THE FIRST CHRISTIAN SERVICE

Waiapu Church Gazette, 1 February 1933, Page 2

THE FIRST CHRISTIAN SERVICE

Christmas Day, 1932, fell on a Sunday. How many people would reflect that exactly 118 years before, on a Sunday morning, the Rev. Samuel Marsden conducted the first Christian service ever held m this country. A most interesting article appealed m the

-Church Gazette, Auckland, last month, and we take the following excerpt irom Mar sd en's diary, reprinted m that journal: — THE FIRST CHRISTIAN SERVICE IN NEW ZEALAND. "About ten o'clock (on Sunday morning, December 25th, 1814) we prepared to go ashore to publish the. glad tidings of the Gospel for the first time. I was under ho apprehensions for the safety of the vessel, and therefore ordered all on board to go on shore to attend Divine service, except the master and one man. When we landed we found Koro ioro, Duaterra and Shungkee dressed m regimentals which Governor Macquarie had given them, with their men drawn up ready to march info the enclosure to attend Divine service. They had their swords by their sides and a switch m their hands. We entered the enclosure and were placed m the seats on each side of the pulpit. Korokoro marched his men on and placed them on my right hand m the rear of the Europeans and Duaterra placed his men on the left. The inhabitants of the town, with the women and children and a number of other chiefs, formed a circle round the whole. A very solemn silence prevailed — the sight was truly impressive. I got up and began the service with singing the Old Hundredth Psalm, and felt my very soul melt within me when I viewed my congregation and considered the state we were m. After reading the service, during which the natives stood up and sat down at the signal given by the motion of Korokoro's switch, which was regulated by the movements of the Europeans, it being Christmas Day, I preached from the second chapter of St. Luke's Gospel, the tenth verse: "Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy." The natives told Duaterra they could not understand what I meant. He replied they were not to mind that now for they would understand by and by, and that he would explain my meaning as far as he could. When I had done preaching he informed them what I had been talking about. Duaterra was very much pleased that he had been able to make all the necessary arangements for the service m so short a time, and we felt much obliged to him for his attention. He

was extremely anxious to convince us that he would do everything for us that lay m his. power and that the good of his country was his principal consideration. In the above manner the Gospel has been introduced into New Zealand, and I fervently pray that the glory of it may never depart from the inhabitants till times shall be ho more."