THE CHURCH IN NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVII, Issue 20, 20 May 1909, Page 19

THE CHURCH IN NEW ZEALAND

MEMOIRS OF THE EARLY DAYS

(Contributed.') Writings of tlio Early Missionaries (continued). Letter from llov. Father Epalle to Bishop Pompallier. Wangaroa, N.Z., January 14, 1840. ' My Lord, — Shortly after my arrival at Kuaru Avith Father Petitjean the great chief, Ururoa, came to find us, intending bo make us retrace our steps to the Bay of Islands; but before he arrived 'at our dwelling God had inspired him with better sentiments. He showed us benevolence; told us that he had been deceived, and that ho recognised the falseness of all that had been reported about us. Yesterday he presided in our bay at a committee or meeting of chiefs, which lasted all day. I have never j*et seen anything so solemn in New Zealand. The business was serious; it was questioned among the chiefs of the party of Ururoa of depriving him of Kuaru, a good part of his land, and that by the sole reason that he had made us welcome. Ururoa gave new proofs of his happy change in our regard, _and appeased the resentment of his chiefs. He came to visit us after, and offered me his boat to go to Kororareka to bring the Bishop. He wished your Lordship to come to live on his land, and become the friend and protector of the mission. ' We commenced our exercise at Wangaroa on Sunday, January 4. They had made of the chapel a depot for clothes, but by the intelligent cares of Amoto we soon saw it tastefully adorned with leaves and flowers. On (Sunday we had few; the weather was bad, and the news of our arrival was not yet spread about. The neighboring tribes came in the course of the week, and on the demand of their chiefs, books and medals were distributed to them. Instruction and prayer take place every day, morning and evening. The class for the little children of the tribe commences with the same regularity. Already seven young boys ask to join us. Among them is the son of a non-Catholic. One day his father came to see us, and said to me on entering: "I am a Protestant, and 1 have four children. I give them to you, but I remain a Protestant." Two of his sous have been admitted to the grace of baptism; the elder has received the name of Werahiko (Francis), and the second that of Penetito. This last name was repugnant to the poor child. He informed mo that others simply called him Tito by mockery. But he was fully satisfied when I told him that Tito or Titus was a famous warrior of antiquity, because here, as in the whole of New Zealand, nothing is more esteemed than the title of a warrior or a great captain. Another who showed the same repugnance for the name of Rutowiko (Louis) consented to receive it because it was the name of the King of France. Amoto renders me great services ; he appears to me full of intelligence and modesty, and to be a noble and generous character. With three of his friends he formed the project of establising a sawpit to prepare all the wood necessary for the construction of a church, of a house for the two priests and the Brother, and, lastly, of a little school similar to that which he saw at Kororareka. He possesses the most beautiful trees of the country, and destines them to the accomplishment of his project. Yesterday I met him going with his friends from one side of the bay to the other, measuring the land and fixing its boundaries. "See," he said to me, " tho view is beautiful here. There are the boundaries of the land I give you for a church and a house." '

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