The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1902-06-24
FATHER
DAMIEN
Poet StOddard on
the Martyrs
Life.


~ a Catholic society here pamph-
let entitled. Father Damien. the
Martyr Of Molokai" II Is illustrated
with portrait of Damien as a youth.
and has been widely circulated through
the efforts OF Rev. Phillip Organ cf
San Francisco, who is close friend of
Stoddard. The latter is now living in
Washington, in his famous house call
ed The Bungalow" and is doing des-
ultOry literary work. Stoddard has an
intense affection for Hawaii, and never
tires talking of his happy days there.
The first sixteen pages of the pam
phiet rerer 10 are devoted to Damien :
life before he went to Honolulu. Stod-
dard explains how Damien came to go
10 Hawaii as follows:
FREDERICK O'BRIEN.
In 1868. while Father Damien was
sim In minor orders, his brother Pam
phile. already priest awaiting his APP
POINTING mt upon the mission. was di-
lected by his Superiors to prepare him
SELF for the voyage TO Hawaii then bet
Ter known az the Sandwich Islands
These beautiful Pacific islands had been
placed by Pope Leo XIII in the special
care of the Fathers OF the "Picpus"
Congregation, their chief duty being
the preaching of the Gospel to the
heather.
Father Pamphile received his COM
mission with enthusiasm; but no soon
or had he received il than he was pros
trated by an attack Of typhus fever
HIS passage In an outward bound yes
sci had been engaged. his preparations
Tor departure completed, but for some
months he could not hope to enter upon
SC arduous duty az had been allotted
10 MIN. What was to be done? An in
SEPARATION seized Father Damien. He
FASTENED to his brothers bedside and
asked IL II would be n consolation to
The fever-stricken patient If he were to
offer himself as "A substitute Young
Damien wrote at once to the Superior
General in Paris, begging leave to take
ms brothers place on the mission to
Hawaii and imploring the Superior
General mot TO throw away the pas
sage.money!' His prayer was granted.
The Superior in his own house had but
one word to offer: 1T is rather silly
OF you to go before you are PRIEST"
Dinner was hardly finished that day
before he had flown to the bosom of
his family to say farewell, for the ut
most haste was necessary to catch the
packet at Bremerhaven, already upon
the point of sailing.
ON the feast of his patron, st. Joseph,
March 18th. 1864, Father Damien reach
ed Honolulu, the chief port of the Ha-
waiian Islands. For more than five
months he had been tossed upon the
sea in a sailing vessel whose name he
does not mention. a fierce gale was en-
countered off Cape Horn and for many
days the ship was beaten about among
waves strewn with the wreckage of i'll
fated barks, itself in danger OF foun-
dering with all on board. There were
ten Sisters, besides Father Damien and
his companions in the devoted company
that yoyaged together.
For eight -and-thirty years the pic
pus" Fathers had been established IN
the Hawaiian Islands when this, the
youngest member of the Congregation,
arrived. He was four-and-twenty
years of age, fresh from the Seminary
at Louyain, having had no practical
experience as a teacher or a preacher
in the church or in the world He had
received minor orders only; his services
were sorely needed, but he had yet to
be ordained before he could be for
warded to the field Of action. II was
not long before he received his ordina-
ton. He said his first mass at Whit
suntide, 1864, and Immediately after
ward set forth upon his duties as
priest.
In letter to his brother, Pamphile,
he writes Of that mass and of the &C.
stacy 1t inspired. He says: Recall
Ihe feelings you yourself experienced
on the day when you had the happiness
of standing at the altar for the first
time to offer the Divine Victim of our
salvation. Mine were the same with
his difference, that you were sur
rounded by friends and brothers in re-
ligion, while ! was surrounded by chill
dren, recent converts, who had come
from all parts TO see their new spirit
ual Fathers, whose coming they had so
long desired, to protect them against
the wolves which We're pursuing them
on every side So that, dear Father
were not my neart so hard, methinks
II would have melted like wax so
strong were the emotions / experience
ed in giving for the first time the
Bread of Life to hundred persons
many of whom had, perhaps, been on
their knees before their ancient gods
and who now, clothed in white, APP
preached the Holy Table with much
modesty."
All early travellers in the Hawaiian
1slands-until recently travellers have
persisted In calling this interesting
archipelago the Sandwich Islands-all
tourists have united in celebrating the
charm of the Hawaiians as n race.
From the day of the first settlement Of
the whites in Hawaii these "savages"
could have taught them by precept and
example etiquette and social ceremony
that would have graced the salons of
Europe; all native to the land. natural
10 the people, bred In the bone and
transmitted in their blood-and all lost
upon the foreigner who too often was
boor or bully.
Father Damien found his flock not
blameless-who of US In blame)ess' But
apart from the sin OF Adam. he writes
to his brother, You could not wish for
better people; gentle. plsAsant -manner
ed, exceedingly tssder-heartea, they
neither seek To amass riches. or live In
luxury. or dress finely; but are most
hospitable, and ready TO deprive them
selves even OF the necessaries In order
TO supply your every want. II you have
Ia ask a nights shelter from them
even obstinate heretios will treat a
priest well II he comes to their house,
|, but they have only done this since their
prejudices against our religion have
been removed, They never said any
thing unpleasant to me, When one
10 haT Of rali hak