Te Kopara 5
[1] Te Kopara, Number 5, Gisborne, February 1914.
‘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]
AN EXPLANATION
This is an explanation to those who have written to the printer of Te Kopara asking if Te Kopara is solely for articles about the soul and not for articles about the world. Yes, that is the purpose of our paper. Te Pipi included in its articles both things – religious articles and stories of the world. Because that paper of ours did not thrive the Bishop decided to close it and to try out a new paper in which the articles deal solely with Church matters or spiritual things.
This will not exclude some articles about world matters but you must be aware that most of the articles will be about Church matters, about the Scriptures and about spiritual things. This was spoken of in the first edition of Te Kopara and in the last edition of Te Pipi. It is no good people saying that this is wrong since although Te Pipi did a great job it was not supported. It was a paper that contained all sorts of articles. Therefore, because that sort of paper was not supported, the people who were paying the debts of the paper, Archdeacon Herbert Williams and Bishop Averill, decided to close it and to set up a designated Church paper. Because it is like this with a narrower focus on the Church it will be welcomed. This is the policy of our new paper, Te Kopara. A few words to those who have received copies of Te Kopara, those who have not yet made a financial contribution: friends, give some thought to your treasure. Reflect that you are a member of the Church and why should you be in two minds about sending a subscription for your paper? The survival or death of this paper is in your hands. If you do not support it it will die; if you do support it then it will grow into a treasure. Very few people have sent in their contribution, people the Editor had no idea would think of it. The people who have been most reluctant have been the Maori clergy, not to speak of their congregations
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whom they are responsible for stirring up. My friends, our paper is proceeding with difficulty. We are seeking help for it and are not sure what will happen if it is not found. It is out of love for you that these papers are being sent and money is being expended, but what will happen if you do not help it?
THE ELECTION OF THE NEW BISHOP OF WAIAPU.
On Thursday, 22nd January, the Synod of the Diocese of Waiapu met in Napier to elect a new Bishop. The synod opened at half-past four in the evening. Eighty-nine people attended the Synod; fifty-four clergy and thirty-five laity. Archdeacon Herbert Williams is the person managing the work of the Diocese while there is no Bishop; he is also the spokesman for the Bishop in his absence and so he was the Chairman of this gathering.
After the Chairman’s opening prayers and his reading of the Licence from the Presiding Bishop of New Zealand authorising him to run the work of this Diocese, Archdeacon Ruddock read the Report of the Committee which had looked into the suitability of all the men who had been suggested as fit for the office of Bishop. He read out sixteen names and gave their good or bad points and their main qualifications. Most of the names were from Sydney. When the names had been read out the meetings was open to the house for nominations of people suitable to be Bishop. The procedure was that if a person was nominated by a minister the nomination had to be supported by a lay representative and then the person was named before the house as a candidate for their votes: if he was not seconded by a layman then he was not nominated. The following six people were nominated:
1, Canon Golding Bird.
2. Rev Langley.
3. Dr Radford.
4. Canon Sedgwick (Hetewiki)
5. Bishop Wilson.
6. Archdeacon Herbert Williams.
The voting on these people was a major task. At the third vote Archdeacon Williams withdrew his name leaving two names in the contest, those of Canon
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Sedgwick and Dr Radford. On the first vote three people were eliminated – Rev Langley, Bishop Wilson and Canon Golding Bird. In the fifth round of voting Canon Sedgwick was elected with twenty-nine clergy voting for him and nineteen lay representatives: twenty-five clergy voted for Dr Radford and seventeen lay representatives. So, people, our new Bishop now is Bishop Sedgwick. It will be good if this man spends a long time amongst us. It is now the case that two men have come from the one diocese of Christchurch. It will be good too if this man has the physical strength to do the heavy work of this diocese. Thirdly, our hearts look to this man to take in hand the many ways of strengthening the work of the Maori section of the Church in this Diocese. It is our job now to pray for our new Bishop that he may be well prepared for the time when he is set apart for the office of the true Shepherd, that he may be truly filled with the Holy Spirit at that time, and that he may be given the spirit of knowledge and wisdom so that he may be able to manage the demands of this Diocese.
A DEATH IN THE CHURCH.
During the last days of January we lost one of the oldest members of the Maori Church, Mr Goodyear. Mr Goodyear was known throughout all parts of the Tairawhiti as a humble man, a generous man, with a deep commitment to his work amongst Maori. News of his death caused an outpouring of sympathy, coming as it did just before the meeting of the Synod to elect a new Bishop for Waiapu, which was held on 22nd January. There was great distress amongst his friends as they sat together, talked together and travelled together to the Synod meetings in Napier. At Synods his children, the Maori ministers, would wait for him to appear. And there would be great delight when he appeared, with people calling out, ‘E Kuti! E Kuti!’ At this session of Synod he was gone and his voice calling out, ‘Tena koutou, e aku tamariki!’ [Greetings, my children!] was extinguished.
Farewell, Sir. Go well since you have fought your fight in this world. Go to the rest prepared for you.
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THE NEW BISHOP OF WAIAPU.
Canon Sedgwick is 63 years old. He was born in Fremantle in the north of England. He was educated at one of the great English Colleges, Christ’s College, Cambridge. In 1881 he gained the degree of BA. In 1882 he was ordained by the head of the Church of England, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and in was in the Diocese of Canterbury that he worked in his first parish. In 1884 he went to be chaplain on one of the Kings battleships. Because of his excellent word he was awarded two medals. From 1885 to 1886 he was on board the battleship HMS Thunderer. After that he returned to land to serve as minister in the village of Hockley Heath. He was three years there from 1886 to 1889. Leaving there he went to Africa, returning to England three years later. In 1901 he served as chaplain to a leading nobleman, Lord Home. But because of his strong desire to come to this colony he came here in 1901. He served in the Parish of Waikari in the Diocese of Christchurch. He was there from that year until 1903 and was minister of Akaroa in 1904. Subsequently he was installed as the Vicar of St Luke’s in Christchurch [Canterbury]. In that year the Bishop of Christchurch made him a Diocesan Missioner. This was his work when he was nominated to be Bishop of Waiapu. He is said to be an agreeable preacher, a gifted speaker, and to be filled with the Holy Spirit. And he is a man very disposed to the Maori People. He arrives in Napier of 18th of this month.
OTHER ITEMS.
Because a leading man from Te Wairoa thought that Archdeacon Herbert Williams should be made Bishop of Waiapu he hired a large vehicle to take him and some other members of Synod who supported Herbert to Napier without a thought for the cost. Those who travelled were two lay representatives, two Pakeha clergy and three Maori clergy. It was a great way to travel and that Pakeha bore the cost of the journey to Napier and the return to Te Wairoa. That Pakeha’s name is Hunter Brown and he is a member of Mr Williams’ s set; he is a close friend of Herbert.
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In his speech to the Synod he said that there was no better man than Herbert to be Bishop of this Diocese because he knows all that is required to grow the work of this Diocese, he knows the Maori language, and he is very familiar with Maori ways. His speech was strongly supportive of Herbert. The Maori ministers who had the good fortune to travel this way were Hemi Piititi, Wepiha Wainohu, and Wi Paraire Rangihuna. It is 100 miles from Wairoa to Napier. They set out at 8 o’clock in the morning and arrived at 3 o’clock in the afternoon. The journey took 8 hours. It didn’t seem long. The motor car is a remarkable thing and whatever the size and the difficulty of each place it gave no appearance of being troubled. When they arrived in Napier the Maori clergy went on to Hastings where they were welcomed by Te Muera and his wife; they stayed in their beautiful home right in the town to which they were taken by their car. This man is one of the Maori Millionaires and he made these three people very welcome. Greetings to them and their children.
The Maori ministers who attended the Electoral Synod were:
Rev F Bennett (Superintendent, Rotorua)
Rev W K P Rangihuna (Second Master, Te Rau)
Rev Pine Tamahori (Hikurangi, Ngati Porou)
Rev Peni Hakiwai (Ruatoki, Missioner)
` Rev Manihera Tumatahi (Whakatane)
Rev Rewi Wikiriwhi (Rotorua)
Rev Wiremu Waaka (Tokaanu)
Rev R T Kohere (Te Araroa, Ngati Porou)
Rev Turuturu (Te Puke)
Rev Piititi (Wairoa)
Rev H Wepiha Te Waihonu (Mohaka)
Rev Patihana Kokiri (Moteo)
Rev Hemepiri Munro (Heretaunga)
Rev Tuahangata (Dannevirke)
Rev Ropere Tahuriorangi (Tauranga).
Canon Sedgwick has given notification that he agrees to become Bishop of Waiapu. The date of his consecration is not yet known.
Last year the English Bible Society distributed 14,309,000 copies of the Bible to all parts of the world.
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A SERMON.
By Father T Rees.
‘You have come to Mount Sion, to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem, to the hosts of angels, to the great assembly.’ Hebrews 12.22
Te Kopara’s exposition of this verse ended in the last edition with Mount Sion; now let us expound the third section, ‘the city of the living God.’
It has been explained that Sion was a city, the first city of David; likewise the Holy Catholic Church is a city, the City of God. But let us be clear as to what this city spoken of in this verse is like. Do not assume wrongly that this is like our present-day towns; no, it is like the ancient cities which were fortresses, cities surrounded by stone walls, and one came in and went outside through gates, just like the walls of Jerusalem and Jericho and other towns spoken of in the Scriptures. So let us look at the parallels between the city and the Holy Church of God. Let me speak of aspects of the city. First, this thing, the city, is a gathering of people; when it is completed people come together to live there. The reason why they gather together to live there is that it is where one can live safely and sleep soundly in the face of enemies. When the people are gathered in the city guards are arranged for the city, sentries who live on the walls. Their job is to be on the watch so that no war party can attack it. If an army is seen approaching they alert the people in the city; their work is to be always on the watch lest people are unable to live inside in quiet. That fort is of no use if there are no sentries to guard it and to alert the people inside. Likewise the Church of God is a gathering of his chosen people, of Christians. Within the Church one is able to life in safety and to sleep soundly; it is a place of peace. All of us have arrived there at the time of our Baptism. The place is spoken of in the Baptism Service as being the Ark, like Noah’s Ark at the time of the Flood. But it is no good us coming into that city if there are no sentries on the walls to guard the city. It might happen that the enemy comes and assaults the city, and how can one stand against the surprise attack? So ministers have been appointed to be preachers, sentries, to guard the city. This then is the first thought suggested to us by this thing, the city: that we should remember that we are in the city and that our enemies are outside. But it is no good us being inside the city if we do not have alert hearts and if we do not listen to the voice of the one whose job is to wake us up.
The second idea suggested to us by this thing, the city, is the fighting of a battle for the city. In that event one sees the bravery of each part of the city;
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one knows the names of each warrior who died in the fighting or survived. We discover and know the stories of each part of the city. The brave stories of the city come down as things to encourage later generation and to stir the blood at times they are called to fight. This is the source of strength of the English in these days. When there is fighting the thoughts of the English go back to their past heroes; the stories of those heroes stirs the blood so that no-one is in two minds about going to the war. The Church of God is like that – a city that has known its warriors, hosts of them, thousands of them, those who have fallen and those who still live. Perhaps if we knew their stories we would not be seeing the decline of the faith these days. This is one of the great failings of today’s Church, that it does not know the stories of those who fell in the great battles to establish the Church on earth. Remember those Christians who were put to death when Rome ruled the world. Read the story of the Church and there you will find the many heroes of the Church; there also you will learn the stories of the many different warriors of the Church and of the places which stood firm and were not defeated by the enemy. In so doing we are given a new spirit, and a new strength will strengthen us who bear the name of the Church in these days.
THE ARTICLES, II
Explanation.
This Article was set down to condemn many false teachings about the nature of the Word, the Son of God, who was incarnate and became very man. These were the false teachings:
(a) Concerning the things relating to his Divinity.
1. Arianism. This stated that the nature of the Son was not one person with the Father.
2. Semi-Arianism. This view took part of the teaching of Arianiam saying that the Son and the Father shared the identical nature but were not one person.
3. Adoptionism. This teaching maintained that Christ was not the only Son of God but was only an adopted son.
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(b) These teachings related to his humanity.
1. Docetism denied the incarnation and the humanity of Christ.
2. Apollinarianism said that Christ’s spiritual perception was not that of a human being.
3. Monophysites say that Christ does not have two natures.
(c) These teachings related to the two natures of Christ.
1. Nestorians said that Christ embodied two people and had two natures.
2. Eutychians said that Christ did not have two natures.
There are four important statements in this Article.
I. The divinity of the Son of God.
II. His humanity .
III. The unity of these two natures within him.
IV. Christ truly died. The cause and the fruits of that death.
The verses of Scripture supporting these headings.
I. Divinity. a, The Son of God. John 1.1; Hebrews 1.2. b, Begotten from everlasting of the Father. John 1.18; Romans 8.32; Matthew 8.17. c, The very and eternal God. Colossians 2.9; Romans 9.5. d, And of one substance with the Father. This is based on the fact that he is a God. Were he subordinate to the Father and of a different nature to the Father he would not be a God and he would not be God.
II. Humanity of the Son. John 1.14; Luke 2.6-7.
III. They were truly one, their natures were never to be divided. a, This was revealed in his life on this earth. See sections 1 and 2. b, After his Ascension. Acts 1.11.
IV. He truly died. John 19.33; Luke 28.46. b, The purpose of his death – (1) To make peace between us and the Father; (2) As a sacrifice for sin. 2 Corinthians 5.19; Hebrews 9.26. c, The fruit of his death. Colossians 1.21; 1 John 2.1-2.
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During the first week of this month Bishop Averill and his wife and family at last travelled to their new home in Auckland. They went by train and many Napier people were at the station to see them as they left. It was their parting from Bishop Averill.
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NEWS OF THE WORLD.
London, 10th February.
An aeroplane carrying passengers collided with a similar aircraft but there was only one person on board this one. They were flying at one hundred feet. When they collided the lone person on the one aircraft was killed while those on the other suffered injuries.
Auckland.
On the evening of 9th of this month Bishop Averill was installed on the throne of the Bishop of the Diocese of Auckland. All the clergy of the Diocese were present to celebrate the enthronement [lit. crowning] of their Bishop. The Bishop preached a very powerful sermon and after the service the Te Deum Laudamus was sung – ‘We praise thee, O God; we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.’
At the court hearing held at Port Awanui this month a Pakeha was fined £50 for illegally selling liquor to Maori. Te Awanui is in the Horouta area.
One of the motor cars of the Motor Company in Te Wairoa collided with a motorcycle owned by Apirana Paora, a Maori, on the descent from Te Uhi to Te Wairoa. The motor car was coming down and the motorbike was climbing up. Somehow the man on the motorbike was cut off in front of the motor car. When they collided Apirana was carried along for ten yards by the motor car. He lost consciousness but he was strong and is now lying in hospital.
The Australian cricket team is now touring New Zealand. Neither Auckland or any of the other teams they have played have been able to bewitch them. They play the Gisborne team here on 20th and 21st of this month.
The Waiapu Bridge will be opened on 20th of this month. The opening of this bridge will be a very great day for Ngati Porou. This is a very dangerous river and is uncrossable during floods, and many people have died trying to cross it. However this is a great thing – a bridge has been built, a lifeline for the people of the Ngati Porou area and also for travellers. But the great significance of the completion of this bridge is that it testifies to the development of the enterprises in the Ngati Porou area amongst both Maori and Pakeha. There’s an end to people having to wait for the water to go down.
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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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