MAORI “MIRACLE MAN

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2231, 27 January 1921, Page 2

MAORI “MIRACLE MAN

Wanganui, Last Night. Considerable interest was evinced in a meeting of the Wanganui Ministers’ Association to-day, when a statement was made by. Rev. Wilfred Williams, Church of England missionary among the Maoris, who has been investigating the work of the Maori “miracle man,’ 1 Rataim, who is reputed to have effected many wonderful cures of sick people. Rev. Williams said lie had examined Ratana’s register, .which contains over 1,100 signatures of Maoris, who claim to have been cured of various ills. Recently 2,000 natives gathered at Ratana’s pah. As. to the actual cures, Rev. William.'; would not express an opinion, as he had not had an opportunity of thoroughly investigating any particular ease. Ratana was a wealthy man, entertained all his visitors free of charge, and he refused any contributions. He did not claim hypnotic power, but held that if Tohungaism was renounced and the Maoris had simple faith in God, all their diseases could be cured. Rev. Williams said Ratana had an extraordinary power over the natives, and the speaker, after investigating, was satisfied his work was genuine. There had been a wonderful increase of spiritual fervour among the, natives who had come under Ratana’s .sway, and many of the men had given up drinking and gambling.