RATANA'S MISSION.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17220, 10 August 1921, Page 8

RATANA'S MISSION.

TO TH3 BDITOR Of "THB rRXSS." Sir,-—The Maori-mind: cannot- discriminate :between spiritism and spirit- , ualism, nor 3oes' it wish to. It ia sufficient that the greater (whichever it be) includes the less, and isjjlie chief stocky in-trade of the Maori tohungas. It is against these people and their machinations that Ratana's'mission is at present directly hence it is absolutely wrong to imagine that Ratana is ing "on spiritualistic the-opposite is the fact._ Mr Munro described his address as a "ramblinj talk." It was given in. a colloquial manner, and can no more be called "an explanation of Rataiia's power" than can one of: Mr/Trolove's ■ memos be called a synopsis' of spiritualism. He will be intensely amused tlhat it'ia to besent tosuch high quarters'in the spiritualistic world, and, had he'imagined such use leing made of; it, his "rambling talk" would been instead a considered lecture, from which entirely different cbnclusions would have been

Ratana's work at present is purely a Maori. one ■■. (with, incidentally, . some few thousand letters in reuly to European enquiries), and Mr;Munro, in endeavouring to giveiflie Maori point of view to knew nothing of .it, incidentally explained that his connexion with; the present part of the mission was to sort of "create the proper atmosphere.!' In English this would mean no more than a chairman introducing a speaker and giving tflie lines on which the 1 address would run. Until the -past few. weeks Ratana. has done this himself, but Mr Munro|s help has reduced the strain on his voice, which must have been, tremendous; when'one considers tjiat for 'nearly a y«ir for six nights a week !he ;.haß- spoken oh; the average from seven .o'clock in the evening until two o'clock or later:in the/morning. '.'.'"■'•'-• . Jt is only right that Ratana should have the imprimatur of all' Christian authorities, , Bince all he asks, of his (heareTs'is a definite belief only'in "Te Matua, Te Tama, me Te Wairua Tapu" —the Son,, and He was brought up in "the Church of England faith, but clings to no creed, He shrinks from all notoriety, and was pleased after he and I walked through Chrlstchurrih on Thursday last that he had not been recognised* For the moment it would be a. greater kindness to allow him to continue his work" in hisxpresent' manner, without opening a controversy into which he cannot enter. After the end of this year it may assume a European aspect, when cdnditions.'would be totally different. —Yours, etc., . PAKEHA MAORI.