The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-05-10
Death of the Priest Who
Exi1ed Himself Among
the Sandwich Island
Lepers.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
He Devoted Himself to a Horrible
Fate to Relieve the Unfortun-
ate.

The news that Father Damien's self i'm
posed exile among the lepers of the Sand
wich Islands has ended in his death has
been expected long, but will not the less
cause shock and sorrow to those who
have watched the voluntary martyrdom
of this hero. No one can read the story
of his missionary efforts without the
blood tingling with admiration. An ac-
count of it is given by Mr. Archibald Bal
lantyne in the May number of Longmdns
Magazine.
FATHER DAMIEN's SACRIFICE.
All persons afflicted with leprosy in the
Hawaiian Islands are deported, under
most strict and vigilant supervision OF
the government, to Molokai, one of the
smallest of the group, where their condi-
ton, physical, moral and spiritual, was
simply horrible until Father Damien de-
voted himself to living death for their
good. His name.was the Rev. j. Damien
de Veuster, and when he re
self to - the 00' service " Of these
wretched people, he was thirty-three years
old, in robust health, man of education
and refinement, and with every prospect
of advancement in his profession. All
these great possessions" he gave up, ac-
ment among frightful scenes, and GER
tainty of the leper's awful sufferings and
death.
THE DREAD DISEASE.
He worked for eleven years in health,
but in 1884 there were forebodings, and in
1855 he showed unmistakable signs of
leprosy. Writing to friend in 1886, he
says
Having no doubt of the real character of my
disease. resigned among
my people Almighty God knows what is best
for my sanctification, and with that conviction
say daily good Fiat Uolnntas TtId. Please pray
for your afflicted friend, and recommend me and
my unhappy people to all servants of the Lord.
RESULTS OF HIS WORK.
The result of his labors was to effect a
revolution in the stricken society. He
was their "doctor, nurse, carpenter,
schoolmaster, magistrate, painter, gar
dener, cook, sometimes even their under
taker and gravedigger." When he reached
Molokai, 'the miserable condition of the
settlement gave it the name of living
graveyard" In their miserable grass
huts, Giving pell nell, without dis
tinction of ages or sex, old or new cases,
all more or less strangers to one another,
these unfortunate outcasts of society
passed their time in playing cards; hula
lula native dances), drinking fermented
ki-root beer, homemade alcohol, and with
the sequels of all this" His first dis
covery was that the temporal wants of his
people were as great as their spiritual
needs, and that if he was to do any good
to their souls, he must first of all do what
he could for their bodies.
REFORMS SECURED.
The reform of temporal conditions,
which involved government intervention,
was secured only through great delays,
difficulties and veXationS, but Father
Damien's patience and diligence over
came all obstacles. Mr., Ballantyne
says
What a wonderful change this devoted man
has worked everywhere in this abandoned isleti
When he first reached it the lepers were in
state of the most terrible degradation In this
place there is no law, - was the saying current
among them. Though the other Hawaiian
islands had abolished idolatry and adopted
Christianity in Molokai-where there. was no
missionary, no priest-the old paganism and
all its horrible consequences reigned supreme.
To make bad worse, the people have discovered
root which, when cooked and distilled in very
crude way, produced an Intoxicating liquor of the
most frightful kind, making those who drank it
more like beasts than men. But Damien came,
priest and a teacher, among these aban-
doned, dying wretches. At Hrst he says
himself his labors seemed to be almost in
vain But his kindness, his charity, his sym
pathy, and his religious zeal had not long
to wait before their influence was felt Before he
reached Molokai the leper settlement was squalid,
hideous, almost hellish; now il is peaceful, law
abiding community, presenting an attractive,
anu even Oh SOHt SlutS IL Cuocflui dppedruuce.
1t is colony of neat, whitewashed wooden cot
tages, some of them standing in the pasture
lands, some among fields of sweet potatoes, some
even having their verandas and gardens of
bananas and sugar canes.
LETTER OF THANKS.
The following extract from letter ac-
knowledging the receipt of contribution
toward his work well illustrates the sim
plicity and earnestness of his character
My REVEREND AND DEAR SIR:-Your two letters
of December l. with enclosed draft for e975, ar
rived safely on the nth inst. May your
highly appreciated endeavor TO assist my unfor-
tunate people be as a magnetic point to attract
special graces upon you your family and all the
generous contributors, and thus be verified in
each and every one of you the words of the Holy
Scripture Benefdcit anime Uir miSericors,
"a merciful man doeth good to his own SOUL"
Blows Instead of Beer.
David Nelligan, of No. IFS Seventy
second street, met John A. Brown
ing, boss painter, of No.