"TRUE ANGELS"

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 19, 22 July 1925, Page 16

"TRUE ANGELS"

RATANA AND MAORI RELIGION

LIKELY SCHISM GIVES CHURCH

ANXIETY,

(IT TBLEORArH.— PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

AUCKLAND, 21st July.

A good deal of anxiety is being caused to the Anglican Church authorities by the development of the Ratana movement, as a schismatic organisation, "The Church of R-atana," is being formed. At a conference of representative* of threa North Island dioceses of the Ohurch of England, held, at Rotorua recently, it waa stated Lhat the Ratana people had palled upon the ministers of all denominations to baptise "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and the True Angels." They further demanded that whenever the Trinity was mentioned in a service there should be.added the "True Angels," although they asserted that they did oot worship the, angels. Should 'a clergyman refuse to comply with these demands Ratal)* had instructed his followers that they were to leave that minister and start a branch of the "Church of Ratana."

As a result of the conference the three North Island bishops have issued a pastoral letter to the Maori clergy and laity. The letter states that the facts seem to be that it has been decided, apparently with Ratana's approval, thai his followers should withdraw from.their respective churches, while emissaries were going_ about endeavouring to induce Maoris to sign an undertaking to do this and to declare their adherence to what was being styled the "Church of, Ratana." A fundamental formula of this so-called church was one in which "truo angels" were associated with persons of the Holy Trinity, It was now being insisted that this formula should be used in th» administration of the rite of baptism, contrary to the command of our Lord Himself and the invariable practice of every branch of the Holy Catholic Church. In many places acceptance of tha ministration of clergy was being made conditional upon their use of the objectionable formula in baptism and other services.

The three North Island bishops, Archbishop Averill, Bishop Sprott (Wellington), and Bishop Sedgjvick (Waiapu), have therefore issued instructions to the dergy and people of the Maori race. The instructions state that "any per--son who signs the covenant now put forth by Ratana's emissaries is taking the very serious step of excommunicating himself from the Church of Christ. It is not lawful for the clergy to give to such a person the ministrations of the Church, Holy Communion, marriage, or burial. Baptism cannot be performed otherwise than as ordained by our Lord, when He said, 'Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.'" The instructions go on to r'.ate that "while it Is to be do* sired that persons who have acted In this misguided way should be won back to the fellowship of the Ohurch, the clergy must not tak» upon themselves, the reception of those who wish to return, but refer to their bishop for definite instructions. In the case of any person who has previously not received Christian baptism the instruction of the bishop must be sought before baptism is administered. Any lay reader who joins Ratana's organisation thereby forfeits his license, and must return, his bridge of office. Such lay reader is not permitted to officiate in any way." Fiually, the letter states that all faithful members of the Church should at once sign the declaration provided by General Synod for Ohurch members. Moreover, dofinito instructions should b» given by the clergy upon the doctrine and sacraments of the Church for the purpose of strengthening the faithfuJ and rendering them immune from "th» danger of being led astray by false and plausible teaching, which contradict* the teaching of tho New Testament." In issuing these instructions, Iht bishops state that they are confident that the clergy and people will carry them out loyally, and so remain true to the faith once delivered to the Saints which had done so much for the uplift of the Maori race.