MAORI CHRISTIANS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 96, 24 April 1944, Page 3

MAORI CHRISTIANS

PLEA FOR CONTINUED SPIRITUAL UPLIFT

i A plea for the continued sympa- ; thetic interest of the people of the t parish of Christ Church, Wanganui . for the spiritual uplift of the Maori ■ race, was made by the Bishop of . Aotearoa, Rt. Rev. F. A. Bennett, at Christ Church yesterday morning. : In the beginning, missionaries had laboured among the Maoris on the , other side of the river at Puliki, and j when opportunity offered they also ; administered to the needs of the then . small European population in Wanga- > nm, he said. In those days the Maoris t outnumbered the pakeha as regards 1 population, and sometimes the congre- ■ gation totalled 2000 at the services at Putiki. He recalled the name of the : Rev. Richard Taylor, and said that, a ■ descendant of his was in the ministry to-day. Bishop Bennett said since those ■ early days the scene had changed. ' The pakeha population had outgrown : the Maori, and now the great majority of the church work was on this side of the river. _lt was their duty to God, and to the pioneer missionaries, to re-dedicate themselves at the beginning of a new century of church work. To-day. more than at any other time, it was necessary to spread the Kingdom of God. A more vital interest in church work, and a following of Christian principles by each individual, would give a tremendous impetus for good in the parish in the years that lav >ahead. | The Bishop recalled that he had served under the late Rev. A. O. Wiljhams, at Putiki, when a young man, and he had attended many services in the old Christ Church. A son of the Rev. Williams, Canon W. G. Williams, i was present that day at the service. | Referring to youth work, Bishop Bennett said that it was important for the church to look after the spiritual , welfare of youth. In the years to come they, the children, would have to carry on the torch of faith. Congregations passed away, but the work of the church went on unending. The Bishop said that during his present visit to Wanganui he had been informed by a member of the local Ma ? 7 c L ergy th . at there ha d been a noted advance in spiritual activity among the Maori youth in Wanganui. This, said the Bishop, was very gratiHe h ? d also been informed that i\ had resulted from some good advice given by Archdeacon Young at a service which had been attended by some young Maoris. Concluding the Bishop asked for the continued co-opßraHon in the spiritual uplift of the Maori race, so that both races could go forward together in advancing Christ's Kingdom on earth.