IF you ever happen to go to the island of Molokai, in the Philippines, the first thing that will be pointed out to you, will be the leper colony, Kalaupapa.
There is no wharf at Kalaupapa, and the only point of approach is an unprotected cove with rocks scattered about, immense masses that have rolled into the sea from the high cliffs, and are tossed about, at times like egg shells by terrific winds. In front of this rocky coast, across the island, a wall 4000 feet high which separates the leper settlement from the balance of the island of Molokai, forms a natural prison, from which it would seem absolutely impossible to escape. Yet there have been a few who have. An American girl, the daughter of a wealthy planter secured a board, and, aided by an incurable leper, lashed herself to it securely, and went with the tide, to be dashed against the cruel rocks.
The leper colony now numbers 1,200 persons. Of these all except 50 are native Hawaiians. The remainder is made of Chinese and Japanese. The lepers live in comfortable bamboo houses, with thatched roofs, which are whitewashed every month.
There are two kinds of leprosy; one attacks the skin, the other the nerves. The former cannot be cured by any treatment yet discovered; latter cures itself. In fact the form which attacks the nerves is much like paralysis, and while it does not kill its victim, it usually leaves him helpless.
The form which shows upon the skin is the most loathsome form. Once the average man is infected, he dies in seven years. The first indication of leprosy begins almost invariably between the lower joints of the thumb and the forefinger; then the arms and legs become attenuated. Then comes a general decay, fingers and toes dropping off, the nose and ears disappearing, simply crumbling away.
One difficulty in dealing with leprosy, is the care with which the victims hide their condition as long as possible. As a rule it takes the strong arm of the law to compel those who are afflicted with the dread disease to take up their residence in the settlement; and several instances have occurred in which patients have taken their own lives rather than remain there.
The Hebrews brought leprosy with them from Egypt into Palestine. The laws that God gave Moses in regard to it, show how dreadful its ravages must have been, and how great the terror which it inspired. But God wanted also to give His people a picture of the awfulness of sin. He commanded that the person supposed to be infected should show himself to the priest, and if the latter pronounced the disease leprosy, the unfortunate was declared unclean and instantly separated from the rest of the people.
Leprosy in God’s word is a type of sin: loathsome, awful, incurable! No earthly remedy can help it in the least, when once contracted. Can anyone take away sin? Is there anything which we can do, that can possibly hide or wipe our sins away? Nothing that we can do, can take one away! But, blessed be God, if we are helpless, He is not, and has provided a remedy for this plague of sin which has infected every one of the children of Adam, and that remedy is CHRIST, the Son of God, who gave Himself that He might save us from the judgment that was due our sins. His precious blood alone can cleanse sinners, and whosoever will, by faith take the remedy offered. is saved for ever.
ML 10/29/1922