The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-08-15

AIIDOCEAN, Near Tasmania, June
P3.-Copyright. Louis Klopsch, 1s94-The
most OF the worlds heroes and hero
ines die unrecognized. They will have to
wait until the roll is called on the other
side of the Dead sea. have seen no cele-
bration OF the courage and fidelity of
the Rev S. waiwaioe, who died two
years ago In the leper settlement of the
Sandwich islands, nor of the Rev. NJ.
Pablo, who, himself struck with leprosy,
goes right on with HIS evangelical labors.
except when especial fever Of his dis
ease prosuates him, and will continue his
work Of love until he has neither foot 20
walk nor tongue 10 speak because of the
dreadful disIntegratiOn. But once in
awhile there are circumstances which
thrill the world with the same story like
that OF the brilliant Belgian catholic
priest. Joseph Damien, who, after
weeks consideration Of whether he had
better to do so, accepted the appoint
lnent as missionary TO Molol1ai. the isle
OF lepers, for sixteen years administering
10 the leprous and then dying Of the
leprosy. When told by his physician
that he had the fell faint upon him, he
showed no alarm nor even agitation,
but said: LAS I expected am willing
TO die for those 1 came TO save" The
king knighted him, and a memorial slab
designates his resting place, but pro-
fJestantism has Joined catholicism in the
Identification of this self-sacrifcing &c
clesiastic.
\ Tribute TO Damien.
That moral hero completely trans
his work began a pen of denominations.
No law. No decency. All the tigers Of
passion were let loose. Drunkenness
and blasphemy and libertinism and
cruelty dominated. The moral disease
eclipsed the physical. But Damien
dawned upon the darkness He helped
them build cottages. He medicated their
physical distresses. The plague which
he could not arrest he aleviated. He set
tied the controversies Of the people. he
prepared the dead for burial and dig
ged for them Christian graves and pro-
nounced upon them a benedictiOn. He
launched Christian civilization upon
the wretchedness. He gave them the
gospel of good cheer He told the poor
victims concerning the land Of eternal
health. where the inhabitant never says,
81 am sick" and the swollen faces took
on the look of hope, and the CLASSY
ewes saw coming relief. and the fOotesS,
looked forward TO a place where they
might walk with the King robed in
white and everlasting songs upon their
heads"
Good and Christlike Joseph Damien.
Let all religions honor his memory Let
poetry and canvas and sculpture tell the
story OF this man who lived and died for
Others and from century 10 century keep
him in bright remembrance long after the
last leper Of all the earth shall have felt
al his recovering and reVlraliZal
nature the voice Of the Son Of God say
ing: I Will Be thou clean"
The Reigme of SOIOkai.
The eternal pathos Of Molokai has at
tracted the attention of all nations be-
cause it is a leper colony. It is small
island. but it contains a continent Of woe.
It was established in mercy. Leprosy
was so rapidly advancing in the Sand
witch islands that the entire population
was impeSiled. To control and extirpate
the CHASTITY evil ii was necessary TO put
1t by itself on an island not easily ac
cessible. But those banished there are
made as comfortable as possible. In one
year this leper settlement cost the
Hawaiian government 500. 600. Every
week each patient is allowed four pounds
of salmon, nine pounds Of rice, one pound
Of sugar, or. If preferred from five to six
pounds of beef and tWenty-One pounds
of 'paiai,' which is a near approach 10
bread. Leprosy reigns there. The vie
Tins have bands Of music. all the play
erS lepers. They have churches, all the
WOrshipers lepers. They have carriages
all the drivers and occupants lepers.
They have hospitals, all the nurses and
patients lepers. They have drama, and
all the actors lepers. They have schools,
all the teachers ana scholars lepers.
Marriages are performed. and the con-
tracing parties are lepers. Children are
born there, and they are mostly lepers.
Everything that pustule and scarificatiOn
and Inflammation and gaagrene and dis
1guratiOn can do Is done here. Science,
which has successfully fought back most
Of the worlds disorders. has here closed
Its pharmacy. put back into its case its
surgical instruments and come down 10
The government boat and retreated from
1his island Of death. Thank Cod this
dominion OF death is being broken, and
he will have 10 dismOunt this sepulchral
Throne! Segregation Of the victims will
cOmplete the overthrow of the foul
plague and in these islands a leper will
be as rare in America. where most of
khe people never saw a leper.
Cheerful, Though Doomed.
What most strikes visitor at Molokai
Is the placidity and cheerfuIness of the
victimized One would think they could
never smile, never sing, never get out
from under a sense Of despair But
whatsoever agonies may Nil the hearts
Of these lepers they appear 10 the be-
holder as in a resignation that amounts
10 good cheer. They seem among the
eappiest people on earth. Many Of them
on horseback come gaIloping down the
road Songs roll over the fated village
by day and night. Hawaiian nature adj
justs itself to circumstances. We have
often seen people who through pulmO-
nary or Bright's disease were certain of
early demise. and yet a mirth bubbling
and resonant. The fact is we must all
die. ana Yet we manage 70 keep cheer
ful. and why not those struck by ieprous
fatality have sunshine. IA their counte-
nance and talk?
The mercy Of the Hawaiians has made
this colony OF doomed inhabitants more
Holerable than in most lands. / have
seen in the suburbs Of Jerusalem and
Damascus scores Of those cast out for
this disease and inhabiting caverns and
tombs-beaten Of the elements living on
the coin which passersby may fling TO
them while day by day they are rotting
alive Let US thank God that hose smit-
ten with incurable sores in the Sandwich
Islands have homes and schools and
churches and food and nurses and ale
Siations and parterres of sweetest flow
ers under arches of bluest skies.
9'he story of william RagsdaIe. Leper
No respecter of persons is this ply
steal calamity. William Ragsdale,