MORMON MISSIONS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 212, 1 June 1908, Page 7

MORMON MISSIONS.

o WORK AMONG-THE MAORIS. INSTRUCTION IN PRACTICAL FARMINC. PROPOSED EXPENDITURE OF £8000.. , (BY I'ELEGBA.ri..—SrECIAL COUIIKSPONDENT.)' Hastings, May 30. "Do your peoplo preach polygamy?" was tho blunt question asked yesterday by a reporter of Mr. Rufus Iv. Hardy, head of tho Mormon mission in Now Zealand. - Mr. Hardy smiled, ■ and said: —l am afraid wo aro very much misunderstood, and, owing to lack of information, many people think that Mormonism . and polygamy are convertible terms. I may say that it is erroneous to call us Mormons, because tho correct namo of our church is tho Church of J?sus Christ, of Latter : day Saints." "But is there, then, no reason for the impression that the Latter-day Saints-,practise, polygamy?" V . - ■ ■-.!> "Our church is totally opposed to it,' and no member of the church could! practise it and continue a follower--of our creed. Certainly, certain people in tho early organisation, of tho church practised what was known as patriarchal marriage, ' substantiating their belief from the Old Testament, and the accounts contained therein of such worthies as Saul, David, Abraham, etc., but in 1890 thorp was a law passed in tho United States Senate; known as tho Edmonds Tuckor Law, which prohibited such relationships within the-con-fines of the United States. .The church imriiodiately. issued a'manifesto, known-as 'The Great Manifesto of IS3Q.' onjoining on the church members a strict observance of this - law, and further imposing the severe penalty of oxconiinuriication on any follower, who did not obey, so that to-day a polygamist is. cut--off from the .comiriunion. No member 6f our church would even think of polygamy, 'and; indeed, could not bo-persuaded'to eriter into such a relationship. The; 12th Article of'our faith saj;s:— 'We believe in 1 being subject to kings, presidents,; rulers, and magistrates; obeying, honouring, and sustaining the law,' and on conformity with this Article tho'practice of polygamy, which was never general, was altogether abolished." . ' " And how were those men affected who had already more than ono-wifeiat. the. timethe statute came into .force'?"?':; |.V !i ' "Oh, tliese people were permitted to live at peace without, being prosecuted, but they .were restricted to living with the first wife", although compelled to maintain their polygamous wives and their children;" - MAORI TRADITIONS. ' ',: " \ es," Mr. Hardy continued, in .reply to a further question, " wo take a great arid enthusiastic interest in l the uplifting''of the Maoris and the perpetuation of! that : ancient race, but in doing our'-work - amongst them we, wish" you. would state 'tltet' wo' have' Jio' antagoriism-to the. other churches,■ ! jeach > 'bf' which is doing good serried,'and we only desire .to work hand in hand,, with; them, for the' general good. You may ask' why we take such an active part amongst the Maoris. Well, tho Maori has traditions saying' he; came originally from Tawhiti Nui, .Tawhiti Rba, and Tawhiti Pa'mama, which '.to -him, means that he .came to Zealand -from' the' Hawaiian Group, frpm ''Anierica'to.'theHawaiian . Group, and to .America: from the land of hisi nativity, Tawhiti''Pamama.'', ' The. Book of Mormons traces the wanderings'of a people from Jerusalem' to America, ' who' landed nea'r Chile, in South America;.' It l also' has,an account of'. a people' who left the western, shores of America .in boats, sail;, ing westward, wlio-were never again heard of, and the Maoris readily take tile Book of Mormons,, as a written proofi.of. their, ownj tradition.Believing,., as-;-we -. .do) ; that . the. Maori is of an ancient and noblo lineage, it is natural that we.should.put'a grfe'at'deal of our work -into 'the Maori .mission,"arid';for, that reason wo have laboured continuously, amongst them for nearly thirty years, >:Theroi are sixty of our missionaries in Now-Zealand',, together with some lady missionaries (incltid-' ing my wife), who confine; their -work;' exclusively to educating tho Native womcir in- domestic science, hygiene, the care of children; : and tho proper cooking of foods. -We have also day. schools, in which the rudiments of education aro imparted to Native children botween the ages of five to fourteen years, but these schools are only established where Government schools are; hot,' practicable. ;Wo work diligently with the Government schools,': and always urge tho Natives tij take advantage of them, because wo: believe the Goverriment schools are .something,,-the. Dominion should bo j?rowl of. , , . . I- .. SELF-RELIANT MAORIS. " I understand," said the reporter; "that you are • organising a scheme wlmjh has forits objcct the -.'instruction/ of; Maoris iri practical farming?". . ; ''47- , "Oh,, you are referring;' to 'our 1 -work' at Bridge Pa. Yes, within l ,the:past! four months, we have purchased 130-acres : of 'good-land' at Bridge. Pa from Messrs...Thomson, Bros., and we-have, an option 6v6r, anotherl3o acres. On this ground We'intend establishing a sort of college to'.'ilripart a littlo higher education, to young Maori jn\eii ; than they, receive at the, ordinary- sehoplsj arid at-the samo time train thein manually i in: such industries as they show-\V preference for,, and as we are afforded by the Dominion. Wheii out buildings are erecftd, we will be' able' to accommodate a hundred students and a capable stuff of teachers wilb.instruct'them in, lamoiigst other tilings, scientific,fanning, stock-raising, carpentry; Jblacksriiithing, 1 '-engineering,. arid draughtsmanship, the . idea being to place in the hands of the young Maori a trade or profession enabling him [o become a useful, independent, and self-sup-porting citizen. Ploughing has beeu ! commenced, crops will be put in, and plans if the buildings have been prepared." - "I presume all tho students must be pro. fessing Mormons?," , " Not at all," ■ replied Mr,'.' Hardy. ' " We will take a!nyono, irrespective of creed,. who will conform to the roles "of the "establfshment. The 'only ■a desiro for ( learning,. a; freedom from the. use, of alcohol and tobacco, and the absence of moral taint; but the main' tiling - is : that pupils must not use alcohol or tobacco; And all this is to be done- free of charge." " '. i"And how is the estahlishme.nt_going !o be financed,, Mr. Hardy? V Well, you may say --that tho' nibfiey' for the laiid, building,. or. Equipment..has -not come from the Natives, nor from anyone inNew' Zealand; but has beeri given" by our church as' a ivhoie, and sent here Salt Lake City. Part of the staff Jwill''come [ffoiii America, but some will,~6f necessity] be practical, up-to-date New Zoalanders, with a : thorough knowledge ,of local conditions, It' is also anticipated that a great deal of .the. machinery for. equipping the various'depart-' merits will be of; modem American, manufacture. We intend to '-oxpferimeht' with thb' best kind of stock, and if the land proves good wo will probably go, in for horticulture.;' ■- "Might I ask how this idea originated? " "It originated with tlm Mormon elders working amorigst the people in closo con-, tact. They saw and felt that' unless -the Maori could-becomo a worker for himself and cease being a lianger-on in .business aiid industries ho was doomed. Their .lands are rapidly being taken from them, and tho days of t'lio old large loasing aro practically over. The incoirio of the avbrage Maori is insufficient to. support him, and instead of sitting down arid wasting his leasp'money.'we desire to see the Maori go out and Work his land; or become a competent tradesman. The scheme will mean an expenditure of nbout £8000, but tho capital is available." , " Your operations: in the Dominion must entail considerable expense?" " iVh, well,", and Mr. Hardy smiled, "you I know none of us missionaries' are paid." "Surely you got ...somo remuneration, What about.. your food; lodging, and clothes?". ' . - - "Wo get nothing at all. I liavo an mcomo derived from my business ill Salt Lake City, America, and each" of "tho sixty vr seventy ciders of our church in New Zealand supports himself. However, wo feel well repaid when wo hear practical business men, all over tho country testify to the honesty, arid sobriety of those Natives who have c'oine undor our influence."- -,"v i