Missions Among the Maoris.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume X, Issue 11, 1 April 1920, Page 270

Missions Among the Maoris.

(Continued from last issue). Ifaw, as to the results, of the inis-i sions. ■■'■ The Maoris had iio idea ; of what was meant by a Emission," but as soon as they realised what -was being aimed at m these special /efforts, and that the, missioners' were : there not to condemn but to help them, the days were not long enough to see. "all who came to us, or who asked us to go to their homes. - ■'> ■ t Naturally, those who were acting as tohungas, or -as agents for tohungas living elsewhere, and-^were thereby! making money out of it, also isbme who were afraid. of the magic of the tohungas, or of the wrath of the spirits, kept aloof from us. But at tne close of each mission, we were obliged to hold a special service, or special services, for those who m large numbers wished publicly to renounce tohungaism, and to be .reinstated m their true position m the Church, by a renewal of their baptismal vows. ■ • . It has been roughly computed that m the "three centres visited p^haps 350 to 450 people, including the children, attended the services. Of these at least 120.- renounced their adherence to tohungaism, and all it means, and were formally reinstated m a most solemn and impressive service. Also a considerable number of the younger people, who had not been drawn under the influence of tohungas, publicly renewed their baptismal vows at the close of the mission. . There are also several possible candidates for the ministry, and other church workers, both male and female. But who can say what the ultimate results may be, not only m this particular district, but also throughout the Maori mission? These people are keenly eager for regular instruction m both Bible and Church teaching, and will sit by the hour and listen attentively to anyone who will teach them. . In one centre the Church has one Lady missionary, Mi|s x Cha,tterton, sister of Canon Chatferton, whohas worked, and is working, very hard. She has good Bible classes ..>fpr women, and also for the older children, as well as Sunday schools m two centres "and a weekly . prayer meeting. ' At this, andi ,at another centre, special services lasting half an hour were held on both Sundays -and: week days for the* children, and the ones were most, eager and. attentive all through. At the last place these were out of the question, owing to the local school being closed and the children having to attend .school several miles -away, and also to the very scattered nature of the population

generally. Mention has already been made^of. cases of apparent dembn possession) even among quite 'little children, and the missioners are both quite convinced that they. are speaking of fact \ and hot of fiction. Of this more will -,be said m another issue. . Some cases came . under the direct notice of only the one, or the * other, of the missioners, but others were brought to both, m the hope that something could be done' to set - them free from control. In the case of one little child the parents were so^ thoroughly convinced, by what they saw and heard, that the child was freed from an evil 'spirit's control, and completely cured within a few minutes by prayer and exorcism, that they begged, that the whole family might be cut off from tohungaism and its baneful power, and reinstated' at the special service to be held that evening. , On a subsequent visit to this village,' a few days later, this child was reported quite well and playing about with the other children. And this was found ,to be quite 'true. ..'; ■ '„..." . ■• •,■■.;■■ '." ;■ '■ "•■. ■