Te Kopara 3
[1] Te Kopara, Number 3,Gisborne, December 1913.
‘Iti te Kopara, kai takirikiri ana i runga i te Kahikatea.’
Although the Bellbird is small, he plucks at the Kahikatea. [cf Nga Pepeha 908]
THE CHILD WHO SQUANDERS POSSESSIONS. [cf Nga Pepeha 714]
Return home! Remember that you are a child of God. If you have forgotten God your Father and have gone astray like a lost sheep and have wandered far from him, then these words written by your Father are intended as a call to bring you back to him. For his sake will you not answer his call and attend to the call of Christ who calls to you, to his gentle voice like the voice of an angel, to the sadness of his voice.
He is seeking you, looking for you to find you, so that it comes about that he carefully and gently leads you into the presence of his Father. Read the 15th chapter of the Book of Luke and you will find that the one who calls you is not far from you but is always at your side, very close to you, always touching you.
He is seeking you, looking for you to find you, so that it comes about that he carefully and gently leads you into the presence of his Father. Read the 15th chapter of the Book of Luke and you will find that the one who calls you is not far from you but is always at your side, very close to you, always touching you.
Remember that you are the son he is waiting for, the one he seeks in his love, and he does not get tired of waiting for you to return. You are the one sheep that is lost and is now being sought by the Good Shepherd. He is devoting all his strength to seeking you. You are the piece of silver that was lost, the piece with the likeness of God stamped upon it. The Holy Spirit is seeking and looking in the Church; there is no end to his searching. Let us look at the words of Christ so that you may hear his voice calling in those words to bring you back home.
What is the Faith? The Faith is the rope which binds the spirit of a person to God. That bond is not like the swearing of an agreement; you are not bound to the Father under an agreement, but that bond is like that which binds a father to his own child and the child to its own father. Remember that you are his growing child who in your character are to become like him and you are to live your life for him. He created you to be a means of conveying his love. It is a terrible thing if
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a child despises its parents, but he does not say that he is not their child. Rather, he is still their child because they are his parents. Likewise you may do wrong, you may despise God, or forget him, or have no desire to pray to him, but remember that you are still his child because he is your creator and the one who gives you life. This is a most amazing thing that pertains to you – that you are called to be the Child of God. But this is the bad part, when you sin because of the sickness of your praying heart or because you do not have God in your thoughts – you, the child of God, who has been given every good gift yet do not take this into account and do not want to praise him. This is the first picture we see in this Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15.2) – the picture of the two sons living at home with their father. Faith tells us that this is how it should be, a person should live at home with God as God the Son does. The characteristics of the son are love and trust and obedience to the Father. What characterises your life? Is it like the practice of the child of God? During the day do you speak in your heart to God? Do y0u praise him for the many blessings poured out upon your person? Are you aware that he is continually at your side at all times, always seeing, always listening, always loving you? Are you afraid that you may fall into some sin however small which will distress his loving heart? Are you listening for his voice speaking in your heart? Are you allowing him to be your guide and your carer? Do you trust him as your helper? Are you seeking to obey all his instructions and commands every day of your life? Or perhaps it is the case that you are silent and give no thought to there being a God, the Father by whom you were made, or that you give no thought to calling upon him from a prayerful heart. [?Your desire or your desires only are in line with those of your Father but in his plans he overlooks you, and you do not want to reward him or praise him for his goodness to you.] My friend, take a look and see whether God is truly absent from your thoughts, whether you thoughts are totally concerned with the things of this world, with the things to benefit your own body. Be aware that before you is the prospect of everlasting life and very soon you will arrive there. What will it be like for you when you arrive there and you have the same attitude of ignoring God that you have now? But perhaps your forgetfulness is not too bad – you forget at some times and remember some times. If that is the case then stop vacillating.
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Remember that you are a child of God, return home while you are close by. The time will end when you can return to the house of your Father, to the place of lasting joy, and you can enter the life everlasting which lies before you.
A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT.
To the Editor of Te Kopara.
Sir, your pet, Te Kopara, has come twice to my home and so I must thank you for sending it to fly over and reach out to the remnant of Te Waipounamu. It is right that in these latter days you people of Ngati Porou hear the voice of the Korimako, that is, the Kopara - these birds are one and the same. This indeed is the bird we need to feed us. Pipiwharauroa has flown away and is now living in its distant homelands – the islands of Rarotonga, of Japan, or wherever – as we are told by learned men in the accounts given by Te Pipiwharauroa; it doesn’t settle down on New Zealand’s coasts. Consequently it could not be a permanent pet for the Maori of Aotearoa and Te Waipounamu. It was a summer bird, there being no food for it in the winters of Para-te-tai-tonga [highest peak on Ruapehu]. You held on in vain, sir, but to no effect because you desperately needed food. Winter was when it flew to its warmer coasts to dry out its wings; it went to seek a place away from the mists. But the Kopara is a native of these islands. He lives in the place in which he grew up whether it is summer or winter and he comes down soaring over the banks of shrubs outside your door. But, Pa, this bird that flies here from Te Raukahikatea is a pet and needs to be hand fed if he is to survive. So you, man or woman, who listen to the lovely sound of his voice during all these months, where is your basket of karamu seeds to prevent the pet’s throat getting dry? His or hers, mine – it will all be taken, so do contribute for him.
Te Kerehi,
Archdeacon.
[T S Grace (1854 – 1918) was the son of the intrepid Thomas Samuel Grace, CMS missionary to Taupo. He was Vicar of Blenheim for 32 years and Archdeacon of Marlborough.]
FOOD FOR TE KOPARA.
Rev Mohi Turei, 7/-; Tiopera Heiwari, 5/-: Miss K Williams, 5/-; Miss I Hay, 2/6; Karepa Mataira, 5/-; Rev Makoare T Taurere, 5/-; Pere Harawira, 5/-; Moa Taimona, 5/-; Tango Te Whata, 5/-; Ven Archdeacon Grace, 5/-; Henare Aperahama, 5/-.
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THE ARTICLES
The main measure of the faith is the Bible, however since peoples’ interpretations of the Bible are not all the same the Church has summarized the teachings taken from the Bible and these summaries are called ‘creeds’ – the three creeds are that of the Apostles, that of Athanasius, and that of Nicea. All the major Churches in the world assent to these creeds, but many of these Churches that assent to these creeds teach different things from the Church of England. Therefore the Articles were written to distinguish the teachings of the Church of England from that of those Churches and these Rules also define all the teachings of the Church. The Articles of the Church England were written to condemn the errors of the Church of Rome and also the errors of some of the Protestant Churches. The leading person in producing the Articles was Cranmer. In 1628 the Articles were given the King’s authority and the Church requires its ministers to assest to the Articles.
The Sections of the Articles.
1. From 1 to 5. The fundamental teachings of the Faith summarised in the creeds.
2. From 6 to 8. Concerning the principle of the faith, that the scriptures contain everything necessary for a person’s salvation. This was the principle established by the Reformation.
3. From 9 to 18. Concerning the basis of the faith of each individual; that human beings were born sinful and need to be born again.
4. From 19 to 26. Concerning the faith of the Church. These articles set out the essential differences between the Church of England and the Church of Rome.
5. From 27 to 39. Concerning the faith of the people, particularly the nature of the relationship of the Church and the individual Christian with the government.
Members of the Church, do not be reluctant to read these explanatory words. This is the basic writing which makes clear to you to teaching of your Church. There are many who do not understand and, because they do not understand, live in darkness and are overcome by some other ways of salvation [whakaoranga sic ?whakaakoranga – teachings] which live alone in the heart and in the mind.When they pass on their teaching they take possession of a person. These explanations are a support to you to strengthen you to guard against wrong teachings with which you may be presented; they are a weapon with which you can strike such teachings.
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In the future we will explain one at a time the articles giving the verses of scripture to supplement and support them. May the Spirit of God give you strength and understanding.
ADVENT SUNDAY.
Because many members of the Church read without understanding the teachings contained in the various parts of the Church’s division of the year I had the idea of writing the following words. The purpose of those divisions is to provide signposts to remind us and to keep warm in our thoughts the great foundational things of our faith. So Sunday, 30th November, was Advent Sunday. This is the right time to remind us, first, that it was at this time that our paper started, and second, that Advent Sunday is the first Sunday of the Church Year. The teaching of this Sunday is clearly set out for us but people have difficulty with it; we fail to bear it in mind, we suffer from the affliction of forgetfulness and thoughtlessness, so let us now remember and think about it. This is a very serious affliction, an affliction for which we must seek medicine. This is the sickness that afflicts our faith and that afflicts all our efforts by which we seek to grow our faith. If the coming of Christ is of great significance – his death, his resurrection, his ascension and his later return; if it is these aspects which set us people right for this world and the next then why should we leave it for another person continually to remind us of these things. Each of these aspects affects you: Christ came for you, Christ died for you, and in the future Christ is coming for you, so why do you forget, why do you persist in ignorance? You don’t need someone else to remind you to eat food to sustain your bodies, so why do you need someone else to remind you to take food for your souls. You who have been a long time in the Church have been often reminded. Friends, think of the many who have not yet heard of the need for faith. If we were inspired, always thinking of the things we have been taught and reminded of continually these many years then the Church would have a different attitude to the people who have not yet heard the Gospel.
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It is a cause of heartfelt pain that we are continually reminded of this yet our hearts are deaf. Had this time that has been wasted on these many reminders been devoted to preaching to those other peoples they would have repented and become established in their faith. People, let there be an end to your forgetfulness and your thoughtlessness. Advent Sunday reminds us of these things. First:
(a) His first coming informs us of the fruits of his coming.
(b) The second teaching and the most important things is that we have the prospect of his coming again.
How do you stand in relation to his first coming? Do you think of what the first coming of Christ achieved? How do you stand in relation to his second coming? My friend if you don’t give thought to what Christ achieved by his first coming then the second coming of Christ will do you no good. If Christ has not come to you for the first time, if you have not told others about that coming, then Christ is not going to come to you a second time. How sad. This then is Advent Sunday, remember now that Christ came for you and will come for you in the future. Adopt new ways of doing things at the beginning of the Church’s year. And may this be our prayer: ‘Come, Jesus. Make our hearts your dwelling place.’
OTHER ITEMS.
Many wise people have sought ways of removing strikes from the face of the earth but have not found a way of doing it. According to some people the faith has nothing to say to this issue. But if a person looks into it deeply he finds that this alone is the thing which will bring an end to such a thing, namely, people having the teaching of Christ in their hearts. The principal teaching of Christ is that men are to be elder and younger brothers to each other, loving one another in a single family. This is the basic thing we observe emerging from the strikes – that people do not have this attitude in their hearts. The important word for the present is the saying of Cain, ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’ What we see in these days is the elder brother rising up against the younger and the younger against the elder. They murder one another.
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So men no longer think of themselves, see themselves as younger brothers and elder brothers in accordance with the teaching Christ who came to lay down his body for his friends. Had Christ come only for his own benefit then it would have been no use to us. So we see conclusively from this that the cure for this disease is the faith. The faith will tell the boss what is the right pay for his employees, and the employee will know that it is the right amount for him and they will not make trouble for each other. Consider those working in the Church; the pay of some of them is totally inadequate, one might say that they work for slave’s wages. But why do they stick to their work of ministry? It is because of the teaching of Christ. Were they working for a boss in this world they would have left the job. Enough of this explanation.
Bishop Averill was in Gisborne during the last days of November, his last visit here. A farewell was held one night in the town hall by all the Pakeha people of Gisborne. Many words of thanks were spoken to him. He is leaving this Diocese.
On Sunday, 30th November, some of the men of Te Rau College departed. Hori Raiti has gone to Auckland to be ordained Deacon. Paora Te Muera is going to Wellington where he also will be ordained Deacon.
A NOTICE
At my home, in Tuhoe country, there will be the consecration of a Church after the Hui Topu at Rotorua this March. Enough.
‘Matatua.’
TO THE MAORI CLERGY.
My friends, be diligent in supporting our paper. Make every effort to get your congregations to take the Paper and to send in their contributions. The Church has set this up, so use it. If you don’t then the contents of this new manifestation of our Paper will not be there to help with the activities of the Church.
Wi Paraire Rangihuna, Editor.
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A SERMON
Father T Rees
[Father Rees’s text was Matthew 28.20. ‘And remember, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ NRSV]]
Although it is more than a thousand years since Christ spoke these words they still have authority in these days. But if he had withdrawn his words then he would be untrustworthy and likewise all the business of the faith would be false and there would be no benefit to us who hold to that thing.
Think now of the vow the woman and her husband make to each other at the time of their marriage. If the vow between them is broken we are aware of the outcome – crying, sorrow, pain, and lament, the home is no longer a home. There is an end to laughing and dancing, the sun declines over the home and sorrow covers it. Think also of the oath between a bank and the person who has money in that bank. What happens if the agreement between them is broken? The answer to this question is obvious. If that agreement is broken, that is, it is broken by the failure of the bank, then the outcome is dreadful with the man whose money was in the bank losing out and the bank getting a bad name.
Similarly if this promise of Christ is broken it is a dreadful thing, a pitiful thing for us who have believed in vain – he is not at our side, nor is he our support, our friend at all times. It means that our faith is in vain. But let us truly give thanks that this promise of Christ still has had authority from the time it was uttered and to the many generations that followed right up to this generation and will do until the end of the world. The ways in which we have seen that he is with us at all times are these:
(1) We still have to this day the stories of his life, the accounts of his works and teachings, of his signs and his commands. These things have not died out but have come down to each generation. Although a thousand years separate us from the time he did his wonderful works those works strike the same pleasure in people’s hearts as if they are being done at this time. The many aspects of his life are continually remembered in the Church by each generation. He and his works and the stories of his life live amongst us as they lived for the many past generations right up to our own, and this is his message to all past generations and to this generation now: ‘And remember, I am with you [Paipera Tapu – as your friend] always.’ [Matthew 28.20] But this is not the meaning of the words of Christ when he says, ‘I am your friend.’ This is something widespread that happens to all great people who have lived in this world – they are remembered. We continue to remember the great people in the Church but, while we recall what they were like and what they did, they no longer make themselves personally present to all succeeding generations. We see from this that Christ’s promise means something more. What does his promise mean? This is what it means: he is still personally present with us, he is the embodiment of God at our side and amongst us. Were we to ask the first man, Adam, ‘Where is God?’ Adam might say, ‘In Heaven,’ and it is true that God is in Heaven. Were we to ask him a second time he might say that He is everywhere in the world. This answer would also be right. Were we to ask him again this question perhaps he would say that He was there in the Garden of Eden. Here we would end our conversation. Were we to ask one of the Children of Israel the question while they were in the Wilderness we would get these responses: (a) God is in Heaven; and that is right. (b) God is everywhere in the world; and that is right. (c) God is in His tent in the Ark within the Tent. Were we to ask the Jews in the time of Christ we would get these replies: (a) God is in Heaven; and that is right. (b) God is everywhere in the world; and that is right. (c) God is there in the Temple giving people life, and that is right. If we ask a Christian we would hear these responses: (a) God is in Heaven; and that is right. (b) God is everywhere in the world; and that is right. (c) God is at the Table at the Holy Communion. Yes, this is the true meaning of the words of Christ when he says, ‘I am with you always.’ That is the place where we really find him; it is the place where we most certainly know that he is beside us, that he is amongst us. Do not mistakenly think that he is far away. No, he is always close to us, always stirring us up, always giving us breath. Yes, our faith will deepen, our spiritual eyes will see more clearly, and then we will truly know the meaning of the words of Christ when he says, ‘I am with you as your friend always.’ When we see him there is no place he is not to be found; we will be aware of him everywhere. Perhaps this is our great failing as Maori and perhaps of most Pakeha too – thinking that God is not about, maybe in Heaven above the stars? Don’t be mistaken. Christ is always standing amongst you. He is always listening to what you say, he is always observing what you do, he walks beside you. You cannot always see the peak to which your faith is leading you but you can make every effort to enter that world. While we are still in this world we relate to this world and our Saviour watches to see how we are running the race. Let us make the prayer of the Disciples of Christ our own: ‘Jesus, increase our faith,’ that we may see him and lay hold of him.
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RULES OF THE PAPER.
1. Te Kopara is published monthly.
2. The subscription for the paper is five shillings (5/-) a year paid by postal note or stamps.
3. Anyone wishing to take Te Kopara should send the money with the covering letter.
4. Articles are welcome from all parts of the country, but the Editor reserves the right to decide on what to print. Write clearly.
5. Address all letters to:
Te Kopara,
Te Rau,
Gisborne.
A NOTICE
To those wanting a Prayer Book or Hymn Book. I now have plenty of books. The prices are:
Large, soft cover 2/6
Large, red cover 3/-
Large, hard cover 4/-
Large, superior cover 5/6
Small, soft cover 1/-
Small, red cover 1/6
Small, hard cover 2/6
Small, superior cover 3/6
Prayer Book with Hymns, soft cover 1/6
Prayer Book with Hymns, red cover 1/-
Prayer Book with Hymns, hard cover 3/-
Prayer Book with Hymns, superior cover 4/-
Hymns -/6
Words for the Prayerful Heart 3d
I will pay the postage to send the books to you
H W Williams,
Te Rau, Gisborne
People wanting a Bible or a New Testament should apply to the Bible Depository Sunday School Union, Auckland.
Bible, 2/6, 3/6, 4/6. Enclose a postage stamp for 1/-.
New Testament with explanatory headings 2/6, 3/-, 4/6. Enclose a postage stamp for 3d.
Small New Testament with Psalms 2/-, 2/6, 3/-, 3/6, 4/-. Enclose a postage stamp for 3d.
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