THE RATANA MOVEMENT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19366, 24 July 1925, Page 2

THE RATANA MOVEMENT

FORMING A CHURCH. AUCKLAND, July 22. The formation of a new church by Ratana is by no means unprecedented in Maori religious annals. This was made plain by one familiar with the Native race, when discussing the action of the Anglican Bishops of the North Island in dealing with Ratana’s schismatic organisation. The chief head of complaint against the new church seems to be the addition to the three persons of the Trinity of “thci true angels/’ “The idea of a Moari church is by no means new to Maori tribes,” he said. “The Ringatu Church has its officiating ministers gazetted under the Marriage Act. Another Maori church, Burn Tuawhitu, has long been established in the Manawatu, and its chief ministers dress after the pattern of a bishop, even to gaiters. Last year a third Maori church, the Church of the father, Son, and Holy Ghost and Holy Angels, was established, and a number of ministers gazetted. These churches have been somewhat antagonistic to the recognised Christian churches, but their activities have been practically ignored by the three historic Maori missionary churches, the Church of England, the Wesleyan Methodists, and the Roman Catholics. Had the large missions strongly opposed them, tbej would have assumed important positions immediately in Maori thought. “To those who have been in touch with the undercurrent of Maori life the establishment of the Ratana Church has been practically a foregone conclusion for live years or more. It was merely a question of waiting for the day. If the historic Maori missionary churches had the capacity to assimilate a revival of personal religion, such as the Ratana movement stood for six years ago, the whole history of the movement would have been different. I Ip* Ratana Church was formally es'ablished on Whit Sunday, May 31 last. Since that day, the organisation has proceeded rapidly. Representatives of various tribes associated with the movement assembled again at the end of June at the Ratana Pa, and committees were set up to consider various phases of the new organisation. In his teaching concerning the angels, Ratana takes his stand in the Bible and claims that most of the missionaries have neglected to teach the ministry of angels, which teaching, he contends, is a powerful lever in freeing the Maori from the fear of witchcraft, etc. ; “The Ratana movement issues a weekly paper from a printing press at the Katana Pa. It is only for private circulation, but 1 have seen in it an official statement by Ratana, opposing angel worship. The addition of ‘true angels.’ to the baptismal formula, is, perhaps, matter for priest, but I am something of an expert in Maori language, ami Maori modes of thought, and I am disposed to think the thought conveyed by the addition of those words is fairly orthodox. The Maori mind must be taken into consideration. Often a literal translation of a Maori sentence into English conveys a different impression altogether to an English mind from that which the original conveyed to the Maori mind.”

When asked if lie thought Ratana’s followers did nut worship true angels, the authority said that, on the contrary, he thought some of them did. They had been taught to pray tu saints, but Ratana’s teaching was opposed to angel worship.

To a question, “Can you explain what h’alana means by true angels?’’ the, answer was: ‘Let me put it this way. To a typical Maori the air is full ot them, some good ami some evil. 'Ehe true angels simply mean God’s ministoring spirit. As to the attitude the other churches will take, I do not think they will follow the lead given by the Church of England. Possibly the Roman Catholics will. The Wesleyan Methodists seem disposed to judge the movement by its fruits. The Presbvterian missions, which are coni.paratively small and of recent formation, are' little affected by the movement. When the ecclesiastics have *,aid the worst they can about Ratana, the fact remains that he had done more toward freeing his race from tohungaism and other superstition than any other living man; in fact, more than any score of them. lam convinced that he still secures good faith-healing results. His representatives, apostles of the movement, as they are styled, also secure splendid results. There was an outstanding case at Rawhiti the other day, when a cot case seemed to be instantaneously cured by prayer.

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