The Church in New Zealand

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LI, Issue 45, 12 November 1924, Page 17

The Church in New Zealand

AUCKLAND ' DIOCESE :V SOME OLD-TIME RECORDS.

A Tribute to the Early Catholic Missionaries The' actions of the "early Missionaries attached to- the Church Mission Society were very severely condemned by Augustus Earle," an English artist and traveller, in his •book A Narrative of a Nine Months' Residence in New Zealand in 1872. Looking forward with pleasure to receiving a warm welcome on paying a visit to the first mission station lie met with on his initial tour, he wrote: —• "As I had. a letter of introduction from one of our own body, 1 felt not the slightest doubt of a kind reception; so we proceeded with confidence." After describing what he experienced, he wrote:— "I could not help thinking (within myself) whether, this was a way to receive a countryman at the Antipodes. No smile beamed from their countenance, there were no inquiries after news; in short ;there was no touch of human sympathy,' such as we of the world feel at receiving an Englishman under our roof in such a savage country as this!'' "What credit soever the Missionaries may take'to themselves, or try to make their supporters'in England believe, every man who has

—-- --—; * ; ; — —■■ . —— --* t -- .. . » visited this place, and will speak his mind freely and spend the day. The captains of the two whalers then in harbor joined our party, and as everyone contributed his .store to our picnic feast, the joint stock made altogether a respectable appearance." After describing the extensive native settlement situated on the top of a very high hill in the selected locality, the writer continues: "At the bottom of a hill and in a beautiful valley, the cottages of the missionaries are situated, complete pictures of English comfort, content, and prosperity; they arc close to a bright, sandy beach, a beautiful green slope lies in their rear, and a never-failing stream of water runs by the side of the enclosure. As the boats approached this lovely spot, I was in an ecstasy of- delight; such a happy mixture of savage and civilised life I have never seen before, and when I observed the white smoke curling out of the chimneys of my countrymen, I anticipated the joyful surprise, the hearty welcome, the smiling faces, the old Christmas compliments that were goiirg to tpke place, and the great pleasure it would give our countrymen to meet us in these distant regions, at this hippy season and talk of our relatives, and friends in England. My romanticnotions were soon crushed: our landing gave no pleasure to those secluded Englishmen; they gave us no welcome