LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

FATHER DAMIEN'S DEATH.

[To 11111 Enrros or THE " SPROTATOR."]

have just received from Molokai, in a letter from "Brother James," the following particulars of Father Damien's death. In forwarding them to you, may I remind your readers of the present great opportunity of dealing with leprosy in India in connection with the Damien Memorial Fund? There is every probability of the Bill for the segregation of lepers becoming law this autumn ; but there:is danger, I fear, of its being very imperfectly carried out, for want of funds to build

hospitals. If England• sets a generous example in subscribing, there will probably be no lack of help from rich and charitable natives. But all people who know anything of Indian ways know that England must first show her care and interest.

The Prince of Wales declared that the prime object of the Damien Memorial Fund would be India with its 250,000 lepers, and the Committee are intensely desirous that the supreme

importance of the matter should be understood, and liberal donations subscribed.

Subscriptions should. be sent to Sir Algernon Borthwick, Bart., M.P., 139 Piccadilly ; or Edward Lawson, Esq., 42 Grosvenor Square, hon. treasurers ; or to Frank Harris, Esq., bon. secretary Damien Fund, Marlborough House ; or paid in to one of the following Banks :—Messrs. Coutts, Strand ; Sir

Samuel Scott and Co., Cavendish Square ; and the London and Westminster Bank, Lothbury. Any subscription to be

applied exclusively for treatment of leprosy in India may be sent with that proviso to any of the above-mentioned gentle-

men, or to me.—I am, Sir, 860:, EDWARD CLIFFORD.

1 Studios, Campden Hill Road, London, W.

"Sawa°, Molokai, July 24th, 1889.

"Mu. EDWARD CLIFFORD.

" Esteemed Friend,—I received your two letters of May and June, and also the photographs from your drawings of dear Father Damien. It was a welcome and agreeable surprise to find our dear Leper Priest so faithfully portrayed. At your request I will men- tion some additional circumstances relating to his last sickness and death. After your departure from the settlement the tubercles on his face and neck became much enlarged, and his sight was greatly affected, so that he could scarcely read. The light caused him extreme pain. His voice also failed; and he could no longer except in a whisper, nor swallow anything substantial.

a hands were covered with ulcers, from which he suffered a burning pain; and, to complete his cross, his feet began to break out in terrible sores', which had to be kept poniticed as well as his hands. In the midst of all this suffering he persisted in working as if nothing was the matter, and he celebrated Mass until the condition of his hands prevented it. I send you a photograph of him on his deathbed. He called our atten- tion to the remarkable fact that the first joints of all his fingers (which so often touched the Sacrament) remained as sound as on the day when he was first ordained priest. As an instance of his devotedness to the duties of the priesthood, he wrote to his Bishop entreating not to be dispensed from the obligation of the breviary, which he continued faithfully to recite until his final prostration. At least three weeks before his death he often repeated : 0 how happy I am to know that I will celebrate Easter in Heaven ;' which prediction came to pass. A few days before his death, the sores began to dry up, when he remarked : 'Now indeed I know that my end is near;' and so it proved. It is usual before death for the disease to leave the exterior and concentrate on some internal vital part. As you surmised, in our dear Father Damien's case, it settled in the lungs, which caused him great difficulty in breathing and taking nourishment. At the risk of trespassing on your time and patience, I will mention a remarkable incident which happened the day before his death. Being in his full and perfect senses, he said to me : There are two persons who are constantly with me ; one is there,' pointing to the head of his bed, 'and the other there,' pointing to the foot. . I regret very much not having asked who they were. I shall never forget the midnight scene which every night took place, from his first being confined to his bed, till his death. A little after he heard the clock strike 11, he would remind me it was time to commence the prayers preparatory for Holy Communion, which he followed with the fervour of the saint that he was. At about a quarter to 12 I was accustomed to call Father Conrardy, who proceeded to the Church for the Blessed Sacra- ment, I going before with a lighted leathern, until we reached Father Damien's bedside. He received with the fervour of a seraph. This solemn and impressive scene was witnessed nightly by us two poor mortals and by myriads of angels, until that last midnight on the 15th of April, when his heroic soul, a few short hours after receiving the Sacrament, was borne by angel wings to the Throne of the Most High, to hear from lips Divine that welcome :—'Well done thou good and faithful servant, because thou haat been faithful over a few things, I will place thee over many ; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.' He had full consciousness up to within a few hours of his death, and even then, as I held the Candle in his hand, I could perceive that he was inwardly conscious. It was truly affecting to see how attached the people and children were towards him, they besieged his house night and day, and could with difficulty be kept from the sick- room. The evening before his death he took leave of all, imparting his blessing especially to the children. At his request we buried him under his old Puhalla tree, which sheltered him sixteen years ago, when as yet he had no other shelter. He charged me specially with care of his grave, which I have decorated with flowers and evergreens from my own little garden. Scarcely was our dear Father buried when another affliction came upon us in the sickness of Father Conrardy, who became so seriously ill that his life was despaired of ; he rallied so far as to be able to be sent to Honolulu, where he remained two months. His complaint is a chronic dysentery, but it is somewhat complicated ; he expects that in a short time he may be obliged to leave the settlement for ever. Father W4ndelin is Superior spiritually of the Catholic Mission among the lepers, The Govern- ment has taken the entire control of the Boys' Establishment, to be, when a house is built for them, managed by the Sisters. Mr_ Dutton and a leper are at present in charge of the boys. I regret to say that there has been an outbreak of intemperance among the lepers. The salutary fear of a Damien kept wrong-doers in check, but illicit distilling has begun again now ; and, as I write, three men well armed are barricaded in their house, refusing to submit

to a sentence of three months' hard labour for distilling

—I remain, your humble and devoted friend, JAMES ."