Thanksgiving Service.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXIV, Issue 4364, 10 June 1902, Page 4

Thanksgiving Service.

At St Peter’s Church, last Sunday, the sermons and services were of a thanksgiving order, with which were incorporated special references to the Maori Mission, -the Bth of June being the day appointed for that purpose by the Diocesan Synod. In the evening the preacher was the Rev. Arthur Williams, of Te Aute. The text spoken from was the 7th verse of the XXII chapter of lasiah and the address was as follows :—“I think that thought which is uppermost in the minds of everyone to-day is one of almost unspeakable thankfulness for the termination of tho war, which has been dragging on for two years and eight months. It is most fitting that the first Sunday after the declaration of peace we should gather together to praise God, with one heart and voice. It seems naturally that throughout Hawke’s Bay it has come into the minds of every one, without any arrangement, to have a day of thanksgiving to Almighty God for bringing peace in South Africa. To look back at what the Empire has passed through, we must remember how, when the war was announced, an outburst of enthusiasm was shown, reaching to the furthest parts of the Empire, and when the cloud hung over the mother country, when danger threatened her and it seemed as if all her foes were gathered against her to defeat her when opportunity offered, and when we think how all the colonies rallied round the Home country, with affection and determination to stand by her. And when we think of all the contingents that have gone out, braced together and determined to see the war through, was it because we were determined to win and desirous of becoming a larger kingdom ? One and all from the Government in England to the people here, realised that we must live or die, or else must as an Empire be driven to crumble to the dust. That which bound the Empire was this feeling that if we failed in this war it was but the beginning of the end. The Powers were waiting to swoop down in a time of weakness, and swath the colonies away. It is many years since England was called to pass through such a time as the late war, and we ought to sing a song of thankfulness. The war has welded the Empire into an inseparable unity. It seems as if nothing should be able to separate us from the Mother Country, and we ought to be deeply thankful for that lesson taught us, as for other things. We thank God too, that we were able to join the Mother Country in the struggle unto death, and be with her in praise for the happy termination of the war, because the principles of right, justice and freedom have won the day, the loss of which meant not merely decay, but justice and freedom were practically being trodden in the dust, and instead of civilisation spreading, ignorance in a great measure was triumphant. While we are thanking God, let us remember in our praises to ask Him to send His comfort and consolation to those who through the war have been bereaved, not only our own New Zealanders, but those who have been fighting against us. Remember their loss, trouble and sorrow, and by so doing, help towards the welding together of Briton and Boer, into one nation. How glorious it must have been to have sent the glad tidings of “ peace signed,” throughout the British Empire, and I believe, as an Englishman, that in the near future both Briton and Boer will join together for good, that God is able to bring good out of what seems error, and those who fought against us will find that the war brought peace with honor and happiness and knowledge, and one result may be that Briton and Boer may side by side together carry on the good news to the native people who live amongst them, and so through Central Africa. But another thought to bring in the text, which brings home to us the needs there are here at our very door, in making offering towards the Maori mission. 1 endeavored last Sunday morning to show that the responsibility rests with the Church of Now Zealand whether we will carry on the 80 years work or whether we will let the 12,000 heathen Maoris remain in heathenism and darkness, or go, or send others, to proclaim the glad tidings of peace. The night Jesus was born, God proclaimed His full peace and pardon to all mankind who would receive it; yet to-day more than 1900 years ago and after the colony had been established over 60 years we had heathen Maoris at our doors. What had the Church done ? Absolutely nothing. Till 1891 the Church of New Zealand had never given a penny to help the Maoris. From that time to 1896 a sum varying from £ll to £4O was given and in 1895, that sum went down to £27 to those missionaries who gave up churches and went to teach the heathen. So in consequence of wars we brought on them through taking land in confiscation for disloyalty to the Queen. We have tried to evangelise by sending Maori missionaries, because they were so much better towards the pakeha, but opposition having been gradually broken, we now are able to send pakeha missionaries to try and evangelise them, and to-day, both Maoris and Europeans are asked to give towards the mission. It will require £843 this year to enable the Maori Mission Board to pay the Maori and European missionaries that money. I do not receive personally one penny, and you are asked to supple-

ment the miserable stipends of these missionaries. Shall we get it. One of the Bishops of the Church said that it was no use asking for it. I believe that when people know of the state of the Maori Mission they will give it. There are eight Maori missionaries and one European, from Auckland south to a line drawn from Napier to Wanganui; and the doors are open to us, if we have money, and men that can preach the gospel. We have need of established work. The Maori Church up the East Coast, north of Auckland diocese is settled with pastors and church officers and carry on themselves, but are not yet strong enough to carry on without some help. Up to the last few years the Maoris shut their doors in the Taranaki, Waikato, and Urawera districts. The Rev. Fred Bennett, Maori missionary, went to Taranaki two years ago. The Maoris would talk about anything else, but weuld not talk to him of the religion of Christ, which religion said they, took our land from us, meaning the Europeans and the Government. A gentleman who for some years has subscribed to the Maori mission, recently went to England. I asked him to remember his subscription, and before he went he sent a cheque for £SO. If a few men would give like that we should soon reach our £843. To-day I took a service at the Maori pa across the river. Many of the natives are away at Hastings in readiness for a Maori wedding, but the offertory in aid of the mission was nearly £6 for general purposes of the Maori mission. Where congregations are not able to provide for the needs of a parish they can give what they can in the offertory. We hope by the end of the year that the Bishops will have put things on a firm basis, and there will be no need for spasmodic effort. It seems a happy coincidence that our thanksgiving service should have fallen on Maori Mission offertory. Don’t let your gratitude be shown only by words, songs of praise and “ God Save the King,” but let our gratitude take a practical form, and help to send messages of good tidings to proclaim peace, goodwill and salvation provided for the Maoris as well as ourselves.

The choir sang Mrs A. E. Eames’ hymn “ We Hail the Proclamation,” at the beginning of the service, hymns 379 and 166, hymns A. and M. in the service, and Jackson’s Te Deum at the close of the whole.