Extracts from Speeches delivered at the Second Anniversary of the Taupiri Missionary Meetino.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume 4, Issue 87, 22 April 1852, Page 2

Extracts from Speeches delivered at the Second Anniversary of the Taupiri Missionary Meetino.

Wesley Te Paka, Rangaitira of the Ngaungau and Tukopoto Pa, said— My Friends, Listen to me while I speak of our former gods. Eels, Muscles, wer e worshipped by us, and our inland gods were similar, Kats, Owls, and Kumeras (sweet poOur Tapus (sacred places, persons, and things,) were numerous. The head was sacred as far as the month j the very breath of a priest made the fire sacred; drinking from the samo cup marie it sicred. We all believed in thesu lies anil much evil was the consequence. You all know I was a great priest and I considered all lliese things as great richoi, but now I esteem them a? lys» for the

«' Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord." Wo have heard His commandrnenl to his Church, "Go ye into all tlieWvurld and preach the Gospel to eviry creature." Then let us send the Gospel into all the world. That is all 1 have to say. J.evi ?• okoro, prir.cii al chief of Ngitiriiru. said lies. Qnr gods were the cause of much mischief. We believed in our Tupus. Our Kun.eras were very sacred, and if our Tap. s were infringed, wa.s followed. These things were sweet to us, because we loved da.knes* rather than light. All these deceits were pleasing to mi- i I delated in them, in war, bloodshed and sensuality, and would ti. t listen (o the Gospel ; but now the Gospel has cmiI now trniuple every thins else under mv f -0, (H'O old < hief Ma.npiiisf nl the fame time). Then let us send the G spel to others also, the only remedy lor nil our evils. Alicvnelecli, chief of Ngatiioaroa, spoke of his former wickedness. Grace Tarapuhia, another chief of the Njmtihine.aioseami said—liuiopeans have brought us much evil and good, they have brought us muskets, potatoes, pips, and wheat, but above nil these the Mi-sionaries have brought us the Gospel. This is a Salvation fot in, then lit us send the Gospel. Grey Te R-iu, chief of the Wanau Pane, got up. I was born in the midst of evil, hut the Gospel ha* made ils appearance, ami through it I am alive to the present day. '< was long before I could believe Hint our suptts'itions were wrong. If I had continued to believe ihem. I would have been dci.il before this; the Gospel has saved my life, I have seen my wickedness and f; oUshness. 1 therefore say lit us send the Gospel to others. Karaka Te llok>, l.i-s brother, now got up and said—l was u wicked mini, hut imw coi.fe s my sins, and my evil is before my lac ; the Gospel is my Salvation, it is Salvation to this island, and o her Wands ; the ir.hahiiaiils of these islands were f.-nnerly s> rangers to u* now they are liicihern—h t us send tin- G.spil to them. Waiau-Ngapiki. a chief of Ngaiinahe, col up, and said—This is my thought, great is my evil, the Gospel is Salvation, therefore, let u s srinl it to others. Jowett Knkiimomo, a native leucher from the Kactotchi School, who accompanied His Lotdship the Bishop of ft'ew Zealand in his late visits to New Caledonia, and other islands, said My fiiem's, although I am not an old man, I have lasted human flesh ; some years ago, it was sweet; the Gospt'l came, ami I would not receive it I then ivi lit to 'J'.nailaki and again insied human flesh, but i' was no longer swiel, why was it not as swe-t as hefoie? it was now hitter to my taste. The reasmi is, the Gospel told me it was wtong. Nor should any one in this ass-mbly ag in taste of hum hi flesh, it wmi'd no lon-ar l». sweet to him. Although he in -y not believe in Christ, yet he wouhl Mud ih <l his old habits and customs were no longer sweet, he.au e he had heard the truth a-ul the Scriptuies, and the Holy spirit would s| eak to bis loan. The l.ght had cmne, and be wouhl be- if It ppy. The Hi-hop anil I hive bvnlo th? Islands near to ns, many ol the Island, rs am Cannibals ; five Puropeaus had been kd'ed a few months aim, and perhaps <nten. What are we to do? Wc must semi the. Gospel «f Christ. It has already begun to work ; tbirteen cl.ild(lren of the chiefs hnve been given to the Jiislmp to eilu.ate; you must ilu the sane, seid sour clii.dieu to the .Schools at Ku< ta.te'e, Mm a lii, and Auck'and. Ti.cy send their children a great distance, while you are but a thuit dht-.ucc fui'ii the Scho Is, and yet s;>me i.f vott do tioi fend your cliiltln.ii. At one of the'islands wc had .1 neai ccape. We landed to yet lush w ter ; when inland, the pe ape came around ns, ttup, ed our p.nli, hii'.'el it- p i-s when we e.aue in the uiidsi ol I ein;tlu\ then 1 .cut n-ide, and some of them threw siones at us. They h.d t . ii hands nn their bows reiuK to send 111- i r mums; we were nbli.ed .0 leave our «atei csks. When we reached the >ea, the Ilish. p and all of ns, had to swim in urn c-lolhi s 10 the boat, which was sow- Oisiance from 'he shore; "e reached the h"at "I'd ihiii in sifi ly. And why? It cause Gotl protected us, he will (•'■'"re all his servants, who make known his Gospel ; why did lie not allow an anow to he shot at us 1 ? Why did «e nut sink whilst we weie swimming to the hoat ? I had ci at and slices on, they were

li nvy, lut God strengthened us oil. The Bishop says lie will not give up the Inland*, he will iwiSi-veru to c.irry iho Gospel, ami if he says I shall go with him and remain there, I am willing; but what inn I doing? I am boasting, which is not good : that is all my speech. Utv. 13. Y. Ash well got up and sail, Jowctt, it is not liiMSii-ig if yon rely on the strength of God, and do all thing? to Hi-* glory. It is not l)n isting t> fay that in Mis strength we :ife willing to lay down our lives lor the Gos; el. Sti pheii.s Tahaika, teacher of the Xgaliniahata, now i:tt u|>, ho .said«"-I am also joined with the ill people in all their evil ; witness the bullet in my free; th>' Gospel came, I heard the Missionaries nr.il ju-t as potatoc, corn, and wheat hive superseded our old food, fern-root, pi.hue, and other roots, so has the Gospel superseded our many superstitions, our old gods have been driven away by Christ. There i< ov.; sort of food wa Mill keep among us, tj.i! is die kiniicri, and we have still (]'iaiivliiii.;s i.byiit liml. Nevertheless, " The, foundation of the Lord stiudeth sure, having this seal, the Lord kooweth tliem lh.it are His." livery thing mu.-t give place to the Gospel, it sh ill, it must spread over the ivorld, although evil may iitisa; the tares will indeed sprine:, and they will grow till die laiviht. I wis one of the lirst in Wuiknto who neiind the G.ispM j grr-nt w.is my evil ; I understood witchcraft, as an iron pot which has had food cooked in, is one of our most sacred things, I thought if 1 could desecrate it by wa-hing in it, and escape the anger of the Atu.i .Maori (nadiegod) it would then Ik'>c u dial all the Tapus are false, 1 made the ex; iiinieni, I did not become sick or i•, aiid I felt sore that the Gospel of Christ was true aod good. I therefore say lei us si nd it to others. Jikl Toiinui, Teacher of Ki rekiriroa, and biii;!i'r to Jov.ett, goi no and said—My word is. Th s in foriin r times, we believed our \tui Maori-, resided in lish, miwles, fern, kumeras, cir., and yet wo ate nil o/ tin in. Now I u*k when: was their authority, strength, or Godhead when they let us eat thuio 'l V.'u w. re hm'.s, nod igiioi.iiit ; lit us now lu stroll!! to tend the Gospr I to our ignorant b.elhien; let us nut >af they are strangers, lot they are brought nig'i to us by :he bio-.l of Ulirist. Hioughlon To Ilongopoto got up and said —My fii.-iids, let us be strong to send the <.;<.•; el wild prayer. Samuel W.'ilinpu, tern her of Tiikupo:o, said WlnUr.er ivn di, l-l it be done with thou lit in prayiyau.l love. Let us give our money in t?iis spirit, and not in mockery and pride; this is inlet d a g'eat work, lo scud l!:e Gospel to dole lands. Shorthand, a teacher from Whatawhatn. I!y the Gos|i-l, I have seen my errors, the Apo-ile Jii.iies .-.a\s. " wheacr. come wars and lighting aming vou, enwxn they not hence ev- u <i: your lasts " The Gospel is the only ri'ineilv ; hi us send it forth, and let us, in Ihe strength of God persevere; it is a great woi k. Thomas I'uin, a teacher from Mnkiri, said Thi« is a work of love, lo send tint Gospel to dark lands. Let ii 3 think of the love of our Mission .irias tons, lirown, (Vcn. Aichdeacon Brown) I'uun I me eating human flesh when ho came. I therefore fay, let us send the Gospel. Sold Taraniti, teacher at ilia Kaitotilii School, rot up. He said—Let ns cons i'cr th-.' benefits we receive fiom he Gospel, our Ministers first brought us to i.aru lo nad of Cluist as our only sw'v.itiuii, ILs wonderful works, miracles, and death. The conduct of men is ehangul, lh> y learn to sit uuietly and receive Heavenly gifts from God. Now, let us e .nsider what evil remains am -vigil us; it is this, we do not sei d our chihlr n to the Mission Schools ; row, if tin-y go wrong, the parents nl the ehi:dren 're lo Idame and they »ill be judge I; if wa se:id our children and they giow up wicked, they themselves will be condemned at the last day. Let us consider iho words of ilm -'aviottr lo liis Church, " Go into all the wor'd and leach." Tne in.rk ol our love to llim is lo "feed His Lnnus." God will strengthen us.

Kcv 11. V. Ashwvll tli. n concluded by snymu that our comfort 1 luli.incj was ilia" tin- \v»nl ol Go.l had deel »re.l " tlml thi kingdom of this wo. Id should become the kingdom of nur Loul .ma his Christ, and that lie should rei'ii lor «rvcr and evci." " Heaven and earth miyna<s iinay, but H'.s word cannot."

Therefore, let us persevere by fnilh and prayer in this woik, in nn humble spirit, and fil-ove a!i, with a single eve to ilie glory of vlod. Glory be tj the Triune Jehovah, Amtn. The Collodion was now made, nhich amounted to Ten Prurds, almost four pounds more than last yenr. At the request of the nalit%3 five pounds were sent to the Northern .Mission for (lie Islinds in the Pacific; and five pounds to the South West Society. All the teacher* and chiefs were clothed in European garments, coats, trousers, &c.