The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1890-06-07
The MARTYR OF MOLOKAl.
Robert Louis Stephenson Tells Some
Plain Facts About the Dead
Laper Priest.
HE REPLIES TO REV. C. NJ. HYDE.

The Scurrilous Accusation and Oalumnies
Made Against Father Damien
Completely Overthrown.
Robert Louis Stevenson, the cele-
brated author and novelist, writing
from Sydney, N. S. W., under the date
Of Feb. rs. 1890, has the following to
say to Rev. c. M, Hide. the clergyman
who made the scurrllous accusations
against Father Damien's character
some time since: ....
Sir: II may probably occur to you
that we have met, and visited, and con-
versed, on my side. with interest. You
may remember that you have done me
several courtesies for which was pre-
pared to be grateful. But there are
duties which come before gratitude,
and offences which justly divide friends,
far more, acquaintances~ Your letter
to Rev III. B. Gage is document which,
in my sight, ii you bad filled me with
bread when l was starving, If you bad
sat up to nurse my father when he lay
dying, would vet absolve me from the
bonds Of gratitude. You know enough,
doubtless, Of the process of canoniza
tion, to be aware that 100 years after
the death Of Damien there will appear
a man charged with the painful Office
OF the devils advocate. After that
noble brother of mine, and of all frail
clay, shall have lain century at rest,
one shall accuse, one defend him. The
circumstance is unusual that the devils
advocate should be volunteer, should
be mem ber OF sect immediately rival,
and should make haste to take upon
himself mis- ugly Office ere the bones are
cold; unusual, and of a taste which l
shall leave my readers free to qualify;
unusual, and to me inspiring. II /
have at all learned the trade. Of Using
words to convey truth and to arouse
emotion, you have at least furnished
me with subject. For it is in the in
terest OF all mankind and the cause Of
public decencv in every quarter Of the
world, not only that Damien should be
righted, but that you and your letter
should be displayed in their true colors
TO the public eye. ......
To dc this properly, must begin by
quoting you at large; I shall then pro-
ceed to criticise your utterance from
several points of view, divine and
human, in the course of which [ shall
attempt to draw again aud with mose
specification the character of the dead
saint whom it has pleased you to villfy;
so much beng done. I shall say farewell
to you forever.
HONOLULU, Aug. 2, 1889.
Rev. H. 3. Gage-Dear Brother: In
answer to your inquiries about Father
Damien, L can only reply that we who
knew the man are surprised at the ex-
travagant newspaper laudations, as if
he were most sanity philantrophist.
The simple truth is. he was coarse,
dirty man, headstroDg and blgoted.
He was not sent to Molokai, but went
there without orders; did not stay at
the leper settlement (before he became
one himself). but circulated freely over
the whole island (less than half the
island IS devoted to the lepers), and he
came often to Honolulu. He had no
hand in the reforms and improvements
inaugurated. which were the work OF
our board of health, as occasion required
and means were provided. He was not
pure man in his relations with women,
and the leprosy of which he died should
be attributed to his vice and careless
ness. Others have done much for the
lepers, our own ministers, the govern
ment physicians, etc., but never with
the Catholic idea of meriting eternal
life, Yours, etc. 9. M. HIDE.
To deal fitly with
A LETTER 50 oExTRAoRDINARY
must draw at the outset on nv private
knowledge of the signatory and his
sect. It may effend others, scarcely
YOU, who have been so busy to collect'
50 bold to publish, gossip on your rivals.
And this is perhaps the moment when
may best explain to you the character
of what you are e read: I conceive
you as q man quite beyond and below
the ret,cences Of ciyility: with what
measure you mete, with chat shall it be
measured YOU again; with you at last |
rejoice to feel the button of the foil
and to pluoge home. And If in aught
that I shall say that I should offend
others. your colleagues, whom { respect
and remember with affec ection, I can but
offer them my regret ! am mot free, !
am inspired by the conside GRAFTON Of in. i
sterests Tar more large; and such pain,