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South Canterbury Times, Issue 2952, 26 November 1900, Page 3

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Under the above heading, the following inter estmg fetter, signed " jv M. Chssokl, appears in the .London “ Spectator ” lor September 29th " There is a curious analogy between tfie Boers and the Maoris in New, Zealand in their interpretation oi the Old Testament. The Boers accepted the Old Testament as literally true. The Maoris looked upon it as only prophetically true. Nevertheless, they both arrived at a similar conclusion. The/Boers simply copied their prototypes, the Israelites of old. The native inhabitants of the Transvaal were to them as the Canaanites a fold were to the Israelites—either to be exterminated or utilised as slaves. The Transvaal was the land of promise. The weary journey from Capetown was the second edition of the wandering in the wildnerness by the Israelites. The Boers were just as certain that the Almighty was guiding them to their home as the Israelites were that Jehovah was leading them. History is never tired of repeating itself. In both cases, however, both Israelites and Boers were mistaken. Neither nor the Transvaal belongs either to the Israelite or the Boer. The Maoris, or at any rate a large number of; them, believed that the Old Testament in the account of the Israelites in Palestie foreshadowed the doings of the Maoris in New Zealand. A teacher (Maori) explained to me this apparent mystery. We, the English, tha Irish, the Germans, and Italians, were the Canaanites, Hivites, Hittites of the Old Testament; the Maoris were the true Israel; and Auckland was the Jerusalem, into which town the Maoris would be gathered and live in happiness, when we had all been destroyed and driven into the sea. I have no reason to suppose that my teacher was not fully impressed with the truth of his belief. . Indeed, only a very few years ago, a prophet with a very considerable following arose in the North Island, with the express purpose of driving usi nut of the land. He was, however, captured; treated, I am glad to

say, most kindly; taken to all the chief towns in New Zealand to see our power and civilisation, and has never given us any further trouble. There is, I think, a singular agreement between the Israelite of old, the Boer, and the Maori, that each nation firmly believed that the Almighty favoured his own particular nation at the expense of every other. History, however, happily does not give support to this form of belief.”