The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-06-21
FATHER DAMIEN
Continued from Page -


that done. want to be unknown to
the world. and now 1 find that 1 am
being talked about on all sides. even In
America Sometimes / am inclined to
envy my poor sick Christians, when
administer the last sacraments to them
and bury them. During the winter I
worked hard to enlarge my church and
build a pretty tower. Manual work 10
very good for my health, and i feel
well and happy among my sick people
have now been nearly seven
years among the lepers. During that
long period / have had the opportunity
of closely observing and, as IL were,
touching with my hand. human misery
under its most terrible aspect. Half
the people are like living corpses which
the worms have already begun to de-
YOUR. at first internally. afterwards ex-
ternally. until the most loathsome
wounds are formed, which very rarely
heal.
Last year death carried of an un-
usually large number OF Christians.
There are many empty places in the
church, but In the cemetery there Is
hardly room left to dig the graves. 1
was quite vexed the other day to find
that they had begun to dig n grave just
by the large cross. In the very spot
which had reserved for myself had
TO insist on the place being left vacant
The cemetery. church and presbytery
form one enclosure; thus at nighttime
I am the sole keeper OF this garden OF
dead where my spiritual children lie
at rest. My greatest pleasure is to go
there TO say my beads. and mediate
on that unending happiness which so
many OF them are now enjoying, There,
too. my thoughts dwell on the suffer-
ings OF Purgatory. 1 confess to you,
my dear brother. the cemetery and the
hospital. where the dying lie. are my
best meditation books. as well for the
benefit OF my own soul as In view OF
preparing my Instructions
Yesterday 1 found one OF
my children dying She begged me to
bring her the holy viaticum without de-
lay. . i made her coffin myself.
and dug her grave. This morning after
the requiem mass / was apprised OF the
death OF two more members OF my
hock-so today / have these burials
Often 1 carry holy viaticum publicly to
the dying. as Is done in Catholic coun-
tries. l myself. strong. healthy.
and vigorous. bearing in my hands the
blessed SACRAMENT followed and preced-
ed by one long line OF lepers-sorne de-
prived OF hands. others OF feet. crawl
ing along on their knees as well as they
could. Joining In the great act OF ador-
alton. In the afternoon. out
side the church, took place n ceremony
Of quite another kind. The bishop. who
was delegated by the Princess Regent
later Her Majesty Liliuokalani-for
this purpose. sOlennly invested me
with the cross OF knight Commander
OF the Royal order OF Kalakaua- But
this cross OF red and gold did not dis
pense me from attending the confess
sionaI ."
In n sketch so brief as this Il Is not
possible TO enter into the details OF n
life like Father Damien's My two Wis
Its To the ieper settlement and my ac-
raj Nsff n 81 ha far.
ers I have described at some length in
a little volume entitled The Lepers OF
Molokai." Here I can add but a few
words to n tribute. all unworthy OF the
missioner and his works OF mercy. Of
tered In his memory with profoundest |
reverence and love.
A Reverend Mother. who knew Fa- !
ther Damien when he was still n nov ,
Ice. said To Father Pamphile. Your |
brother Is saint. n St Aloysius; no l
Jne can see him serve mass without /
being struck by his extreme devotion"
What would she have said had she !
seen him-as did every morning dur
ng my last visit 10 the settlement
)ffer the holy sacrifice OF the mass in 4
lis little chapel at Kalawao for a con-
;regation composed OF lepers? Even
he acolytes who served him were lep-
rs.
don't care to dwell here upon the
horrors OF lepTosy. Anyone who knows
.ught OF that most loathsome OF dis
asses must realize what II was for
Father Damien to meet IL and mingle II
With IL daily for many years: and for
i'm 10 be well aware that sooner or 4
alter he must become one with them /,
n the flesh. as he was one with them
n the spirit from the first moment OF
heir intercourse. a single brief quota
ion from The Lepers OF Molokai'' will
ufiice TO picture what l saw in the
ospital at Kalawao-what I shall new
r cease TO regret having seen. so long |
$ live:
"a corner of the blanket was raised .
autiously. a breathing object lay be-
cath: a face. n human face turned
Iowly toward us-a face on which 4
rarcely a trace OF humanity remained, ,
he dark skin was pulled up and
lackened: a kind OF moss. gumuy and .
listening. covered IL: the muscles of I
1e mouth had contracted and laid bare 4
rinni-g teeth: the thickened tongue ,
" like fig between them: the eye
~ crried tightly back. exposing the
'ner surface. al TIE urotruiing eve
ais. now shaDaiess AID broken. look !
4 not u1Hre burst grapes"
Fathe~ Dav-ie~ was the veritabie
iepherd ~ BE fort II less than SIX
,nre -f.o~ - fad taken charge OF his
sople at the settlement. 1000 Iepers had