RATANA AND MEDICINE.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 September 1921, Page 9

RATANA AND MEDICINE.

greater faith in prater. Writing recently of the results following on a visit by R a tan a, a native school teacher said: “It may not be generally known (hat Ratfma cary'es with liim a book. Natives say those wlio sign this book are pledged not to take medicine in any form or even to seek medical aid. hut to trust in prayer alone. Even children of nine are allowcd to sign.”

In replying to this criticism, Mr. P. T. Moko. private secretary to Ratftna. stated at Nelson last week.- “We admit that we have a book, but this book is not for the rejection of medical aid at all. The book is for all natives. It is a kind of oath that those who sign ah-, solutely give their oath that in the future they will abolish tohungaism am superstition, and teach their children to do likewise. Children who understand are allowed to sign the book, and the parents of those too young to understand can sign for them on the understanding that they will be taught its meaning.

“Raiana’s teaching is to believe in one true God. Ratana has no objection to medicine. Ratana maintains thatch here is only one Great Physician, and He is God Almighty, and that He can heal all manner of diseases, and he wants to impress upon the people tn have one faith in God as tbeir Physician.” Mr. Moko added that Ratana says the only thing for a person who gets sick is. to pray, for he has shown them the way through God; but if their faith is not strong enough to retain the

! instruction be (hem, then they could I I resort to medicine. Ratana had told this i ■io thousands of people. “If the kind of I ' criticism, contained in the articles continues,” said Mr. Moko, “it is Ratana’s in- . tention i,a Rtnr» reneivintr letters from white I people " j