1814-1853 - The Missionary Register [Sections relating to New Zealand.] - 1845 - New Zealand--Church Missionary Society, p 364-373

It was to me a most solemn occasion. There were three Archdeacons and four Clergymen present, besides a number of respectable Europeans, and about five hundred or more Natives. The Ordination Sermon, from Feed the Church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood, was exceedingly solemn and affecting. This was in the evening. Archdeacon Williams preached one in the native language in the morning. It was to him as easy to give us good counsel in Native as in English.

Our work has been most important. We have had much discussion upon points of interest in the language, which will greatly facilitate our work in future.

I regretted much that we were not able to spend more time together over it. Still the Church of New Zealand will, I hope, hail it as a great improvement on its predecessor, and as affording an intelligible, and, in a large measure, idiomatic channel for pouring forth their addresses to the Throne of Grace.

I am sorry to see some of the Natives, whom I visit to afford religious instruction, manifesting great indifference about eternal things, and though most of them are making a profession of Religion, yet I fear but few are seeking in earnest the salvation of their souls. We lament to see so many resting in the outward forms of Religion; but we trust that the few who have set to their seal that God is true are worshipping the Lord in spirit and in truth. May the great Head of the Church increase that number more and more!

On the 24th of November 1843 I had an interesting conversation with Panapa, a blind baptized Native, one of the patients in the hospital. He was most anxious to do some work for me, and commenced weeding a part of my garden. While he was at work, I said, "Weeds came by Adam's sin; but life came from the second Adam." He said he felt he had darkness inwardly as well as outwardly. I read the 35th and 36th verses of the 12th of St. John. He said he wished to have it explained to him, for he could hear with his ears; but he wanted to hear with his heart. After I had explained the verses, he said, that after hearing the Word of God he went home and forgot it, for he could not study the Bible for himself, being deprived of sight. He added, "It is like coming to your house and eating a piece of bread: the taste is soon gone. I hear the Bible read at Morning and Evening Prayers, like the regular meals of a person; but a patient likes to get little morsels between meals: so I desire to have little portions of the Word of God read and explained to me during the day."

I have had many such conversations with Natives, which evidently shew their desire for spiritual instruction. Their thirst after the Word of God is almost incredible. If they possess a Testament and a Prayer Book, they feel that they are rich.

As soon as I had refreshed myself with a few days' rest, I set off to visit my District. At Kaikohi and Mangakahia, the two places in which God had graciously visited some of the members of His Church with His enlightening grace, I found the people, for the most part, living consistently, but not in possession of that warmth of spiritual feeling which they had when I left them. The enemy had been among them, and they had been tried and much exposed to temptation. In other parts of the District Satan has made sad havoc. He has been among them in various forms. Their old heathen customs had been resorted to, in some instances, for the recovery of the sick; and Popery had not been idle. These things are great trials to the Missionary. My only hope is in God, and the power of His Gospel. Although Satan has made inroads, the Gospel has not lost its power: it is what it ever was, when it is simply and faithfully preached, the power of God. The two-edged sword of the Word can never lose its power: it must, yea, it will accomplish that for which it is sent.

At Kaitaia I laboured for nearly six months. I found the Natives of that District much more docile and simple in their views than the turbulent Ngapuhi Tribes.

The Native Teachers appeared to have their hearts in the work. These I met every Saturday with a prepared Sermon for our Lord's-Day use, which was explained to them in the most familiar manner. The number of Teachers was from ten to fourteen. From one place, ten miles distant, I cannot remember that some of the Teachers ever failed to come, however rough or wet the weather might have been. This plan of meeting the Teachers on Saturday I have long adopted, and have found it, I trust, beneficial to my own soul, as well as instructive to the Natives.

Mr. Puckey and I arrived in safety at Kaitaia on the 27th of September, and found all well at home, and all the Natives living in peace. Mr. Davis had arrived at Waimate previous to the Ordination. He had well looked after our few sheep in the wilderness during our absence. His labours, during the six months he remained here, were blessed both to Europeans and Natives.

Our Natives have been going on in a very encouraging manner of late. They have entered with spirit into the cultivation of wheat; and a kind gentleman, on seeing the quantity of wheat sown, has promised to send them five steel mills, which they are to pay for in wheat. On Wednesday last the Rev. W. Cotton, his Honour the Chief Justice (Mr. Martin), and Mr. Hutton, arrived in our Settlement. Mr. Cotton came to administer the Lord's Supper. I had three days for examining the Candidates: they were interesting meetings. The Chief Justice, who was anxious to ascertain the degree of religious knowledge they possessed, was at the Morning and Evening Meetings, eight hours with us. Notwithstanding the great amount of sound knowledge possessed by them, yet they require more attention than ever. This seems to be felt by every Missionary in the land. They, like ourselves, need to be instructed continually in the first principles of Christianity.

Noble, and the other principal Chiefs, attended the Examination Meetings, and were Communicants at the Lord's Table for the first time since the Oruru war in 1842. The Christian Chiefs have such a view of the Sacrament that they cannot think of partaking of it if there is

any prospect of war; and indeed, to any one who has witnessed even a small battle, there seems to be no connection between the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils. The war at Oruru was felt most severely by all our Christian Natives: it was like a sharp frost on their valuable crops of potatoes. There were about one hundred and forty Native Communicants last Lord's Day, and about ten Europeans. In the morning I endeavoured to explain the text--For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till He come. The Congregation were very attentive. As this is but half the number of those who are Baptized Adults, the question was put to the Native Teachers in the afternoon Sermon, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? This was, from what they afterward told me, seriously received by them. In the same discourse the Chiefs also were addressed, and plainly told that their duty was to support the Native Teachers, by keeping the peace, and seeking to bring down blessings and peace and plenty upon them.

We are very weak-handed just now in this District, the Rev. R. Maunsell and Mr. J. Hamlin being absent at the Waimate assisting in the revision of the New Testament, and Mr. Chapman having left for St. John's College, to study for Ordination. Yet the Word of God is not bound; but, accompanied in its progress by the great Teacher, the Holy Spirit, it is holding on its silent yet victorious course, hastening the coming and kingdom of our Lord and Saviour.

Much of my time has been occupied in the examination of baptismal Candidates, who are pressing for admittance into the Church. It may be thought, from the increased number of Baptisms in this District, that our examinations are becoming less stringent, or that we are less particular as to the character of our Candidates; but it is not so. There are, it is true, cases in which I should prefer a longer time to elapse between the period in which a Native requests Baptism and his admission into the Church; but when such an one comes, recommended by his Native Teacher for consistency of conduct, and you find, after repeated examinations, that he is fully acquainted with the whole scheme of redemption--the fall of man-- his recovery by Christ--the necessity of the Holy Spirit to new-create him, to train him for heaven, and to make him meet for the inheritance of the saints in light-- when you find him expressing, with apparent sincerity, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ--it becomes a matter of serious responsibility to say, "I have no doubt of your present sincerity; but in order more fully to test it, you must wait another year before your reception into the Church." The message of reconciliation leads, I think, to the supposition that Philip and Peter would have arrived at a different conclusion.

During my temporary residence here I have visited all the Stations and Out-Stations connected with this District. I have also visited the island called Mayor, where there are Natives under instruction to the number of forty. The Christian party in this District appear steady, with the exception of one division of those at Maungatautari. At this place differences among themselves, unchecked by the presence of their spiritual Teacher, have led to lapses and a coldness strongly contrasted with their former pleasing state, which was most encouraging.

The deadness to spiritual things, men-

tioned in my last Report, as genera] among the Natives of my District, has considerably worn off; and though there has been only a slight increase in numbers, yet I am happy to find that, on the whole, there is a growing interest excited in the minds of the people, and not a few inquiring, What must I do to he saved? In June 1843 the Natives belonging to several district settlements assembled at Opotiki, for the purpose of undergoing an examination in reading and the Catechisms. Their proficiency was fully equal to my expectations, as I found that, out of five hundred men and women, half could read the New Testament, and some exceedingly well. As part of them came from far--not less than three or four days' journey--they remained some days for the purpose of receiving instruction, and conducted themselves in a quiet, orderly manner, and seemed very desirous to obtain a copy of the Scriptures. During the present year, 270 have been admitted into the visible Church by Archdeacon Brown and the Rev. G. A. Kissling; and there remain about 100 Candidates for Baptism, whose willingness to receive instruction affords me much encouragement in my labours. On the other hand, the adversary has not been wanting either in perseverance or activity. The Popish Priests have been ever on the alert, and at the Waimana their converts have been considerably increased. The conduct pursued by the Priests is pitiable, their chief instruction being in teaching idle and ridiculous stories respecting Martin Luther and our Reformers, at the same time seeking to ground their own idolatrous worship into the hearts of their proselytes. The Protestant Native Teachers have been a considerable check upon the proceedings of these false teachers. In conclusion, I must notice that the Natives are about to erect a very spacious Chapel at Opotiki. The want of such a building has been felt as a material drawback to our Congregation and School.

The beginning of the past year found me engaged in attending to the duties of the Station, in visiting the Natives of the Waikato River, as far as Ruakokopu, and those of the western bank of the Manukau, and in preparing a revision of the New-Zealand Prayer Book and Psalms for the meeting of the Syndicate. In the month of March I proceeded, with my family, to the Bay of Islands, and waited there nearly three months for the arrival of Archdeacon W. Williams, who was delayed at Turanga by the loss of his house by fire. On his arrival the Syndicate met, and continued to sit for four months. I then returned with my family to my Station at the Waikato Heads, and proceeded to make a circuit of my immediate District; and was closely employed in preparing the Candidates for Confirmation at the Settlements, as well as at the Station itself. On the 6th of December the Bishop arrived at Manukau, and confirmed the Christian Natives of that District, who had been under Mr. Hamlin's instruction; and on the 9th he confirmed eighty of the Natives at my Station. On the 10th of December the Bishop proceeded up the Waikato River to confirm the Natives in connection with the Kaitotehe and Otawao Stations, and I accompanied his Lordship. On the 20th we reached Otawao, and on the 23d I proceeded to Rangitoto, and from thence, on the 26th, to Arowena to meet his Lordship. From Arowena I proceeded to Maungatautari, and thence to Matamata. I have to record, with much thankfulness, that, after an absence of eight months from my Station, I found it in a much better condition than I had expected; the Native Teachers having maintained the Services and Schools in regular operation. I am thankful, also, to add, that though, in the Manukau, some of the Baptized Natives have lapsed, yet in my own immediate Station only two have been brought before the Bishop to be admonished and restored to Christian communion. At the same time one cannot but feel that the present aspect of the District generally is calculated to excite anxiety and demand attention. The novelty of first impressions, made by the blessed tidings of the Gospel, is beginning to wear away; the Baptized Natives are compelled to feel that Christianity is more stringent in its requisitions than they had expected; the oft repetition of the same truths, in which the heart is not proportionably interested, has induced, in many cases, weariness; and unless means be devised for maintaining the effects of the first impulse, it will, I fear, become soon a doubtful and anxious question, whether we shall be able to

make further progress, or even retain our present position.

In addition to my labours at the Prayer Book and Psalms, in and out of the Syndicate, I. have completed, in this year, the translation of the Book of Genesis.

In this last journey through my District I assisted his Lordship in administering the lord's Supper to 137 Communicants, besides 80 at Waikato Heads; and baptized 68 adults.

You will see, by my Report, the feelings with which I regard the present position of our District. It is impossible to conceal from oneself that our progress is not so strong or lively as it was formerly. The Natives will not travel such distances as they formerly did to seek Baptism or instruction: Candidates for Baptism are not pressing forward so earnestly as formerly. Baptized Natives having greatly increased in numbers, the number of lapsed have also largely increased in some places; and in some instances have, after their fall, shewn a painful measure of effrontery. It is to be noted, also, that these indications are most to be observed in Manukau, our oldest Station in this District. Still I am not, on the whole, depressed at our present position. I never expected that the excitement which the first influx of Gospel Truth had caused would continue. It was unusual, and contrary to the experience of our own country: therefore the number of worshippers has far exceeded the number of those who neglected the Gospel; and, in some places, scarcely any person could be found who did not attend our Services. This, however pleasing, could not, if we take experience as our guide, be expected to last; and I am not therefore surprised if some now shew lukewarmness. In Manukau also, which is so close to Auckland--a place where so many encouragements to indifference to Religion may be found--there are some very pleasing evidences of the existence of religious principles. At one place they have, at their own expense, built a wooden Chapel; at another, they have one in course of erection; and at a third, they lately made a new horse-road, more than three miles long, at my request, by which to join the various little Settlements, for no other remuneration than six Prayer Books six New Testaments, and a few Tracts.

This place--Arowena--at which I am now writing, is a sad monument of the devastating effects of heathen war. Until late years an immense extent of country, more than forty miles square, was without an inhabitant, though once it contained many strong, well-filled Pas. About forty years ago the people of the Waikato River seem to have risen up, and burst forth with overpowering force, both east and west, south and north. The people of Manukau were, by them, nearly annihilated, as also those of Wangaroa; and the people of Kawia, after dreadful loss, were obliged, with their Chief--the since too-celebrated Rauparaha--to fly from the fury of the invaders, and seek refuge at Kapiti, the people of which place, they, in turn, nearly destroyed. The immense tribe Ngatiraukawa, occupying the whole range of country from Otawao to near Tauranga, up to the lakes of Rotorua and Taupo, seem to have suffered at the same time. Pa upon Pa was stormed, and the people devoured; and the rest, seeking safety in flight, migrated to the southward, where they formed a junction with Rauparaha, and, with him, destroyed immense numbers of people on the southern island, until, at hist, they embraced the Gospel under the teaching of the Rev. O. Hadfield, and permanently settled at Otaki. Those of that tribe who remained dispersed themselves among the surrounding tribes, and were heretofore identified with them, until, the Gospel of Peace having conquered their conquerors, their land quietly reverted to their occupation. They have now gathered together again, and have settled on the borders of our District, in connection with the Otawao Station. With them we need but few arguments to recommend the Gospel. We need only point to such scenes of their fathers' misfortune, which live too faithfully in their memory, and ask, What brought them back to their native land? They readily reply--as did an old Chief to me last night--"Na te pa," Because the good has come.

Neither do we want, in turn, encouragement to circulate the Word of Life freely

among the Natives. While writing this Letter, I rose up, and, passing by a native hut, heard a man reading inside. I sat on the board outside, and listened. It was a venerable old man, with a long beard, reading the fourth of Matthew to another Chief that was by his side, and endeavouring to catch and explain the meaning of the passage as he read to his companion. The promise, All thy children shall be taught of the Lord, came forcibly to my mind. John's mission to Christ he faintly apprehended. At the 15th verse--the land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, &c. --he was quite at a loss. But at the 16th, The people which sat in darkness saw great light, he cheered up, and exclaimed, "That is meant for us: we must pray for the Holy Spirit; and though we are in the dark, He will enlighten us."

With my own immediate charge I see no reason at present to be discouraged: up the river we are met by overflowing Congregations. The number of the Communicants at Otawao and Kaitotehe amounted to 178, and of adults baptized to 68.

Much bustle and excitement were occasioned among the Natives at Waikato, the first three months of the present year, in preparing to hold a feast at Kaitotehe, and afterward at Auckland. They began to assemble at Kaitotehe on the 17th of April, and remained here three weeks; during which time I had classes with those who were able to read, and a Congregation of 1500 persons on Lord's-days. The feast being ended, they departed to Auckland, to the second feast, and being so large a body I felt it my duty to accompany them. During our journey I had frequent opportunities of instructing and exhorting them. I encamped with them at Remuera, three miles from Auckland, having upward of 4000 at the Meeting. During a distribution of blankets among the different Tribes, a dispute arose, which threatened serious consequences; but, through the blessing of God on our exertions, we succeeded in restoring peace. This journey occupied three weeks.

The Rev. R. Burrows paid us a Missionary visit, and baptized twenty adults and twenty-three children. I have also to state that the principal Chief of Waikato has lately attended the Services of Religion. This is cause for much hope of good, particularly when connected with the circumstance of three leading Chiefs having been lately baptized by the Rev. R. Maunsell. At the beginning of December the Bishop visited this District and Station, and confirmed upward of a hundred Christian Natives; thirty-eight adults and forty-three children were baptized; and eighty partook of the Lord's Supper. I have been absent seventy-eight nights from my Station, visiting Wangape, Wata Wata, Kerikeriroa, and other places in the Waikato and Howtin rivers.

I have to record, with much thankfulness, the continuation of God's mercies to us through another year. The Native Congregations have continued steady in their numbers; and although some three or four have stumbled, I only know of one who has cast off his profession of Christianity. At Ngahuruhuru the Christian party have built two good and neat Chapels, one 20 feet by 42, the other 17 feet by 32. I promised them windows and doors if they would build the Chapels, which I trust the Committee will allow. A Priest of the Roman Church is living at this place, where a small house has been built for him; and he has had the frame of a Chapel erected, the work of which has been mainly done by Europeans. The Bishop visited us in the middle of December, accompanied by the Rev. R. Maunsell and Archdeacon Brown; and the Rev. T. Chapman also met his Lordship at this Station. During this visit, 108 Natives and one European were confirmed; and about the same number partook of the Lord's Supper. Our Congregation amounted to more than 600.

I have paid four visits to Rangitoto, Wawarua, and Arowena. A large party of Natives leaving this place in order to be present at a great feast near Auckland, I accompanied them, and thus had opportunities of instructing many, and of preventing evil effects from such petty discords as generally arise when many gather together.

In reviewing the past year we have much need for thankfulness to our Heavenly Father, for His mercies toward our-

selves, and His blessing upon the work in which we are engaged. Divine Service throughout this District has been regularly continued, either as conducted by the Missionary on his visits, or by the Native Teachers of the respective places. The Schools have not been so regularly kept up, in consequence of the Natives attending to their cultivation in distant places, as well as their going to and fro to Auckland for trading. The whole of the Natives on the eastern coast of the Thames have been visited. Among some of the Tribes, where the Gospel had hitherto been unheeded, many are beginning to inquire after Truth, and are sitting peaceably among the Christian parties. The conduct of those who are making a profession of Christianity may be considered, on the whole, as good. Since my last Report, 43 men, 23 women, and 82 children have been baptized. The Congregations average 1678.

I landed at the north of the East Cape, and walked down the coast, calling at the three Stations Opotiki, Kauakaua, and Uwawa, on my way, passing some days at each. The Society has much reason to be abundantly satisfied with these Stations, their position being admirably situated to each other, giving full exercise to their respective Missionaries. The Rev. G. A. Kissling has made considerable progress in the language, appears very comfortably situated, and is held in high esteem by his people, upon whom he is constantly in attendance. I have been highly pleased at the considerable number of adults of both sexes, who read well at every place to which I came.

Jan. 5, 1844: Lord's Day--Visited Tekeha, the outermost Pa in this extensive Ray. The people paid great attention to my address, and expressed great desire for instruction. Two of the principal Chiefs here have joined those who make a profession of the Truth. I also found a lad who had left Mr. Stack a few weeks since, and who seems to have been active in teaching. In this place I met with an old Chief named Wakatane, who gave me several particulars respecting Captain Cook, and mentioned a circumstance, which Cook records, of firing a ball through the bottom of a canoe on account of a garment being stolen from the ship's side, and a few other anecdotes agreeing with Cook's Journal. This man is, I think, the finest specimen of an old Native I have ever seen; and, after hearing his stories, I endeavoured to explain to him the chief truths of Scripture. He appeared to understand, and to take an interest in, these mysteries in a way which I could not have conceived possible.

As I have Native Teachers, whom I have appointed to superintend the religious concerns of all the neighbouring villages, I am enabled, by their assistance, to carry on a system of religious instruction, which I have every reason to believe is exceedingly profitable. I have myself been engaged in preaching and catechizing, and have availed myself of every opportunity of conveying instruction to those around me. On the 19th of April I administered the Sacrament of Baptism, at Waikanae, to nineteen male and nine female adults; and on the 17th May, at Otaki, to fifteen male and seven female adults; also, at various periods, to thirty-one children. I have periodically admini-

stered the Lord's Supper, both at Waikanae and Otaki, to an average number of 130 persons at either place.

The efforts of Romanists to enlist the Natives of Otaki and its neighbourhood in their cause have hitherto proved an entire failure; nay, more, have had the effect of leading several Heathen Chiefs and others to inquire into the subject; and the result has been, that they have joined the party who look to me for instruction, and are now constant attendants at Divine Worship.

Though a few Christian Natives have fallen into sin, as might be expected out of so great a number baptized; yet the great majority walk consistently as Christians, and none have apostatized. It is. of those only who have merely been under instruction that I am speaking, and of these I fear that not a few have become lukewarm concerning Christianity.

During the last year we have had much cause for thankfulness, in beholding the steady progress of the Truth. Nor is this confined to our own immediate neighbourhood, the Natives from the distant and retired Pas in the interior having been more frequent in their visits for instruction; and several even from the vicinity of Rotoairo, an inland lake adjoining Taupo, have visited Wanganui to satisfy their minds on points which have been proposed by their Popish neighbours. We have, I trust, reason to hope that the native mind will not be held in bondage by Popery, and that nothing which cannot be proved from Scripture will have real weight with them. I rejoice to say Popery has not yet entered my part of the District.

It gives me pleasure to notice a growing improvement in the Natives relative to their Houses of Prayer. Formerly they bestowed little thought about them; most of them were very indifferently built, and kept in a very filthy state: they now appear generally to take greater pains in their erection, and, not satisfied with their own efforts, they seek to have them floored and finished by Europeans. At Pipiriki, a Pa about seventy miles up the Wanganui, the Natives have erected a very respectable building; and, in order to render it more complete, they employed two Europeans to saw wood for the floor, and a carpenter to make a pulpit, and Communion-table and rails, for which they paid thirty pigs. I therefore felt it right to furnish some little aid, giving them windows, door, and nails.

An interesting Meeting has been held at Wanganui, at which upward of 500 Natives were present, to consider the propriety of erecting a new Church, the present brick Church, erected by the late Rev. J. Mason, being not only inadequate in point of size, but so shattered by repeated shocks of earthquakes as to be quite dangerous. There were many speakers; all unanimously concurred in the object of the Meeting; and the result was, that a large Native Church is to be erected, the timbers of the building to be furnished by each Pa on the river, in proportion to its size and number of believers.

The number of Communicants has increased, although I have been more strict in my requirements of those admitted, not permitting those to approach the Lord's Table who have eaten or drunk, or held social intercourse, with those living in known sin. I find the observance of such a course beneficial, in order to give a proper feeling of that holiness which belongs to the Lord's House, and of the necessity of coming out and being separate from the world, the Natives themselves being fully satisfied with its propriety.

During the last six months, 91 adults and 16 infants have been received into the Church by Baptism, and 28 couples have been married. The Sacrament has been twice administered at Wanganui to 299 and 200; once at Waingongou, to 80; and at New Plymouth to 25 Natives.