The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-08-07
THE MAN FROM
MEMPHIS

outCdStS ol SoCtStyt Out dS oCo0A NAh :
of the same care and consideration and
sympathy accorded to persons suffering
from other incurable and lingering dis
eases.
The Hawaiian board of health re,
ceives word from its physicians, sta.
toned all over the islands, as well as
from other reliable sources, that Ger.
tain person has, or is suspected of hav-
| ing, leprosy. As soon as transporta-
ton can be secured, the president of
the board of health usually sends a
written invitation, either direct or
through the government physician, to
the person suspected, to call at his of,
| fee or report to the receiving station
in Honolulu, stating all expenses will
| be paid, and, if found free from the
disease, the patient viii be promptly
returned home. IF there is any doubt
concerning a case the person is not
sent to the receiving station until af-
ter a preliminary meteorological ex-
animation. The result of this policy
is mutual confidence, which is rarely
abused; if abused, the process of law
is put into motion.
1t is now common for afflicted per.
sons to carefully settle their affairs,
avoiding contact with Others during the
few days necessary, and then, unat-
tended officially, to proceed to the re-
eeiving station at Honolulu. The SEN
sibilities are thus guarded and the
state of mind and spirit is that of
voluntary surrender of liberty and SUBJ
mission to care and treatment.
WORK IN THE ISLANDS.
The Catholic church had been estab-
lished in the Hawaiian Islands as ear
ly as 1889. At that time there were
brothers and sisters from the orders of
the Sacred Heart and the Franciseans
at work in the hospitals and schools,
but, although nearly one-fourth of the
lepers on Molokai were Catholic, no
priest was there. eff people who were
well, happy and free to be busy in the
pursuit of their daily callings needed
spiritual consolation, argued one,
chow much greater was the spiritual
need of those in af1iction?'' And to
them he came-Father Damien de
yenster, the peasant priest of Louvain,
Belgium.
That was fifty years or so ago now,
and conditions were of most revolt
ing nature. Father Damien found lit
tie to give him courage in the 500
lepers, the miserable collection of huts
and the most pitiful degradation of the
people. Today there are prosperous
villages. clean white streets, sanitary
and comfortable homes, flower and
vegetable gardens, government store,
houses, and an excellent water works
system This water is collected in a
half natural reservoir in the Waikolu
canon and brought down by eight-inch
pipes.
At Kalaupapa there is the Bishop
home and industrial school for girls I'M
der the Franciscan Sisters, and at Ka
lawao the Baldwin home for boys I'M
der the direction of Brother Joseph
Dutton and the Brothers of the Sacred
Heart. All these are but the realiza-
ton of the dreams that Father Damien
dreamed as he built churches and
cabins with his own hands, filing the
manifold and diverse duties of priest,
carpenter, sexton. teacher, adviser and
friend to the manned and repuIsive
members of his colony-his first col
ony. He did much work, but he
planned more than it was possible for
one person to accomplish, even had he
not been a victim to the dread disease.
When his hands, swollen and distorted
by the leprosy, could no longer hold
the erucifx nor hammer, and the man,
tie fell from his own sturdy but weary
shoulders, there were others ready to
take his place; to carry out even bet
ter than he could have done the many
plans for the good of the settlement
which both government and church
were striving to make habitable for the
afflicted people.
One of these was Joseph Dutton,
known in his early life as Ira E. Dut-
ton, some time officer in the United
States army with a good Civil War
record; efficient officer in the quarter
master department since the war; no
vice for nearly a year at trappist
monastery; gentleman, scholar and
Christian knight. He took up his work
bravely, and for twenty-five years has
known no turning from it. He occupies
the unique position of a layman in
charge of a religious work with several
brothers under his care, and in the life
work laid out for himself has drawn a
striking parallel to that of the ancient
and medieval days of priests who chose
some lowly duty, some dangerous task
for the Glory of God and the salvation
of the soul.
Haroisr, II, bo+t1a &c aasv apouUh they |