MAORIS AND RELIGION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22206, 5 September 1935, Page 14

MAORIS AND RELIGION

DIVERSITY OF BELIEFS RATANA-ISM AMD MORMONS SURVIVAL OF RINGATU [FROM OVTR OWN COBRKSIPONDEXTI PUKEKOHE, Wednesday The description of presient-day religious beliefs among the Maoris of Taranaki and the Waikato given by Bishop Cherrington in a sermon at Claudelands on Sunday was referred to-day to the Rev. George Kirkwood, of Pukekohe Hill, a veteran Maori missioner of the Methodist Church. Mr. Kirkwood ssiid that natives tended to flock to t;sw departures from orthodox Christianity, but lie expressed confidence that such fstlling away was only temporary. Experience taught that a return to I;liie tenets of the Gospel could be anticipated. Numbers of Maori s round Pukekohe, Mr. Kirkwood admitted, were Ratanaites and others wore Mormons. A&ked what was the essence of these beliefs Mr. Kirkwood said Rntana-ism elevated Ratana to the standing of a prophet, putting him virtually in the place occupied by Christ in the Christian religion. * The granting of a prayer was asked in the wordji: "For Ratana'a sake, amen." Mornicinism he did not comprehend. Discussing the view expressed by the bishop that a gres.t mistake* had been made by the early missionaries in teaching the Maoris Itrom the Old Testament. Mr. Kirkwocd mentioned that as a child, about 18*2, he remembered the Rev. Mr. Mannsell, of the Anglican Church, preaching to large congregations of Maorin at Te Kohanga, an early mission iitation on the Waikato River, His theme was the Xevr Testament. Methodist preachers to the Maoris whom Ibe well remembered, the Rev. W. Gittos and the Rev. T. G. Hammond, were enthusiasts foir the Gospel as set out in the New Testament.

In the Bay of Plenty, round Whakatano and Opotiki. 3ir. Kirkwood had found that the rinjjatu religion still survived. This was a form of Hau-hau-ism. Te Kooti tras thu originator of ringatu, and he had taken Joshua as his pattern. Hsu-hau-ism was a cult started by a Maori "prophet" in Taranaki, Tena Etauriene. His "prophecies" had to do with the future of the and the Maoris in New Zealand. ICven to-daj' young Maori people educated in the schools, accepted tie ringatu beliefs.