Church Missionary Society.
[Image of page 469]
New Zealand.
CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY.
MR. C. Baker, describing the diffusive power of Education, mentions a circumstance, which shews the
Lingering Influence of Native Superstitions.
I would observe here, that many of this party have been in the Kerikeri School; some recently, and others eight or ten years ago. The knowledge they had gained has not been lost upon them; and now that they begin to attend the Means of Grace, they have a decided advantage over all who have not been taught to read. They have the Scriptures, Catechisms, &c. put into their hands; and with what they have heard while with us, and the opportunities they now have in our visits among them, they possess a tolerable knowledge of Christian doctrines. May the Holy Spirit guide them into the way of all truth! A circumstance took place here this evening. which clearly proves that they have not yet cast off their superstitions; and even those who have had an opportunity of knowing better are not without a taint of superstition. Tua-auru, a young man belonging to the party, was taken ill: Hongi and others were sent for. On coming to the place where the sick man lay, they discovered the greatest consternation; and though, in my opinion, there was scarcely any thing the matter, the party were so full of excitement, as almost to frighten the man to death. They questioned him, to know what he had eaten last; and when told that he had not eaten any thing during the day, they began to think seriously of his illness, and at length discovered that he had used a pipe which had been tapued, and that this had caused his sickness. They then said that it was the "Atua" that was eating out his inside, and they sent off for an old priestess with all possible haste. I assured them that all they said was a delusion of the devil; and to this opinion the younger of the party paid some regard, but the older ones were wedded to their superstitious principles. The old priestess came in the course of the evening, but she was not successful in driving the "Atua" out. She said that they were many, and therefore required some time to clear them all away. I suppose the old woman will get handsomely paid, whether she effects her, purposes or not.
Mr. Clarke thus describes the
Grotesque Appearance of some of the Native Assemblies.
March 23, 1834: Sunday --About seven o'clock this morning, set out for Kaikohi. On my way, met a party of Natives driving pigs. I addressed them upon the importance of attending to the interests of their never-dying souls; to which they replied in much the same way as the Europeans would with whom they are connected; viz. that they were no worse than those who made a great profession of religion. Precisely the same objections, difficulties, and arguments are used here, as among the unthinking peasantry of our own happy land. On my arrival at Kaikohi, I found about 150 Natives assembled for Service, who manifested, by their attention, that they felt an interest in what they were engaged in. Afternoon Service, at Mawe, was well attended: upward of 200 Natives were assembled together, forming one of the most grotesque assemblages my eyes ever beheld. Broughton, the Chief, I found dressed in a long carter's frock, over which he had two black waistcoats, no trowsers, shoes, or stockings: some of the women had forced their way into gowns of all shapes and sizes: one boy had a shirt on, once white, over which he had the body of a woman's gown, to answer the purpose of a jacket: many of the women, who could not procure a gown, were dressed in men's striped shirts over their native garments: one man had inverted the order of the shirt, and forced his legs through the sleeves, making thus a pair of trowsers; and another, to show that he was not altogether destitute of European clothes, had tied a pair of trowsers round his neck. Such, and much more ludicrous, was the outward appearance of my congregation; and, to crown the whole, they were perfectly unconscious of there being any thing about
[Image of page 470]
them to excite a smile. Grotesque, however, as they were in appearance, they were very attentive to the Means of Grace; and some, I hope, are earnestly seeking the salvation of their souls.
He also gives the following account of
A Wedding, Native Fashion.
As we were sitting at breakfast at Mr. King's (being on a visit there), there came in a Native, saying that Tukanga was seized, and going to be taken for a wife for Taotahi, a lad living at Mr. Wilson's. A party of the Natives, consisting of the lad's father, Ureheke, Hokai, and others, came in a canoe, provoking resistance by bringing a good number with them: they escorted the female to the beach, when they were overtaken by the Natives of the Settlement, who endeavoured to rescue the bride, but in vain. Mr. King exerted himself, and was pushed down by Hokai. The contest was sharp while it lasted, but the party succeeded in taking the girl. They carried her by main strength into the canoe, and pushed off a little; when Ureheke came to Mr. King, and said that they would have a Committee on the subject. It appeared an odd way of proceeding, to take, by main force, the object of their wishes, and then call for a committee to settle the point. The Natives had much to say in committee, but to little purpose; nor was it necessary to examine the propriety of their proceeding, inasmuch as they have the law in their own hands; and when that is the case, it is but of little use to hold a committee.
Atrocities of the Unconverted Natives.
We turn with pain to notice a few instances of that savage and cruel character which formerly marked, without almost any abatement, the Natives of this land; but which the Gospel of Peace has already, in part, subdued; and will, ere long, banish from all the tribes, as they embrace the doctrine that proclaims glory to God, and goodwill to men. Mr. Clarke relates, Feb. 7, 1834--
After dinner, went to Kerikeri, to fetch Mrs. Clarke, who has been spending a day or two with Mr. Kemp. On my arrival, I was reminded that I was still in a savage land. A Chief, with whom I had but a few hours before had a good deal of pleasing conversation, had just killed his slave wife, it is said for adultery. I little thought, when the Chief took his leave of me with a hearty shake of the hand, that he was about to imbrue his hands in the blood of a fellow-creature. I accompanied Mr. Kemp to the spot where the poor creature had been killed, to see whether we could not inter the body, to prevent its being devoured. On our arrival, we found that the body had floated down the river with the tide; and the poor unhappy master and husband had precipitately left, to avoid meeting us.
Mr. W. Fairburn, writing from the newly-formed Station of Puriri, June 24, 1834, communicates the following painful facts:--
Not more than a month ago, a man and his wife, natives of Waikato, came over to our Settlement to see a relative; and had been here for some days, when a young Chief of another party, who lived thirty miles lower down the river, named Koinake (and between whom and the Waikato tribe a deadly feud exists), came to our valley, under the mask of friendship, to see Kapa and his wife (for such was their name), professing to wish all past animosity to be at an end. He succeeded, after remaining three days in the valley eating and sleeping with them, in persuading them to accompany him to his Kainga, down the river. They had not proceeded more than ten or twelve miles, before the vulture landed with his prey, killed them both with his hatchet, and afterwards conveyed the dead bodies in his canoe to his settlement, where, I am informed, they were afterwards eaten. All this was done in revenge for the death of a relative of his, who was cut off by another party in connexion with the tribe to which the murdered man and woman belonged, about seven years ago. This is by no means a solitary instance of their treachery to one another; for such are almost continually occurring in one shape or other. They never forget an injury, and never let slip an opportunity, when they have it in their power to revenge it.
It was reported, some few days after Koinake's murder of Kapa and his wife, that a party from Waikato came by night to Wakatiwai (a tribe belonging to Koinake's party), to plunder the dead body of poor old Rauroha, formerly the principal Chief of the tribe, who died a short time ago. The wife of the deceased, who is a native of Waikato, after her husband died, returned to her
[Image of page 471]
friends; and it is reported that she herself conducted a party of forty armed men by night to protect her, should she be surprised while carrying into execution their revolting purpose, viz. stripping the dead body of its grave-clothes, consisting of blankets, mats, &c, which are always considered sacred, and are buried with the body: this was done from a desire to provoke, and in retaliation for the above-named murder; as, from the time the man had been dead, the things must have been in a state of decay. It is in this way that their endless system of warfare is, and will continue to be, kept up, until the peace-working spirit of the everlasting Gospel, through the mercy of our Heavenly Father, shall illuminate their minds, and bring them to a knowledge of the Truth as it is in Jesus. Satan is struggling hard to keep his ground; but I trust, as long as the promise remains, that Jesus shall have the Heathen for his inheritance, we shall, through grace, march boldly on, in humble dependence on His blessing, who has promised to be with his people always, even unto the end of the world.
From the same Station of Puriri, Mr. J. A. Wilson writes, June 24, 1834--
The state of this unhappy people at present is truly lamentable: several vessels have of late been plundered by them, though I have not heard that any of the crews have been murdered. A Chief of the Wakatiwai tribe, only a few weeks ago, killed a man and a woman belonging to another party, at a short distance from our Settlement, where they were cooked and devoured by their enemies. This shocking feature in the native character is still very prevalent about these parts, and further south; though at the northward it appears to have nearly ceased, to the praise of the blessed Gospel which they have heard.
We sum up our present accounts of this Mission with a very different subject--a view of the well-founded
Joy of the Natives on the Introduction of the Printing Press.
Mr. W. R. Wade, Superintendant of the Press, writes as follows, on this and other topics, January 10, 1835--
The arrival of the Press is, as we expected, hailed by our friends here as a memorable event for New Zealand; and as for the Natives, those who assisted in bringing it ashore shouted and danced on the sand, when told it was "ta pukapuka" (a book-press, or a book-making machine). There is an extraordinary demand for books all around.
A few words are added on the same topic, by Mr. W. Colenso, who went out as a printer; and on whom the exultations of the day, marked by the arrival of the press, appear to have been liberally bestowed.
We found our dear Brethren, who rejoiced to see us, in health. The next morning the Natives surrounded us, crying, "Ka pai Mihanere -- Very good Missionary," uttering exclamations of joy, and tendering us their hands on every side: and when the Rev. W. Williams gave them to understand that I was a printer, and come out to print books for them, they were quite elated. No hero of olden time was ever received by his army with greater eclat: they appeared as if they would deify me. During the week, I was busily employed with the Natives in landing the goods; and on Saturday, January 3, 1835, a memorable epoch in the annals of New Zealand, I succeeded in getting the printing-press landed. I was obliged to unpack it on board, but I am happy to say it is all safe on shore. Could you but have witnessed the Natives, when it was landed! they danced, shouted, and capered about in the water, giving vent to the wildest effusions of joy; inquiring the use of this, and the place of that, with all that eagerness for which uncivilized nature is remarkable: certainly, they had never seen such a thing before. I trust soon to be enabled to get it to work.
Throughout the island there appears to be a universal movement, a mighty stirring of the people. The Chiefs of distant tribes come down to Waimate and this place, for books and Missionaries. These seem to be the ne plus ultra of their ambition. I have seen them, myself, gladly bring their store of potatoes for a book.
We add his description of the first impressions made on a stranger's mind, by the
Solemnities of Religious Worship in New Zealand.
Our first Sabbath in this land was one that will not, I trust, be easily forgotten. After the Service, and a Sermon in the native language by the Rev. H. Williams,
[Image of page 472]
a little Native was baptized, by the name of Piripi (Philip). The Rev. A. N. Brown preached a Sermon in English, and we commemorated the dying love of our dear Redeemer. Surely it was a festal day! That, on our first Sabbath in this land, the first in the year, we should be blessed with witnessing the celebration of both Sacraments--and, what is far greater, with feeling an interest in the blood of Jesus--was more than we could have expected.
It is a gladdening sight to see and hear the Natives at prayers. Religious Worship is generally conducted by a baptized Native Christian. Their language conveys in its tones something peculiarly devotional. The Confession, the Lord's Prayer, and other parts of our beautiful Liturgy, sound, in the native tongue, really awe-inspiring. Every morning and evening, the Chief and the slave, the once-cannibal-warrior, and the smiling babe, are to be found together prostrate before the mercy-seat of their God and Saviour. If any one's heart wants animating toward Missions, he should witness this sight: if he did not soften, he must be, indeed, harder than the nether millstone. We can now adopt the language of the Prophet: From the uttermost parts of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous!
Mr. Wade writes--
Every thing here is new and interesting. We already feel ourselves at home, among Christian Brethren and Sisters: and as to the Natives, those I mean connected with the Mission Settlement, both Mrs. Wade and myself were much pleased with them. Their habits seem strange at first to a European, particularly the independence and familiarity of those who act as servants to the Missionaries: but one thing very soon struck me, as speaking volumes as to their improved character--the doors of the Mission-Houses stand open the whole day, so that Natives can come in and go out at pleasure. Frequently a native man or woman will come in, to see any thing new, or to have a little chat; and yet it is a very rare occurrence for a single thing to be missing from the premises. This is not the case near London! It was very gratifying, and I may say truly affecting, to hear the native responses, for the first time, last Sunday morning. Never in England have I heard any thing to come up to it. All the voices seem to join in, and keep exact time together; and the language, with pure native pronunciation, is really melodious. A marked attention was observed during the whole Service. The impression produced on my mind will not be easily forgotten, though I cannot describe it.
Yet every Christian Reader, while he hails these openings, still remembering what human-nature is, and what professedly-Christian England is--perceiving how the good creatures of God, and the best inventions of art, may be abused to the worst of purposes--will, on this occasion, rejoice with trembling; and lift up his prayer, that the introduction of the printing-press into New Zealand may be FOR GOOD, AND FOR GOOD ONLY!
