THE RATANA CHURCH

Taranaki Daily News, 18 December 1926, Page 8

THE RATANA CHURCH

CROSS-ROADS REACHED,

Wanganui, Dec. 10. In the course of discussion with several concerned with the Ratana movement regarding the suggestion that Ratana has lost his power of healing, it was ascertained that members of the movement are slightly anxious as to the future. The position has arrived, which Ratana predicted e-arly in the day would probably shake the new faith to its foundations. He quite expected that a time of testing would come, and the movement is now at the cross roads. It is stressed that, while at one time nearly every denomination claimed to have something in common with Ratana s teachings, now that the movement has reached to such large dimensions they can say nothing too bad of it. So far from pausing disruption, the forces which are being brought to bear upon the adherents of the Ratana Church who were in times past associated with other denominations, will tend to knit the followers more closely together. Certain incidents which have occurred recently in this district are likely to cause great bitterness among tlie up-river natives, and all who join the cause with them. No one more than the sincere Ratanaites realise that the infant church at this stage requires careful guidance, but they are not prepared to give way -n one direction or the other, particularly to any form of compulsion. The coming Christmas gathering will mean the discussing of the main problems, and a friendly hint may be given to other churches to leave the Ratana. Church and its adherents severely alone,