The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1905-04-07
GAVE His LIFE IN
HELPING OTHERS
Priest Contracts Leprosy ana
Dies OF 1t in Hawaiian
Islands.
DID MISSIONARY LABOR
Was Scion of a Wealthy Belgian Fam
lily, and Deliberately Sacrificed
His Life in Effort to Be Of
Use to Sufferers.
DID MISSIONARY LABOR

New York special: In a letter re-
celNed in he city came the announce
ment that Brother Serapion Van koop,
embe OF a wealthy Belgian family,
Who Two years ago Went to the Ha-
waiian islands to take up the work be-
gun by Father Damien in the leper
colony of Molokai, has himself fallen a
victim to the disease.
The letter came from the Young mis-
s%ionary himself TO the Rev. Father
Jo'Nl j. Dunn, cad of the local bureau
Tor the p~ropaSation of the faith. the
Roman Catholic Missionary bureau. 1t
was originally sent to a close friend in
Belgium. Its text was as follows:
II have at last IN sufficient
courage 10 Write YOU II few words. For
me last SIX months have lived through
lays OF such anxiety and melancholy
maj L mad not the courage to talk With
You. You will pardon Inc for not re-
plNihs more promptly TO Your we'll
wishes for a happy New Year. felt
II necessary at last To break the ST
lence and let o know of my condition.
on VIII kindly break the news To my
brothers and sisters, because !! cannot
tell them myself.
Elbow Numb.
N little while after your last letter
came ] discovered that | had no feel
i'is IN my elbow. l remarked the fact
~ ''N w stlIit! .NaSllllt, WlO COM
lll;tidcd me to go to our physician. Aft
er ne mad examined me he declared the
want OF feeling appeared 10 him to be
y OF leprosy, but to make sure
ne took from my elbow some pieces of
llesh FOR microscopic examination.
After Il few days he came TO see me
and Informed me that very probably it
would prove to be a case of leprosv,
lie did not care to decide definitely
however. as all cases of the kind are
left to doctors in Honolulu. TO whom
he suggested that l should go. our.
Very reverend provincial had been stop
ping with us for Il fortnight, and on his
return to honolnlu l accompanied him.
When we arrived there | was examined
by Doctor Herbert, who also took n
piece OF 1lesh from my elbow. causing
me quite a little pain. The operation,
however brought no result.
Two days later there was a similar
with similar uncertainty. The
day ] was examined by am
other doctor in the hospital. who
brought in consultation a member of the
board of health. This time a small por-
ton of skin was taken from a red
patch which had appeared on my cheek.
as We'll as a piece from my forehead,
I'm both of these cultures they found mi
c'obes of leprosy. There is no doubt of
ii. ! an a leper. These experiments
''''' "a WV lllll VI III HlOnln.
That very night left Honolulu to re-
turn TO MOlokai. where will he COM
PEELED to remain for the res, of my
days.
To Live in Hut.
You may be Sure that This last trim
was not exactly Il Very pleasant one.
Just as soon as ! arrived at the Lag
aratto house my first care WAS 10 turn
over all my affairs of the house to Faith.
er Maxine, With whom l had lived up
To that time. | then took up my resi-.
dencc in q little hut. where | mus, live
alone. 1t is certainly Il Very great trial
for me. but | an sure that God will
not forSake me-
The letter concludes With a recues,
for prayers. Brother Serapion Wan,
l\oop is IS years old. In all likelihood
he will never live 10 see his thirtv-
first birthday,
Until the day of his death. as he set
forth, he will live alone in a little hui,
of the leper colony. He can have nc
companions except those similarly aft
.iicted. and us there are natives OF
Chinese. there will be nothing of com
partnership for him. Books he will have
and letters from home. but he may new
er answer those letters except through
II third person. Occasionally he WIZ see
Il fellow mn being, o II courageous
missionary, who Will come TO take. his
place. but the danger of infection is
50 great that they will only speak ut a
distance. Helplessness and lethargy
that accompany the disease will come
upon him after the end of the first
year. He will then be- able only TO
crawl about the hut. Death will be a
q. alrnIlta OB1IGt 10 him