THE ANCESTORS OF THE PAKEHA.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume IV, Issue 13, 30 November 1857, Page 4

THE ANCESTORS OF THE PAKEHA.

(Continued.) The Britons had many false gods. They had also priests who were called Druids, answering to the Maori name Tohunga. The elders and the wise men were called Druids. These were also the judges of the people, who decided all the quarrels and disputes which, arose among them; and all yielded to their decision. Some disputed about the boundaries of their lauds. The

Druids gave judgment in matters of this kind, also in cases of murder, or theft; and if any one ventured to disobey their decision, he was pronounced accursed, was forbidden to attend at the offering of their sacrifices; no person went near or would eat with him, nor would any one dare to speak to him. The Druids educated the children of ilie Britons. For twenty years they lived with the Druids, and were instructed by them in all matters relating to their religion and in Ihe wisdom of the Druids. They did not leach them to read or write, but made them learn everything by bear t, that they might be able to speak in public and address thepeople when goingforthtobattle. Theßritons believed tlie gods would not favour them unless they offered human beings as sacrifices to them. When illness seized one of their nobles, or when the people were going forth to battle, they made large cages of sticks woven together, and collected men, sheep, and cows into these wicker receptacles, and burnt them alive. They believed the most acceptable offering to their god would be a murderer or a thief. They had temples which were built in the forests, and were constructed of large stones which were placed in a circle, leaving a space in the middle. They had no roof, and were entirely surrounded by trees. Outside of the trees was a moat, the earth was thrown up on the outer side of the moat. Near to these temples was a river or spring of water, which was held most sacmJ, and at a little distance beyond them,

a mound of earth was raised. The Druids came there lo preach to the people, who were not permitted to enter the temple, which was considered sacred. The Britons had many gods,—they had the god of the river, the god of the lake, the god of the mountain, and the god of the forest. The Britons treated their women with respect. Women were appointed Druids and teachers of the men, and were made rulers each over her own people. The Britons were in great trouble for many years after the arrival of Caesar in England. They were constantly at war; they had many battles, numbers of the Britons fell, and the Drui s were nearly exterminated by the Romans. In those days the Romans knew nothing about the true God; their heai ts were evil ; they had no pily for the Britons whom they had destroyed. When they conquered a nation, they made the people slaves; some were taken to Rome and sold there. After these wars, eighty years perhaps after the death of oar Saviour Jesus Christ, there came a Governor to England whose thoughts wore good. He sard to himself-'Why should the Britons be utterly destroyed? and he spoke to his friends among the Romans, and said, If we persist in destroying this people, they will never be improved, it would be better that we should teach them to sow wheat and to build houses; we will also teach them our language; by these means they will become attached to us, and be our friends; they wlfl also become a great peo p!e. The name of this Governor was Agricola. In the second year of his residence in England, they began to build school-houses: the children of the Britons were taught the Roman language, and their chiefs were instructed in agriculture and gardening. The Governor sent to his own country for fruit trees, peaches, apples, plums, and grapes, which were planted and grew. Then they commenced making roads between the different town* in England He also taught them to build stone and brick houses, and when they had learned, they abandoned their old huts. Then this Governor made good laws or rules and built a Court-house. He also appointed a place for the people of every town to buy and sell in, which we call a market. The Romans were a clean people, they neither liked dirty skins nor dirty clothing, so they built houses lo bathe in in every town, that the people might go there to wash every day, lhat they might be clean. The children

of the chiefs went to the schools, and became in appearance like the Koreans. They were clothed also in the same garments. You must not suppose that England was without Christianity at this time. Many had embraced it and many had not. We do not know who brought the gospel to England. Some say it wasbrought by Paul the Apostle, and others, by some one else. However, many had heard the words of Jesus Christ. When the first converts to Christianity were put to death by the king of Rome, many were afraid to remain in their own country, lest they also might killed: some fled to England, and preached to the Britons. They taught them to love God and to love Jesus Christ, to obey his commandments, and to love one another. Many of their great men believed, and were baptized. Some of them were ordained ministers and bishops. Then the light shone into the heart of the Britons. For many years the Briions remained in peace, and increased in knowledge of all lhat is good and useful. They cut down trees to build ships with; they grew wheat, and ate of it, but did not consume it all: so they put some on board their vessels, and took it to Rome, or to other countries, to sell. They were no longer idle, nor did they continue to fight with each other. They now learned to make milk into butter and cheese. They began to rear cows and horses in great numbers. Before long the gospel had spread over the whole of our Island. They also employed themselves in building school houses and churches, and peace prevailed in the land for a long time. Now one of the evils which happened to the Church of Christ in England was this. The King of Rome was a worshipper of idols, his heart was evil towards the gospel of our Lord. He made a law that no Christian should be allowed to bold any olTice in the king's bouse, and they were to forfeit their rank as nobles. The Governor who was in England at this time was a worshipper of idols. When this law reached England, the Governor made it known to all the Christians. He required them to renounce Christianity and to offer sacrifices to the false gods. They replied, 11 Is not good for us to forsake the true religion, for there is but one true God, the God who loves us, and to whom we pray. Then the Governor said to them, you shall not be employed in the work of the king nor bold rank as nobles. I shall no longer consider you my friends, I shall issue orders for your destruction, Some

were afraid of the Governor's anger, they did not like to give up their offices, nor their pay. Some renounced Christianity ; others were imprisoned ; many were put to death. Those who died in the faith, died happily* for they knew that God loved them and that although they might suffer much pain in this world they should become inheritors of eternal life and, dwell with God in Heaven. This was the first persecution with which our forefathers were visited after the Gospel had been brought to England. In two years, another king arose in Home, This king was a Christian, and he put an end to the persecution of the followers of Christ. Many of the Britons were appointed Ministers and Bishops to supply the places of those who had been put to death. Some of them crossed the water to the Continent to hold a council, and to lay down rules for the Church that it might remain in peace. Some went to the north of England to take the Gospel there. Those people were so far off that the Gospel was a long time before it reached them, but when they had ministers they were not deaf to the call of Christ, but at once obeyed his voice. Then the church flourished in our Island and spread to this country and that country. Now, although the Komans were once a great and powerful nation, yet, afterwards, they lost much of their power, and the nations they had subdued rose into importance. They now left England and went back to their own country, lest it should be taken, as they had not power to I) >ld all their possessions. The Romans were in our Island about four hundred years. One thousand four hundred years have passed since they left, but there are houses still standing which they built, and the roads which they made, men still walk upon.