CHRISTIAN PIONEERS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16946, 30 January 1926, Page 13

CHRISTIAN PIONEERS.

THE WILLIAMS I’.liOTfl URS. EARLY NEW ZEALAND HISTORY. Few families have played such ft prominent part in the early life of New Zealand as lias the Williams family, which was responsible for some of the earliest attempts at missionary work in New Zealand. The life history of the younger brother, the missionary bishop, writes “ Benca rrow ” in the N.Z. Times, is thnl of a. scholar whose lalents in early life were iledicnled to the mission work of the church. He was Jutended for the medical profession, but his heart, was set on flic elnire.li, and after finishing the medical and surgical training, he entered Oxford and read for Holy Orders. He had. a remarkable gift for languages, and so quickly learnt the Maori tongue that, he conversed easily with the native people soon after his arrival here. His was the work of translating the Scriptures, compiling Die first grammar, dictionary, and textbooks. a work completed by his son, the. third Bishop of Waiapu, and his grandson, Archdeacon Herbert Williams. All this work was done in the intervals between teaching, for the doctrine of Christianity was spread by means of schools which were gradually established all over the North Island as the years went by. IN POVERTY BAY. About 1840, William Williams moved with his family to Poverty Bay, lhere to spread the gospel in ground as yet hardly touched. There ho remained till the Hrm ll.au war caused great tribulation, when, for a time, ho aml part of his household returned to I’a ill in. Later he —by now Bishop of "Waiapu—made, his headquarters in Napier, where his daughters superintended I-lnka-vore, Hint mission school for Maori girls which has become famous, and which only a few years ago was moved from its original site opposite the old Ilukarero home, to another on the opposite Dili. There, at Hukrtrcrc, in the home of their father still live three unmarried daughters, and there the bishop’s widow spent tile long evening' of her life.

The'.early life of„ Henry Williams differed from that of his brother. He had inherited a love of the sea from his mother’s side of the family, and from her. too, came that faith which, sustained him through the many severe trials of his later life. Tie joined Ilio British Navy at the age of fourteen, and. as midshipman and lieutenant served in the Napoleonic war in many ships on many seas. When peace was declared he retired to prepare himself for the mission field. This idea lias been gradually developing. He first offered himself as* a layman, but readily submitted to the order that lie should study for the Church. While reading for Holv Orders lie devoted a good deal of attention "to the study of those arts which might be useful in an uncivi-" Used country.” SKILLED TN MEDICINE. During those years of waiting ho became "skilled, in surgery and medicine, improved his natural talent for drawing, increased his knowledge, of ship construct ion, am! developed into a very practical and useful man. with, more than a smattering of agricultural knowledge. Very soon after his ordination ’ he sailed for New Zealand, Marsilcn accompanying him from Sy d n ey. The personality of To Wireran was strong. His early, training bad taught him the value of discipline. His love of order helped to make that Bay of Islands home a place of simple beauty; his physical and moral courage quickly earned tor him the respect of the brave Maori race, and. his amazing healllt and vigour enabled him to travel hundreds of miles on fool, through country no European had previously seen. SPREADING THE GOSPEL. Spreading Hie gospel and making peace among the Maoris was the work of To Wireran during fmir-and-forty years. How faithfully that work, was done the Maori people know, for to them the tale has been handed down from generation to generation. Because of his great influence among these people he was 1 drawn into the political life of later days, when settlers arrived, and land became the burning question of the hour. This is the man in whose memory the Pailiia church is built, this, and that other, the scholar, teacher, author, and divine who was his brother. When men remember these two Christian pioneers, they needs must think of the bravo wives win accompanied them into exile. nnu shared the dangers of isolation m the midst of a fierce and cannibalistic people. • L II in—i TT—TMUMHUBMiIff™ 1