SPREADING THE GOSPEL.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 10473, 31 December 1927, Page 5 (Supplement)

SPREADING THE GOSPEL.

DIEEICUI.TIES ON THE EAST COAST.

LESSON OF MOROUTA FORGOTTEN.

STRANGE GOD TAKEN ABOARD THE CANOE. The heed to revive and extend the Christian religion on the East Coast was stressed by the late Rev. Molii Ttirei in ail address, given in the Te Hero district, in March 1878, that was adorned with a wealth of characteristic appeal. “As the canoe of Horouta (or Matalnia) in which our ancestors came from Hawaiki to these islands was,” he said, “broken, so has the eanoo of our worship- of the true God been, wierketl. Horouta was the canoe oi cm ancestors which Nought the ilvsc inumu.i (potato; to those is. anus .lam Jiav. . iki. Let it remind its that Knlu:ltura gave his final instructions to Pawn, Taipupini, Tniwawnnn, Rangituroua, Houtaketake and all. the other priests who came away from Hawaiki in Horouta. Said Kahukura: “Go and paddle to another land, hut. when you go on shore, do not put Rmigoma aeroa (the k :- mara) with Arikiroaroa (the fern root) lest R-Jiigomaryoroa l;e angry and you perish. But, .rather, let there' he only one up the canoe — that is Rongoniaraeroa alone. It is not right to put the kumara with the fern-root.’ (The kumara was eaten only in times of peace an I was tiie emblem of repose from contention ; the fern root was alone “elHen in times of war, especially, by a war party when in an enemy’s territory). The fern root is a god and the reason why lie is not putin contest with the kumara is that he is roasted in the fire, also because the fern root contains astringent fibres. Hence the origin of the following proverbs: ‘The astringent fibres ot fern root’; ‘llio pungency of the taro’ ; 'The sourness of the flax’; ‘The sourness of the kareao.’

“But the teachings of Kahukura were not heeded. There was a woman aboard that canoe whose name was Kanawa who, when the canoe landed at Ahuahu (the name of one of ihe islands passed on tlie voyage from Hawailci to New Zealand and now given to one of tlie Mercury Islands) brought fern-root on board the canoe and her ac-t was not known to the priests. But when the canoe again got into midocean then lor the first time was Rongomnraeroa angry. Then came in fury tlie great and terrible winds of Heaven and the canoe was covered at times with the spray and the foam of the ocean breakers and the priests sought in vain for the cause of this evil lulling on them. When the canoe arrived opposite the Ohiwa district, she upset and drifted on shore. They again made the canoe seaworthy and put the property of the god Rongomnraeroa on board again and thev distributed them all over these islands. But, later, they went back to the old custom wli-ca decreed that .fern-root, and kuinara should not he eaten together. •Now the Gospel of Christy is like the. Horouta. There should Iron ly one laith lor all men. rui 51 yea: ;• vou, 0 tribes of I’orou, pulled with one stroke to the time given by tlie leader cf the paddles ant. the pilot was correct in his guiding of the canoe. But, in the year 1863 vou became duublc-lmnuen : you had to paddle to and keep t ru - in your act ol paddling to the soiyt of two voices. And your canoe. tribes of Porou; was wrecked. It was because you stole another go-:! and you brought it on to your canoe. And He who reigns above let you have vour own way, to that vou should he taught how little power of your own ton p-ivsr.-s !. ■■You will remember that t!m reason for holding nur meeting in the year 1872 at AJatanhu was to hoist the Union Jack, hut we alsi agreed that we should worship onlv one God. That great meet ng agreed to build churches once mor--* and that we should open school* and make roads. Roads have been made in our district. AVe also built a church at Uawa, a nolle-r nt AYharenonga and now one at JV Horo. But there arc . some districts in which wo have not bunt churches. Some schools have pis > been opened. But at Tuparoa one is lacking and at Hatene the school was given up. as the children would not attend. The ev:l is with the parents, who are thoughtless people. For the last four years 187276. we have not been growing m good works. There is deadness in our worship. .If "> forsake Coe, He will cast us off.”