THE CHURCH IN NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVI, Issue 6, 6 February 1908, Page 13

THE CHURCH IN NEW ZEALAND

MEMOIRS OF THE EARLY DAYS

(Contributed.) NAPIER-.

(Continued.)

Sisters of Notre Dames des Missions. • On October 2, 1864, four Sisters of the Order of Notre Dames des Missions embarked at London for Napier to found the first community in New Zealand. The vv 7 °^Se lasted nearly five months, 'and on February 26 IBbs at b o'clock at night the Sisters 'reached their destination iney were met and welcomed' by Father Forest who had for months patiently awaited their arrival After taking possession of their new, convent, the goodsiteis prepared themselves for th,ir- future work by a retreat of three days, the various exercises of which were conducted by Father Forest. The Sisters began their w«i te Ifchl^S1 f chl^S m a building formerly used as a structlon of converts, and \im*Hno- +h a „,- i j among the inhabitants The success of thrt T , P 00 * allotted a \SoI V^ TS granted the means whereby tne erection w"^ 08 "' **"* also near the convent. ThVeTcliS ?, T-* arnod out in existence, and the good wnrt t instlt^ lo n is still among the Native SoSfatloT to \^ ffwT^f is but one more examinle of +i»p «,! * ■ . Known - It which was responsible for it and $*?h?**? y avliit judgment of him to whom it iV\ ™ - I far-seeing durable than bronze. ' monum ent vastly more The^^a^w 11 ?* ° th6r De "omiin^ons. follows of the Caihniin m?l- • 1878 > writes as the little town of Kor O rTi4T T? I +i llS i! ieadq ' lartcrs *<> and after its destr^etU)""* AuSvgSl of w lslands » were all PreSl ? iSmf o^Zn^ l^ The^ located in different rlaces whiT<? J5° Se ? nests were and down the coSntK Tliw werS Sf S p*?^ l^ *i. up vocation. . The rfirirfn;? 7■ ? all zeal ous m their attention to II c imnVotmeJ'l?^ S ave .Praiseworthy ine USt Sali^ rS^ S Z 0^ "^ ™« wrlteS I find ( reports for OpoS (he pSesttheP^ J t AVS rd: "" T f c om « CathiSS MaoriL) in iheir wordlt S ,ff,- mS -S advise them ( the sve aa Snnt fire-walker essayed to J bXtM!'* Ob aJI Of>ca&1 '°n (states i*e Rev. test ffir df«£r« P1:01308^1P 1 : 01308^ 1 .^ the Rev. R. Taylor to ivJr SSI dlff ? 16no . €s . by .lumping into a fire, an d who-^ evei came out uninjured should be credited with the

in? £Jh /I w as asked if he would jump in first, that ficldfflt i>h W °R? n< S glte ?-' The chief act^ r to time Seated 'at wV> H ' ia - ylor ( An e lic an), at the nH« « A l^ my head teacner . Abraham, stood nSrf n« f A il6i 16 la " n as a g ooiaj "one, let it be tried, t»t MJ% *? p™J he challenge.. he should jump jnto_ the fire first, and then when he came out thei? _ minister should follow. To this, however, he would not agree, and that terminated the • meeting. His^sk n appeared sc ..wry dirty that it seemed not improbable he had wasted himself O ver with"some preDaratlSS te make himself fire-proof.' So far the Rev. R. Taylor. But fortunately evidence is at hand to cast a very . il^ ev^ h g ht on the incident, and entirely disprove this interesting little '.'fairy tale ' of the long ag o. Father Lampila, the priest alluded to, was a man of groat piety and most remarkable simplicity of character. On one occasion, states the authority (absolutely reliable) from which 1 quote, the Protestant minister of the district in which he was missionary sent him a public challenge to decide the merits of their respective teaching by entering together a blazing fire. He was confident that the challenge would not be accepted, and that thus he would achieve an easy triumph. The matter was at once bruited about among the Maoris, and as no answer came for some time from Father Lampila, the Protestant adherents ' had great rejoicings in the sure victory that awaited their cause. I n the meantime Father Lampila wrote to his Superior, asking him what course he should adopt under the proposed challenge. He was told in -reply to act as God would inspire him. He at once notified to the Maori chieftains that he accepted the challenge, and the day and the place were fixed for the public test. The appointed hour came, the Maoris were assembled in great numbers, and Father Lampila was there • engaged in prayer ready for the ordeal ; but there was no appearance of the Protestant minister. After a while the message came that he would try the test at some other time. Great was the joy of the Catholic Maoris, and bitter was the confusion of the Protestants, many of whom afterwards became members of the Catholic Church. *

(To be continued.)