The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-12-03
AN OPEN LETTER.

Inc r0aQlnS ana answering Oh leu
tiers from unknown correspondents
occupies large part of the time of
every busy author; and every appre-
ciative one must wish that he had
more to give to it. The impulse to
pour ones heart to a stranger may
seem more or less perpleXing,
according to our temperaments or
tempers; but it is too powerful an
impulse to be crushed, and often too
pathetic not to be respected. An
instance Of this kind has recently
disturbed me very much. I trust
the friendliness of the Independent
to help me out with difficulty
which will be readily understood
when [ say that [ received, some
time ago, from stranger, a letter
which, by every canon of Christian
courtesy, should have been answered,
and that [ have lost the letter.
With it, of course, having gone the
strangers address, l have no choice
but to communicate with her, eff
haply [ may find her," through the
public press, or leave her to form
her own opinions of the religion
and manners of her selected conf
dante.
I choose the former course with
out apology, for the reason that the
case is one of far more than usual
interest, and reaches quite beyond
the personal relations. cannot be
mistaken in assuming that the read
ers of the Independent will follow it
with intellectual respect and quick
ened consciences.
The letter was dated, think, from
the City of Washington, and ran
somewhat to this effect:
"My dear Madame:-I beg your
pardon for troubling you with the
private affairs of stranger, but [
am in rare need of advice from
some one whom [ trust to under
stand my motives. I feel sure that
you will be patient with my intru-
sion and [ will tell you as briefly as
possible why [ make it.
81 wish to go to the Sandwich
Islands and take upon myself the
mission from which death recently
received Father Damien.
Il am not Roman Catholic, but
[ am a Christian, and my heart turns
to this work I think [ have counted
the cost, and know what I am about
to do, if I undertake it. I am ready
for it, if it is best to take the step.
81 may add that I am entirely
alone in the world, without near
claim upon me of any kind. My
aged parents have died. I took care
of them to the end, and am now
without home or kin.
II can refer you to So and SO, of
such a place, if you wish to know
anything about my antecedents or
character, and [ have friends in -
and - who can tell you what they
think of my fitness for such mis-
sion.
Il greatly desire your opinion, if
you are willing to give it to me, of
the wisdom and rightness of such
step. Will you, can you counsel me +?
L shall be grateful for your reply,
and am Yours, very truly,
I was moved by this letter; and
time, aided by the consciousness of
carelessness, has not weakened the
impression made by it's tremendous
moral purpose.
The world is becoming familiar
now with the tragedy of Father
Damien's sublime life; almost too
familiar.
But here is one of ourselves; a
person such as one may see any day,
a solitary, thoughtful woman like |
hundreds of others whom the isola-
tion of life leads into soul-sweetness
rather than souls bitterness. With
a modesty and simplicity which go
far to testify to the reality of her
purpose she elects the Via Dolorosa
of modern mission as quietly as an
other woman may decide to go to
Paris or to study the violin.
Being, as say, much moved by
the letter of this noble woman, I
mentioned it to a friend, who added
emotion to emotion by the following
prompt reply:
care you, then, so much surprised?
Why 1 know another just such case. |