CRADLE OF CHRISTIANITY.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 54, 5 March 1926, Page 12

CRADLE OF CHRISTIANITY.

c HONOURING THE PIONEERS. ARCHBISHOP AT KAITAIA. One of the most remarkable characters in the early history of New Zealand was William Gilbert Puckey, the pioneer missionary who, with his coadjutor, the Rev. Joseph Matthews, established the first mission station in the winterless North. These two, accompanied by a hand of Maori carriers, started out from the Bay of Islands 94 years ago and made the journey of 70 miles to Kaitaia on foot. Setting up camp at Kaitaia they commenced to build houses, teach the natives, and preach the Gospel. Of the two. William Gilbert Puckey was essentially the man of action. He it was who surveyed the land, fenced it. and showed his Maori converts how to cultivate it. He designed and built the first church at Kaitaia, and he set up a little printing press so that the Rev. Joseph Matthews' sermons might be published far and wide. The memory of this man is dear to the people of the northland. and a fitting tribute to his great work was paid on Saturday, when a beautiful eagle lectern was unveiled by his (irace the Archbishop of New Zealand in St. Saviour's Church, Kaitaia. In the course of his address the Archbishop said that he was particularly glad to dedicate a memorial in honour of one of those who had brought Christianity to the Maoris and extended to them the freedom of the British Empire. He believed that the British Empire was to be a blessing to the world, and, with the League of Nations, which he supported with all his heart, it would ensure the world's peace. Speaking- of the "clash of colour," the Archbishop said that only Christianity could save '.he world from war between the races. "There are no inferior races," said he, "but there are backward races. We must not think of the other races as black or yellow or brown, but as men and brothers. That was Christ's teaching." Continuing, the Archbishop said that racial pride was a dangerous folly. He recalled the words of the historian Atticus, who said that the "ugliest and stupidest slaves came from Briton."' In those days the British were a backward race. Concluding, his Grace said that he was particularly glad that the lectern commemorated the work of a layman. The workTs peace for which we all hoped, could never be brought about by the Church, but by the Christian laity, who were the salt of the earth. Kaitaia was the cradle of Christianity in New Zealand, and he hoped it would be a stronghold of Christianity for all time. After the unveiling ceremony a civic reception was held in the A. and P. Hall, where the Archbishop was officially welcomed by Colonel Allen Bell, M.P., Rev. R. H. Johnson, vicar of St. Saviour's, and Rev. J. Naylor, Presbvteerian minister of Kaitaia. On Sunday confirmation services -were held, when the Archbishop officiated, assisted by Archdeacon Hawkins and the Rev. R. H. Johnson.