Letter from the Bishop.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume V, Issue 12, 1 June 1915, Page 137

Letter from the Bishop.

Bishopscourt, Napier, May 29th, 1915. My dear People, I am writing this from Waiotapu where I am the guest of . Mr and Mrs Zimmerman, having arrived here yesterday from Galatea. But I must now go back to Opotiki, where I left ofi in my last letter. In company with the Rev. Peni Hakawai, who had come over from Ruatoki, I visited Waiweka and Terere, in the Opotiki District, both of which had been under the charge of the Rev. Taimona Hapimana. In each place the natives bore testimony to the excellent work which had been done by him, and to the affectionate relationship, •between them ; at each place they said, " Do send us another minister as soon as you can : we' want one like Taimona ! " I promised to do my best, but, alas. ! the supply of Maori clergy is not equal to the demand, and I would here ask for the prayers of my people that the life and work of the ministry may appeal to .the best of oiir young Maoris. And I shall be thankful indeed if the masters in the Native schools will hold before the most promising of their Maori boys the work of-.fhe ministry as a possible vocation. Just as the Empire to-dav needs the best of her sons, so is the Church to-day in need, especially of the best of our young men, to serve as officers in the Kingdom of Christ. On Wednesday, April 7th, we left Opotiki by the 6.30 a.m. coach' for Ruatoki, stopping at Taneatua on the way for lunch. Eventually we reached Ruatoki at about 4 p.m., wiere I stayed at the Mission

House with Mr and Mrs Hakawai. Next morning I visited the school, which is the largest Native school in the Diocese, where excellent work is being done by Mr and Mrs Mahoney, and their two daughters. Here I saw the working of the school in all its stages, and then I addressed the children. At 5.15 p.m. we had an evening service in the Church. This it will be remembered is a new Church which was opened last year, and is now free of debt. Here the example of Holy Trinity,, Manutuke, and S. Faith's, Ohinemutu, has been followed, and native work adorns the interior. On Friday, the 9th, we had an early service at 7.20 a.m., at S. •Saviour's, Ruatoki, and I met some of the communicants for a few minutes afterwards. After lunch Peni drove me to Te Pahou, where the T£ev. Manihera presented three candidates for Confirmation. There was a very "good congregation. After the service there was a welcome, to the Bishop, and then followed an informal conference. It was late when we crossed the river for the Mission House, Whakatane, where I was to be the guest of Nurse North. The tide was low, and we ran aground several times. However, we eventually landed, borne on stalwart shoulders, and I was soon under the hospitable roof of the Mission House. On Saturday I inspected the Mission House which is greatly improved. There is now a system of drainage, the grounds are in order, the stable and coach house are built, and the grounds are being put in order. I am most thankful for the excellent work that is being done by Nurse North and her assistant Evelyn. The nursing and the Mission work together is at times almost' too heavy a strain for Nurse North, especially when there is an epidemic, but I am glad to say that the work has been made lighter by the Maoris subscribing together anil presenting her with a horse and buggy. This is in itself an indication of the appreciation of the work that is being done at the Mission House, and one which requires no further comment from me. May I say that auring this trip I have had an urgent request to . establish another such Mission House at Matai, and there is room in the Diocese for others. We need so much' trained mission workers,

and I am looking to our Si. Mary's Home in Napier to meet "this need. I am sure it will. I would suggest lady workers in the future getting hospital training as well. In the evening of Saturday, I met the Whakatane Vestry at the 'Vicarage. The Vestry feels strongly the need of more work being done in this growing district if the Church is to hold her own. The question of obtaining the services of an assistant curate was discussed and it was decided to see what can be done in the matter. On Sunday, April 11th, I celeibrated at 8 p.m. in the Parish Church, preached at 11 a.m. in the Public Hall at Taneatua, Maori service at Paipuaruke at 3 p.m., when there was an excellent and reverent congregation, the Rev. F. Bennett interpreting for me. Then he drove me back to Whakatane for Evensong, and there was a very full Church. It was owing: to Mr Bennett and his gallant little car that I was able to put in this full day's work. On • Monday Mr Chapman drove me to Te Teko, Mr Bennett joining us later in his motor. Here we all three were the guests of Mr and Mrs Brodrick. We had e v enin£r service in the schoolroom, where there was a p-ood congregation of Maori and Pakeha. After service Wilfred Pi Wanbeck stayed behind to say that his wife wished to give a piece of land for a site for a Church for Maori and Pakeha. The site is an excellent one, well situated between the two settlements. Mrs Harbeck, who was present, made a little speech emphasising the point that she hoped the Church would be built by the cooperation of both races and that it would be used by both. On Tuesday, after Prayer and breakfast, we met the Maoris in the Meeting House where I was welcomed, and here I had the opportunity of publicly thanking the donor of the site. Immediately afterwards I confirmed a dying chief, a devout old man, and • again we were under way. Mr Chapman drove me to Matata : the roads were exceedingly bad,' and Mr Bennett had ' to' travel as light as possible in his car. At Matata, at 2.45 p.m., I laid the foundation block of an English Church It was a glorious afternoon, and tijje site is one of the

most beautiful I have seen. We had a nice service in the open. At 7.30 we had Evensong in the schoolroom. There was a very good congregation. Here we were hospitably entertained at the hotel. From Matata, we, Mr Bennett and I, set out for Pukehina in the motor. We were to have left at nine, but the motor didn't " get off the mark." However, we got away later, arriving at our destination at about 1.30. We had a long talk with the Maoris about the bfoildiing of a Church, the site for which has already been given. In the evening we had a delightful sendee in the open, Mr Bennett and I standing on the verandah, and the congregation ranged below. We left Pukehina at about 11 a.m. for Maketu, held a service in the Church there for Maoris and English at 2.15 in one of the oldest (if not the oldest) Churches in the Diocese, and then on to Te Puke in the car. Here, a guest at the Vicarage, I enjoyed an evening off. On Friday . morning I was able to overtake some of mv correspondence, and in the evening I confirmed seventeen candidates in the Parish Church. It was a beautiful service. On Saturday, 17th, Mr Bennett motored me to Taurano-a, arriving about 2 p.m. at the Vicarage. * On Sunday, 18th, I celebrated in the Parish Church at 8 a.m., and after breakfast left for Mauneatapu for eleven o'clock service. Here the Hui was to be held, and here a large number of the delegates had already gathered. The Church, which is built on a lovely site on the top of a hill overlooking the sea, was, by the way, far too small for the large congregation that had assembled. We had therefore to hold the first part of the service outside. The Communion Service we had in the Church, when there were forty-six communicants. Our afternoon service we had in the Meeting House to ,meet the even larger congregation. We had a kind of Mission Service, when I spoke and then the Rev. Bennett and Hakiwai. In the evening, there again being no room in* the Church, the service was held in the Meeting House, when the Rev. F. Bennett preached the Hui sermon. There must have been qpite two hundred people present,

On Monday, April 19th, we be- 8 gan at 4.30 a.m. with a conference of clergy, and at ,11.30 a.m. ja conference of lay-readers was held. At both these conferences useful work was, I think, accomplished. After lunch, which we had in a marquee, offerings were received for the building of the addition of a chancel to the Church. This addition was the work of the congregation. It is very nicely done and has greatly improved the appearance of the Church. The offerings amounted to ,£sl, wihioh will leave sufficient balance to paint the Church. At four p.m. the roll was called, and the Hui opened, and then I delivered my address which dealt mainly with the financial position of the Maori Mission in the Diocese. The chief point I made was this : that the districts divide themselves naturally into two 1 — "settled districts," and " missionary districts." The "settled districts," viz., those where the work has now been long established, should be self-supporting. The " missionary districts,' 1 ' viz., those where the Church has not yet taken root, these will receive the support of our English people. The Hui dealt very sympathetically with the ,finaiucial question. There was universal agreement that the " settled districts " should be entirely supported by the Maoris themselves, with, of course, the help of their endowments, and an earnest desire expressed to carry it out. Indeed, there was a very fine tone in the Hui throughout. May I here add that the Rotorua Maoris came straight away . and, chiefly through the ladies' Guild, collected J&7 of the sum required. The Hui closed with. Prayer and the Benediction, on Tuesday, April 20th, soon after one p.m. We had lunch together in the Marquee, and then we rushed into Tauranga to catch the launch which we had chartered to i.take us to Motiti Island. There, was quite a party of us including the Rev. E. D. Rice, F. Bennett, and P'. Hakiwai. Mr Rice and, l were the guests of Mr and Mrs Clench at the school house. We had a delightful service in the Meeting House with a large congregation. Afterwards a welcome at which all the clergy spotke. I appealed for the building pi a Church in the Island.

In the morning, .Wednesday, 21st, we had a Celebration of the Holy Communion at seven o'clock. This was followed by a Confirmation, when four received the " laying on of hands." Eventually we left the Island at about 10.30, a goodly number of natives coming to see us ofi. Thursday and Friday, 22nd and 23rd, I spent quietly at the Vicarage, Tauranga, writing letters and preparing for the Mission. The Mission opened with "a service of reception of the Missioner, on Saturday, 25th, and lasted till Monday, May 2nd. I hope that it will prove a blessing and a help to the Church people of Tauranga. On May .3rd we drove out. to Bethlehem, had tea with the Bakers at the school house, and had a service for ■ Maoris in their Meeting House. There was an excellent congregation. On Wednesday, 4th, I had a holiday, and we went out fishing in the Mission launch, without much success. We afterwards landed at the Mount and lunched ; then walked up to the summit where we had a glorious view. On coming down we found our launch high and This necessitated us waiting for the turn of tHe tide. However, we took shelter in a friendly house, which had been offered to us in case of need, but which we had to enter forcibly, and there we had tea and rested till we could put out to sea again. On Thursday I left by coach for Te Puke. The Rev. Turuturu met me and drove me to Matai, where I was the guest of Mr and Mrs Godwin at the school house. I visited the school in the afternoon, and in the evening we had a service in Church — here again there was a good congregation. After the service we had a long talk. The Mao'ris here are most anxious to have the services of a nurse and mission woriker ; to this I have already alluded. On May 7th Mr Bennett drove me to Rotorua in his car. In the evening I addressed the candidates for Confirmation in S. Luke's Church. Here I was the guest of the Rev. and Mrs Kenneth Maclean. On Sunday, 9th, I celebrated the Holy Communion in S. Luke's Church, and preached at S. Faith's Church, Ohinemutu at 11 a.m., when there was a large 4congregation. In the evening I confirmed at S. Luke's, when there was a

full Church and a most reverent service. On Monday we had a happy gathering of the Sunday School children of S. Faith's in the Church Hall, when I distributed the prizes. Here we were regaled with tea which was refreshing, and from there the Yioar and I set "out in pouring rain to Mamaku for a 7.30 EJvensong, but we had to return baffled and beaten. The roads had been recently mended (sic) and the wheels skidded, refusing to grip. So alfter some difficulty in turning round,j for the road was narrow and the ascent steep, we had to set our faces homeward. I must here end nay journeyings for the time, but before I close my letter I would like here to express on behalf of the Diocese our deep symlpathy with Archdeacon and Mrs Ruddock in their sorrow, and also with the Rev. F. W. Martin, who, too, has lost a son. There is the bright side of it too. Both of their sons have laid down their lives for their King, their Country and for honour's sake. And we know that they did it joyously. Our hearts go out to others, too, who at this time are in similar sorrow. May God comfort them, too, with His own sweet comfort. I am, Yours sincerely in Christ, ' WM. WALMSLEY WAIAPU.