NEW OPERETTA

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160723, 9 August 1920, Page 9

NEW OPERETTA

VIENNA, May 2b. To-day’s dresn rehearsal of Franz I,('liar's now operetta. “The Bine Mazer," has revealed the splendid quality of Lelia-r's music, his originaiilv in invention, and excellent orchestration. Ills second act is in the style of opera. I.ehar. who com posed ‘’The Merry Widow." believes "The Blue Mazur" to be his Iwt work. Ho will next autumn superintend the produc lion, el' his new operetta in New i ork. and it was quite four hours before she regained strength to wall; to a house near by. She has been in. her right mind evet since, and her own wish is to devote herself to God's service amongst her people. The following week she came and helped us in our last mission, visiting people from house to house, and pleading with them to give up tohungaism and I urn to God. That was last Xovciiilkt. eho wait visited again by one of us in April l.hiA year (1939), and instead oi bring demoiipos.sessed she is now idled with Inc Holy Spirit of Jesus . Her whole outward appearance is changed she is well and strong physically: she takes an active and intelligent interest in the all airs oi i lie vil* lagc ; and she takes a leading part' in the services and prayer-meetings. The writers ascribe the malady oi possession to the influence of a Maori toliunga and also of a European woman (a medium) from Auckland, who visited the district several years ago, and to whom the poor sufferer had been fo t medicine. They ask the question : Aby is this European tobuuga permitted W deceive the Maoris and to work them harm? She goes to their districts; they go long distances (even from Hawke s Day) to her in Auckland. She has been imprisoned for a term for selling them trash as medicine. Surely it is time he.f practices as a "tohnnga should be slope ped. Other instances of "possession arc given, the common feature being a dual, triple, or even multiple personality, and it is claimed that there is |>ower and authority to exorcise these evil spirits. The writer adds: Sceptics may scofp at and deride our The medical profession will perhaps smile indulgently at our “crass ignorance.' The clergy (as a body) may refuse to believe (here is any truth in it. And, meanwhile, the Maoris are dying oil', and our “menial hospitals” are becoming congested, l.asS year three Maoris (.to our knowledge) had to be taken to asylums, and already two more have gone this year. \ In the New Zealand nurses’ paper (Luo Kaitiaki) of April. 1919, we read that the doctor in charge, of a mental hospital had stated that "in his opinion at leas* a quarter of those under his care aie. cases of demoniacal possession, and arc not cases of mental disease.’ And this year (1920) it had been stated that a New Zealand solicitor (perhaps the same man) had said that he thinks one-half of the patients in the asylum under lus ('arc are cases of demon possession. I'oi the truth of those statements we cannot vouch, but it would be possibly to verify them, or otherwise. Wo know of throe, other clergymen (Maoris) who have exorcised demons in the name of Jesus Christ. Why do not others follow their lead? _ Nome cases are undoubtedly more difficult than others. Tear may render one powerless. Faith may falter. But Christ cannot fail. When will the Gliuxch wake up to realise the fact that the Power of tho Name, of Jesus Ghrist is the same to-day that it was in the days of the Apostles? Wien will we Ixlievo that He meant it when He said; in My Name they shall cast, out devils (demons), thev .shall lay hands the sick and they shall recover;’ and “Venlv, vr* r jiy, J su-v unto yon* iw that* Ivelieveth 'on Me,‘ Hie works that I do shall he do. and greater works than these shall tie do because L go unto the Father.”