RATANA CRISIS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 272, 7 February 1928, Page 9

RATANA CRISIS

TWO LEADERS RESIGN COMMISSION TO INQUIRE REACTIONARIES CAUSE SPLIT As a protest against the reactionary teaching and customs introduced into the Ratana Pa and into the Ratana Church organisation during the last year, both the chairman and the secretary of the church have resigned their positions. It is common talk among the Maoris of the Auckland district that there has been a serious split in the Ratana movement. It is also stated that a commission will sit to investigate the true position of affairs, which has not been at all satisfactory for some time past. Te Ratana Church has been passing through an extremely critical period during the last few months, and it is said that Ratana himself has been ill. The leader’s methods of gathering around him all classes and conditions of men and trying to please all enabled a reactionary party to get practical control during the latter part of last year. The Rev. Mr. Iwiora (ex-Angli-can clergyman) and first chairman of the Synod, has resigned in disgust because the name of Jesus Christ was being discarded to please the reactionaries who were all praying in the name that the Maoris had given Ratana “The Mangai” (the Mouthpiece). Maoris are keen on “pet” names and Ratana certainly gave a great message to his people a few years ago. Everyone would be delighted if he and his people would live up to that message. Unfortunately, it is said, the better methods of faith-healing have been superseded and the' pa has gone back in a way which is causing distress to the Christian Maoris resident there. The new chairman of the Synod, the Rev. Hakaraia, an ex-Methodist Home Missionary, who has practically controlled the services of the pa for the past fiye years, has also given up in disgust and resigned after a strenuous struggle. The Rev. Fraser, ex-Anglican clergyman, secretary of the Synod, then resigned and the reactionaries in the pa thought they had Ratana in their hands.

These resignations have led to a reconsideration of the whole question, but the movement seems to be in the melting pot, and other action is probable before many months are out.

A compromise was suggested that the official at the Pa should not be in either the name of "the Mangai” or in the name of Jesus Christ, but in the name of the Son of God. Earlier alterations made by Ratana tended to clarify the thought of the Maoris on Christian teaching, but this change would tend to confuse thought, hence the resignations of some of the pillars of the movement.