MAORI RELIGION

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 1, 1 July 1912, Page 4

MAORI RELIGION

LECTURE BY DR. NEWMAN. There was a fan* attendance of men at> tho iifaual meeting ot the Brotherhood' yesterday aiternoon in the New Theatre. Rev. H. O. Blanures occupied tho chair, and wae supported by Air. J. Kersiiaw. Mr. Arthur Oakey was encored ior his bolo, "Tho btar of Bethlehem.". During the meeting the Chairman explained the non-B&cUnau and lion-political nature of the Brotherhood platiorm, which had recently been called in question. The speaker was Dr. Newman, M.P., who dealt with "The Early Religion of the MaorLs." He traced the origin of the Maori race to India and to the mingling of Mongol with Caucasian blood ; the Maoris' ancestors had. dwelt with the .ancestors of Europeans by the Caspian Sea. Both in Java and India gods were worshipped similar to those of the Maori, and tho same plane were followed in temple building. The legends and tradition of Babylonia and Western Asia could be -traced iv Maori lore, and tho stories of Creation and the Flood were similar in many points to that of tho Bible. The wi6er of the Maori tohungai had a religious point of view, which lod to * bolief in prayer to * Supreme God, though the popular notions multiplied the number of gods and gocdessea exceedingly. Tho goddegses wore almost invariably wicked. The common practica of the Maori had been to pray to tho evil spirits, and to sacrifice in order to appease thorn, there being no necessity to appease the good spirits, who weio friendly disposed. Thera was evidence of belief in the Trinity in tho Maori carvinge, whoro figures of idols appear with three fingora and three toeß, and Tano was the Maoris' Father in Heaven, a great living Fatherly and fatherless Being. Faces of higher and lower roligious conceplions thuj appeared, tho higher in tho worship of ono Supremo Being receiving adoration iv hyinrti of considerable religious insight and beauty, and the lowur iv tho superstitions and many .of the legends of the race. Dr. Newman deseibed Tory, fully tho powers of Maui,, half god and half man, who was enoezed forth iuto existence, and became creator of all the landx of the Pacific which ha fished up from the bottom of the be». Tho North Island of New Zealand, when thus uplifted from its watery resting place, was perfectly flat, but tho antics of tho brothuri of Mxvi soon transformed the surface into hill* and valleys. Maui also brought firo into the world, according to one story, by boing taught by hia grandmother, who hail the tiro beneath her finger uailu, the art of rubbing two sticks together. While in tho lower regions Maui 1 rubbed with such uSoct as to produce the fires down below. The explanation of tho boisterous weather was given in Maui's inability to find tho hole from which the west wind came, though the holo and source of iho north, couth, and east winds had been stopped up with good effect. Maul's power was also seen in his lengthening tho daylight by retarding the sun's journey in tha heavens. The Btrands of his sister's hah', by which he held the sun back, could be easily distinguished at suneot in the shafts of light that were visible. The Maori heavon was enjoyed by the brave. No idea of the virtue of kindness, loving one another, or doing good for its own ealce seemed to be entertained. Hell, was a place of fiery torments, into which Miru, an evil goddess, pressed the unfortunate with the aid of a pronged fork. Many, however, by offering her gifts of ooooxnut wer», eucceseful in escaping up tho Tree of Life. A hwty vote of thanks was given Dr. Newman. Next Sunday's meeting will be open to men and women, and a visit is anticipated from men from H.M.S. Pioneer.