MODERN CRUSADE.

Auckland Chronicle and New Zealand Colonist, Volume 2, Issue 36, 11 April 1844, Page 2

MODERN CRUSADE.

It would be a difficult.question to decide whether<of the two, the pride and lust of dominion, or the bigotry, superstition, and intolerance of false systems of religion, have been the greatest curse to the world; or, in other words, whetheriKingcraft or Priestcraft have immolated the greatest number of victims in their vain pursuits after supremacy. The insane attempts of religious enthusiasts in all ages to enforce conformity to their peculiar tenets by means ofcfuel tortures and even death itself, have signally failed, and persecution has tended to strengthen and establish the dissentients more firmly in their opinions. The mind ot man is not a mere machine, but naturally resists coercion, it is through the reasoning facuh* ties alone that conviction takes place, and he who attempts in any other way to propagate his opinions can have but a very superficial knowledge of the nature of his own species. Who would imagine in modern days with the page of history before us, and the benefit of ages of experience, that any could be found so utterly ignorant of the nature of the human heart, and so unacquainted with the philosophy of mind, as ito advocate the vain attemptof thrusting .religion into a man at the point of the sword ? IYet such is the case, and many there are in the present day, who, if possessed of the power, would think it right to resort to the old system of persecution with all its train of horrors to enforce conformity to their peculiar views of religion. The following narrative will illustrate the truth of this assertion.

About five years ago an attempt was made by the Wesleyan Mission, at Hokianga, to convert a tribe of natives living at Wyranaki on a branch of the Hok'anga river, but they were unsuccessful, the Chief, Kytoki, and his tribe resisted the appeal and would not listen to anything they had io say; they then had recourse to another tribe of natives who li v ed at Wyho at the head of the Hokia ngi river, and who professed to be Christians, and induced them to try what they could do with tins unbelieving tribe ; they accordingly went on the fol-i lowing Sunday, in numbers about one hundred, with lhe ; .r chief Arippa, and found Kytoki and twenly four of his party planting potatoes and pursuing their usual labour as on a week day;; they told him they were come to couvert him to Christianity, and commenced reading their books, and insisted upon his hearing them, Kytoki however, was very angry, and refused to hear them, saying that he and his tribe would not change from the P native customs, and bid them not come

liny more, as they did not wish to be Interrupted from planting their potatoes. They then returned to their own settle>ment, and acquainted the Missionaries of their ill success. The Missionaries ‘however, urged them to make another attempt, and on the following Sunday they went i again, and told them they must •change and be devils no longer, which Is the usual term they apply to those who will not profess Christianity. Kytoki was very angry with them, they came to high words,' and he told them to take care, for if they interrupted him again he should bp prepared to .fight, and would shoot thp ifirst man that came there on the same err cand again. They then returned to thei 1 - •own place and told >4he Missionaries that It was no use, *he would be a devil and 'they should be killed if they went again, 'that he had threatened them, and was a Very warlike chief, and would be as good as his word. When the Missionaries found it would come to bloodshed they should have desisted, but instead of doing -so they urged Arippa and his men the more vehemently to go and make (him change whether he would or not, they therefore went out again on the following Sunday, and knowing the determined character >of Kytoki armed themselves and prepared for a brush'with him, when ( they arrived at the Mongamuka where Kytoki had been planting, they found that he had during the week built a strong Pa, and himself anffmen, 25 in all, were shut up in it, they hailed him, and he told them to go away, or he would shoot the first man that approached any nearer, '4wit being upwards of a hundred of them, i they discovered their weapons and marched towards the Pa, Kytoki immediately wfired and shot one man, and a brisk firing ' Was kept up on both sides for some time and several men killed, Arippa then retreated, and on the following day mustered about 300 men to go up and take Kytoijci and his brave little band, but this was no easy matter as they were strongly fortified, and notwithstanding their great numbers there were about 20 men killed on the side of Arippa before they succeeded in storming the Pa, when they lushed in and slaughtered 23 out of the 25, Kytoki and one more only escaped by crossing the river, and diving under every time they fired at him. Kytoki being a powerful chief assembled his -friends and allies the' next day' to the number of aboutiSOO, and *crossed the liver determined on reyenge, but Arippa’s -party fled before them and took to the bush. A large assembly of natives took place and it was expected the whole * country would be involved in a war, but with great difficulty by the intercession of the Europeans and some of the most (pacific- of the chiefs, Kytoki consented to make peace. The angry feelings however caused by this., affair are not yet subsided,) and a very little provocation on either side would lead to open hostilities. Kytoki is still alive, and his party are still heathens and likely tO' remain- such as long as they live.