MAORIS OF THE KING COUNTRY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2668, 17 August 1889, Page 6 (Supplement)

MAORIS OF THE KING COUNTRY.

Lower Watkato—Journal of the Revs, IVtkt, te Fan and llonc Fupihia, Ox • Monday, May 13, wo left Hnkianga and on the 10th arrived in Auckland where we stayed three days. On Monday. the 20th, wo left Auckland and on the 21st we arrived at Tapapa where wo remained two days. We found but a few Natives at this place, but wh.it, we saw was good ; that is- to nay, the token we had for good was an earnest desire of the people to erect a church at the settlement for themselves. The day we were leaving tho hnuhaus (who Wcvu there) told us they would return to our service when they saw the faith of the Missionary Natives of the place (shown in tho building of a church). Ou Thursday, the 23, we readied the Waotu. We stayed there over Sunday. There were 45 present at the morning aervieo, and 29 partook of the Holy Communion. The offertory was 6s Id. At the evening service there wore 40 present, and two children were baptized. We remained here ou Monday, the 27th ; we had Bible class with the people, sang hyms, and preached the Word to them They listened with attention arid apparent earnestness to nil we taught thein. By, what we saw we believe it wiil not be long ere the tree of faith will grow at this place. One evidence of this is that there is at this time, at the Training School for ministers at Tauranga, an old

lay teacher from, this settlement, wiio.se name is llanpnu. We also gave them some] books explanatory of Seriptivo (Whakamarama). On Thursday, the 30th,- we left for Parawera. There we fouud a large gathering (chiefly hauhaus.) At first our hearts were very dark, as we could not see any opening whereby we could preach to these hauhaus the Gospel ; but we talked with them day by day until j Sunday, June 2, when the people had become more friendly, and were much softened. At the morning service there were 67 present. We had the same number in the evening. We stayed here over Sunday, the 9th. At the services on that day a much larger number attended. [ We saw their doubting as to their belief in their hanhau worship. They had ceased their evil speaking and ill feeling towards us. Early on Monday'morning, as we were leaving, the principal men came to say good-bye to us, and invited us to continue to pay them such visits. Htliri Ic I'itenUa, a chief Ngatirauliawa, said to us, when wishing us good-bye, ' that ho would give up hauhunism and the other false systems (of worship), and that his worship should be according to the worship of the Church of England.' • Although we were much cast down the

first day or two, afterward, up to the time we left, we were inueh gladdened, and we left with joyful hearts. \'Ve spent here (Karaworn) ten days. On Monday; Jane 10, we went to Otorohanga, -and 011 Thursday paid a visit to Te Kuiti, to see Taouui, one of the chiefs of Ngatimaniapoto. These are the words of this aged man. He told me tint his great desire was that ministers should come often to preach the Gospel to Ngatimaniapoto. We stayed here two days, and than returned to Otorohanga. Here we spent Sunday, Juno 16. At the morning serviee there were G7 present, and 58 at the evening serviee. All the time we two stayed hero wc listened to the good words of some of the chiefs, llauauru's tvord was—' Continue to visit us to look after the sheep lest they should go astray.' Rapana Ihakara said—' When, this confusion is over (a j Land Court was being held) he would give his mind to the building of a church at Otorohanga, also house for the reception of ministers' (when they visit them.) Pcpene's word was—' From this time wc begin to worship God ; let us bo looked after by your 'ministers don't leave us long (without a visit) lost ' the heart should again become feeble; . now the.' heart has returned (meaning returned to pure worship), the natives have ceased to work on Sundays ; they are fearful.' All the time we remained here (Otorohanga) we had service every day at 4 p.m. in the building in which the Land Court was being held. All the people who attended the Land Court came also to our services. Tuesday, tho 18th, we left Otorohanga and arrived at Taupiri. Here we met the Rev. R, Burrows, one of the aged onos of the Church of England. A pood father he has been to the Maori Church from early times down to hiß old age at this time. Wednesday, June 19. —This day wo arrived at Pukekawa, the residence of Tawliiao. There were about 100 peoplo at thin place ; they -.vero taking up the bones of tho dead,, but they gave up sufficient, time to come to our serviee ; but during' the time we were there, until we were leaving, \vn did not find anything encouragiug. What wo heard was bad, proud speaking, relating to the body only. We were both much grioved, and our thoughts were, ' When will these men soo the light? ? ' On Friday morning, tho 21st, wo preached to thorn the word from Genesis VII. At the close of that service some men stood up and spoke well of the portion of Scripture from which we had preached. ■ By this we saw that a door was opened to us, and wo showed them from the Scriptures the error of all teaching whieli is contrary thereto, and tho correctness of the teaching, that is in accordance with God's . Word. Wo talked together about an hour. After a while one of tho Haahnus turned round and spoke evil of their worship. He said ' they now saw their worship was not of God ; indeed, that it was no worship at all." Theso are some of their words: 'Before they began to .worship (meaning hnuhtni worship) great was their chieftainship (rangalimlangit), and they were prosperous ; since they had turned to this hnuhmt warship they had been sinking lower and lower.' Now they bogan to greet us ; but the time had come for us to go. On our leaving many wished us good-bye, and said, ' Go, friends ; return again soon ; our hearts havo been cheered.' Hero our hearts were cheered also, for we saw that our visit to that settlement had ' borne fruit." Now, from what wo two have seen, this is the plan wo believe bj r which Waikato will advance in Christianity {v:h<ikapono) : — 1. By frequent sojourns of ministers among the people. 2. By the location of a minister in the midst of Ngatimaniapoto, and another in tho midst of Ngatiraukawa—that is to day, one at Te Waotu and one at Otorohanga, and this upon tho promise of Christ, Who snit.h, ' Lo I am with you ahvay, oven nuto the end.'—Church Gazette.