed" At last re-
lief came, and Damien saw his efforts
crowned with success. The most seri-
Gus Of the evils were removed; and
when this was done our hero priest
found that the leper settlement had
become God-fearing Christian com.
munity, looking to him as its head.
But it took years to accomplish such
a work. Slowly it came, inch by inch,
as the result of consecrated mans
self-devotion and indomitable will.
When Queen Kapiolani visited the
peninsula in July, 1884, her officers
showed her the neat white cottages
standing among the cultivated fields,
the barns filed with produce, the Or
derby streets-a community showing
everywhere the hand of industry and
religion-and then pointing to Damien,
who stood humbly at a distance, said:
HE is the father Of it all" Later the
Queen visited the school for incurable
leper boys and girls, personally found
ed by Damien, and heard the children
singing.
1t was in 1884 that the first signs
that leprosy had marked Damien for a
victim appeared. But the heroic priest
continued his work till finally the worst
stages Of the dread disease manifested
themselves, and then, unable to walk,
voiceless and nearly sightless, suffering
as only iepers suffer, on the tenth of
April he passed to his reward. His
example stimulated another, and now
Father Conrardy continues the worl,
Father Damien took up, and like him
will continue the work till he fills q
lepers grave.
Such is the brief story of one of the
noblest lives the world has ever seen.
What contrast such life to the
countless thousands of his fellow
Christians; how it eclipses the Stylites
and the whole profitless race of pillar
jewellers; how it inspires to heroism
to duty; what sarcasm is it upon tn,
complainings Of those with whom tn,
world does not move as easily as the,
would have it! A nobler sacrifice wa
surely never made this side Calvary
and wherever the story is told it will
become a lasting memorial of heroi
and noble soul. Christian at Work.