RELIGION AND THE MAORI.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 864, 9 July 1910, Page 13

RELIGION AND THE MAORI.

TENT LIFE ON A PITTANCE. EVIDENCES OP REVIVAL. A leaflet issued with the "Church Chronicle" gives some interesting information, ''prepared by the Rev. P. A. Bennett, in regard to the Anglican Maori Mission on the East Coast.

The younger generation, until just recently, have shown very little, interest in Christian work. Their Biblical knowledge- is very limited, They know little of the doctrines of their faith. They have, to a considerable' extent, become permeated by the spirit of irreiigion aud godlessncss which is so painfully manifest amongst the majority of their pakeha companions. Sunday is often devoted to various amusements, breaking-in horses being a favourite one. There are encouraging- exceptions here and there, but, taking the men and women generally, up to middle-age their interest in Christian work is very superficial. The stipends of the Maori clergy (until r.l' s )Wll ' k'' l -'" betwees JtGO and .£7O per annum—a miserable pittance (observes llv. Beunett). There is not a singl< Maori .clergyman who has been able tc make bpth ends .m.eet on his ' stipend, Having 'heavy expenses to meet, and knowing that their bills cannot be met the amounts they receive as stipend they have devoted a good deal of time to industrial work - and farming 'generally 1 . On the East Coast most of the parishes are now endeavouring to raise the stipends to <£100, and at the same time to make their parishes self-supporting Several districts have adopted 'an interesting scheme for-Taising the rcquirec amount for stipend. Meetings have been held of all the Maori sheep-farmers, and as a result they have agreed to a voluntary poll-tax of about (is. on every lOC (jlic-ep. This brings in about ,£GO to eacl parish where the scheme has been adopted and is workable. Other districts where there .are not many sheep stations are adopting other methods, but every parish has expressed a willingness to raise the required amount to bring the stipend up to :£IOO per annum.

Koine o!' tho Maori parishes are provided with small three or ' four-roomed vicarages. Others have none. Strenuous efforts are now being made by the Natives - to have vicarages, erected wherever they are needed. The Key. Nikoru Tautau (who is known personally to so mo of the Canterbury people, for iie trawl- i led with me through Canterbury) has ' been'living in a tent" for four years. and;,i during that lime, has worn out five : tents. The Kev. A. liangi, in the Gisborne district, is in a similar twsition. His vicarage is practically 'a tent covered with iron. But, notwithstanding thesa hardships and. inconveniences, the ' Maori clergy seldom complain.' There are many evidences of revival of interest in spiritual work amongst the Maoris of the East Coast. During ' Mr. Bennett's tour many of the churctua > 'were packed with aj'i it. Su'j Natives, and ,' all sliow'ing the deepest interest. At one placo in the Tokoniaru district, there ' were 86 saddle horses hitched up to tho : fence around the building where ho was > holding service. Some of these riders ; had come 15 miles to-attend service. At another place several young men' had, ridden 13 miles to attend morning and , afternoon service,..and then remained for ' the evening 'mission service, and rede back 13 miles after 1.0 p.m., and had to be lip at .r'a.m; tb-'shear sheep. . The work amongst the young men is particularly .hopeful. Several of.'the in-' fluential men have taken a definite stand'. 011 the side of Christ. '. Three men. have, applied, for' admission In Te-IJan College, as they are desirous of giving up their • lives for- the work of ■ the ministry. -

Bishop Averill has had a remarkably \ successful tour quite recently amongst tho Xgati Poi'ou. During his East Coast tour he confirmed ICO llaori candidates, the largest number for very many years. At tho Native church meeting (a kind of Maori syndd) held at Te Araroa,, there wore close on 500 -Natives and amongst the number were ■' foiir ' Maori cli'oir'slfrom different parishes."The" Natives everywhere have taken a,';gr«at fancy :to our. bishop. ;His earnest, sympathetic, .and'; .genial, personality lias strongly-i appealed to. the Natives. - -His advent has. created qnito a renewal of interest amongst them in the Work .of the Church. ■ '.. ' '. ' ■

. "Taking the /mission.. as a, whole in this iliocese," concludes the 1 writer, "I think tlio-prospects and possibilities';hefore the .East Coast Mission are brighter, and more liopoful'than'in any othsr'part of the .Maori mission' fit Now Zealand. The seed which was: so faithfully '.sowi by the earlier veterans on tlie field Warns now to bo- germinating -again, and-about to bear abundant fruit." ; .