MISSIONARIES AND MAORI TROUBLES.

Marlborough Express, Volume IV, Issue 153, 16 January 1869, Page 4

MISSIONARIES AND MAORI TROUBLES.

To the Editor of the Marlborough Express. StR, —As long as the discussion remained on Maori ground, I stood by a mere spectator, in no way anxious to enter the lists, but as W. N. in the last sentence of his letter comes rather in conflict with the doctrine of the Caiholic Church with respect to the conversion of the Roman Empire, and of other nations ; with resp ;ct also to European civilisation, the early Councils, and the Crusades, I thought it was my duty to offer a few reflections to the public to free the Catholic Church from the charges of W.N. I say the Catholic Church, for there was no other for 15 centuries. W.N. says : “On turning over thepage of history, I find that the Roman Empire was first subjugated to Christianity by the sword, —that the sword, for centuries, was its chief propagandist,—that Europe, the land of Christianity, has been the theatre of intrigue, avarice, and ambition. We see councils in the earlier ages authorising any iniquity,— Christian crusades spreading desolation on every hand, —blood flowing in the fields, and on the scaffolds, —tortures used as arguments to convince. Such has been Christianity before my time.” If such has been Christianity for so many ages, I wonder how so many people and nations—and amongst them men of the greatest learning—have been stupid enough to embrace it. The charges of W. N. are too vague and too general. I think it is rather strange to condemn any body without mentioning the detailed circumstances of its faults, the date, and the witnesses. In W.N. I see nothing of the kind, and therefore I could tell him, what he gratuitously asserts, I gratuitouslyfdeny ; but I will not do so—l will support all my denials with good and substantial authorities. It is true to say, “ one learns something every day.” Well, Sir, I have never heard nor seen before that the Roman Empire and other nations were converted by the sword. Who is the historian who has given such information to W.N. ? Ido not know, but I am sure he has not got them from true and pure sources, as you will soon be convinced.

Josephus, a Jewish writer—almost contemporary to our Saviour—shows us how the work of conversion was commenced, in his book, “Antiquities of the Jews,” lib. xviii., ch. 3 : —“Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him many of the Jews, and many of the Gentiles (by his wonderful works and not by the sword). He was the Christ, aud when Pilate condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at first did not forsake him. H c died on the Cross,” He never used any torture to convert

his hearers,'and never taught his disciples to do so. The same writer says (lib. xx., ch. ix.) ■that “James, the brother of Jesus, was unjustly condemned to be stoned to death by the, High Priest Ananus.” He died by the hand of the executioner, and so did the other eleven Apostles, without having made any conversions with the sword. Tacitus, Suetonius, Plinius, junr.,—all Roman writers, either of the beginning or progress of Christianity—tells us how the Christians were cruelly dealt with by the Roman Emperors, and how their blood flowed in torrents for many years. Tacitus, about A.D. 110, in his “Annals,” lib. xv., ch. xliv., says, “Nero, in order to stifle the rumous, as he himself had set Rome on fire, ascribed it to those people who were called Christians ; those he punished exquisitely.” Suetonius on mentioning the same fact speaks exactly the same, as also Dionisius Cassiarus. But Plinius, jun., who was then Governor of Bithinia, in his famous letter to the Emperor Trajan, makes a complete eulogium of the Christians, and satisfies everybody that their instrument of conversion was surely not the sword. He says, “ These are the principal charges against them (the Christians) ; They are used to meet together before sunrise, to sing in choir hymns in honor of Christ, as if he was a god. In their mysteries and ceremonies they bind themselves not to com- . mit criminal actions, but to avoid theft, adultery, and to be at all times faithful to their word. Their sect has spread not only in the cities and towns, but in villages and countries, in such a way that the temples of the Gods are almost deserted.” I wonder how historians could make out that twelve poor ignorant fishermen, without any human means, and despised by all the world, could convert the Roman Empire, then at the height of its power and glory, by the sword. On the contrary, they all cemented their religion with their blood, and so did millions of martyrs during three centuries of persecution ; and when Constantine ascended the throne of the Csesars, he never used the sword to convert his subjects, as everybody can see in Eusebius’s history of that Emperor. The following charge, “ that for centuries the sword was the chief propagandist,” is not better grounded. For three centuries Christians died by millions by the hands of tyrants, ' but never retaliated. I will show W.N. now, with the assistance of a few modern writers, that persuasion, instruction, a holy life, and not the sword was the chief propagandist of Christianity among other nations. Was it by the sword that St Remigius converted Clovis, King of France, and three thousand of his soldiers ? Was it by the sword St. Boniface converted Germany ? St. Patrick Ireland ? or St. Augustin England ? Read Bede and Lingard, or rather Hume and Goldsmith—in no way prejudiced in favor of religion. Goldsmith, in his History of England (Saxon Heptarchy) says, “ The Christian religion never suffered more persecution than it underwent from the barbarity of Saxon pagans. Ethelbert, King of Kent married Bertha, daughter of Canbert, King of Paris. She took to England a Gaulish prelate; the exemplary conduct and powerful preaching of this bishop made very strong impressions upon the king, as well as upon bis sublets in favor of Christianity. The general reception of religion all over the Continent might have also disposed the mind of those idolaters towards -it* admission. Then came St. Augustin and his forty fellow labourers, who perfected the work • pf conversion.” Hume says the same under the head of “Heptarchy, and the Kingdom of Kent, sol think it is plain enough that the sword has not been the chief propagandist of Christianity. Did Constantine Theodosius, Valentmian, Clovis Charlemaigne, Ethelbert or Alfred use the sword to convert their subjects ? The third charge of W N is that “ Europe, the land of Christianity, has" been the theatre of intrigue, avarice, and ambition.” If a teacher gives a good and sound lesson is he responsible for the blunders of inattentive and careless scholars? So, has Christianity to answer for the vices she strongly denounces in careless and indifferent children ? No « lav your blame on them, and not on Christianity Daily experience teaches us that in the verv best of families there are some sad exceptions Men, by turning Christians, do not cease from’being men, and are therefore imperfect, and * always wfll be. But please throw a glance at ?he state of Europe before its conversion to chtistianity Everything was God, but God himself ” AH the passions were defied ; Europe and the world were ruled by brute force ; millions of slaves were at the disposal of masters, who treated them not as men, but as the beasts of the field Were not Greece and the Roman Empire the personifications of ambition and intrigue? «!o every one may see that Christianity has improved immensely the people of Europe instead of encouraging its vice I suppose the good ; rndnese Japanese, and the American blacks are . j n 0 W ay guilty of intrigue, avarice, or ambition ? i one would think it would be better to go amongst them at once. ' Fourth charge, “ We see earliest i Councils authorising any iniquity. Please Mr. N which Council— when—and what iniquities have they authorised? As you don’t give any proof you save me the trouble of answenng. feftb charge, “ Christian Crusades spreading ; ISato Inevery hand.'’ As Mr, Fmtet, an American writer, says. If any one did not «ncceed or failed to realise all expectations, he insure to be found fault with, and pulled to pieces Such is the case with the Crusades.” That historian shows that the Crusades were good, pure, and disinterested in their motive for they were undertaken in favor of civilisation, to renress the persecutions and oppressions «t Mahomed ware.guilty of, towards Christian pilgrims, and Christians living She East. According to the Koran they were bound to do away with the Christian dogs, . and put them to death. . It is they who spread their religion with their sword, and not the Christians. The Crusades were also undertaken to save Europe and civilisation, when Asia was overrun by the wild Mahomedans, and covered by them with ruin and blood- Their plan was -• t o subdue the western nations. They were already near Hellespont, and had not the Crusaders humbled their pride, and rendered them unable to accomplish their disastrous desires, Europe would soon have been a heap of ruins, and sea of blood. Although the Crusaders did not succeed in keeping Palestine permanently, it is evidently false to'say they have done nothing but spread desolation. They made a new opening for the trade of Europe, especially for the Vlnetians and Genoaese, and were also powerful promoters of learning. It was the Crusaders

who brought amongst us our most valuable MSS in the Greek tongue. With regard to the “ spreading of desolation on every hand,” it is a mere “sLnder,” according to the “dictionary.” If disorders and crimes were committed (and they have been wonderfully exaggerated by the enemies of religion), they cannot be ascribed to Christianity, for the Popes and the leaders had made prudent rules to secure success, and to prevent or punish disorder. But the main causes of them were, the great difficulties of such undertaking, the insular direction of some of the Crusades, excited by the vexations of princes upon whose land they had to move, by privations, by hardships, and the cruelties of their enemies, Hannibal is praised because, to get rid of the Romans, he waged war on their own land ; and will any one dare to say his soldiers never committed any devastation ? Yet his expedition is extolled by every one—another illustration of the saying, “ two weights and two measures.” But I fear, Sir, I am abusing your kindness by occupying so much of your valuable space—only two or three words, and I have done. With respect to “ blood shed on the scaffold,” and “ torture used as argument,” Christianity has in no wise to answer for that, for her doctrine is “ love God witli all your heart, and your neighbour as yourself.” I have. I think, answered W.N.’s objections, hut if he will be kind enough to point to facts and not to generalities, I will answer him at once with pleasure, and show him that blood may have been spilt by the excitement of human passions, but never by Christianity. It is very easy to see this by examining the facts. By comparing Christian with pagan countries it is not difficult for every impartial judge to decide, which are they that are the least guilty of such charges. Apologising for taking up so much of your time, I beg to advertise myself, yours truly, VIiRXTAS.