Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1905-04-13
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.

New York special: In a letter re-
ceived in the city came the announce
ment that Brother Serapion Van koop,
member 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 IA
victim to the disease.
The letter came from the Young mis-
sionary himself to the Rev. Father
John j. Dunn. head OF the local bureau
for The propagation of the faith. the
Roman Catholic Missionary bureau. 1t
Was originally sent to Il close friend in
Belgium. Its text MAS as follows:
II have at last ummonc sufficient
courage TO write you Il few words. For
the last six months l nave lived through
days OF such anxiety and melancholy
thai l had not the courage to talk with
you. You will pardon me for not re-
plying more promptly to your we'll
wishes for a happy New Year. l felt
II necessary ut last to break the ST
lence and let you know of my condition..
You Will kindly break the news to my
brothers and sisters, because l cannot
tell them myself.
Elbow Numb.
"A little while after your last letter
came L discovered that l had no feel
ing in my elbow. / remarked the fact
To The Rev. Father Maxine, who COM
handed me to go to our physician. Aft
er he had examined me he declared the
want OF feeling appeared TO him TO be
n symptom of leprosy, but to make sure
lie took from my elbow some pieces OF
ilesh Tor microscopic examination.
After a few days he came to see me
and Informed me that very probably it
would prove to be Il case of leprosy.
he 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 a fortnight. and on his
return to Honolulu accompanied him.
When we arrived there 1 was examined
by Doctor Herbert. who also took a
piece of flesh from my elbow. causing
me quite q little pain. The operation.
however brought no result.
1.-Two days later there was a similar
operation with similar uncertainty. The
following a l was examined by an
other doctor in the hospital, who
brought in consultation n 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 well as u piece from my forehead.
In both of these cultures they found mi
crobes of leprosy. There is no doubt of
it. l am 4 leper. These experiments
We're made on the 18th of the month.
That very night l left Honolulu to re-
turn to Molokai. where I will be com
PEELED to remain for the rest of my
days.
To Live in Hut.
you nay be sure that this last trir
was not exactly a very pleasant one
Just as soon as l arrived at the I4az-
aratto hpuse my first care was to turf
over all my affairs of the house to ath
er Maxine. with whom / had lfved III
to that time. l then took up my resi-
dence in u little hut. where / must liv,
alone. 1t is certainly Il very great tria
for me. but l am sure that God vii
not forSake me-"
The letter concludes with n reques
for rayer Brother Serapion Val
Koop is % years old. In all likelihoo.
he will never live to see his thirty
first birthday.
Until the day of his death, as he Sc
forth, he will live alone in Il little hu
of the leper colony. He can have n,
companions eXcept. those similarly af
flicted. and as there are natives O
Chinese. there will be nothing of com
partnership for him. Books he will hav,
and letters from home. but he may new
err answer those letters except through
Il third person. Occasionally he will Sc,
a fellow una being, some courageou
missionary, who Will coine to take hi
place, but the danger of infection il
so great that they will only speak at
distance. HelpleSSness and lelharg,
that accompany the disease will com,
upon him after the end of the frs
year. He will then be able only I,
crawl about the hut. Death will be
welcome relief to him.