The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-06-15
4 REPLY TO MIR. STEVENSON
Father Damien, Mr.. Hyde, md tho Ameri-
can Missionaries on the Hawaiian Islands.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUH-Sr: In your
issue OF Sunday. May 1S. you published n long
communication from Robert Louis Stevenson,
dated Sidney. Feb. % 1890. in which he Sc
verely arraigns the Rev. Mr.. Hyde for certain
lotter said have been written by Mr.. Hyde to
tho Rev. Mr. Gage.
THE SuN shines for all" the Just and the un-
Just the evil and the good. 1t Is hoped that in
justice to ono who Is ut present absent and
cannot speak for himselt a few lines OF expla-
nation will DO permitted In your we'll circulated
journal which may possibly servo as some
antdote to tho scathing criticism to which. as
We believe an innocent man hns boon sub
jected. In reference to Mr. HIS letter to Mr..
Gage II may be stated as fact that 1t was
written In the confidence OF friendship, In the
ordinary course OF familiar correspondence.
without tho least intention OF it's ever being
published. aud simply to give information
upon a matter which had Interested tho gen.
eral public and not with any intention OF pub
licly accusing or defaming the character OF
Father Damien.
Mr.. e., In opening his attack upon Mr.. H.,
which hos been aptly styled by friend and ad-
mirror as "vitriolic and scathng in character
and written to KILL" commences his criticism
by an attack upon his religious associates and
connection with the first missionaries Mt tho
islands. claiming that tho work OF these de-
voted disciples hns been failure. He also
charges them with having grown rich. and
that the houses OF the missionaries were n
cause OF hooking on the streets OF Honolulu"
and draws comparison between the
isolated life Of Father d. among the lepers
with that OF Mr. II. and the missionaries In
their pleasant homes at Honolulu In point OF
fact there is but one. strictly speaking. mis-
sionary OF tho "A b. c. +. NJ" living In Homo
LULU He has passed his S5th year, and Is liv-
ing in the quiet retirement OF well-earned.
sclf-denying work among tho people with
whom lie has spent lifetime nos In ease and
luxury but comfortably cared for by his chill
drcn. With this exception we know of no
other missionary. strictly speaking. resident In
the city. consequently the fancy picture which
Mr.. s. draws OF the comforts and luxurinnce
which are said to surround this class is only an
With U regard to his deonqe Of Father D.;
charging tho missionaries with jealousy and
disapp9ntmeat mat ne 1h9u,d a. hqSo been n,t the
ment, and devote himself to Il life OF service
there, i may be said that years before tather
eecration devoted himself to the work OF
his lifetime. Protestant missionaries had occu;
pied the field. First Il native pastor. who had
boon designated for spiritual and religious in
structions among the lepers. was settled over
q little church, which was properly, called
prior to Father b, $ arrival at the Island,
The Rev. MIR: Hitchcock and the lev, Mr.
settled upon the island OF Molokai. made regu-
lar periodical visits to this church and settle
and ready relief which their kindly hearts sug
Rested. 50 that here was II roestant church
in ul fern and 9psra9n G Esr the isIa ana
shows that the people were not neglected nor
oyerlook ed il their moral and spiritual welfare.
Board Of Health. gentleman OF high standing
and u devoted Catholic, writes in his Report
Father D. tina that. in material point OF view.
these Ieoplo the lepers are better oil on AIolo-
Ra han most nae of these H&sdf ana tb are
were in their own homes" The, Hon; i. A.
Hutchinson. another minister Of his Majesty.
f 1872 also states; THE food ration is large
iE in The s nuropesn and American armios.S Tho
Board OF Health can fniry asset hat these peo-
homes. and We can reneat again that they arc
well taken care OF and not unhappy. ono
cause, of the difficulty Father D: found to exist
was more or less divided 9liGious subjects.
Protes tante and Catholi t harmonizlnG any
i the world. Tie Protestant portion q Tie tie
as could he expected under tie very
pressing circumstances In, which they lived.
the 9rn also b as VEL sSs 0r
ment but. OF course. choosing their own
form Sf eSious ath "nI sSyee and
came In a measure a disturbing element in tho
little community. 1t was to this. portion, este
ciRlly that Father ID. came to mi mister. Why tho
Roman Catholic Church had neglected for
many years to send one Of their own members
Ee H@Te h9 H Is WG
cannot answer. but such is tho fact, and II
there is any credit either denomination tor
the first recognition OF the situation. and tho
desire to minister temporary and spiritual
comforts to these poor nnlor,un4tes, facts
rather than to the Roman CATHOLIC Church,
and we venture TO say that the Ger
lost by the former and won by tho latter is
something which exists only In the famous
novel writer's leryid IMAGERY. Ihe claim that
mien succeeded woul d not bo claimed Uy one
In possession Of all the facts.
H. description OF the man; We think II very
mild IN comparison to Mr.. SIS own description
dead and already somewhat ungratefuliy
remembered. good maN - but very
overseer, he served only to publish his weak
His life was threatened he was eagor to resign
man OF peasant Sn class and t,i type; shrewd
and of1cio,ts; domineering in all his ways
which made him inGurably unpopular., The
best and worst OF the man appeared In his
which had been sent from England for the bene.
fl Of all the iepers, which Ent1er D; nnplied
aiterward admitted his error and revised his
coursel. Father D. very brother officials used
to call the place Damien's Chinatown on ac-
connt Of his lack OF control slovenIy ways. and
false ideas o! hygiene" In contrast with this
picture written by an ardent and enthusiastic
admirer lot ono who has visited tie Islands.
for there a:e many Of those in this country,
endeay0r to recall Il Ike character, physically,
mentally. and spiritually from any one Of those |
who may properly be called misso4arios, Cath.
Ole or Protestant now living on the spot, and |
we think there can be but one possible verdict
that Father d. = claim to sain ship must rest |
upon other merits han superlalvey holy per- |
soma! character Those who regard him for
( he work which no did arr perfectly ready 10 |
admit that there was ,special heroism in his
undertaking and performing his duties in |
the face OF the liability OF becoming n
leper himself He IL admitted worthy OF
esteem that he was untring IN his |
labors, never spnring nimsoIf for the benefit
OF those whom he folt II was his special call |
to minister TO; and those who know best of
the work heartily done can render honOrs 10 |
his memory M one whom they can acknowl- |
edge as governed by that that was Chrlstlike |
in motive and action; but they also think ho |
has been unduly. II not u9worIhily exaGgeT.
ated into a rare and wonderful martyr. Ills |
going to the island was voluntary; he was. not |
Isolated until the leprosy had made itself APP |
DaF6nt and when IL unsafe that no should |