The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-06-21
FATHER
DAMIEN
Poet StOddard on
the Martyrs
Life.
LITERATURE OF
CATHOLICISM
An Interesting Account OF a
Romantic Chapter in the
Annals OF Hawaii.
1specIaI % rae AdvertIserl

~
- Warren stoddard has written FOL
- Catholic society here a pamph-
let entitled. Father Damien. tbs
Martyr OF Molokai." II Is illustrated
with a portrait OF Damien as a youth
and has been widely circulated through
the efforts Of Rev. Phillip Organ Of
San Francisco. who Is a close friend OF
StOddard- The latter Is now living in
Washington. In his famous house call
ed The Bungalow" and is doing des-
uItory 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 I refer TO are devoted to Damien's
life before he went to Honolulu. stod-
dard explains how Damien came TO go
to Hawaii as follows:
FREDERICK O'BRIEN.
In 1865. while Father Damien was
still In minor orders. his brother Penn
phIle. already a priest awaiting his APP
pointment upon the mission. was di-
rected by his Supporters TO prepare him
self for the voyage TO Hawaii. then bet
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 PamphiIe received his com
mission with enthusiasm: but no soon
er had he received ~ than he was pros
trated by an attack Of typhus fever.
His passage in an outward bound YES
sci had been engaged. his preparations
for departure completed. but for some
months he could not hope To enter upon
50 arGuous n duty as had been allotted
fo him. What was 20 be done7 An In
spirati0n seized Father Damien. He
fastened To his brothers bedside and
asked IL II would be consolation TO
the fever-stricken patient II he were to
offer himself as substitute. Young
Damien wrote ut once 20 the Superior
General In Paris. begging leave TO take
hts brothers place ON the mission To
Hawaii and implOrinG the Superior
General mot 10 throw away the pas
sagc-mOuey," His prayer was granted.
The Superior In his own house had but
one word To offer 1t - rather silly
Of you 10 60 before you are n priest"
Dinner vas hardly finished that day
before he had flown 10 the bosom OF
mis- family to say farewell. FOR the ut
most haste was necessary 10 catch the
me point az sailing.
ON the feast OF his patron. st. Joseph.
March 18th. 1854. Father Damien reach
"a Honolulu. the chief port OF the Ha-
Waiian Islands. For more than five
months ne had been tossed upon the
sea in a sailing vessel whose name ne
does not mention. \ fierce gale was en-
c0uutered of Cape Horn and for many
days the ship was beaten about among
waves strcWn with the wrcckage of ILL
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 vOyaged together.
For etEht-and-thirty years the Pic
pus" Fathers had been established I'm
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 Louvain. 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 sOreiy needed. but he had yet TO
b. ordained before he could BE- for
Narded TO the field OF action II was
not long before he received his ordina-
ton. He said his first mass at whit
1untide. 1854. and Immediately after
ward set forth upon his duties as
priest
he writes Of that mass and OF the &C
stacy "a inspired. He says: Recall
the feelings you yourself experienced
on the day when you had the happiness
OF standing at the altar for the first
time 20 offer the Divine Victim OF our
salvation. Mine were the same with
this difference. that YOU were sur
rounded by friends and brothers In re-
ligion. while I was surrounded by chill
dren. recent converts. who had come
from al parts TO see their new spirit
uai Fathers. whose coming they had so
long desired. TO protect them against
the wolves which we're pursuing them
ON every side. SO that. deer Father.
we're not my ncaTt 30 hard. methInks
~ would have melted like wax. 80
strong we're the emotions I experience
"a IA giving for the first time the
Bread % Life TO a hundred persons.
many % whom had. perhaps. been on
their knees before their ancient gods.
and who now. clothed In white. APP
PREACHED the Holy Table with much
unOc.ssty~
All early travellers in the Hawaiian
Islands urtti recently travellers have
persisted In calling this interesting
archipelago the Sandwich Iaiands-aii
tourists have united In celebrating the
charm 90 the Hnwaiians az a race.
Prom the day 81 the first settlement OF
the whites IN Hawaii these 'savaEes'
could have taught them By precspt and
example etiquette and social ceremony
mat would have Eraced the salons %
tuf0r~. All native a. the land. natural
o. the people. bred IN the bone and
transmitted in their biood-and all lost
upon ne foreigner who too often was
boor or a bully
Father Damien found his rock not
ltniriess-Nho % us u biamciesss Ifut
part from the sin - Adam. he writes
{" his brother. You could not wish Tor