The Home of the Prophet.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3666, 25 September 1880, Page 1

The Home of the Prophet.

Just within the margin of the great forest which extends from the feet of the craggy precipices of Mount Xgfltont to the western month of Gook'i Strait is situated the large native Tillage of Farihaka. The Tillage consists of a large assemblage of huts bnilt with poles from the forest and lined and thatched with' rashes and sedges. Contrary to native custom the kainga is situated on tolerably level ground, and through the midst of it there flows a small clear mountain stream. A feature of the district worthy of remark is a number of detached conical volcanic hills, composed of trachytic breccia. The country surrounding the village is. extensively cultivated/ and large, crops of wheat, maiae, and potatoes are raised from it. These facts are interesting, but the most interesting matter in, connection with thia celebrated village is the wonderful influence which its chief, Te Whiti, exercises over a.very large number of his fellow countrymen. For two generations at least, good and clever men have devoted their lives to the instruction, and moral and social elevation of these people, and some of them have obtained:*eonsiderable influence over them, but none has succeeded in exoerciaing a tithe of the influence over them that Te Whiti has. For years, month after month, pilgrims from'all parts of tbe district have travelled jn_ »n. -U**aif and in all weathers to Farihaka, and whenever the propfc»*fc«» made his monthly oration lie, has Sufrr.. wanted a large assemblage of sympathising and most attentivei auditors. where you may in this district you will >fttd the natives universally cherishing the greatest 'teverenoe for Te Whiti, and it' is £y%no: mean's uncosamon io hear them comparing him wraith* Divine Being. At the command of'ttna man his followers have vdluntarily^and purposely broken our laws, not exactly to injure us, but in order to suffer punishment as martyrs, and the Golbmal:j6tevernment" steam yacht is now chiefly employed in conveying these selMmmolated victims to prison. We may safely assume that there ia a cause tor this singular phenomenon, and a brief enquiry into it may be interesting if ■not profitable to us. The speeches of the Prophet appear to be a confused jumble of metaphor, without harmony or point. This arises partly from'the difficulty of .understanding him, his studied intention to utter dark sayings, and the imperfect reports that reach; us. To the ordinary native the sayings of the prophet are as unintelligible as they are to most Europeans, and it is next to impossible to obtain from any of -the devotees; on their return from Farihaka any -rational account' of the prophet's utterances. There are, however, certain set phrases made use of by tbe prophet in most of his orations, and from these and from the private conversations which missionaries and others have.had with him, we are able to ..some .extent to obtain a knowledge of .bis- opinions. As a clue to our investigations*»we must first realise the fact that Te Whiti does not stand alone in his, self>asaumed, prophetic office. Intimately and r inseparably connected with him is, Tohu., The invariable testimony of the martyr prisoners has been, "Te Whiti. and Tohu are my lords." The next pluef'.we may take up is the statement, of/Te Whiti, concerning the men he sent, to plough tbe settlers' lawns and fields, namely: "My messengers are a/flam* of fire.' 1 Then in most of his speeches, he talks of floods and other great plagues coming upon the earth. >,Then, he con* tinually. speaks of his testimony, .and,invites men everywhere, both pakehas and Maoris, to come.to him and receive his testimony and be saved,. . With all the courage of a martyr he speaks confidently and complacently of war b#ingi made against him, ef his death and thfr death of Tobu at the hands of his enemies; aM; of their subsequent resurrection and aicension .to heaven.. Finally, he, prqphccies that after this will come the end of the age. ■These statements of Te Whiti are so patent that our readers have but to.turn over tbe files of the Joeal papers for,,the past year to find them repeated over and over again in the reports of . the, native, meeting" at Farihaka. Generally it is. supposed- that Te . Whiti has deeply studied the Bible, and that out of its multifarious, contents he has woven, an intricate system incommunicable to others. No doubt he is one, of those, beings to be ' dreaded—a man of one book. Ko doSibt

his knowledge of Scripture would put thousands of profeseing Christiana, to the blush. Buthis ; syatem and the foundation of his expressed opinions, and the - key to. his actions are to be found an the •idTenthchapter of the Kevelations. The chapter commences 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. According to Te Whiti's teaching he and his followers are the destined worshippers at the most holy shrine, and we unbelieving Pakehas and Gentile 9 are permitted to walk in the precincts of the fame for a limited period. Power is to be given to two witnesses to prophesy, clothed in ■ lackcloth, during h the period of the tread- * ing of the outer courts of the temple by ;' the Geniles. Te Whiti and Tohu are the twowitnesses who prophesy in the garb of humility during the predominance of the Gentileß, yet hare power to afflict the ■" earth with plagues. If any man hurt them fire proceedeth out of tfceir mouths anji devoureth their enemies. Te Whiti's ploughmen were flames of fire. When the witnesses hare finished their testimony, war is to be made against them and they are to he slain. Te Whiti and Tohu testify monthly to all who choose to attend their . ministry, their followers bearing, witness to the testimony by accepting banishment and imprisonment, and they •re waiting to seal, their testimony with their blood. The armies with which Parihaka is surrounded are there in fulfilment of this portion of the .prophecy. After three days the spirit of life reanimates the witnesses, whose bodies have ■be«ir left unburied in the streets of Sodom and Egypt, and to the dread and •, astonishment of their enemies theyrstand upon their feet and ascend to heaven in the cloud. 1 hen follows the great carth r . quake which heralds the coming of the world-kingdom of our Lord. Te Whiti and Tohu are to rise again after their martyrdom and jtq ascend to heaven in the cloud, and then follows[the end. Thil will suffice to show the identity of „:.- the teaching and practice of Te Whiti with the symbolic .statements 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 to the evils it is occasioning to both races in the. Colony.^-Taranaki News. : '"v'; "' "'- "■'•" '' :