Te Kopara 13
[1] Te Kopara, Number 13, Gisborne, October, 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]
THE CENTENARY OF THE FAITH.
Presently the centenary of the preaching of the Gospel to the Maori People will be upon us. We believe that this is a very appropriate time for the Maori Church to seek to make progress. In two month’s time it will be the second of the centenaries of the teaching of the Christian faith, and the purpose of these words is to stir up all the Maori congregations in each place.
It is a call to them to prepare, to take action, so that they will move forward like some other Churches amongst the Black peoples who are making great efforts in various parts of the world to build up the faith amongst them and to advance the works of the faith. It is clear that if something in this world is not going forward it is standing still or going backwards. If it is standing still or going backwards that is a sign of death. If a tree does not produce new leaves, that is a sign that that tree will dry up and die. Likewise if a Church does not show new leaves - baptisms and confirmations and other activities - before long it will dry up and die; and the Maori congregation who do not provide support for their own minister will, before long, stop thinking about their minister whatever his failing might be. The Apostle Paul says: ‘If we have sown spiritual goods among you, is it too much if we reap your material benefits?’ (1 Corinthians 9.11) ‘Those who are taught the word must share in all good things with their teacher.’ (Galatians 6.6) And one of the signs whereby one knows that the Maori Church is resolved to go forward is that each Maori congregation provides a stipend for its own minister and stops leaving it to the Pakeha to go on supporting him. This will be achieved by those congregations who are committed to forwarding the work and who seeking also to add to the money they receive from outside sources. But exceptions must be made for places
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like the Urewera for it is right that such places where the work is only beginning should receive help from the Pakeha. This matter has been carefully considered by the Standing Committee of his Diocesan Synod and at the meeting of the Synod this month the decisions of that gathering will be passed. The decisions are as follows:
1. The stipends of the Maori Clergy are to be paid monthly.
This is important, but it will not be achieved if the Maori Parishes do not send to Napier the stipend money for the Minister. If that stipend money is sent promptly then the Minister will receive his stipend promptly.
2. An annual amount of £2-0-0 will be deducted from the stipend of each Minister for the Pensions Board.
That £2-0-0 will provide the Pension for the Minister when he gets old or suffers sickness.
3. The stipend for the Ministers of Hawkes Bay and of Rotorua are to be provided by the Maori Church only, one part coming from the Clergy Sustentation Fund and one part from the people of the Parish.
The grants from the Clergy Sustentation Fund to the stipends of the Ministers are not the same: £90-0-0 is required in the case of Hawkes Bay and £40-0-0 in the case of Rotorua.
4. The same practice is to apply to the Parishes of Gisborne, Whangara, Tokomaru, Hikurangi, Waiapu, Te Kawakawa, and Te Kaha, that is, they will be met by the Clergy Sustentation Fund and the people of the Parish.
The money required for these seven parishes is almost £400.
5. All the churches and clergy houses are to be adequately insured.
6. That the Maori Parishes be billed for part of the cost of the Diocesan Synod each year so that the Pakeha section alone does not have to carry that burden.
7. That the Maori Parishes take note of the collection days designated by Synod:
For the Maori Church – on the First Sunday of Advent.
For poorer parts of the Diocese – on the Fourth Sunday in Lent and the first Sunday in September.
For Melanesia – on the Day of Pentecost.
FOOD FOR TE KOPARA.
Wetini Rangiapohia, 5/-; Wiremu Hona, 5/-; Mrs Raihana, 5/-; Apiata Teiritawai, 5/-; Rev Manihera Manahi, 5/-; Tamati Muhu, 5/-; Tamihana Te Aotata, 5/-; Rev F Spencer, 5/-; Ruka Totitoti, 5/-; Rev Reihana Ngatote, 5/-; Pita Pokiha, 5/-; O T Whaanga, 5/-.
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HUI TOPU OF THE MAORI CHURCH OF THE DIOCESE OF WAIAPU, 1914.
Some of the Motions.
Rev F A Bennett and Rev R Te Awekotuku:
‘That the Bishop arrange a time for this Hui to discuss the arrangements for the celebrating of the centenary of the Faith in New Zealand.’
Aramakaraka Hutuha and Hohepa Te Rake advised the Hui, the Chairman and the Committee:
‘That Aramkaraka Hutuha and Hohepa Te Rake were giving the one acre of land on which the Te Ngae Church stands to the Bishop permanently.’
Taranaki K Te Uamairangi:
‘That the Hui Topu be held at Omaahu, Hawkes Bay, in 1917.’
The Bishop’s Response:
‘Allow me to give this motion careful consideration.’
A question from Rev P Tamahori:
‘How are the clergy to regard the baptisms of those children who have been baptised by the Mormons and those children baptised by the Ringatu?’
The Bishop’s Response:
‘Baptism as practised by the Mormons and the Ringatu is not right Although they use water and pronounce the Name of the Holy Trinity they do not believe that Christ is the Son of God. Consequently their baptism is invalid; it is not baptism into Christ.’
Rev F A Bennett and Te Ngaera Houkotuku:
‘This Hui Topu asks the Bishop to set up a committee to implement the idea of the Maori people of this Diocese, namely, that Maori of this Diocese provide £1000 this year in support of the Maori minister who will be sent to the islands of Melanesia.’
Rev A F Williams and Rev W T Fraser:
‘We thank out Pakeha friends, men and women, for their commitment to continuing to run Sunday Schools for Maori children over the past years. And we urge Maori people to follow their example in the years that lie before us.’
A question from Rev P Tamahori:
‘Would he point out the way to shorten services?’
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The Bishop’s Response:
‘Ways of shortening the service. There is only one place where one can make cuts, discard something, and that is part of the exhortation, ‘Dearly beloved brethren.’ Other parts of the services in the morning or evening are not to be shortened or discarded on Sundays or major feast days. What happens in small parishes is that in the morning one part is used and in the evening another part, however those two services should be used in their entirety and no part left out.’
But one may make changes to the services in places where the people are unfamiliar with the faith and do not know the services. Worship in such places should be mission worship.’
Rev R Te Awekotuku and Rev T Hapimana:
‘That this hui gives thanks for Mr Goodyear and Rameka Haumia, the ministers of Tauranga, who have been taken to their rest in the Lord.’
Rev R Te Awekotuku and Te Ngaera Houkotuku:
‘That this hui sends greetings to our Bishop Averill who has departed from us to go to the Diocese of Auckland.’
Taranaki Te Uamairangi and Rev H P Munro:
‘That we express our sympathy to our colleague, Rev Te Muera Pupara, on the death of his wife.’
A request from Rev M Keepa to the Chairman:
‘Is it possible to have the clergy stipends paid monthly?’
The Bishop’s Response:
‘I am devoting my strength to achieving this objective.’
A request from Rev Manihera Manahi:
‘That the Church takes responsibility for looking for someone to help the nurses at Whakatane Hospital.’
The Bishop’s Response:
‘I am going to Whakatane and will speak with Miss North then I will be better informed.’
Rev P Tamahori and Rev M Keepa:
‘That there be recorded in the Report of this Hui the gratitude of the Hui for the good works done by these servants of God who have been called by the Father to the place where they rest from their labours – Revs Paraone Turei, Nikora Tautau and Mohi Turie.’
Rev F A Bennett and Rev T Hapimana:
‘That we devote our strength to doing away with liquor in our areas.’
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Rev H Pahewa and Rev A F Williams:
‘That this Hui thanks the people of Ngatiwhakaue and the other hapu of Te Arawa who have so generously hosted our Hui Topu, and may the blessing of God rest upon them, and may God protect them on this, one of our leading marae.’
THE WAR
We trust you, the readers of Te Kopara, will not mind that our story goes back to the time the war started. We are returning to the past because some of you are not clear as to the causes of this great war. The idea was to point out to you the causes first so that you may have an understanding of the stories that follow, but because of the sudden outbreak of the fighting we were not able to look back on those causes, thinking that you would want soon to hear accounts of the fighting at the time it was intense rather than leave it until it was cold and uninteresting when it reached you. At this time when accounts are not so forthcoming we thought that this is perhaps the right time to tell you of the causes of the war, something Te Kopara did not point out at the beginning. Very few people have pointed out why this conflict has become so extensive. There was not a single cause and some of them Te Kopara will tell you about now. The nations that started this war were Austria and Serbia. This is very clear to you. They were fighting over two things, first, over land and secondly, over the assassination of an Austrian Prince, an action that was not condemned by Serbia. These causes were of sufficient seriousness to bring about war between these two powers. But the dispute between these two would have of little consequence had not Russia and Germany joined in. And people need not have died had these great powers not adopted this line of conduct. In this way, my friends, this great war grew. You may ask how Germany and Russia were connected with Austria and Serbia; one could say that it is through family. The great powers of Europe are from these races – the Teutonic and the Slav. Germany and half of Austria are from the
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Teutonic line; Russia and Serbia and the other half of Austria are from the Slav line. This short explanation makes clear to us why Germany and Russia were so quick to enter into the dispute between Austria and Serbia – they entered because they felt for their relations; Germany sympathized with its younger brother Austria and Russia felt for its younger brother Serbia. Another short explanation about Austria. This nation is half-caste; one half is Teutonic, the other half Slav. That is why you heard of the smashing of that nation with some of them fighting on the Russian side in a civil war. This explains their destruction; it came upon them because of their allegiance to their half of the population. But although Germany and Russia joined in this dispute there was the possibility that it could have been quietly settled while it was still not a major or complex conflict but they could not achieve a satisfactory settlement. Why was there not an agreement between the two of them? It was because Germany wanted a war and this is the main reason for the escalation of this conflict. Wise observers believe that it was Germany that encouraged Austria in order to fulfil this desire, since, if Austria persisted in resisting fighting against Serbia, there would be no excuse for Germany to help Austria. Secondly, she was the one who controlled and governed Austria. The wise observers see that the following ideas lay behind German’s desire for a war:
First, she wanted to bring all of Europe under her authority, the small nations and the large nations. She knew that she could achieve this desire of hers as she looked at her strength – the work of an arrogant heart. When we review what Germany was like in the 44 years after 1870 we see clearly the birth of a spirit of aggression in Germany at this time, a spirit that was conceived and we are seeing its birth. In 1870 Germany defeated the French, a terrible defeat insofar as the Germans entered Paris, marching straight in. From that year up to the present day Germany has been training its soldiers, building warships, building fighting aircraft, and making other implements of war. Germany would not embark on these projects for no reason; but this was the reason, there was a desire within her to fight, and so she set about these projects and when she thought she was ready and was very strong, she thought that now is the time to fight.
The second thing one sees in Germany’s desire for a war is that she wants to defeat England. She sought a cause for a war between the two of them, and now it
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has happened. This German idea is now exposed although it was not seen at the beginning of the war. It was Germany’s plan first to strike down the Belgians (they have now defeated them); secondly, to strike down the French (this they have not achieved); thirdly, when these nations have been defeated, to fight against England while Austria and others would help her by troubling Russia. Germany’s distress at this time is because her desires have not been fulfilled. She had not arrived in Paris on 3rd September, the day set for her arrival there has passed. During that week we heard that she had overthrown Antwerp, one of the large Belgian cities. They thought that it would be good were they to take that city, but now they are lamenting the wasteful loss of their men. They lost innumerable men because they would not take Belgian soldiers as prisoners and consequently Antwerp had no sympathy for them. Although they took Antwerp they could not get to the sea, first because English warships were sailing there as sentries, and secondly, because the English had placed mines in the mouth of the river on which that city stands, and they could not go out or enter. The latest news now is that the Germans have abandoned that city and have retreated. They have realized that it is no use to them.
Now I shall explain why England, France and Japan entered this war. The English and the French joined in because of the Treaty between them and Russia. If one of them found themselves in trouble and called upon the others they were to come and help. Russia and France were the ones who became involved in this war and they called upon England for help. But do not think that this is the main reason why England is fighting; no. The reason why England is fighting is Germany’s unjustified intrusion on the peaceful life of Belgium. The law of warfare is that if a nation is not engaged in fighting then one of the nations that is engaged in warfare shall go by way of that neutral nation; it is not right to disturb the life of that people. That meant nothing to Germany and they trampled on that law. Consequently England was aroused by the suffering of Belgium. Japan entered the war because of her Treaty with England. If one is troubled the other will come to help. This is why Japan is fighting at this time. This very day news has come that Portugal has entered the war with 90,000 soldiers. This power has
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entered because of its Treaty with England in which it agrees that England should protect its interests in Europe and Africa. My friends, these are the causes of the fighting that is taking place and the reasons why each nation has joined in and extended the scope of the war. You can see from these explanations that Germany is the main cause of this war – the outcome of greed, arrogance and boasting.
THE MAORI CONTINGENT
On Sunday, 18th October, men from the Tairawhiti, from Patangata to Paritu, travelled to Napier. There they met up with those from Hawkes Bay and Te Waipounamu and travelled by rail to Auckland for their training.
These are the names of the Turanga men:
Arona McGregor, Te Rau College; Whare Mira, Whatatutu; Hone Morete, Te Karaka; Hone Mokena, Whatatutu; William Morris, Te Karaka; Piana Pera, Waerenga-a-hika; Akuhata Paku, Gisborne; Pare Pewhairangi, Gisborne; Renata Pohatu, Muriwai; Wiremu H Rangi, Gisborne; Rangi Rua, Te Kuri, Gisborne; Hori Haere, Hemi Tamihana, Rewiri Kirimana, Wiremu Tuhiwai, Kuru Puhipuhi, Tolaga Bay; Autini P Kaipara, Gisborne; Wharetini Rukingi, Huru Warakehi, Waerenga-a-hika College; Rua Pereto, Epiha Puru, Whatatutu; Rimu Kara, Muriwai; Teira Taputene, Otoko; Rawene Grant, Waerenga-a-hika; Wiremu Halbert, Te Arai; Tere Kani, Muriwai.
These are the Ngati Porou men:
Harata Matehe Awarau, Kawhena Tokara, Hikitapu Parata, Riri Tapine, Rupene Toheriri, Hutare Maraki, Waipiro; Rauwiri Taewa, Turei Kerehi, Hohaia Makarati, Tio Wiremu, Hare Kake, Maku Heera, Hare Taumaunu, Tuparoa; Erueras Kawhia, Rere Poi, Rutene Reihana, Tamehana, Remana Paenga, Waiapu; Waiheke Puha, Tawhai Kohere, Komene Poutu, Poono Pereto, Tio Pereto, Hani Pereto, Rena Turi, Timi Keneti, Enoka Potae, Te Arawa; Tio Peka, Hone Petiha, Wiremu Kouka, Whare Pahina, Tokomaru.
(To be continued.)
A LETTER FROM THE REV H W WAINOHU
Chaplain to the Maori Solciers.
On 25th October Henare Wepiha Wainohu’s letter to the Editor of Te Kopara arrived telling of their life in Auckland. He said that all his children there are very well. At the time he wrote there were 489 soldiers there; some had yet to arrive.
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Of these 489, 388 belong to the Church of England, 72 are Catholics, 17 are Wesleyans, 4 Presbyterians, 7 are Mormons, and 1 belongs to Te Ruri-tuawhitu [The Church of the Seven Rules of Jehovah – See Bronwyn Elsmore A Century of Maori Prophets]. He thinks that if no Maori Minister is forthcoming from Ngapuhi as his colleague then Mr Hawkins, that is Archdeacon Hawkins, Archdeacon of the Maori in the Diocese of Auckland, will come as his colleague.
TE PAHOU CHURCH OF ENGLAND CHURCH.
The money Contributed.
Foundation Contribution 25 0 0
Extra 2 19 9
Roman Catholic Church 16 3 3
Ringatu Church 5 0 0
Extra 3 6 0
Rangitaiki (Hatua) 1 0 0
Extra 2 7 0
Motiti 1 0 0
Extra 4 9 0
Pukehina 10 0 0
Extra 2 2 0
Ruatoki (Tuhoe) 4 0 0
Extra 2 0 0
Opotiki (W Nikora) 1 0 0
Extra 1 2 0
All Te Arawa 19 12 6
Extra 1 7 6
Kaikohi (Nuirangi Ngapuha) 1 10 0
Extra 1 17 0
Pakeha Friends 15 9
Te Tairawhiti (Parekura, etc.) 50 4 0
Extra 1 10 0
Gifts 4 0 11
£162 6 5
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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/-
Prayer Book, New Testament and Hymns, red cover, 3/6
Prayer Book, New Testament and Hymns, superior cover, 5/6
Hymns 6d
Words for the Prayerful Heart 3d
I will pay the postage to send the books to you
H W Williams,
Naurea, 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 the Psalms. 2/-, 2/6, 3/-, 3/6, 4/-. Enclose a postage stamp for 3d.
Printed and published by H W Williams at Te Rau Printing Works, Berry Street, Gisborne, New Zealand.
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