NOT HERETICS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 132, 25 August 1927, Page 8

NOT HERETICS

KATANA’S FOLLOWERS METHODIST OUTLOOK Ratana and his followers are not heretics, in the eyes of the Methodist Church, and the Ratana movement is considered to be a sign of vitality and growth. IN a lecture given last night the Rev. E. T. Olds, assistant general superintendent of Methodist Home and Maori Missions, declared that the influence of Ratana held -5,000 members together and there was no sign of the movement “petering out." The man in the street did not give the Maori prophet a fair deal, said Mr. Olds. Newspapers had featured the litigation with the architect of his temple and his conviction in court. Ratana admitted with sorrow that he had a weakness. One church had denounced the Ratana movement with the result thatthe church had lost 13,000 of its Maori followers in a week. The Methodists thought that it was not wise to drive people away like that. Though the Methodist Church had no connection with the movement, the general superintendent, Mr. Seamer, was always appealed to in difficulties. “The Ratana movement has enormously strengthened our position among the Maori people,” said Mr. olds. “It is a movement toward selfexpression. The whole thing is a sign of vitality, of growth and extension, not of decay. There is no use in saying it is no good and ought to be scrapped. “The Methodist Church is not cringing to Ratana and his followers, or trying to get into the movement, rt is not greatly interested in the movement, but it is intensely interested in the Maori people.” It recognised there was within the movement a certain element of reaction toward tohungaism and the old ways, but there were other considerations. In every Ratana meeting Mr. Seamer had both a voice and a vote. Some s£iid that Ratana’s doctrine was unsound, but Methodists should not worry about that. The principal charge was that he enjoined the worship of “the Holy Angels,” but many Christians observed Saints’ days. The followers were groping for a lead and they needed sympathetic help. ______________