Te Kopara 39
[3] Te Kopara, Number 39, Gisborne, 15 January, 1917.
'Iti te Kopara kai taririkiri ana i runga i te Kahikatea.'
Although the Bellbird is small, he plucks at the Kahikatea. [cf Nga Pepeha 908]
LIFE HEREAFTER
By W Turiea Puha, Uawa.
Chapter II – ‘I’ without end.
We have seen in Chapter I that the commander of a person’s body and brain is the living spirit sent by God to rule the person, and it is that which is called in Chapter I, ‘I’. I wish to lay before the readers of these words some ideas which will show them the truth of such sayings as “The ‘I’ has no ending.”
1. Is the death of the person the end of ‘I’? Certainly not. What is the real meaning of these words, ‘the death of a person’? The real meaning is this, the separation of the soul from the body of the person; when a person dies the living soul abandons the body which ceases to move and for which there is no further use. It is as when a house is abandoned by someone: we know that this is permanent, and that house is filled with spiders, and the dirt piles up inside so that it is no longer useful or beautiful. The body of a person is only his house. There are many illnesses which separate the soul and body. Like the house there are many things to destroy the body – fire, earthquake, or simply age. The body of a person will be buried but the soul cannot be buried for that belongs to God; it is not something we can see like this body, therefore God has the disposal of it. It is said that souls go to Te Reinga (I will explain this word in Chapter III). We know that the body decomposes and becomes something scary to some people. Like the broken-down house it is awful to look at. However the soul goes to God, that is, with God it finds its place and its purpose. This shows us that the soul does not perish but it goes on, it lives on, and it continues to function even though it arrives in Te Reinga. The saying is true, ‘I’ without end.
What are some of the things that support the saying that there is no end of ‘I’?
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Let us look at some people who are afflicted by some serious disease; they will not lose their power to think but they will know how to talk and they will also have the power to think. This shows that sickness does not have power to destroy a person’s mind, and we know that the different thing that lies behind the brain of a person and which is the source of thought is the ‘I’, the soul. If a person’s death is also the death of their soul then the weakening of their body would also involve their soul. But the fact is that their thinking is good even though other parts of the body are weak.
If some serious illness afflicts some people they do lose their ability to think. This is not a reason to say that we are right to say that it is a sign of the end of the soul – far from it. The soul is still well, still strong, but the means by which it expresses itself, the brain, is weak. It is like a person talking to his friend in some other village on the telephone – should his machine break down what he says will
not be heard. It is not that the man has died, it is his machine that has died. Likewise the soul lives but the brain is weak, therefore although the body dies the soul lives and it belongs to God.
From the ideas that have been expressed we see that there is no end of the soul even though it is separated from the body. Rather, we know and have seen that the body decays and it is called a lowly body. We will explain in Chapter III where the soul goes when it is separated from the body; there is no room to do so in this chapter. There also we will learn whether or not the life of the soul comes to an end.
(To be continued.)
GERMANY AND ITS PEACE-MAKING.
This is the peace proposal Germany sent to the neutral nations:
‘This is the largest war ever. For nearly two and a half years there has been fighting and wickedness. Although we have lived in the light for 2000 years we cannot bring it to an end. The physical and spiritual characteristics of Europe have been nullified. The strength of Germany and its allies has been widely recognised; they will not be defeated although the war has gone on for a long time. We fight to hold on to justice and the well-being of the people. We have no
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desire to kill or do away with the enemy, although our determination and our ability to fight is known, and they will continue even though the war is long. But our idea is to make a lasting and honourable peace so that all people may live well and grow in what is right. If our enemies refuse then Germany and its allies will fight on and gain the victory. And if our enemies do not wish to end this murderous work because they think that they will win in the end, then the flame of the fire of war will blaze in all German hearts and God will be our judge. We continue to be courageous, we will not be afraid, we will not be ashamed. Rather we will continue to fight and also to work for peace.’
THE RESPONSE OF THE ALLIES.
There are two false assertions made by the Germans in their peace proposal. First, they lay upon the Allies the responsibility for this war, and second, they claim that Germany will be victorious. Both these assertions are completely wrong. The Allies want peace now as much as in 1914 when Germany rejected their peace proposals with the result that we are now at war. Therefore they cannot agree to this German proposal and they are unable to have confidence in the genuineness of its peace-seeking.
All the proposals devised at the beginning to avoid war were ignored by Germany and Austria who declared that they would fight. The neutrality of Belgium was violated with Germany saying that the treaty that had been agreed previously by them was only ‘a scrap of paper.’
When the state of Belgium and some other territories is restored, and the Allies’ proposals for reparations are agreed along with the conditions for a lasting peace, then the war will end.
Twelve of the Allied nations have agreed and their representatives have signed the above response, namely, Belgium, Russia, France, England, Japan, Italy, Serbia, Montenegro, Portugal and Romania. It was sent through those neutral nations in contact with Germany.
†††††††††
Kingi Hamana has died in one of the English hospitals, Walton Hospital. He is the first Maori soldier to die in England.
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THE EGYPTIAN SECTOR.
There has been much good news from the Egyptian sector, and the Suez Canal is being strongly guarded by the English against any Turkish approach. Two Turkish towns close together were taken. They appear close to Jerusalem on the Mediterranean coast. They are El Arish and Magdaba to the south-east, close to the border of [Hiriani]. The soldiers became very weary here because of the speed at which they travelled covering 20 miles in four hours on the sandy roads there using camels, horses, and aeroplanes. Both men and beasts were thirsty but the men bore themselves as brave warriors. The Turks fled and people of the town of El Arish came together to welcome the English army when they entered. But that was not the end of their travels for the English and they headed on towards Jerusalem and although there were some strong Turkish forts nearby they reached Jerusalem. Now this area to the north of the Sinai Peninsula has been cleared and there are no Turks nearby. In this way Germany’s ideas have come to an end: it wanted to take over the Suez Canal. The same has happened to the south of the Suez Canal where the Turks have been driven back more than 48 miles in this part of Sinai and have not been able to get close to Suez. The English are aware that the Canal must be closely guarded lest it be filled with mines by the Turks. In this Division in Egypt are some New Zealand soldiers.
In the fierce battle for the Suez Canal the English battered the Turks and 1200 prisoners have arrived in Cairo, Egypt. They have no shoes and their clothes are falling apart. Their ages range from 18 to 50. The eldest of the men is 50.
GERMANY ON THE SEAS.
We have heard news of Germany sinking ships sailing between Europe and the Americas in the South Atlantic, that is, the area between South America and Africa. The Germans have been engaged in this activity since 8th December and up to 12th January. At last it has been made known that the people on the vessels that have been sunk who have been taken prisoner have been loaded on board a captured Japanese ship, the Hudson Maru, and have been set down at Pernambuco, a town on the east coast of southern America. The number of ships that have been sunk or captured by the Germans during those days is seventeen,
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though some think there are more. On one English ship that was sunk without warning 400 people died, but it is thought that the total number was higher. It is said that 400 people were loaded by the Germans onto another ship, the Yarrowdale, and landed on an island (Cape Verde Islands) not far off the African coast.
Amongst the people landed at Pernambuco were 170 English, 54 French, 13 Americans, and some from other countries.
According to the people who have been put ashore the German ship that is going about sinking sea-going vessels is the Moewe (we have heard before of the activity of that ship sinking vessels); others say it is the Vilita which is like the Moewe.
This ship sailed, we’ve been told, from Kiel in Germany loaded with dried hay and flying the flag of the neutral nations. During the day it sailed slowly but at nights it put on speed. When it met up with ships of the neutral countries it flew its English flag. Some times it was painted to appear as a different ship and when it drew near to other ships it would lower the screens on its sides revealing large guns on the cunning rascal. Its crew numbers 250 with four officers. We have been told that more than one ship has been fitted to go about sinking ships and that some are in the Gulf of Mexico.
The Brazilian Minister of Marine has given instructions to his warships to look out for ships that are going about sinking other vessels and breaking the laws dealing with neutral countries, and to guard German ships in its territories, restraining them should they seek secretly to sail away.
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THE BURNING OF THE GUNPOWDER FACTORY.
On Friday, 19th of this month the gunpowder factory to the east of London was burned down. The fire began in the upper floors where most of the powder is mixed and where the leading scientist, Dr Angel, was located. When the fire broke out he told the workers to run out of the way. He stayed to extinguish the fire and died there. It was not long before a great roar was heard when the powder in the building exploded and the fire began to spread
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burning the buildings and factories nearby. A powder building of seven storeys was reduced to ashes. Nearly one square mile was burned in the fire. The earth around for more than eight miles shook. Some places mistakenly thought it was an earthquake.
A pitiful situation awaited the helpers who arrived to take the survivors to the hospitals and to work with the people, men, women and young women, some of whom were lying there having died, some had been burned to ashes, some appeared to be alive and some died in the hospitals. From the Friday to the Sunday people were being found. Sixty died in the hospitals; one hundred and twenty-three suffered severe burns; four hundred and fifty-three were recovering from burns; but the final count is not yet known. The list of names of those who died may reach three hundred.
Although this powder factory has been burned down the same quantity of powder is being sent to the scenes of battle.
OTHER NEWS.
During the first days of this month the Russian fleet sailed along the Anatolian Coast and came upon the Turkish ships carrying food to Constantinople. There were forty of them and the Russians set about sinking them.
In 1916 the Russian net gathered in 5770 officers, 420,000 men, and a total of 2617 small and large guns.
In the middle of this month the Italian warships captured two Austrian submarines and the Italians have put them to work amongst its fleet of naval vessels.
As a result of Russia prohibiting intoxicating liquor throughout its realm, people are putting their money into the savings banks, the place whence come worthwhile fruits, and not into intoxicating liquor with its disgusting fruits. The amount of money being put in the banks has gone up from £207,300,000 to £243,450,000 in one year.
Japan has announced that its ships are now carrying large guns to defend themselves.
In the second week of this month Sir Timi Kara took steps on his journey from England to his home.
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FIGHTING AT SEA.
On 22nd of this month the English and German destroyers met up, 10 English and 12 German.
The Germans who found themselves in this conflict had thought to set sail secretly and go stealthily out to sea. At the time its ships were anchored in a harbour at Zeebrugge on the Belgian coast and they were afraid they would be kept in by the snow which was falling thickly. They had not long emerged into the open sea when they encountered the English spy fleet and the two fought. Accounts say that one of the English ships was sunk by a torpedo and four officers and 44 men died; seven (one report says 10) of the German ships were sunk; one was damaged but not sunk and it was towed by a Dutch ship to land in their country. This was the ship U69. It was damaged at the beginning of the fighting and four officers and 80 men died of the 160 on board; some of those wounded died rapidly of the cold.
OTHER NEWS.
Because many of the very large German Super-Zeppelins have been destroyed, they have stopped building those models but are building smaller versions. Of the six very large Zeppelins five have been destroyed.
The people of the Fijians Islands have done a great deal to help with the war. One man gave a large part of his livelihood; he freely gave his sugar plantation valued at £3500 with the idea that the profit from it go to the people of Belgium because they are the people who are suffering most.
And the indigenous people of Fiji in another place are collecting with the hope of raising £1500 to build an aeroplane as a gift to the English army. They have collected more than £100.
The people of Holland have now stirred themselves. The Minister of War has said that they are to work hard every day manufacturing munitions because if this war drags on they will not be able to avoid participating in the fighting.
The English are wanting a further 1,000,000 soldiers. The English have, since the beginning, assembled 5,000,000.
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The markets have been unsettled; sometimes prices have gone up and sometimes they have gone down. These are some from various times: Ton of flour, £11/7/6 to £11/10; case of kerosene, 9/4 to 12/-; case of benzene, 19/2. Fencing wire for a ton – English £34/10 to £35/10; American, £30 to £31; barbed wire – English, £38/10 to £40; American, £36 to £37. Milking cows, £8 to £17/10, some others, £12/10 to £25. Sheep 21/- to 48/-. Working horses, £17 to £38; riding horses, £3/10 to £19.
The Greeks were close to Germany at the beginning of the war and were being instructed by Germany in preparations for war. Because Greece is in a state of upheaval at this time King Constantine has issued a statement on the basis of the agreement with the Kaiser saying that they will join the armies of Germany and Bulgaria in fighting General [Harara] in Greece when the time is right. It is said that his feet are heading towards Macedonia now.
General Joffre, the Commander of the Allied forces in France has ended his appointment. However it is likely that he will be appointed as President of the Allied War Council and retain his title of Supreme Commander.
Germany desires to end the war and its idea is that it be left to the neutral countries to negotiate peace.
When Germany was close to taking the capital of Romania the Romanians breached all their oil wells so that when the Germans arrived they were of no use to them and it will take over a year to repair them. The value of those oil wells is £30,000,000.
An outcome of the conscription law applying to the Pakeha is that many men have appealed to have their names removed. At the meeting of the War Board in Masterton five sons of a Pakeha farmer gave their reason as being that they did not want to kill – sheep, rabbits or anything. The Board asked one of these men, ‘If one of your sisters should be ill-treated by the Germans what would you think?’ The answer: ‘I would scamper. I’d run away.’
Amongst the New Zealand soldiers awarded decorations in the New Year’s Honours list is Lieutenant Turu Hiroti who was given the Military Cross.
On 27th December a farewell evening was held at Peria for a Maori soldier, Paihana Pitatehara who is going to the war. Many people came and there were speeches about his going to fight for the King and the Empire. The relish to the speeches, some haka and poi, were enthusiastic. – H Hohaia.
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The total number of German aeroplanes destroyed by the Allies in 1916 was around 900.
There is a Maori in Temuka, Te Waipounamu, who has five sons and twenty-five grandsons at the war. Two went with Pakeha Companies, two with Maori, and one is at the Maori camp in Auckland now and is about to go – this man plays the bugle. And the four grandsons have enlisted here in Aotearoa and are about to go.
Private H Rawhiti is one who has been honoured with the War Medal. He was in the fighting at Gallipoli where he was seen to bring back eleven wounded men before being himself wounded in the back. And in France he is serving with the stretcher bearers where he has had a bar added to his medal for his [marama-pai - ?good conduct]
The cost of flour is going up considerably now and is not settled yet. In some markets at this time a ton of flour costs £15/7/6 to £15/10.
Russia-Romania to the north of Bucharest is where the news in these days is encouraging notwithstanding Germany and her many soldiers. And [Wateni] has been taken by Russia.
THE ROLL OF HONOUR.
Killed in Action: Rewiti Kaiwai, Tuparoa.
Died of Disease: H Tuapaki Tawhai, R Wairau.
Wounded but recovering well: Privates M Metua, P Parata, P Mua, P Konuke, M Toki, Teu Wiremu, H K Rehu, H Morehu, P Tairua, Whare M Eriha, Murphy Hopa, O Hetaraka, W Omipi, W H Omipi; Second-Lieutenant K Ehau.
Serious Wounds: Lance-Corporal T Karetu; Privates Taura, Moeau, J Wi Pane, Rawiri, P Tuhoa, W Paki, Arona McGregor, G Rukingi.
Arrived Home in January: QMS Kahutia Te Hau, Tauranga; Hamahona, Hastings.
Under Orders [?He mea whakahau]; Captain Pirimi Tahiwi, Otaki; Charlie Joe, Wiremu Paipeta.
Returning: Lieutenant J Wherihi, Turanga.
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