THE MAORI MESSENGER. Auckland, June 3, 1852.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume IV, Issue 90, 3 June 1852, Page 2

THE MAORI MESSENGER. Auckland, June 3, 1852.

To the philanthropist, and especially to those interested in the welfare of the Aborigines of distant regions, there can, we imagine, be no more pleasurable subject of contemplation than that now presented by the natives of New Zealand iii their transition state from a recent and relentless barbarity to an active and earnest condition of moral and material intelligence. Contemplate those men, who, not twenty years since, were the type of all that is held savage in human nature, and compare them with the industrious fanners, the intelligent mechanics, the skilful mariners, and the zealous Christians of the present day, and the change will appear lo be miraculous;

„ resembling more ihc imaginary metamorphoses of the pool, than a prosaie reality of natural lire! Surely the hand or God alone can have produced so complete, so astounding a conversion? We cannot trace its parallel in the history or any nation; for our knowledge or our own remote progenitors, the panned Unions—in no respect llio superiors or ihc noble Now Zoalandor—is much top iud.islinct to enable us to trace their progress in civilization wilh the same fidelity wilh which it is to be hoped thai of our native brethren will be recorded. That our own journal will, in after years, supply the historian wilh some materials for personal history of this interesting race, •we fondly trust; and, it is with the view of ■chronicling their own feelings and opinions 1 In the business and duties or life, that wo gladly avail ourselves of every opportunity •of proclaiming their actions to the world. in tills—a real labour of love—it has afforded us Jieaifolt pleasure to dwell upon the many examples of disinterested humanity exhibited by them in saving and sue «ouring tlie shipwrecked mariner—in the lirotectiojiof hisproprrty,—and in rendering all those kindly offices which man in security can offer to wan in distress. What nation, in the highest slate of refinement, can present a more generous example of devoted friendship than (tail 10 which ihc following narrative bears honour" able testimony? - "During a recent gale of wind, an European named Howell, a servant of HrigadoMajor Greenwood, crossing:! brunch of the Manakau, in a canoe, accompanied by a native named E. Ware, was unfortunately upset. Howell was unable to swim ; but the gallant E. Ware placed him across his chest, sustaining him in the water in that, position for three hours until he tfteil of e.vhaustiaii; bis, E Ware's, own death having been very nearly the consequence of his deathless and dauntless fidelity." In what record of affectionate daring can a nobler instance of constancy be produced / And yet it is not without its native parallel: —ihe same generous heroism having been exhibited, in the same waters, in October last, in (lie unavailing effort lo rescue Mr. Piers Gcale 011 occasion of (lie swamping or the "Maori" ferry boat. Wo might multiply examples. Let us, however, change the subject, and briefly advert lo a paper, which will lie found in our present issue, giving an account of a Native Missionary Meeting, for the purpose of spreading that Gospel knowledge, from which they themselves have so eagerly profilled, among the Heathen of the adjacent islands. In further prosecution of that mission, the indefatigable and self-denying Jlishop Selwyn has once more departed;— and, \vc would ask, can anything be more touching than to listen to (he regrets of men acknowledging themselves lo have been degraded by cannibalism, but now contributing their moneys, and praying the blessing of the Almighty upon the efforts making in Christian love for the salvation of souls 1