Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1892-04-23
ElSklNG THEIR LIVES
4 PARIS LETTEa WHICH TELLS OF
TIE APOSTLES TO THE LEpERs.

ItFE APOSTLES 10 The lEPEHS.
les,sis PERSISTS who Work Ansaax ii,e wse-
Tins IT the swfaI disease Christ the
fasal ~ the Knights ~ ~, i.as@rus-~Ths
Hospital fl Madagascar.
Heroic a. sas this devotion OF that apostle
70 The leper~, Father Damien lie vsusaer. and
most deserved ~ were the praises bestowed
70 the self sacrificing priest by the world,
this voluntary martyr 10 duty was only one
among multitude Of men and women who
ever since the Christian religion began It's
career, claimed A. their dearest privilege to
care for the victims Of leprosy.
Without going back TO the early ages,
where We meet 80 many examples of this
same self sacrificing spirit, the history Of mo
dimyal and modern Europe furnishes US at
every page with the names OF institutions
especially established for the victims Of this
awful disease In Jerusalem. when It fell
into the possession Of the Crusaders, while
the Knights Hospitalers of St. John devoted
their lives 10 the care Of the sick and plague
stricken in general, the Knights of ST. Laza.
rus, AN association Of German nobiemen,
consecraied their existence 10 the victims OF
leprosy, so numerous In the east
This institution had for members only per
SONS Of the highest mobility In these old
feudal times 1t was thought that generosity
of disposition always accompanied gentle
blood. Noblesss obiige was the motto Of the
true representatives OF ancient houses. The
risks to which they were exposed who under
took to bring light and hope into the dark
and despairing life OF the leper were beyond
comparison It needed, therefore, the high
est degree OF natural and religious heroism TO
dedicate ones self by vow to the service Of
these outcnsts Of the human race, and the
Hottest honor and conscientiousness 20 parse-
were In a calling which was q life long cruel
tixion
Christ, who was so tender TO the poor iep-
| ers wherever he met them, and In his passion
Is likened by the Prophet Isaiah TO a ieper,
was ths ideal whom these Knights of st
Lazarus set before themselves Indeed, II
Was Christ whom they loved to behold la
every one of these hideous sufferers, which
ancient society, both Jews and Gentiles, cast
forth from its midst.
ALI Americans who come TO Paris will re-
member the st. Lazare railway station. 1t
Is 50 called from leprosy hospital OF the
Middle Ages with its adjoining monastery,
rAiSASd uDHH W ttSt EEHtufys ~
was only one OF several similar establish
menis founded here and there in France by
kings, mobiles or prelates, In which none but
persons Of royal or noble blood were allowed
TO take monastic vows What was done in
France, after the example set in Palestine by
the German knights, was done in every coun
try OF Christendom exposed To the ravages of
leprosy This general spirit of self sacrifice,
prompted by the Christian religion, and the
tender care bestowed on lepers thus separated
from the outside world were one principal
cause Of drying up this fearful disease In
Christian and continental Europe La Asia.
| Africa aud Oceanica leprosy under q hun
| dred forms continued It's ravages.
| Certain IL Is that wherever our missionaries
have labored outside Of Europe in the east,
and over the adjoining continents, either be
| fore the discoveries OF Vasco de Cana or Co.
lumhus or after them, they invariably met
with the plague OF leprosy. and had in their
/ charity to care for the souls and bodies oi
these wrctched outcasts, treated as criminals
by both pagans and MohamInedans
In the well known publication, Les Missions
Catholiqucs. which relaiss only a very lin
tied portion 1T the labors performed under
the direction OF The propaganda, IT Is author
itatively stated that the terrible and incura
tile inflrmity Of leprosy is devoteslly and ten
nsfis eafsa Tor py our MISSIONARIES AZ irlni
aadt I'D JaIah IN 1hiha, IN ihala ana else
sheFet Inc nefoish "hlen mas 70 startiee
our pleasure loving Nofia al Molokal Y only
one manifestation OF Inc same apostolic spur
Which hnas the subjects OF It's Devotion os
every Island group IN the vast facihc as vel
A. on me neighboriiag niainlands
here y one great ieprosy hospital, In ths
service OF which several missionaries hav'
sacrificed health and hfe, that would not nov
~ hearu oI we're " not that Inc sad state o.
ahairs IN France eolhpels the missionaries Z
can tof peehnhafs heip 70 meet tue needs o.
an ever increasing nuslher OF ielnfs.
me hospital y W madagascar, that won
aeatal Eiahd 80 near tue coast OF africa, and
a. science proves, tue sole remaining ffag
nisht OF continent long ago submerged ~
ene surrounding OCEAN Inc MISSIONARIES
an french Jrsaits-appealed, ~ their dis
aess, ~ t4e great steiee9 TOT Tue FFopasa
ton 81 lhe faith' estaniiSied long ago U
lyons, hehes me appearance IN Les Mission.
Satholiqles OF Inc name OF great ana good
/