THE PARIHAKA MEETING.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2104, 20 November 1880, Page 3

THE PARIHAKA MEETING.

[PBB PBESS ASSOCIATION BPKOIAIi wibb.] WELLINGTON, November 19, The Parihaka meeting was held on Wednesday last, and attended by about 1400 Natives, the majority being women and children. The preparations for the feast were on on unusually

largo scale. Hiroki was busily officiating, dividing the food, and superintending the commissariat department generally. The Natives assembled in the meeting house at ten o’clock, and when To Whiti commenced his address he betrayed less complacency than usual, and was at times rather irritable. Te Whiti began his speech with a translation from the Bible. He said that at the creation of the world all things were ordered by God to happen that did happen. All things that had happened recently were also pre-ordained by God, whether important or unimportant, whether for good or evil. All things which had already taken place, or which would hereafter take place on the earth were brought forth by the flat of God. The evils which would happen during the present epoch of time by wars and contentions among men, were also permitted by the great God, and were ordered of old. The ware of our time were foretold in the Scriptures, as well as the wars of the preceding generations. Men could not alter any of the decrees of the Supreme Kuler, strive as they might. In the early period of the world’s history, good and bad were intermingled. The people now on earth should not shut their eyes to the teaching derived from former ages; they would bo on their guard lest what happened formerly would occur again, and the bad would be found to mingle with the good. “ The things which happened before shall be altered to-day, and shall be conducted differently henceforth. All old things shall pass away. War shall cease, and shall no longer create disunion in the world. The race of the first man Adam has fallen over many precipices, but those precipices have now disappeared by numerous land-slips, and none shall fall over those precipices again. From the beginning of all things, even before the creation of the world, it was ordained that I should speak to you this day upon this subject. My words to-day shall be few, but I wish to warn you that there is one precipice left, over which you must all go. That precipice is death. It is not the man which tells you this, but the Father. The state of men, old and young, is like that of a pig writhing in agony after having been all but killed by the slaughterman. The one precipice which has not been levelled is death, and we must all die as the pigs. All the prophecies of the Bible have come to pass. No portion has been omitted, nothing has been added, and nothing taken away. To-day is the time appointed for mankind to live in peace. You must not be afraid of death; you must remember that the nearer you are to death the nearer also you are to life. The things that were done of old were to lead up to the things of the present day. One cliff is left as an enemy, and as a snare, and it was ordained ao to be from the beginning. The evils of former days are ordered together to pester this generation. The prophecies of old have come to pass, and we shall also see the prophecies of the present time come to pass. War is for ever ended. It was prophecied to come to an end in these times, and the customs of war shall now be done away. If a pole is not securely fastened for a ring pole of a house it will break. Thus shall both Maoris and Europeans break. They will separate from each other as they cannot agree.” At the conclusion of Te Whiti’s speech Mr Parris essayed te apeak, but Te Whiti stopped him. To Whiti said that he wished Mr Parris to speak on the following day. Mr Parris replied that to-morrow was an uncertain time, and no one could rely upon it. He would be willing to epeak after Tohu if Te Whiti did not object. Were he delayed speaking till to-morrow, to-morrow might never come.

Te Whiti —Precisely; speak on the day that never comes. When a dog flies at a pig it does so on the word of its master, and not of its own will. If you (Parris) have anything to say, it will not be your own words. Mr Parris —I have addressed you all on many occasions, and you cannot say that I ever deceived you. Te Whiti is leading you astray. Te Whiti —Your speech will be the words of your chief—not your own. Let your superior come and speak for himself. Where is he ? let him come.

Mr Parris—Do you consider yourself so great and important that my chief should come to you ? You are secretly afraid to let me address the people lest I separate them from you when they hear my words, Te Whiti—My words are few. Black and white will never agree, and cannot therefore be joined. Mr Parris—l did not say that I was trying to join black and white. The conversation was here cut short by Te Whiti giving the signal for the meeting to break up, and the Natives all arose and left the meeting house.