The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-04-22
FATHER DAMIEN DEAD.
The Famous Leper Priest Goes TO His
Long Home-Sketch OF His Life by
Charles Warren Stoddard.

/ BV the steamer MOkOlii that arrived
from Molokai on Saturday morning news
was brought of the death OF Father
Joseph Deyeuster Damien, the Roman
Catholic priest who had gained world
wide fame for devoting his life to minis
trations among the inmates of the Molo-
kai leper settlement. He died on Mon
day morning, April 18th. Father
Damien had been sixteen years in that
living tomb, and three years ago con-
tracted the terrible disease that has
ended his days. Upon his death he was
| dressed in priests vestments and the
! following day the body was laid in
! coffin that the Sisters had lined with
white silk. A requiem high mass was
said on Tuesday by Father Wendelin,
| who preached to a crowded church from
the words, "The Good Shepherd layeth
down his life for the sheep" The body
was borne to the tomb by white lepers.
There had been a vault prepared under
the lauhala tree beneath which the de-
parted Father was wont to sleep when
he first arrived at the settlement. This
last resting place had been chosen by
himself. Next week requiem mass for
the repose of Father Damien's soul will
be celebrated at the Roman Catholic
Cathedral.
The following sketch of Father Da-
MEMS early life and instalment at the
settlement was written by Charles I
Warren Stoddard after getting the story |
from the priests own lips at KalawaO. |
1t is reprinted from little work, ''Tke !
Lepers of MoIokai," by that well-known
author, and the copy used for this pur-
pose was mailed by the late priest to the |
local editor of this paper only few J
weeks ago, for use in writing sketch of
Father Damien and the Leper Settlement
to the order of an Australian newspaper
editor. An autograph letter from the
then dying Father, pathetic in its state
ment OF the writer's weak condition, was
remailed to the gentleman soliciting the
article. Mr.. Stoddard, who wrote the
book four or five years ago, said:
Born in Louvain, Belgium, January
3, 1910; when he was but four and TWEEN
ty, his brother, who had just entered the
priesthood, was ordered to embark for
Honolulu, but at the moment fell sick
with typhoid fever. Young Damien,
who was theological student at the
University, having received minor or
ders, and belonging to the same order
the Society of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus
and Mary Commonly called Society of
once wrote to his superior,
and begged that he might be sent upon
the mission in his brothers. stead. In
one week he was on his way to that far
He was ordained upon his ar
rival in Honolulu, and for a few years
led the life of toll and privation which
invariably falls to the lot Of the Catholic
''In 1873 he, in common with others
Of the clergy, was invited to be present
At the dedication of beautiful chapel
Just completed by Father LeonOr at Wal
uku, on the Island of Maui. There he
net the Bishop, who expressed regret
hat he was still unable to send a priest
% Molokai; for the demand was far in
excess OF the supply. Father Damien at
once said: My Lord, hear that small
yessel will next week take cattle from
Hawaihae to Kalaupapa: if you will per-
nit me L Will go there to help the lepers
make their Easter duties
"His request was granted, and, in
company with the Bishop and the French
CONSUL, he landed at the settlement,
where he found colony of eight hun
ired lepers, of whom between four and
i've hundred were Catholics. A public
Meeting was Immediately called, at
which the Bishop and the Consul pre-
ided. His Grace arose to address the
angular gathering, and said: Since
'Ou have written me SO often that you
lave no priest, l leave you one for lit
lie time > and, imparting the benedictiOn,
lie returned Immediately to the vessel,
which was to sail that very hour. Father
Damien added: AS there is much to be
lone here, by your leave will not even
accompany you to the shore Thus the
rood work was at once begun. 1t was
high time the lepers were dying at the
ate of from eight to twelve per week.
The priest had not time to build himself
. hut-he had not even the material
With which to build it-and for q season
he slept in the open air, under tree, ex-
posed to the wind and the rain.
"SOon after, he received letter OF
from the white residents
If HonOlulu-chiefy Professionalism
,ether with some lumber, and purse of
,l20; then he put up his little house, {
md began to feel at home. After re- i
naming some weeks at KalawaO, he was
obliged to go to Honolulu, there being
10 more convenient priest to whom he
ould make his confession"
The sketch proceeds to relate the cool
reception Father Damien received from
he President Of the Board of Health, /
vino in the course of an interview said +
he priest might go to Molokai, but, if q
10, he must remain there for good. 1t {
vas in vain that the Father urged the !
necessity OF one priest having to make
at stated intervals to another. .
An eminent physician" one of the
Board, pleaded the cause of the priest
md, aided by the French Consul, a
pecial permit was obtained on which
father Damien returned to Kalawao.
SIr. Stoddard continues:
"Shortly after his return he received
,fficial notice that be must remain where
lie was and that on any attempt to
cave the island, or even to visit other
portions of Molokai, he would be i'm
put under arrest. The notice
vas sharply wOrded. This reused the
of the priest, and he notified
he Board of Health that if they would
attend strictly to their duties, he would
attend to his. When it became neCes-
ary for him to visit priest on a neigh
boring island, he did so, asking no odds
II any man; he also visited his scattered
lock on the circuit of Molokai, attending
and fearlessly to the wants OF
lis people.
Often on these rounds he was the
welcome guest OF gentleman, the son
If a Protestant missionary; and on one I
occasion the host said to him, playfully: {
l suppose you are aware that | have or
ierS to place you under immediate arrest