CALLING ALL INVINCIBLES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22817, 11 December 1948, Page 3

CALLING ALL INVINCIBLES

(Sponsored by Y.M.C.A.)

Hullo, Girls and Bovs, Here is a true story from the history of our own land.

You know that when the missionaries first came here the Maoris were cannibals. But many ot the cannibals became true Christians so that soon one-time cannibals were meeting to worship God. This sometimes loci to strange happenings, as this story shows.

TAMATI AND PANAPA

One Sunday morning two chiefs. Tamnti and Panapa, who had both become Christians, came to church to take Communion. Each did not know that the other would be there. When Tamnti knelt down to receive the Communion he saw, kneelink beside him, Panapn who had killed and eaten his father- This is the first time that they have met. Mow, what will happen? At first Tamnti could think of nothing but that he had found his father's murderer. Burning anger entered into him- His face became fierce and terrible, and his body quivered with rage. lie sprang to his feet and was about to strike Panapa and kill him. Then his hand fell to his side and he walked out of the church. After a little while he returned and knelt down beside Panapa. Then the great and brave chief began to sob like a child.

TAMATI’S STORY

“What was the matter, Tamnti?'' asked the missionary after the service. "Ah,” said Tamati, “when I knelt next to Panapa I recognised him as the man who killed and ate my father. I could not control myself. I wanted to kill him. But somehow I could not strike him, and as I walked out I heard a voice saying the words of Jesus: ‘Hereby shall all men know that ye are my disciples if you have love one to another-’ I thought I saw a Cross with a Man nailed to it, and I heard him say, ‘Father forgive them.’ “Then I returned and felt ashamed. Tt was the love of Jesus that melted my heart, and made me eat of the same bread and drink out of the same cup with the man who murdered my father.”

TIME-FOR -EVERYTHING TEST

SPECIAL MENTION FOR VERY GOOD WORK.—Roy Skuse 25, Rosemary Skuse 25, Marcia Millard 25. GOOD WORK.—Blair Brocklehurst 23, Jennifer Brocklehurst 23, Keith Allen 21, Ramari Jones 20, Gertrude Jones 20. Please send your Christmas cards in before Saturday, December 17, so that I will have time to speak of them before Christmas. Cheerio The Padre