MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 August 1939, Page 3

MAORI MEMORIES

HE ORA TE MAHI (Work is life).

(Recorded by J.H.S, for “Times-Age.”)

One hundred and thirty years ago, Samuel Marsden gave a practical, candid opinion as to the qualifications of a successful teacher or a preacher, the lack of which in 90 per cent of those professions is quite apparent today. Writing of the proposed Christian Mission to New Zealand in 1809. he said: “A missionary should be naturally an industrious man who could live in any country by his own labour. A man of industry has great resources in times of difficulty and danger. These will easily be surmounted by an industrious man, while small troubles overwhelm an idle man with despair. “I have rarely ever known an industrious man to become idle, or an idle man industrious. Four qualities are absolutely necessary for a missionary piety, industry, prudence and patience."

Marsden recommended that the first missionaries should be mechanics, who by practical work could (each the first essentials of Christian life, “industry—how to use tools, make a wheelbarrow, and employ their time for the common good.” He decided “that these pioneer teachers should be provided with a free passage, plentiful supplies of useful tools, and little else, so that they would work as equals among their pupils, and teach by example.” What an ideal for our schools and churches 130 years ago. but not yet realised, except in our Training Colleges. Marsden’s ideal did not confine itself to handicrafts, but sought to make his mission entirely self-supporting by honest exchange of useful articles with the Maoris, who did not understand the value of gold and silver, much less of bank notes, which they then regarded as veritable scraps of paper. The first step was to purchase the little schooner “Active” for interchange of goods with Australia.