THE BRIDGE BUILDERS

Gisborne Times, Volume LX, Issue 9797, 6 May 1924, Page 3

THE BRIDGE BUILDERS

AN EARLY MAORI GOSPEL

Local history is included in “The Bridge Builders.” It is told how some of the Maori Gospels had been in circulation' before the publication of the j\ T ew. Testament in full in 1837. A Maori chief named Ngakuku had a little daughter, aged 11 named Tarore and who could not read. She' always carried her Gospel with her, When travelling Ngakuku and his party were attacked. In the confusion the child was killed and her Gospel carried off by the raiders. The chief of this party subsequently communicated with Ngakuku and asked his permission to enter a chapel—not frequented by Ngakuku. This was granted, and the two men ultimately worshipped side by side. Before any missionary had reached Otaki, a Maori named Matahau returned home with Tarore’s Gospel in his possession. His chief sent for him to learn more of the teaching of the white missionaries, but as he would not come the chief went to him. Matahau had in the meantime parted with the book. “It was a bad book,” lie said; “it told people not to have two wives, r.ot to drink rum, not to fight, but to live in peace and to pray to God.” He had given it away in exchange lor cartridges. The chief recovered it before many of its leaves had been torn away—bought it with mats and tobacco—and persuaded Matahau, sadly Joath, to teach him to read it. The result was that the chief sailed to the Church Missionary Society station in the Bay of Islands and asked for a missionary. In answer to ti?is request the Bev. 0. Hndfield, who in 1838 had just arrived'from England, was sent to Otaki. Later he became the first Bishop of Wellington. The chief was baptised. That was eighty years ago.