A DOUBLE CENTENARY

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 29, 3 August 1923, Page 8

A DOUBLE CENTENARY

CHRISTIAN WORK AMONG THE MAORIS

Although the first Christian service was held .in New Zealand on Christmas Day, 1814, by the Rev. Samuel Marsden, it was not until the arrival of the Rev. Henry Williams, on 3rd August, 1823, one hundred ' years ago to-day, that Christian work began in real earnest among the Maori race. Nineteen years later, whon Bishop Selwyn landed in New Zealand, he was able to say: "Here I find a race of cannibals who have been converted to Christianity within a single generation."' This result was chiefly due' to the labours of two brothers, the Revs. Henry and William Williams, the latter arriving three years after his eider brother. It can therefore be seen that 3rd August, 1823, is perhaps the most important date in the Church history of our Dominion. Feeling that the centenary of Henry Williams's landing should be celebrated in some practical way, the executive of the New Zealand Anglican Board of Missions has decided that the church people of New Zealand should be invited to erect a Henry and William Williams Divinity School in the diocese of Dornakal (India), at a cost of £2000. The reason that this particular memorial has been chosen is that the rscent visit to ; our shores of Bishop Azariah, the only native Indian who has been so far raised to the Episcopate, has created much interest in the wonderful mass movement that is going on. in Southern India, from which country the Maori race is supposed to have sprung. Those wishing to contribute are invited by the Board of Missions to forward donations to the general secretary, 41, Ballance street, Wellington.

To-day is also the centenary of the landing in New Zealand of the Rev. John Hobbs, who first came to the •Dominion in 1823, in company with the Rev. Samuel Marsden, Bey. H. Williams, and Nataniel Turner. It was the Bey. Hobbs's first visit to the Dominion, and the Wesleyan party took up residence at Whangaroa. After residing, there.for some two.years, they were driven out by the Natives, their house was burned, and all their goods were appropriated by the Maoris, amongst whom the Bey. Mr. Hobbs, with Mr. Wallis and the Bey. James Buller, were conspicuous apostles. Most of the Natives concerned in the' raid were of the same parties who ware concerned in the massacre of the captain and crew of the Boyd, in the Lower Harbour, opposite Totara. The party took refuge at the Church Mission Station, Kerikeri, Bay of Islands, being conducted there Ijy Patuone and other friendly chiefs. The Bey. Mr. Hobbs then went to Sydney, and brought his wife to New Zealand in 1827, and proceeded to Hokianga and opened a mission there, commencing at Tarawaua, at the head of the Waihou River. Shortly afterwards he moved down to Mungungu, which afterwaxds became the head of the mission, and at which place a printing press was established, at which all the printed work of the mission was turned out. In company with the Rev. Mr. Bunby, he came to Wellington in. 1839, and brought with him a number of Native teachers, one being left at each place on the way, one of the teachers coming on to Port Nicholson. Land was purchased in the vicinity of Manners street, and some of this remains in the hands of the mission to-day. The Bey. Mr. Hobbs left several valuable journals, and these contain interesting references to events and people noteworthy! for their influence upon New Zealand's early; history.