THE FIRST MARIYR OF THE MAORI CHURCH.

North Otago Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 6631, 2 May 1888, Page 4

THE FIRST MARIYR OF THE MAORI CHURCH.

In noticing some now gift* made by Sir Goorge Grey to iho Aaokland Publio Library the JV. Z Herald said: We picked up a tlnn volume, one of the flr«t books printed in the Maori language h 1835. It won a n copy ot «.ho Go«pi>l of St Luke. A native teitlditiff i.i the Bay of Islands diitnct, named lleimona, had becorao poBn< j B»ed of a copy, and won filled with enthusiasm for tho lof'y end pure cbaraoter of J«*us there displ'-ycf' a* onr Saviour. Hcdeiorininod to go a-id preach the Gospel 4 fo another tribe. Whether thfo« p-oplo vrcro at onmtiy with Hu'imon&'s tribe, or whether the nogcr of uo<ne of the (ohungnß of the Rtiofca' faith wi-e excited, we do not know • but a party bh( upon tho missionary, nod killed him. On th« blank pppe r*t the beginning of the book is the following note in the handwriting of Mr John White, w! o ffsve iho book 10 Sir George Gny : "This hook •belonged 10 lie imona, who woe phot »' Otakere by Koi'cke, on big going 10 preach to Kaitokt's i»ibo. The mark 9 on the cover »rr fiom a blow of the bu < t end ol » gun in Tying 'o Bate.his hoid oficr ho hod been shot (brotmh the body ; also, nloud i* to he pren oi« tliocmr, He wufi u niombei' of the Wesloyau Onurch, and -van tie hist, mortyr i»» N» w Z aUml. Thi« ook place in 1885." Wbilf on the bu jto o( «.u ivts vfhuhave eeai'd their testimony to thmr fate with ihfir blood, v-c may men turn the caece of MHniJiera and Kercop^, who were killed a 1 Tcupo i» 1847. 01 this event the llev R.Tt»jlorj»ivet a derailed accuut. He had belli a pruyt«r ineetin« a. W «- rtgiiiitii in Dctuj^er, 1846. Ono of ibo8« pfPßent, ftiinihcrft, h id tiiat the people (if Taup<> woro s ill hea hen, and be would po and mdtuvor to bi in^ them tnu of dai k iiob, Kereopn stood up, and eaid h«n vrhen (he upoo'los wen' ou' tboy t»«nt, two by two, Hi.d ho a?ked to accompany Mam iicra. Tho two mißsiormrie* ihou vini i>d tbc famous wariior HiiojitittOia. 110 llatcntd to them H"(l tuado a feas* f >r tbtni ; bt t, when thy wer« Ictving, hj laid tin hand ed^e'Mte on the baoii of mm neck, in imaiin.' iliat they were exposed to #ruu dimmer in what they wci« aticu'piin^, Tiity il.i-n went, to Ihe E«s' Onus and then to liooiut. Ai Ko'orua lh?y paw tht' Kuv Mr OiujprriQii. Tn«y bad :t Jetter for liim Iroi'j Mr Taylor, but through a mistake it had been sfnicd «nb black wax. Ivlr Cbrt[m-.n wrote an answer, and be a!no sealed his lotttruith black. iVj a n i -. h»ra rtmarked oti ibis and eai.i, " This if a pure Pij^n of death for us; uuvertbd eg, God's will be done," Tbcp«oploof Tiuip» had bot-n ot feud wi b the itibu to winch JVlanil'CTa belong r), A pariy lay in am bu"b for thoin'Bsioriaritfi and tirs'i at « hem a« tl ey csrne mlohu t he track, 11 .ia abi, on o d cbitf nc^r y seventy, imniediaioly \ ruphci ou o( ihe iMcktt, an<l ohof-p d a Maniherawi'h lio hatcher, but b'ubloAH were too ftebleto kill him, nod it was a long time btforc he fell, Ooe s roke dt'B royed bis flight; bo then put u> bu bond, as it were, to wipe aw'y the blood from Us eyeo. At Jaot he fell, but s ill lingered from (ho uiorrnn^, when tbia cruel tragedy was perpetrated, until sunny', ejaculating prayeis for his murderers, thai their e>eo might be opened to the truth. Thi3 Jit-le book, the Gospel of St Luke, is well worthy of oveiy earn for many reasons. It ia a specimen of on. 1 ol the earlic st \ r.ol/s printed in the Maori tong ie, and is s aintd oovcra bring to rcm< m« brancp thoeo early Maori mm jrs, who urn riiit unworthy o be bold in rtcol:tcion with tbc most faun-ua ol ihoie vvho Ijuvu died for the Orms'ion faith. Aloat fimnjj it ! ; '!j,'i r thi-i rc.ic s.iot Id remain in Auckland. It wil 1 rocail io our ohildren'H ciiil dren, bundredß of jears bi-nce, ibe enrlj dajs df JNovt Z.Hiand, Biid nhow them w aMaoris hid courage to bo tnariyre as wt.ll qb lo fight in the field,