The Church in New Zealand

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LII, Issue 45, 25 November 1925, Page 19

The Church in New Zealand

(Lecture by Mr. D. L. Poppelwell.)

■ The second public function of the Gore Catholic Club, which proved extremely interesting, was held in the Federal Cabaret on Monday evening, the 9th inst. (writes our Gore correspondent), when Mr. D. L. Poppelwell delivered an illuminating address on “Early Church History in Otago.” Probably owing to the inclement weather a large portion of the congregation failed to ■ avail themselves of a golden opportunity of hearing a good man on an extremely interesting subject. Before and after the address musical items were contributed by Miss M. Cronin and Mr. M. Cronin (vocal duet), Misses J. O’Brien and M. Inder (songs), and Miss S. Inder (recitations). Mr. R. Fraser occupied the chair, and introducing Mr. Poppelwell explained the value of the lecture about to he heard, which had entailed much research by Mr. Poppelwell. The paper about to be road dealt with early . Church history in Otago between the years 1850—1860, and had been compiled chiefly from notes and information obtained from m “old identities. V Amidst loud applause, Mr. Poppelwell de- ; livered his address as follows; The paper which I propose to read is based upon one which I commenced to write

SOME EARLY OTAGO CHURCH HISTORY

about 35 years ago. At that time I was in possession of a number of letters written to my father by various..persons in the ’fifties of last century. Some of these letters were from the late Bishop Viard, the first Catholic Bishop of Wellington, and some from Fathers Scon and Petitjean, the first priests to make regular visits to Otago, while other letters were from well-known Catholic laymen who lived in Otago in the early times. The notes cm the early Catholic Church in Otago commenced, as above-mentioned, were never completed because I was in search of other letters which would throw light upon the events of those days. Later my “notes,” much of which were founded on old letters and upon information gathered from “old identities,” were borrowed and lost. The original letters and other documents I had were unfortunately burnt when my office in Gore was destroyed by fire in 1897. Recently some of my old'manuscript was accidentally discovered by a. relation among some old waste papers and returned to me. As these old facts have not, I think, been placed on record before, I thought some, of them might be of value now that an interest is being shown in early Church, history in New Zealand. Only one copy of an old letter has

been preserved, , but I will endeavor from memory to set down some of the things mentioned in those letters which were destroyed. For the benefit of those who are not already cognizant of the fact, I may point out that the Otago settlement was originally formed under a charter granted to the New Zealand Colonising Company and was intended to include only Presbyterians’ belonging to the Free Church of Scotland. . About the year 1845, at the same time that th« famous Tractarian Movement in which the late Dr. Newman took a prominent part was going on, a movement was set on. foot in the Established Church of Scotland to render the Church Courts in Scotland independent of and not subservient to th» Civil Courts. The quarrel, began in connection with disputes about the appointment of some unacceptable ministers by the system of lay patronage established in the beginning of last century. The struggle having gone on for a long time, at last a great secession took place and the Free Church of Scotland was formed under Dr. Chalmers. Like the Pilgrim Fathers of old many of th® seceders began to look round for some place in which they could settle and have their own form of church government, and pitched upon Otago, New Zealand, which was granted to them by charter. In 1847 the first ships arrived with many prominent members of the new body and their wives and families. They had long been struggling for their own form of church government and worship, and were consequently embittered against and intolerant of other religions which might interfere with the perfect scheme of combination between Church and State which they intended to introduce here. As showing the determined nature of the opposition displayed by the Colonising Company to the emigration of those who differed from them in religion, I may mention that when my father first applied at the agency of the. company in Edinburgh for his passage to New Zealand in 1847 it was refused him, although, upon learning that he had previously been in Otago, they did not hesitate to seek from him for their own purposes what information they could concerning the country, etc., which was then little known. Subsequently the passage was granted in the Blundell, one of the first ships. The first pastor of the new Presbyterian settlement was the late Dr. Burns, a strong staunch Presbyterian, a good, kindly man, hut one of somewhat narrow views born of those prejudices against Catholicity which for a long time characterised Presbyterian Scotland. Keeping these facts in mind it will be readily understood that it was a hard, struggle for the few Catholics who, after a time, found their way to Otago, to get along at all, and still harder for* them, both' from the smallness of their numbers and the opposition shown, to forward the interests of their Church. A considerable time before the formation of the Otago settlement the conduct of almost the whole of the missions among the Polynesian Islands had been placed in the hands of the Marists, one of the regular Orders of priesthood whose headquarters were in France, and consequently almost all the?

•arly\ missionaries who labored her©, were Frenchmen. This may seem strange when we consider that the colonies are peopled almost exclusively with English-speaking communities, but it must be remembered that when the missionaries were originally sent there were few Europeans here, and that the missionary work was principally confined to the native races. The late Bishop Viard, of the diocese of Wellington, was the first Catholic Bishop who had charge of this island. He was for many years a misionary among other of the Polynesian Islands, where he accomplished great and good work among the natives and carried the light and truth to many otherwise unfortunate races. From these other islands he was consecrated Bishop of the diocese of Wellington, which then extended, it might be said, over the whole of New Zealand except Auckland. He was already old when he was sent here, but was a man little likely to be forgotten by those who once met him. Toll and straight, with a mild eye and kindly smile, he 'was beloved by all who came in contact with him. He was of a most amiable disposition and had a reputation for saintliness and goodness which made his name one revered alike by Catholic and non-Catholic. He is referred to not because he was much in the south, but because he was the spiritual head of the diocese whence the first missionary set his foot in Otago.

The Otago settlement, which, I have stated, commenced in 1847, soon developed, and colonists began to flow in, but for the reasons before stated very few other than Presbyterians appeared. However, one by one, persons of other denominations managed to get here. In the year 1849 a census showed only seven Catholics out of a population of 745. By the year 1850 there may have been from thirty to forty Catholics throughout Otago. These soon found it necessary, in order to look after their own political rights, to band together along with others’ against their powerful rivals the Presbyterians. This “little enemy” struggled hard for a long time against the system of exclusive settlement, but as their numbers were small they did not at first have much success. It may be asked what this has to do with religious matters, but it had afterwards an important influence upon the settlement both as regards the nationality and religions of the immigrants. Early in 1851 my father, who then lived on a bush section in the Northeast Valley, wrote to Bishop Viard informing him that there were a few Catholics scattered throughout Otago and that an occasional visit of a priest would, if one could be sent, be very acceptable. In those days a journey from Wellington or even Port Cooper (Lyttelton) was no easy matter. If you could get a schooner coming down you might possibly manage the journey in a week or ten days if you did not have too severe a wind against you, but if there didn’t happen to be a schooner about to sail from Port Cooper you would have to make the journey overland, or perhaps have to wait three months for the next boat. It will, therefore, not be greatly wondered at .that the first response to the request mad©

to Bishop Viard was the arrival of a priest about six or eight months after the sending of the letter.

One morning a "very active little man about oft Gin in height presented an appearance at my father’s house and announced himself as Father T. A. T. Seon from Wellington. He possessed a meek but earnest face and grey hair. He was dressed in a somewhat old and shabby-looking cassock, a broad clerical hat and a pair of boots showing signs of wear. He had come down from Akaroa to Port Chalmers by schooner, and had just walked up from there through the bush. He received a glad welcome and stayed all day and that night, .

Until this time, so far as I am aware, no priest had ever visited the site of Dunedin, although earlier visits had been made, I believe, to the whaling settlement at Waikouaiti and Taiaroa Heads, where possibly Mass had been said. The next morning ’neath the bark roof of that humble slab cottage the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was first offered up in Dunedin, and the infant Catholic Church of Otago first saw the light.

The scene must have been an impressive one. It was spring; the valley and surrounding hills as far as the eye could reach were clothed with a rich mantle of virgin forest, while her© and there the beautiful white clematis, emblem of purity, raised its head ; above the surrounding mass of green. The glorious kowhai with its wealth of golden blossoms dotted the creek side, while the wild jasmine filled the air with its rich perfume. The glint of the spring sun was just creeping into the valley and tipping the dew-covered leaves and blossoms with diamonds. The rich mellow voice of the tui blended harmoniously with the shriller notes of the bell-bird as they made their orisons to the new-born day.

The very air without was redolent with hope, while within, with heads bowed down in thankfulness, the small congregation welcomed as the sweet message of hope to the young settlement the holy words of consecration. Father Seon arrived on a Friday; on Saturday, by all possible means, information of his arrival was sent to all Catholics in and around Dunedin, and arrangements were made to have the use of the brewery belonging to Mr. Coleman Burk© (after whom Burkes was afterwards named) as the only place available for Mass to be celebrated publicly on the Sunday following. This building was situated in what is now Princes Street South, and until lately still standing and occupied by Mr, Muir, the basketmaker. The casks had to be rolled out and the place made as suitable as possible for the holy purpose for which it was required, and from that time for some years served as a church.

The news of the arrival of a priest soon spread among the members of the “Kirk,” and more than one curious result was produced. In the first place Dr. Burns deemed it necessary on the Sunday to warn His congregation to beware of the “wolf in sheep’s clothing” who had come .among them lest the infant settlement should be led to forget its original character and high mission.

Father Seen was jocularly informed, that DrBurns had been good enough to announce his arrival. It is related that upon hearing this the meek old priest called upon the Doctor, and with grateful sincerity thanked him for making of his arrival publie and so assisting him in letting the scattered Catholics know. It is not recorded what Dr. Burns immediately thought about the matter, but it is said that shortly after their interview the Doctor and Father Soon were seen walking down Princes Street engaged in amiable and friendly conversation, . much to the scandal of the “unco guid.” After staying a fortnight in Otago, during which he visited all the Catholics within accessible distance of Dunedin, including visits to the Heads, Waikouaiti, and the Taieri, Father Seon again departed for the north, and a considerable time elapsed before another visit was paid. During these visits he baptised a number of children, I heard confessions, and gave Holy Com-* munion. (To be concluded.) t