TE WHITI.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 218, 14 September 1880, Page 4

TE WHITI.

In an interesting and . well writen article on this extraordinary individual the Taranalei News says :— Generally it is supposed that Te Whiti has deeply studied the Bible, and that out of its multifarious contents he has woven an intricate; syslem in- ; communicable to others* -No doubt he is one of those beings to be dreaded: — a man of one book. No doubt his knowledge of scripture would put thousands of professing Christians to the blush. But his system and the foundation of his expressed opinions, and the key to his actions are to be found in the eleventh chapter of the Revelations. The chapter commences I with directions to measure the temple and the altar, but to omit the outer court, which is to be trodden by the Gentiles for a specified period. Accordian to Te Whiti's teaching he and his followers are the destined worshippers at the most holy shrine, and we unbelieving Pakehas and Gentiles are permitted to walk in the precincts of the fane for a limited period. Power is to be given to two witnesses to prophesy, clothed in, sackcloth, during : the period of the treading of the outer courts of the temple by the Gentiles. |Te Whiti and Tohu are the two witnesses who prophesy in the garb of , humility during the predominance of the Gentiles, yet have time, to afflict ! the earth with plagues. If any man ; hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their 'mouths and devoureth their enemies. Te Whiti's ploughmen were flames of | fire. When the witnesses have finished their testimony, war is to be made ; against them and they are to be slain. Te Whiti and Tohu testify monthly to all who choose to attend their ministry, their followers bear witness to their testimony by accepting bani.shm.enl; and

imprisonment, and Te Whiti and Tohuj are waiting to seal their testimony witlii their blood. The armies with, which. Parihaka is surrounded are there ' in fulfilment of this portion of the proptiecy. After three days the spirit of; life reanimates the... witnesses, whose; .Jbodies have been -* left unburied in the streets of Sodom and Egypt, and! to the dread and astonishment of their ; enemies .they stand upon their feet and, ascend to heaven in the cloud. Then! follows the great earthquake winch \ heralds the coming of the" world-king- . dom of our Lord. Te Whiti and^Tohu are to rise again after their martyrdom and to ascend to heaven in the clbutt, and then follows the 'end. ■This/will suffice to show the identity of the teach- , ing and practise, of Te, Whiti with the symbolic statements 1 of the eleventh chapter ,of. Revelations. Possibly if this clue to Te Whiti-ism is further followed it may lead to a fuller knowledge of it, and to the discovery of some remedy for the evils it is ocoasioning to both races in the Colony; '