RECOLLECTIONS OF A WAIKATO MISSIONARY. (Continued ) No. 4, 1840.

Waikato Times, Volume VII, Issue 363, 10 September 1874, Page 2

RECOLLECTIONS OF A WAIKATO MISSIONARY. (Continued ) No. 4, 1840.

At the beginning of this year we pnid thoWaipa and Otawhao another vuut. I found the Gotpel everywhere progrei*inc. The method we perauei with our catechumens before they received baptism, wai this : Most of the candidates were kept for one 3 ear's probation, e-tbera two years or even longer. They must all posess a correct knowledge of the essential doctrines of tho Gospel ; they must be moral 111 conduct ; renounce all heathen superstitions and customs : if polvgamiets, put away all their wives excepting one, and be faithful to her. The one retained was generally a cntei-hmnen, and the mother of the children. I haye known chirfa put awayai many as eight wivea. Mokoro, of Whatawhiita, is an instance. The forsaken women were ut liberty to marry, and many did so ; they knew the rule, and dirt not consider it a hardship. We never departed from this rule, as we believed it to be the Gospel plan, and and a mro test of sincerity. On my return from the Waipa river and Otawbao, I found 1 large assembly of natives at Wnikotn Heads, about twelve hundred, to witness the baptiam ol 127 n.itires by the Her. R. Maunsell. On March 20 they were received into tho Church by baptism. It was a joyful day for tho Missionaries. I may say that we had for months and » eeks been engaged in preparing these candidate", by Uihle classes, involving numerous journeys, and above all, by the deep snirehin<j catechizing they underwent from the Rev. R. Maunsell, who took this duty in addition to his daily translational labours, for he was then engaged in translating the Old Testament, the New having been finished. I think we may humbly say that it was an endeavour to receivo mto the Church only those who had been duly prepared and Lad given evidence that they were under religious impressions. God ooly knows the liuart. If some proved unfaithiul, mmn^ lired consistent lives and died happy deaths. The ponor of the Gospel was now telling upon the whole population. Infanticide and suicide were now rarely perpetrated. No instance occurred of cannibalism at this time on tiie Waikato, War* were prevented ; all the natives were now clothed, even ehildion ; cleanliness was more apparent (it wns on the decline of Christianity many years aflenvnrrib that they became less cltanly). Our congregation continued to increase ; the Subbath was respected ; reading classes veil attended ; our native monitors wore zealous and good men, many quite an example to their countrymen ; and I think I may say that, amidst my trials, the hearts of the Missionaries were lifted up in thankfulness and praise for the wondera God had wrought. This was a time of rejoicing for all. Oh, that a gracious God may indeed baptue them with His lloly Spirit, the only ellectual baptism that will avail for salvation. June 15, 1 again visited Otowhao and other places, and returned home more and more encouraged, for some of the chiefs and native priests now came forward as candidates for baptism. There wai still much to hinder the progress of t!ie Gospel ; (he chiefs feared witchcraft and the power [of the native priests. The tnpu was still all-powerful, and the betrothing of children tho source of much trouble. In August, I paid another visit to otaw0 taw lino and found tin* Wharo Ivura, at the Awamutu pa, had been threatened by the heathen chiefs with vengeance ; I succeeded in pacif\ing them. Se\ernl candidates for baptism had arrived at Mokau, which induced me to vi<it that district via Otawhao, Ilinyntiki, and Kiinjji^oto, in December ; thus the lemon ot the. Gospel was gradually spreading. To God bo the glory ! 1841. J In the beginning of this year the Ngaiitipa, at Waikato ir-nds, piopobfd tliat I should go as their mis^ionan to WellmL'ton, as there hapnened to be a schooner in tho harbour. They subscribed £10 tw T«Jy p s;uge, proposing that I

S lould return on tm>t by tin* coa^t, eiHing at every im on my way. We loft Wttikato Hi-ads in Peb aiaiy, and af er a passage of eight d.ivs reached Wellington. I Lucre found a native cateclnsfc Itirh ml D.ivis, who could speak English fluently, ddiyently labouring among the natives ot Poit Nicholson, Porirua, and oilier pkces. This nutivc was greatly respected ; his wife and children were patterns ot clealinwa and neatness, and Ins boiue \\*s well furnisbeJ. 11 chard Davis liad bo m thieatcned by the beathen chiefs : I if he continued to tench Ch/iatmnity, they said they would 1 make him a slave and ttike his wife from him ; but he quietly persevered, and God blessed Jus labours. I visited several #f theiv congregations he had collected from among the htnthen. This lamented teacher was drowned whilst crossing tli© hirbour to minister to some of the congregations He was universaltyrespei tod in the then small town of Wellington. At the beginning of March I left Wellington for Porirua and Waikantie. At the latter place I lound the Rev. 0. Hadfield labouring by himself in that large pa, containing eigh or ten hundred natives. It was n thrilling sight to see collected on the Sunday morning for service more than aeven hundred, all attentive and orderly ; and in the afternoon more than live hundred remained for Sunday-school. The progress of the Gospel has been wonderful ; wars have been prevented and their heathen customs forsaken, through the blessing of God upon the labours of this indefatigable and zealou.3 missionary. My Christian brother accompanied me two days along the coast. I visited on my journey homeward thirty-two pas, and I fouud in each cither a Church of England or a Wesleyau teacher, prayerbooks, and portions of the Testament; there was only one exception, and that was a pa near Patea. I everywhere leceived a hearty welcome excepting Rangitikui. After three weeks' travelling along the coast, I reached Waikato Heads, having walked about four hundred miles. The incidents of this journey were numerous and interesting, but they would take too long to uarr.ite. I only profess to give a cursory view of the progress of Chiistianity in the Waikato disti ict. I reached home in safety April 3. I fouud an assembly of two thousand natives at the station, the account ot which I must defer, till my next*