"GREAT LIVES"

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21123, 26 March 1934, Page 10

"GREAT LIVES"

SAMUEL 31ARSDEN INSI'IKATION TO OTHFKS New Zealand's first missionary, Samuel Marsden, was the subject of the Rev. .1. K. Ilervey's concluding address on "Great Lives" m St. Stephen's Church, Shirley, last evening. Mr llervey traced the history of the great, missionary and referred briefly to the inspiration his work had left for Christians. i Samuel Marsden, who was born in ' Yorkshire m 17U-1, was the sun of a j small farmer, I;Lit both his parcnis j were persons of integrity, and he i was brought up a true Christian. On i leaving school he entered busme;>s wiili n:s uncle, but the call of the ciuiren was strong enougn to mai-.e mm overcome mi dillicuities and enter St. John's College, Cambridge.' lit.' made rapid progress, and Jus natural yii'is won ium I lie position of chaplain to "ills .Majesty s territory ol i\ew South Wales." i lie landed at Port Jackson in 179-1 and look up his residence at Farramuttn to minister to a population of criminals and government otlicials who were unblushing m j open wickedness. Marsuen attacked j wickedness wherever it appeared j and consequently earned billcr di.->-': like. i In addition to actmg as chaplain ' and magistrate he farmed the land and undertook long journeys round j si altered settlements, lie also or-j ganised th.e first Christian mission! to Tahiti. After working m Australia j'i.i- 14 years he relumed to 1 England lor two years and, wink: ; there, directed his energies towards ! improving the conditions tor crimi- '■■ nals in New South Wales. In 1814 he embarked for New Zea- j land and landed at Whangarea, j near the Bay of Islands, when a war j was raging between rival tribes in ; that vicinity. Marsden was undis- ; mayed and preached the first Christian service in New Zealand on Christmas Day. 1314. He succeeded in securing a cessation of hostilities and during his stay won the com- i plete confidence of the Maoris. Land j was purchased and the mission in j New Zealand was firmly established. ; Marsden died at the age of 74, ; confident in the belief that the ] whole of New Zealand would prow ' into wha* it has become: a Chns- ; ' '■ '.' ..'■:'■:■" arc '•:'<■' ' Mis iu'c i'eld ;,a; onv :,.e.--.aj,c Me had done ej-oat things for God ihrnutih faith and work, and others could do the same. '