ROTORUA MISSION CENTENARY.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume 25, Issue 12, 1 December 1935, Page 2

ROTORUA MISSION CENTENARY.

18th, 19th AND 20th OCTOBER, 1935

The celebrations commemorating the 100th anniversary of the arrival of Rev. T. Chapman, the first missionary to work among the Maoris in this disr trict, were of a very impressive character. A very keen interest was maintained throughout the whole proceedings and a very fine atmosphere pre: vailed. The preliminary arrangements and organisation were carried out by the Rev. R. Hodgson, who worked zealously and unsparingly in order to ensure that such an important occasion should be fittingly and worthily observed. He was assisted hy a strong committee with a very capable secretary in MiTyler. This, committee drew up a tentative programme, and then conferred with a committee of Maoris who were closely associated with the celebrations. The finalised programme was then submitted to, and approved by, the Bishop of the Diocese. The following is the programme: — FRIDAY, Oct. 18th, St. Luke's Day (Our Patronal Festival) 7 a.m. — Holy Communion. 10 a.m. — Holy Communion. 2.30 p.m. — Service for women. . 7 p.m. — Evening Service. Preacher, the Lord Bishop of Waiapu, 8 p.m. — Parish social. SATURDAY, OCT. 19th. Children Service at 11 a.m. and Picnic^ SUNDAY, OCT. 20th. 7 a.m. — Holy Communion. 8 a.m. — Holy Communion. 8.45 a.m. — Parish breakfast. 11 a.m.— Open-air service. (Preacher, Bishop Bennett.) 2.30 p.m. — Service at Koutu on the site of first Mission Station. Preacher, The Lord Bishop of Waiapu. 7 p.m. — Service in the Majestic The-, atre. Preacher, The Bishop of Aotearoa. The Municipal Band, "and Maori Choir assisting. At the 7 a.m. service on Friday the Bishop of Waiapu was the celebrant, assisted by the vicar, the Rev. R. Hodgson and the Rev. E. A. McCutchepn. At the 10 a.m. service^the Rev. Hodgson was the celebrant, assisted by the Rev. G. F. Oulds.. who journeyed irom

Mata. Mata to take part. At 2.30 p.m. the Bishop of the Diocese addressed a congregation of women, taking as his subject, "The Women of the Bible." V The first portion of the service at 7 p.m. was taken by the Rev. E. A. McCutcheon, the second being taken by the Rev. R. Hodgson. The Ven. Archdeacon Chatterton read the lesson. The sermon was preached by Bishop Williams, whose subject was, Cols. IV.: 14, "Luke, the Beloved Physician." This service was followed by a parish' social, the hall being crowded to overflowing. It was a wonderful evening, a veritable feast of " good things, and a warm family feeling was in evidence. The vicar, in a very happy captivating speech, opened the evening's entertainment. Mr R. G. Webb, of the High School staff, gave a very full and most interesting and illuminating address on the early history of Christianity and its pioneers in this district. Our BTsh'op also gave a short interesting adfir'ess, in the course of which he recalled some personal experiences, humorous and grave. Some excellent musical items were given, including some from the Whakarewarewa Maori Choir, all of which were of a very high order. A climax was reached when the huge centenary cake had its 100 candles lighted. After extinguishing the candles the first cut was made by our Bishop. Then followed the sale of the cake at 6d a slice, with every now and then a bit of real wit and humour thro'wn in. But that cake! Kit only could have spoken its history! It weighed over 1501b5., the ingredients of which came from parishioners from all parts of tlie 'parish. And the preparations? Well, to enter the parish hall on a certain occasion was to see something, not to be easily forgotten. Enthusiasm, happiness and real work all combined to make a most animated scene. For here were twenty women drawn from St. Luke's and Devon St. Ladies' Guilds, each with a mixing bowl and provided with equal proportions of the ingredients, assiduously working to the accompaniment of jokes, jibes, and laughter and all trying to visualise the results of their efforts. When each portion was. well and truly mixed and put into a whole the women's responsibility ended. For

this great lump was then entrusted to the baker for cooking and icing. T^or did he fail. The cake was "a beauty" and much in demand, for over 420 slices were sold, the proceeds amounting to nearly £11. On Saturday the children from several Sunday Schools came together- to the Parish Church for a service at 11 a.m. It was a touching and inspiring sight. Kfaori and Pakeha children sat side by side to take part in a Christian service,' the church being packed full. Bishop Bennett told the children the story of the bringing of the Gospel to the Maori, and pointed out how, in doing so, the early missionaries carried their lives in their hands, and faced many and grave dangers, for the Maoris then were wild and uncivilised. He contrasted the position of to-day, stressing the power of Christianity to make life a beautiful thing, so that at this centenary observance we had the fact of Maori and Pakeha children worshipping side by side in a Christian service. He described the old Maori religion, customs and superstitions, and noted the wonderful influence of Christianity in removing so much that was undesirable. He appealed to those present to "sow by many waters" by following the example of the early Christian missionaries. After the service the children assembled outside the church and marched to the Government grounds where they were entertained "by their elders and spent a most happy time in games, lunch and afternoon tea, and a lolly scramble were all much appreciated, and the children left the grounds somewhat tired, but very, very happy. On Sunday, 20th October, at the 7 a.m. service, the celebrant was the Rev. McCutcheon, the Bishop of Waiapu assisting. At 8 a.m. the Bishop was the celebrant, the Rev. Manihera assisting. This service was followed hy what proved a very happy affair indeed. The" Ladies' Guild had prepared a splendid parish breakfast and a large number of parishioners sat clown to this meal in the spirit of good fellowship. •It was a true "family" gathering and much enjoyed and appreciated. At 10.45 a.m. a large congregation assembled outside St. Luke's Church and processed to the Government grounds where a well attended open air service was held. The Municipal

Band headed the procession, followed by several clergymen, both Pakeha and Maori, the Bishops of Waiapu and Aotearoa, the combined Maori and St. Luke's. Choirs, and the general public. During the procession the hymn "Onward Christian Soldiers" was sung and so nicely was it timed that the procession entered the grounds just as the hymn concluded. The service commenced with the hymn "O God Our Help in Ages Past," the prayers following being taken by the Rev. E. A. McCutch'eon. The Rev. E. Ti Tikao read the first lesson. This was followed by the hymn "Thy Kingdom Come." The Ven. Arch. Chatterton read the 2nd Lesson, the concluding prayers being taken by the Rev. R. Hodgson. The congregation then sang the hymn "All People That On Earth Do Dwell." The preacher for the occasion was the Bishop of Aotearoa, who gave an inspiring address on the early work of the missionaries and the changes wrought for the better in the lives of the Maoris. THE EARLY DAYS Looking round the gardens, the Bishop said he could plainly remember the days when he used to" go through a narrow track which was surrounded on all sides by wild manuka bush as high as the ornamental trees growing at the present time amidst the beautifully laid out gardens and lawns. Here was but one instance of the remarkable transformation brought about by civilisation.' He could also remember the days when the Ohmemutu pa was surrounded with palisades, which were a relic of the defence used by one tribe to ward, off the attack of another. When the first missionaries came to New Zealand, they found the Maoris in a disgraceful condition, cannibalism among the various tribes being all too common. These pioneers of the British Empire, messengers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, had to take great risks to their personal safety, but they . were inspired by the spirit of God to carry on the work pif bringing Christianity to the Maori. The Bishop then went on to describe various phases in the life and work of Mr. Chapman and his colleague, in their endeavour to establish mission stations at Koutu andf other places in the Rotorua district.

As an example of the good work carried out by Chapman and his followers, Bishop Bennett read an extract from an old report dealing with their activities. In 1841 there had been 500 Maoris present at a church meeting when there had been 82 adults baptised, while in 1843 there had been 800 adult members with a Bible Class under the leadership of Mr. Chapman. • There were 400 Maoris, who had not accepted the Gospel. In that year 202 natives were baptised. He described how the Maori wars had affected the work of Christianity in the country and the subsequent reorganisation. The Arawa people, continued the Bishop were proud of their loyalty to the Crown and the British Empire, and he gave instances of the practical manner in which the Arawa tribe had proved their loyalty. PAKEHA INFLUENCES Much good work had been accomplished in the first 100 years of civilisation in New Zealand, but there were some things still of which we were not proud, including the drink habit and gambling. These vices among the Maoris could be easily accounted for, said the Bishop, because in the early days the natives saw two kinds of Pakehas, the good missionaries and the evil traders who had found their way from the Sydney convict stations. The Maoris became bewildered and the work of the missionaries, in consequence, became indeed most difficult. But there were . some natives who had broader , visions and these men had been of great assistance to the missionaries. Some of them had even gone so far as to be ordained as members of the ministry. He foresaw a destiny and a great future for New Zealand and this goal could be obtained only by the two races working together. After the singing of a hymn, and prayer, the service was concluded by the pronouncing of the Benediction hy the Lord Bishop of Waiapu. SERVICE AT KOUTU ON THE OLD MISSION SITE With the Maoris present in large numbers, the singing of the hymn, "All People That on Earth Do Dwell" — the Maoris in their native tongue, the Pakehas in English — made a most impressive opening to the special service held at Koutu. The Bishops and clergy were again robed and processed

up the hill to the scene of the service. Mr Te Hapara, speaking in native language, extended a very hearty welcome to the large gathering present, and expressed , a special welcome to the Bishop of Waiapu, who was a descendant of one of the first missionaries to New Zealand. He said the family of Williams was very well Known to the Maori race, one of the brothers being known as the "Sessionary with four eyes" because he wore spectacles. Fortunately iOFthe Maoris, it had been the thought of the first Williams that a school should be established for the better education aria training of the Maori children. The Maoris had specially asked, the speaker said, that Bishop Williams shuold take charge of the service at Koutu because of his connection with the bringing of Christianity to the Maori people. It was a revelation to many present to hear the Bishop of Waiapu reply, so fluently" and with such perfect enunciation, in the native language. He gave afterwards to the pakehas present a resume of what he had said in Maori. He said that it was not known who was the first tribe to come to New Zealand, but it was on record that an old Polynesian arrived at Whakatane where he was looked upon as an intruder and interloper by the people who at the time inhabited New Zealand, and then came the Maoris in the well-known tribal canoes of the migration. Then in turn came the Pakehas.. All those wTio came here in the early days found that crimes such as pilfering, murder, and cannibalism were generally considered part of everyday life. Even with the advent of the Maori canoes, no light was thrown on this world of darkness. However, when Marsden came to New Zealand, the wall between this unknown world and the outside world was broken down. The Bishop intimated that endeavours would be made to secure the site at Koutu in order to establish an institution for the training of the Maoris for the Ministry. There was a difficulty in the fact that the land was not under one ownership, but they entertained hopes that the college would materialise. Mr. Riri Potaka extended a warm welcome to all present, and said that

as they stood there on that piece of ground their minds went back to the early days of missionary work in the Rotorua area. The Maoris had always received fair treatment while they had been under the flag of the British Empire, and the Maoris in their turn had to keep the agreements of the Treaty of Waitangi. He intimated that if the section he owned was the site of the old mission station he would gladly give it to the authorities to build an institution as a memorial ,of the centenary celebrations. Mr. H. Tai Mitchell, on behalf of the Rotorua Maoris, expressed great pleasure at the large gathering taking part in the service now being held on the place where, 100 years ago, the first missionary post was established. They were particularly pleased to have with them the Bishop of Waiapu because of his association with the early mission work. From the seed sown 100 years ago the name Williams was well known to the Maoris. During the past century the. Church had made rapid advances in the civilisation of the Maori people, and on behalf of his Maori brothers and sisters he wished the Church success, and hoped that as we entered upon a new century of work it would witness even greater advance. ■ ■ . • At the conclusion of this service Bishop Bennett at Ohinemutu unveiled a memorial stone to the, late Rev. S. M. Spencer, another missionary who had in the early days done valuable work in the Rotorua area. In an appropriate address the Bishop said that through the influence of such men as Spencer no fewer than 17 men of the Arawa tribe alone had entered the ministry. A fine feature of the afternoon was ■ the hospitality extended by the. Ohinemutu Maori Committee and their helpers. All and sundry were invited to afternoon tea in a large and spacious hall. The arrangements were all that could be desired. The catering would have done credit to any. European tea rooms. Judge Holland, in a neat speech, returned thanks on behalf of the Europeans present for the thotightfulness of the Maoris in thus providing for so many such an excellent repast. Vigorous acclamation

conveyed the appreciation of those who had participated^ THE F'iNAL SERVICE. Anticipating large numbers for the .final service of the celebrations the committee had engaged the Majestic Theatre, and the crowded house proved the wisdom of this step. It was truly a wonderful service, a fitting climax to so memorable an occasion. As far as a devout atmosphere was concerned, the service could have been in some fine church. And when at its close those present joined in singing the "Te Deum" (one could not but lift his heart to God in humble and grateful thanks for all His mercy and goodness and for . the power of the Christian Gospel in the lives of all who submit themselves to its guidance in daily living. The Municipal Band was present to assist in tlie music, and on the stage were the Bishops, the clergy .and the large combined Maori and European choirs. The order of service was as follows:—Hymn, "Thy Hand, O God, has Guided"; prayers, taken by the Ven. Archdeacon Chatterton; first lesson, Rev. E. A. McCutcheon; hymn, "'Praise, my soul, the King of Heaven"; second lesson, Rev. Te Tikao; prayers, Rev. R. Hodgson; liymn, "For all the Saints"; address, Bishop Bennett; hymn, "Now thank we all our God"; Benediction, Bishop •of Walapu; Te Deum. Bishop Bennett, who preached an inspiring and forceful sermon, referred to the connection between the spreading of the Gospel of God and the growth of .the British Empire. For some 2000 years, he said, a world Tiad been groping in the dark. Then came Samuel Marsden to New Zealand, and he took back to Great Britain a story of a new land full of wealth. Britain did not want any new colonies, for already she had enough to look after, and another so far from home .would mean much anxiety and worry to nurture and look after. But bringing force to bear upon the Government New Zealand was finally annexed as a. colony of the British Empire and Englishmen came out here to seelc new fields. 'They came in contact with the Maori and taught, him the love of God. So the British Empire had gained another new land.

The Gospel of God had been taken into another world of darkness and a new race learned of Christianity. As we looked through the history of the British Empire it was plain to see, continued Bishop Bennett, that the spread of the Gospel synchronised with the spread of Christianity. This proved beyond all question of doubt that God planned the progress of the world so that the Gospel should reach into every corner of the earth. It was now 100 years since the Maori race was first taught Christianity, and there were some people to-day who said that the Maori was not as intelligent and of as high a level as he should be. But the Bishop emphasised the fact that they must remember that less than 100 years ago the Maoris were cannibals, and even to this day there were remains, in various parts of the Dominion, of instruments which had been used by cannibals. The pakeha had nearly 2000 years of Christianity behind him. The Maori had barely 100 years, but within that period he considered the progress of the Maori had been remarkable, and if there were any pakehas who thought the Maori, was. not what he should be he would ask that they judge him with mercy. Very many of the Maoris came into contact with a pakeha element which was not in the slightest degree interested in the spiritual welfare of the Maori. He did not expect the pakeha to spoon feed the native, because they were now past that periodj but they should endeavour to bring the Maori into contact with a better pakeha element. Out of the 34 miracles that Christ was reported to haye performed 22 of them were connected with the healing of the body, and it was rather signncant that here in Rotorua we had facilities for carrying out the healing of the sick. It would be a great thing, continued Bishop Bennett, if Rotorua could be made the centre of a Dominion:wide spiritual revival. He had noticed a, decided move in that direction in New Zealand throughout the past two years, and he thought tha.t now was an opportune time to begin a great revival, which would do much to lift the Maori race, as a whole, to a higher level. '

As had been mentioned at Koutu in the afternoon, concluded the speaker, efforts were being made to erect a tangible memorial of the first centenary of Christianity in the Rotorua area. If it was impossible- to secure the original site at Koutu, then an endeavour would be made to obtain a place at Te Ngae,, where another famous mission station had been es^ tablished by the Rev. Mr. Chapman, father of Christianity in Rotorua.