Te Kopara 18

Te Kopara 18

(Maori Version at Papers Past.)

[3] Te Kopara, Number 18, Gisborne, April, 1915.

‘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]

KING GEORGE

The Action of a Leader.

People, you have heard of an important matter that is being dealt with at present. It is not a new matter, but during this time of war, that is, just recently it has occupied the thoughts of the leaders of the English Empire. That matter is something we are very familiar with – the prohibition of alcohol. Perhaps you will tell us to take on a different issue saying that it is an issue of the past. But we would make it clear to you that although the issue is an old one it is one that comes up in different ways at various times.

There is a new aspect of the matter to be addressed. The matter has arisen anew because of some things that have emerged during the current fighting. The war began and so also began Lord Kitchener’s direction of it. Amongst the many instructions issued by Lord Kitchener to each soldier was that they were not to touch alcohol. Just so. Secondly, when Russia entered this war its Government passed a law completely doing away with this food, alcohol, in Russia. We explained to you how much money Russia committed to abolishing this drink – 99 million pounds. But don’t imagine that Russia suffered from committing so much money, no; we made known in one of the editions of our paper the benefits that came to Russia from doing away with alcohol. Shortly afterwards, France followed the example of Russia and the state of France is similar now in that they have prohibited alcohol in all France’s subsidiaries. This drink has been prohibited in Russia, it has also been prohibited in France, the land of the French, and only the Empire of England continues to consume that drink. But, my friends, do not think that the leaders of the Empire are lazy. No, they are working on the matter, they are looking, they are seeking ways of prohibiting this drink. King George has set an example in that he has done away with liquor in his own household, in the King’s palace and amongst all the people close to him.

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Now all the members of the Mother of Parliaments in England have followed the King’s example and have given up using alcohol and it has been banned from their Houses. Likewise most of the leading people of England are following the King’s example. Perhaps you may wonder why the King has not done away with this ‘food’ completely in his realm like Russia. The answer is that the King does not have the power to do this; he is indeed King of the Empire but the authority to manage everything relating to the Empire is with the Parliament, that is, with the people. The Parliament is identical with the people; the members of Parliament are chosen by the people to speak for them. And you know why it is so difficult to do away with this thing – because it is us people who have the decisive say. All the important matters are put before the people to vote on. You know very well how this happens here in New Zealand. Now it was easy in Russia to overthrow liquor because it is their king and his ministers who have the power and not the people. Therefore, whatever the people may think it cannot be brought to fruition since the king has the decisive say on all important matters. From this you’ll realise that our King has done a noble thing in setting an example. Secondly, you will perceive the thoughtfulness of our King. Some kinds of king might tell us to stop drinking that ‘food’. But, no, the King chose to set an example. So, leaders of the Maori People, what do you make of the example set by your fellow leader, King George? And people, what do you make of the example of our King? Perhaps the folk who swallow liquor will ask why we should bring about without debate the prohibition of our favourite food, liquor. You should know that the reason why the King and his Household, followed by the members of the Mother of Parliaments, have given up alcohol. It is out of consideration for his soldiers who are laying their bodies on the line for him, for his authority, and also for us his people, lest he be defeated and become an object of derision, lest he be enslaved by the enemy. But such a fate would affect not only him but also us, his people. King George thought that is was absolutely right to stop his soldiers drinking liquor. By so doing their minds would be resolute and their bodies strong and all their actions would be right. As a result of this idea which developed in his heart he set the example [embodied it] of which we have spoken. The King thought what good would it be if only his soldiers gave up drinking and he, the man who sent them to give their lives for him, continued to drink this ‘food’.

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So because of his concern for his soldiers the King set them this noble example, an example praised by the whole world. People, think about the example set by our supreme ruler. Maori chiefs, think about the example set by your fellow chief and be yourselves examples to your people here. Remember the many men who are laying down their lives for us and who have denied themselves this ‘food’ in order to be strong to engage with the enemy, to defeat the enemy so that we might continue to live in peace. What good is it that they are deprived of this ‘food’, and we are the reason for this deprivation, while we here drink it and get pleasure from it? Remember our young men, the Maori Contingent, who have landed in Egypt; we do not know if they will return or what will happen to them. Today is a day to think, a day to give up this ‘food’. Russia has seen the benefits of doing away with this ‘food’ and it is very gratified at seeing the many good things that have resulted from its policy. If England controls the use of this ‘food’ by all the smaller nations under her rule, it is not something done blindly but in the light of what she has seen in the Russian Empire. People, Te Kopara is appealing to those of you who support this cause to come out, and it will continue to publish your support, and it may be that those in two minds will be persuaded by your example. Many important people, leaders, are following the example of the King. So, you important leaders of the Maori People, the fuglemen of the canoes, add your names so that they may be seen by the people under you.

THE WAR.

The Maori Contingent at Melita.

The Prime Minister has spoken of the situation of the Maori Contingent which has gone. The Maori have not been sent to the fighting, but they are stationed in Melita where their work is to guard the prisoners taken by the Allies and sent there. You know that island , Melita, which is now known as ‘Malta.’ Melita is the island where the ship carrying Paul and the others was wrecked (Acts 28.1). This will gladden the hearts of those whose young men are in that Maori Contingent. Perhaps someone may be struck down by common illnesses but they won’t be shot down for they are a long way from the land of the conflict.

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GERMANY.

Germany is declaring its ability in these days to recover and to defeat the Allies. In these days the towns that it is concentrating on taking are Lille and Ypres. It was at these places that the major battles took place during the past summer when the Germans were defeated by the Allies. Germany has ordered all those capable of carrying a gun to enlist in the war, whether children or elderly.

THE ENGLISH FLEET.

Just recently news arrived that the German warships have put to sea and are fighting with the English fleet. We think that this report may have been made up because if they are fighting the report has taken a long time to reach us. The account came from the people on board a Norwegian ship. They said that they had seen some German warships to the west of Heligoland, the place where the fleets of England and Germany first came into conflict.

A MAJOR SEA BATTLE.

It is thought that there will soon be a major battle at sea. The idea sprang up in America. This prediction came about amongst the Americans because of the activity of English submarines sailing along the German coasts like a shoal of fish. The second reason why the Americans think there will be a major battle between English and German warships is that cargo ships have stopped sailing between England and Holland, the land of the Dutch.

THE GERMAN FLEET.

The Commander of the German Navy says in his reports, ‘His ships are continually sailing into the North Sea and have not seen English warships. His ships have sailed right into English waters.’ This statement appears to be a lie, a falsehood.

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BISHOP AVERILL.

To the Editor of Te Kopara.

My friend, Greetings. Because Bishop Averill is one of the elders who established Te Kopara as a bird to carry the plans and the doings of the Maori Church to other places, I have sent this account of the visit of Bishop Averill to these parts of his Diocese, the Tail of the Fish of Maui, Parengarenga, for you to publish. On 14th April the Bishop and Archdeacon Hawkins arrived at Parengarenga. It was his first visit to these parts. Te Aupouri were unrestrained in their welcome to their new Bishop. What follows is a summary of Te Aupouri’s welcome.

Welcome.

‘Welcome, our Father Bishop and Archdeacon Hawkins, the fuglemen of the canoe of the tribes of this country. Welcome. Tread in the footsteps of the Bishops before you - Bishop Selwyn, Bishop Cowie, Bishop Neligan, and Bishop Crossley. Those Bishops have passed on and you have taken their place. This Maori saying is true: ‘One chief dies and another arises in his place.’ [cf Nga Pepeha 1766] You are the figurehead of the canoe in these days. ‘It is the stern of the canoe that sets the prow right.’ Therefore welcome to the stern of the canoe to see whether or not the paddles are being wielded correctly. Welcome, Father, ‘the rata tree that shelters the people of this country.’ You are ‘the rare white heron of a single flight’ [cf Nga Pepeha 513] visiting this place and that. Swim across the billowy waves of the Tasman Sea (come over to Macedonia and help us [Acts 16.9]). Come with the authority that you have been given to inspect all parts of your Diocese. Our elders have all gone. We are the remnant living now. We still hold on to the treasure brought to us by Samuel Marsden in 1814 and both peoples, Maori and Pakeha, received the benefits. (The wolf lives with the lamb, the leopard lies down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child leads them. [Isaiah 11.6]) Welcome at this time of sadness for the people, for the country, for the whole world, overshadowed by darkness during this time of terrible warfare which afflicts the hearts of the two peoples of this country. ‘Let the Lord not agree to the wishes of wicked people lest their plans are fulfilled and they exalt themselves,’ [cf Psalm 140.8] but it is God alone who plans and does what he likes. Welcome to this strange land, to this strange people. Our hearts are enlivened at seeing our Father.

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We hope that the time the two of you spend as visitors amongst us will be a good time right up until the time you leave us. May God guard your coming in and your going out now and for ever. This is from Te Aupouri.’

The first act of the Bishop following the welcome was a Confirmation at 3.30 in the afternoon. Thirty-two people were confirmed. On the morning of the 15th there was Communion at which there were fifty-seven communicants. During the afternoon they went to the far end of the country to Te Paki, Te Rerenga Wairua. On Frday 16th they arrived at Te Kao. At 3 o’clock in the afternoon there was a Confirmation Service at which twenty-seven people were confirmed. On the morning of Saturday 17th there was Communion at which there were seventy-six communicants. After the feast they left us.

Later I will send the Bishop’s response to the welcome.

M P K

Te Kao, 26th April, 1915.

THE EVIL ACTIONS OF GERMANY.

There is no end to the disgusting actions of Germany. Just before the last days of April when the Allies and Germany met at the River Yser they did a very treacherous thing there, something that it is not right for one of the most highly educated nations of the world like Germany to do. When they knew that the Allies were approaching their fortifications, they poisoned the air. The thing they used to poison the air was gas in bottles which were in place in front of their breastworks. When they saw that the wind was right they opened the bottles and the gas came out, poisoning the air. The main people who suffered were the French. It just happened that they were where the air was poisoned. It was pitiful to see the reaction of the men to the slaughter; the poisoned air entered their lungs and they collapsed, they were beside themselves, and most died. It is said that it was not long before the bodies of those killed went black and one could not be distinguished from the other. Those who were still alive were mad. The main reason why the French suffered so much was that they did not appreciate what was happening to them and that they were being killed by stealth. For another thing, they were unable to get away; wherever they turned in that place they were killed.

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What they had done pleased the Germans. When they had poisoned the air they came to see the effects of their action. Their heads were covered with a kind of helmet containing medicine to combat the effects of the poison. They looked to see how well they had done. There is nothing more evil than what Germany did. Although the French died as a result of this atrocity on the part of Germany, it was not long before their deaths were avenged by the Canadians. These are the warriors in this conflict. When they came upon them most of the French soldiers had died and some had gone mad, their minds having been affected. Here they met the Germans. They were surrounded by the Germans. There was no way to get out except to fight. They divided their army in two, one front fighting the Germans on one side, the other fighting them on the other. They charged at them with bayonets and the Germans suffered no small loss. The Canadians did well to escape. Although many of them died, there were far more German casualties. The whole world wonders at the bravery of the Canadians, and Lord Kitchener has received praise for the Canadians from General French.

ITALY.

The Italians are impatient to enter the war. In a speech, one of the Professors (teachers at the large schools of Italy) said, ‘the right time has come for Italy to enter this great conflict.’ One sees the eagerness of the men of the universities of Italy to join in the war since many thousands of students have formed themselves into a body of soldiers under the Treaty of Rome and are shouting as they go, ‘War, Eternal Enemy!’, that is, ‘Why the delay? Let us fight this, our eternal enemy!’ The Italians are searching for all the German spies in Italy. Many have been arrested.

THE PLACES WHERE THE FIGHTING IS TAKING PLACE.

On the Western Front the places where the most intense fighting is taking place are Yser and Ypres. Germany is using all its strength in these places so as to get to Calais. General French has said, ‘If Germany persists with this plan they are

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pursuing of getting to Calais, then tomorrow they will be overcome.’ When General French’s soldiers heard this they put more effort into their fighting.

On the Eastern Front the most intense fighting is in Galicia, in the mountainous area called the ‘Carpathian Mountains.’ Here Russian is fighting the Germans and Austrians. It is in this area that there is the fort, spoken of in several issues of Te Kopara, which was besieged by Russia and which she defeated because the people within were starving. The name of that fort is Przemysl. Russia is fighting fiercely here and the enemy is falling before it. This country is snow-covered, but the nations fighting here are not deterred by the thick snow.

In the area of the Red Sea it is not known whether or not the enemy – the Turk - is retreating there. It would appear that they have not yet retreated. However you are very familiar with one of the places where there is intense fighting and that is the sea known as the Dardanelles. The latest news of this battle is that English troops have landed. The place where they have landed is not very far from the narrowest part of the strait where the fighting is taking place. It is 130 miles from that place to Constantinople. Previously the Allies have confined their attacks to sea battles using their warships. Now they are fighting at sea and on land. Among the troops fighting on land are New Zealand soldiers. We give you a short account of why the Allies are seeking to take Constantinople, that is, to bring an end to Turkish power. If Turkey is defeated then Germany will be completely encircled; it will have no way of getting food. So the plan is that Germany may go on fighting until its food supplies are consumed but it will then be defeated. Observe how Germany will be surrounded by the Allies. There will be no way open to Germany through the North Sea, or to the East, or to the West, or to the South. This is why the Allies are fighting to defeat the Turks.

LATE NEWS. WELL DONE, NEW ZEALAND.

On 29th April the Dominion of New Zealand received congratulations from the King for the bravery of the New Zealand soldiers in their first deployment in the Dardanelles. New Zealand did magnificently.

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THE HOLY BIBLE. (III)

This is what Paul says about the books of the Old Testament: ‘All scripture is inspired by God.’ (2 Timothy 3.16) Peter said the same thing: ‘Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.’ (2 Peter 1.21) These words are true also in relation to the books of the New Testament. These are not things made up by people. Christ clearly said to his Apostles that they would be taught by the Holy Spirit and that he would remind them of the things they were to speak (John 14.26) So it is said that all the books of the Old Testament and the New Testament are given us by God. The things people are to learn from those books are not things devised by men as if they were not revealed by God, rather they reveal God’s purposes for people and tell of his ordering of the things of this world as signs that people should beware of the things which lead to death and hold to the things that bring life.

Let us look more closely at why God gave us those books. According to Paul. ‘[All scripture] is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God my be perfect, thoroughly furnished for all good works.’ (2 Timothy 3.16 AV) By studying these the thoughtful heart will obtain salvation through Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 3.15) For this reason it is said, ‘[The unfolding of your words] gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.’ (Psalm 119.130 NRSV)

In former times Israel also was commanded to fulfil all the words of the law and to teach them to their children. (Deuteronomy 31.12-13) The Lord said to Joshua, ‘This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it.’ (Joshua 1.8) Christ said a similar thing to the Jews: ‘Search the scriptures; for in them ye think that ye have eternal life; and they are they which testify of me.’ (John 5.39 AV) Consequently Paul says to Timothy, ‘Give attention to the public reading of scripture.’ (1 Timothy 4.13) This also why the people of Beroea were commended, because they examined Scripture to see whether what Paul was saying when he preached to them about Christ was correct. (Acts 17.11)

So we learn here why a person should use this God-given gift, the Holy Bible. Do not leave it just lying there getting covered with dust and untouched by human hands, but read what is written within it, learn it well, and make it your meditation all the day. (Psalm 119.97)

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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

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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/-.

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Printed and published by H W Williams at Te Rau Printing Works, Berry Street, Gisborne, New Zealand.