MAORI PRIEST SPEAKS TO UNSEEN THOUSANDS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 425, 6 August 1928, Page 14

MAORI PRIEST SPEAKS TO UNSEEN THOUSANDS

WIRELESS PIONEER BROADCAST FROM ST. PAUL’S Preaching last e\ r ening in St. Paul's Anglican Church, the Rev. Wiremu Panapa, vicar of Kaikohe, was probably the first Maori priest to address by means of wireless an unseen congregation of thousands. The preacher based his sermon on Christ’s words, "Thrust out a little from the land,” and “launch out inti the deep,” being the third and fourth . verses of the fifth chapter of St. Luke For over a century now Christianity had been taught to the Maori people. The Maori of to-day had no grudge against Christianity, but he was somewhat bewildered in trying to reconcile his ideas of the faiths and what he sees of European civilisation. There was a time Avhen he thought Christianity and western civilisation were one and the same thing. Reluctantly he had been forced to gi\ r e up that idea. He had learned there was a great gulf between the two and the fault lay with civilisation. “What is wanted today,” said Mr. Panapa, “is more Christianity in civilisation and less civilisation in Christianity.” Reviewing the work of the Maori Mission the speaker said there had been some cause for disappointment. The best tonic for pessimism was to read Church history in New Zealand. He paid a tribute to the early missionaries Avho had given light to a savage people. Before their coming the Maori j tribes were desunited and every man’s hand was against that of his neigh- j bour. The desire for unity still existed to-day and must be considered if the missipn were to be an influence among the natives. The time had come when the mission should launch out into the deep. The faith had been nursed as a child by the mother Church of New Zealand, and now it was a vigorous young i man full of ambition. The Maori Church did not Avant to be estranged from its mother, but to live near her and benefit from her help. Mr. Panapa saw much to encourage A big step forward was the incorporation of the old Maori Mission in the Anglican Board of Missions. They hoped soon to have a bishop of their own people who would be a rallying point round which the Church would flourish. As Sir Apirana Ngata said, the Maoris wanted Christ in a Maori atmosphere. For too long the tide in the affairs of the Maori Church had been ebbing. There Avas noAv a definite awakening, “and,” concluded Mr. Panapa, “may this be the turn of the tide.”