The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1905-10-06
FATHER
DAMIEN

Inc AdlnonC NEWS says Nhth
Father Damien arrived at Molokai its
Inhabitants were almost exclusively
Protestants. They had been told in
their homes and churches of the love
the ministers of their religion had for
them, but had never seen one OF their
number follow the Divine injunction
TO take up his cross and follow
Christ" Hawaii has been, since its
rediscovery by Capt. Cook, a great
Protestant missionary field. The fail
ure of the experiment Is written all
over Hawaii today. and If proof were
needed their empty churches and the
number of Catholics would furnish it.
Molokai-Molokai the terrible-is, in
my opinion, the real cause of this fail
ure. They erected a church and Y.
NJ. c. A. hall there, but failed to find
a volunteer to take charge of them;
the Congregational church, which has
no congregation, has a leper as its
pastor, and another of the unfortu-
mates is paid to care for the Y. NJ. C.
A. hall. This, of course, could not fail
to be noticed by the Hawaiian people;
Molokai became the great object les
son of the divinity Of the Catholic
church, and no one will ever regret
it, outside of the Hydes, Brighams and
Ponds. 1t will not be out of place to
remark here that none Of the gentle
men who make a speciality of attacking
the memory of the martyr priest Of
Molokai ever visited the leper settle
ment. And in the words of Mr.. Michael
Myers Shoemaker we may well say to
them:
You who rebel at the sorrows and
sufferings which overtake you during
your journey of life. pause a moment
and contemplate this man! You are
perhaps brave, or think yourself so.
You would, II necessary, give your life
for home and country, would not hest
tate to pass through fire to save those
whom you love; but could you face
a death like his? Could you calmly
and bravely enter yonder boat in the
fullness of perfect health, with a pos
sible long life if you turn back, and
passing over these blue waters which
would lead to freedom in any other
direction, enter that charnal house of
horrors beneath yonder mountain
Could you face those horrors as he did ?
Could you live among the worse than
dead who dwell there? Could you daily
and hourly do your duty. and forgetting
all others, comfort those wretched be-
ings, while you watched for the first
signs of coming horror for yourself?
And II you can not do you not see
that the first principles of decency, II
not shame, require your silence?
1t may be noted here that the com.
panion of Father Damien during his
trip around the Horn on his way tc
Hawaii is still living at Honolulu
leading an active and useful life Fa-
man, as his venerable white hair tes-
titles, but this does not prevent him
from having under his charge -four
chapels situated at the four corners
of the city of Honolulu. Morning and
evening his familiar figure may be
seen upon his horse, passing through
The streets of the city on his errand.
of mercy and consolation. May Coo
grant that he may be spared to cele
brate, four years hence, the colder
anniversary of his arrival in Hawaii
There are two Catholic parishes a
the leper settlement, Kalaupapa ant
Kalawao. The former Is in charge OF
the Rev. Father Maxine, and include.
within its limits the famous Bishoy
Home, which is under the supervision
of Mother Marianne and four Sisters
from Syracuse, N. Y. st. Francis
church is a magnificent church erected
by the predecessor of Father Maxine
Father Wendelin, of Hilo. At Kala
wac Father Joseph is in charge O
"Kamilano's" church, in the shadow o
which the hero of Hawaii is buried
Here also is the Baldwin Home, will
Brother Dutton. the faithful compan
ion OF Damien, at the helm, assisted
by four Brothers of the Sacred Heart
Both parishes have fine brass bands
which give concerts on the public
square every evening and play a
church on great religious festivals
Their leader and teacher is a leper-i
white mana Catholic Brother of tn
Order of the Sacred Hearts. Mari
Serapion Van Hoof is a young mar
only thirty years of age, and has bee
at Molokai since 1895. The story ha
already gone around the world an
needs no repetition here. Suffice it t
say that when / saw Brother Serapio
at Kalaupapa a few months ago h
was at the head OF his musicians, ap
parently cheerful and resigned to tn
blow which has befallen him. He so
licits the prayers of all Catholics VIII
may happen to read these lines.
The Catholic Church may we'll b
proud OF her representatives, priests
Brothers and Sisters on the island O
Molokai Without hope of tempors