KENDALL OR MARSDEN?

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 85, 11 April 1929, Page 26

KENDALL OR MARSDEN?

FIRST SERMON TO MAORIS ?

WHO WAS THE PREACHER?

My attention has been drawn, writes Mr. T. K. Williams, of Dominion Road, to an article in the "Gisborne Times" traversing my recent statement in the Auckland "Star" as to who preached the Gospel first to ttie Maoris. Mr. G. 1. Black, of Gisborne, writes to the "Gisborne Times":—"l notice in this morning's issue that T. K. Williams, of Auckland, disputes the fact related by Archdeacon Williams that the first sermon preached to the Maoris was by the Rev. Samuel Marsden. and wishes to give the credit to Thomas Kendall, whom he styles as the Rev. Thos. Kendall, and who read prayers on board the Active on June 19, 1814. Thomas Kendall was not an ordained minister at that time. It may be asked why Mr. Williams did not give to Mr. Hall the credit of the first service, who, to quote from McNab's "From Tasman to Marsden' says: *On June 12, which was the first Sunday of their visit, Mr. Hall read prayers, and several natives attended. In the afternoon they wanted to trade, but this was refused.* This took place on shore at Rangihoua, not on board the Active, seven days before Mr. Kendall's service.

"The question is: Who preached the first sermon? And I maintain that reading prayers is not preaching a sermon. Before answering the statements of Mr. Black I will show what was Mr. | Kendall's position in the work as a missionary, from his own writings. He statesx Upon my arrival in New South Wales, in the month of October last, 1813, the Rev. Mr. Marsden expressed his regret that the attempt to carry the glorious tidings of the Gospel to New Zealand had been hitherto delayed, and was therefore anxious that I should immediately give myself up to the work to which I had the honour and happiness to be appointed by the honourable committee of the Church Missionary Society, and for which I humbly trust I was in some measure prepared through divine influence in my own mind. His Excellency, Governor Macquarie, was also pleased to signify his concurrence with Mr. Marsden respecting my departure, and passage vis procured for jne at the earliest opportunity."

Thus we see it was Marsden's wish that Kendall should carry the Gospel to the Maoris in New Zealand, and also the wish of the Church Missionary Society. It was only by favour of Mr. Kendall that Mr. Hall read upon deck th® prayers of the Church. It was Mr. Marsden's wish that Kendall should read the prayers on deck, but afterwards it was mutually agreed between Mr. Kendall and Mr. Hall that they take turn about. Kendall proceeds: "On Sunday, June 12, after our arrival at the Bay of Islands, Mr. Hall read upon deck the prayers of the Church. The rain prevented the natives from attending at the time of Divine service, except two or three chiefs who slept on board. In the afternoon the weather was fine, and I and Mr. Hall paid a second visit to our friends at the hipwah (or village). They wished to trade with us, but we told them it was a sacred day." So we see that Mr. Kendall says that th© prayers were read on deck, and not on shore, as Mr. Black states. Mr. Kendall should know. He was there at the time. I mention this as a correction. It make 3 no difference as to the question in dispute, who preached the first sermon, whether on shore or on deck.

i Kendall says that the rain kept the natives from attending at the time of Divine service. That would be after, the reading of the prayers by Mr. Hall, when the usual service would follow, when Mr. Kendall would preach, as Mr. Marsden and the Church Missionary Society wished him to proclaim to a people who had hitherto not heard the Gospel. I would refer Mr. Black to Mr. Kendall's statement of Sunday, June 19, 1814, of the service held by him. He states that the behaviour of the natives during this service was very devout and commendable, and that the Maori King Terra displayed his colours, and the Union Jack was hoisted on board the Active in honour of the day. Any unbiased reader would readily know that the Rev. Thomas Kendall was the first to hold a Christian service in New Zealand, as I have shown from Kendall's writings of what took place at the time.