Te Kopara 80
[3] Te Kopara, Number 80, Gisborne, 30 September, 1920.
‘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]
MEDICINE FOR THE WORLD
R[eweti] T K[ohere]
The world is ill – seriously ill. In its great pain it groans unrestrainedly. Perhaps you are saying, ‘What is the illness? I haven’t heard a voice groaning!’ But if you read the Pakeha newspapers then you will hear, then you will see. The person who doesn’t read the newspapers lives in a very restricted world; his world consists of the places he can see with his eyes. But the person who reads the newspapers is sitting on the summit of the world and can see all around and right to the depths.
The struggle that has just ended was a great trauma, all parts felt the pain, and the worst sufferers were those who grandchildren, children and family members were killed. But the sickness which is now increasingly afflicting the world is worse than this. The Irish are killing people week after week. Russia is still in a bad state, fighting continues and people are still being killed. Workers in all parts of the world are unhappy and are fighting and striking, with some sections of the workers wanting to overthrow the laws and the Government. They have ill will towards their bosses, those with money. So Russians have murdered their kings, their leaders, their rich people. Their teaching is called Bolshevism. This teaching is spreading to the four corners of the earth.
Most people with money are doing alright. The cost of clothes and food and everything has gone up. Some people have possessions and money galore while others are very poor and are unable to buy food and clothing. Many people have no home. People have turned recklessly to pleasures and to wrongdoing, their own desires rule their lives. Some wicked people, some sinful people are being celebrated. It is as if the world is sitting on top of a volcano and soon that volcano will explode like the eruption of Tarawera. People were doing haka and dancing and suddenly they were overwhelmed. Perhaps it is like Sodom and Gomorrah who forgot God, who abandoned what was right, with each person following their own heart’s desires.
[4]
The people of those towns behaved like beasts and, although Lot knew God, his daughters followed the practices of Sodom and Gomorrah and were like animals. So God decided to burn those towns with fire and destroy them lest the whole world be contaminated by their bestial practices. Such is the sickness of the world and such will be the fate of the world. People pursue what they desire – pleasure perhaps, perhaps money, perhaps power, or what have you.
We search for a remedy for this terrible state of affairs, to ease it. But what is the medicine? The thoughtful people of the world are fearful of the state of humanity. The Prime Minister of England, Lloyd George, has warned people about this situation. The greed of the Germans led the whole world into war and, although the war has ended, people retain their greed and it is increasing. Lloyd George spoke to the Church of Wales saying that the thing which will save the world is for the Church to put its energy into teaching the Faith. This is what all the Prime Ministers of the Empire say. They say that the world will not be saved by governments or parliaments or man-made laws. Mr Wilson, the President of America said, ‘There will be a disaster, a major disaster, if the preaching of the Gospel to the world diminishes.’ King George said, ‘There is no salvation for the world apart from the Faith.’ Man-made laws can only scratch the outsides of the hearts of people, they have no power to defeat the wickedness of people’s hearts. The Gospel brings repentance and new birth to the sinful heart bringing it to love, to goodness, and to God. This is the meaning of the words of King George, of Mr Wilson, of Lloyd George, and of the Prime Ministers.
People, hold on to the Faith as our palisaded pa [Nga Pepeha 838] against attacks from the evils of the world; it is strong to guide and to forewarn. Take thought for our children as they grow up. Put them on the good path so that it will be easy for them to follow what is right and not to follow what is wrong. It is only the Church that, by holding to the truth, by its teaching and by showing people the ways of God, can bring the world together. Support the ministers and don’t dwell on their shortcomings – that is easy to do. The just person will not even contemplate criticizing for ‘love covers a multitude of sins.’ [1 Peter 4.8]
[For Bad Chests and Flu take Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure, 1/6, 1/9 a bottle.}
[5]
TE RAUKAHIKATEA SCHOOL.
Everyone in the country has perhaps heard of the decision of the Mission Board to amalgamate the School for Maori training for the ministry with the Pakeha St John’s College at Kohimarama, Auckland. This was the vision of Bishop Selwyn, first Bishop of New Zealand, and at last that vision is being fulfilled. The Pakeha way is increasingly predominant nowadays and we have arrived at the situation fo which it is said, ‘this is a new world.’ The way we Maori will flourish is the way of education, by committing ourselves to sending our children to seek the depths of learning so that they can protect, guide and instruct us as we face the deceits of the new world. But the person who is going to guide the Maori People must grasp both the new world and the old world, the Pakeha side and the Maori side. This perhaps the reasoning behind the Board of Mission’s decision to bring together both aspects of the Church – the Maori section can observe the Pakeha section and the Pakeha section can observe the Maori section, which will surely be good for the Church and particularly for the ministers of the Church – Pakeha and Maori.
Te Rau is to be converted into a residence for girls under the auspices of the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA). The School Chapel is to be moved to Waerenga-a-hika College. And so this is definitely the last year of Te Rau. One’s thoughts go back over the many years that this Tree, Te Raukahikatea, has stood in the valley of Turanganui-a-Kiwa, and the many years when men from the four winds gathered in Turanga – when the ‘predatory birds’ from each tribe and hapu and chieftainship flew to pluck off the fruit of the tree for the well-being of their tribes. But the first thing we must do is thank the tribes, the hapu, and all the chiefs in the valley of Turanga for their continuing help both to the School and the people at the School.
You have been supporting us for 36 years, but this treasure does not belong to one tribe only so that you can say that you alone have supported it, so let us send our treasure to the Tail of the Fish so that those tribes of the North can also care for it.
It will be very worthwhile to look back to the beginning of Te Raukahikatea and its history to the present day so that we can see the fruits of the Tree over these many years.
This name, Te Raukahikatea, is the Maori name given to the home of Archdeacon Leonard Williams before the School was set up. Afterwards, when the School was set up the name was used for the School.
[6]
In 1865 Archdeacon Leonard Williams left Waerenga-a-hika. In 1877 he built his house in the district where the memorial to Captain Cook stands. The Maori called that settlement, ‘Ko Wai-ka-hua.’ There is great significance in that name given by the Maori to Leonard Williams’ house. They observed the situation he had left behind at Waerenga-a-hika and the serious troubles at that time, and they thought,
Ko wai ka hua, ko wai ka tohu?
Who thinks, who knows? [cf Nga Pepeha 1654]
He was still living there in 1867 in the area of Gisborne in which Te Kooti was carrying out atrocities. In 1876 Leonard Williams crossed to this side of the river leaving ‘Wai-ka-hua’ standing where it was. There he built the house that stands on the other side of the School and the Maori called it ‘Te Raukahikatea.’ This is still the house of the Pakeha minister of Gisborne.
In 1880 ‘Wai-ka-hua’ was brought over and set up in front of ‘Te Raukahikatea,’ that is, at the corner at the far side of the School chapel. ‘Wai-ka-hua’ stood here until 1903 when it had grown very old and was demolished. Many of the ministers still living, Wiremu Keretene and others, remember that house. From 1881 until 1882 many Maori were prepared for the work of ministry in his own home. At this time it was decided to build a school to teach Maori entering the ministry. In 1883 the plan was confirmed and it was agreed that the School be established in Gisborne. In that year a house was built for the students to live in. That house stands on the other side of Berry Street and in 1896 and extension was built on this side of the street. In 1897 that building was converted into a printing house and that is the building in which Te Pipiwharauroa was printed and now our own bird, Te Kopara , is printed. In that year also (1883) the present Teacher’s House was built.
Therefore it is right to say that the School started in 1883. In the list of names of the first residents of the School one finds Hone Papahia, Ahipene Rangi, Hoete Matete, and Karaitiana Ratapu, ministers known throughout the country. Archdeacon William Leonard Williams served as first Principal of the School until 1895. The following teachers served under him: 1883-1884, the Rev Aata Wiremu (Rev A O Williams); 1885-1889, the Rev Edward Jennings; 1889-1894, the Rev Herbert Williams. From 1895 until 1901 the Rev Herbert Williams served ad Principal of the School. In 1902
[7]
the Rev F W Chatterton became Principal and served until 1918. From 1919 until this year, 1920, the Rev A Nield has been Principal of the School.
(To be continued.)
SCHOOLS FOR THE MAORI PEOPLE.
The Government Report on Maori Schools last year says that there are 119. Two of these are in Te Waipounamu and 117 are in Aotearoa. In addition to these there are five Church schools. There are 5000 Maori children attending Pakeha schools. There are ten schools for children who have finished primary education. The total number of children in Government Maori schools is 4,737. The total number of Maori children attending Maori schools and Government schools is 9,737.
The children in some parts of the Auckland Province are criticized for not attending school. How can the children get an education if we, their parents, do not send them to school? As parents we must be firm in punishing our children if they do not obey us when we tell them to go to school. It says in Proverbs [13.24]: ‘Those who spare the rod hate their children, but those who love them are diligent to discipline them.’ Let us look ahead. Can the Maori People make progress if they rely only on their chiefly blood to raise them up? Can Maori climb the high peaks if they do not make every effort to acquire learning in depth? I am not saying that all our children should become lawyers, doctors, ministers or teachers, but even farming requires a great deal of knowledge. All you young people, be committed. Do not forsake your schools but follow to its conclusion the path you have chosen. Your perseverance in these days of your childhood will bring honour to your people in the years to come.
A WEDDING.
On 14th September, the Rev M P Kapa was married to his new wife, Mate Henare Popata. Many people came to see this wedding.
[8]
THE FALL OF A WARRIOR.
The Rev Henare Wepiha Te Wainohu has entered upon his long rest. News of his death has resounded to all parts of the country, to his young men in every place, to his friends, Maori, Pakeha, and people’s hearts have been shocked at the unexpected news of his death. We heard rumours that he was lying ill, but those close to him were not surprised but were aware of the great courage with which he faced his illness. For some time he wrestled with his illness but as the strength of his illness took over he submitted and entered upon the long sleep. Yes, Henare the brave, the resolute, has fallen. The expressions of grief I have heard on the arrival of news of his death, and which I know have been echoed in all places, have been: ‘The waste of the man!’ ‘Poor Padre!’ ‘Poor Harry!’ These are real expressions of grief. Although short, they come from the bottom of the heart. He died at Te Wairoa on 29th September and was lamented by his Parish and his various hapu at Te Uhi, one of the large pa of his parish. The tangi went on for three days and then his body was taken to Mohaka to be buried in the home of his parents, of his ancestors, his family home. Whatever our Maori hearts may have wanted for him, whatever our hopes were for this man, the Pakeha saying has been fulfilled, ‘man proposes, God disposes,’ that is, God orders everything that happens to us. If we want something to be like this or that, if God wants it to be like that it is like that, if not then it is not. In the case of the believing heart, whatever the pain suffered by the natural heart, it is as with Job who said, ‘The Lord gave, the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’ [Job 1.21] Perhaps in God’s sight he has fulfilled his time and God has called his servant to come to him. What remains for us is this: although he has died his works live on and those works still speak to us. [Hebrews 11.4]
Henare was a great man by descent and by his achievements. It is an ancient custom to invent stories about what these kinds of men did in their lives, and the source of this article I have written are the stories of the life of Henare known to the writer. Before telling these stories I must say that in all things Henare was guided by the Spirit of God from his arrival at Te Aute College to the time he was called to go to the war, and he rose to the greatness that was thrust upon him amongst the Maori People, to the glory and the honour that was his alone.
If you follow the accounts of his life you will see the truth of what I say.
[9]
Te Aute College.
1. Schooling. In 1896, when he was 15, Henare entered Te Aute College. He started right at the beginning in the first class. Henare and his friends, Te Rana Waaka and the others, and Wi Waaka and those who had arrived before them, laughed because they were so big and had to sit amongst the little children. Most of those youngsters who laughed were not subsequently heard of but returned home and perhaps sank from sight. But Henare, although he passed two classes, finished at that school even though he had unlimited ability to go further. When he finished at that school he returned to Mohaka to his parents.
2. Sports. Henare’s fame as a rugby player began at Te Aute. He was one of the stars and in 1898 he went in the Te Aute team to parts of Te Waipounamu to play against the leading College there (Nelson College) and other teams. He was the leader of the Te Aute haka on the football field before the game and of the entertainments at night. Because of his expertise at these activities his friends nicknamed him ‘Tiger.’ This affectionate name was used by them subsequently as well as by Henare himself. They remembered that name when he died.
3. The Things He Did. One of the things the Te Aute boys did was to go about in groups to which they gave various names. Henare belonged to the ‘Tikoti’ group, called the ‘Tikoti Gang.’ The policy of the group was the teachings of the Hauhau and they opposed all the good policies promoted in the school. It was a very influential group in recruiting lads and most of the Christian group joined them although they were later to turn back to the faith. Henare became knowledgeable about all these things and later he was able to pick out [?kokoti - ?blossom] what was good.
4. Summary. We have summarized Henare’s education at Te Aute and we see that although he did not complete his schooling and did not benefit from all the riches of Te Aute, its values remained within him, the most important values, values which emerged and were to be seen later.
He discovered here the sacredness and the awesomeness of worship, one of the most important activities at Te Aute. He discovered here what it means to be obedient to authority when it comes to soldiering and also to the rules of the College. He also learned here how to suppress anger even in the intense rivalry of playing rugby. He also learned the meaning of this thing, of what it is to love people, not physically but with the love spoken of by Paul (1 Corinthians 13), through the preaching Mr Thornton.
[10]
He discovered here the real meaning of human friendship as practised by the school pupils living together at the College. Indeed, when Henare ended his time at Te Aute, tears were shed by Henare and his friends when they were saying their goodbyes.
His Calling to Ministry.
5. Te Rau College. At Te Rau Henare brought to bloom [?kokoti] the seeds sown at Te Aute; all the values spoken of there returned to benefit and help him. Henare came to Gisborne for a Maori hui in 1900 or 1901. There sprang up in his mind the idea of going to see his old friends from Te Aute at Te Rau – Poihipi, Paraone, Hiwinui and others. They made great efforts to tempt Te Wainohu saying to him, ‘Friend, this is where we live. It is a very nice home. Our lives are very pleasant. Sometimes we are invited by the leading Pakeha of the town to go to their homes and entertain them; we perform and sing.’ This is when Henare stayed and began his studies at Te Rau. ‘He was guided by the Spirit of God even though men were his vessels.’
The treasures Henare got from Te Aute together with those he got from Te Rau were the foundations for his greatness – the name, the glory, and the honour he came by. It was at Te Rau that he really learned the English language and the noble practices of the Pakeha as well as the deep things of the faith and the works of the faith. His achievements were extensive; he passed Grade 2 of the Pakeha theological examinations. He went on to pass two further grades. But we can better measure his ability, over and above what I have already told you, by the fact that he mastered the English language while he was here. But Henare was very mature in his thinking and he had within him the spirit of knowledge. This was the place where Henare’s mind was sharpened to be smooth and perceptive for the work that lay before him, and in speaking to us, his friends, he always said who the people were who contributed to this sharpening – Archdeacon Herbert, Rev Chatterton, and Reweti (Rev) Kohere.
I know very well that it is these people who truly prepared Henare for the great work that lay before him. They are also the people at his feet he sat and latterly heard the great call to the work of ministry from whence he was called to the war. At Te Aute he was a stone and he was dug up from the pit, and the men who washed off the dirt and knocked off the rough edges were Te Tatana (Mr Thornton), Pekarohi (Rev H W Baker), and Te Wiremu Aata (Canon Arthur Williams).
[11]
I would like to write at greater length but perhaps I should stop here having given you a clear account of this man’s schooling and of his preparation for the great works before him.
Farewell, friend. Farewell, you who were an expert at everything!
There is no-one to take your place because you were a unique person, there is no-one like you. My heart rejoices that your works will not perish, and I know that if you had to choose a word to leave to the tribe and to us, your friends, it would be ‘Carry on!’ that is, ‘Although I have come to the end and have fought my fight, you are to keep going, to keep on fighting!’
THE FALL OF A STRONG-GROWING TOTARA.
[cf Ko Nga Moteatea, Sir George Grey, p.341 He Tangi – ‘Tera Tawera, Ka rere i te ata ….. Ka riro i a ia, Taku totara, Haemata ra, i.’- Barry Olsen]
On 28th August Mereana Kihiringi went to rest with her parents. She was the last of the chiefly women of this tribe of Te Rarawa. It is right to use of her this saying:
He hinganga tokanuku he terenga totara.
The fall of an important person, the floating of a totara. [cf Nga Pepeha 927]
She was a person who held to the faith from the death of her parents until her own. This elder was very kind in all she did, all her actions were beautiful. When she was dying here grandchildren and her tribe came to be present at her death. Huge numbers of her tribe came to the burial. Many telegrams were received by her children paying a farewell tribute to their mother. These telegrams were from all parts of Ngapuhi; amongst the many was one concerning Eru Ihaka. The word that particularly applies is what David said of Saul and Jonathan, ‘Beloved and lovely were Mereana and her parents and grandchildren, they were not divided by their deaths.’ [cf 2 Samuel 1.23] When she was near death she spoke important words, saying to her people, ‘Be firm in your faith and hold to the Church of England.’ Then she said to her son, ‘I am dying. It is for you to fulfill your calling. You are at present a layman; afterwards you are to become a minister.’
{For the ‘Flu take Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure, 1/9, 2/9 a bottle.}
{‘Flu and Coughs cannot survive Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure, 1/0, 2/9 a bottle.}
[12]
THE RETURN OF THE JEWS TO PALESTINE.
All Christians know that there are in the Bible many verses of prophecy about this matter, that in days to come the hews will return to their land, the land God promised to give their forefathers. For a long time this land has been ruled by the Turks and we know that this place was fiercely fought over during the recent war. We recall that during the time of intense fighting, Mr Balfour, a leading member of the English Government, made a statement saying that if Palestine was recovered from the hands of Turkey then England would give the Jews their land. English soldiers along with those from Australia and New Zealand fought for this land and now it has been brought under the authority of England. It brings great honour to our Empire that by taking it the Scriptural promises have been fulfilled.
The great desire of all Jews throughout the world is to return to their 0wn land, the land of their forefathers. They have set up their organization called [?] The Zionist Foundation and the work of this Foundation is to return the Jews to Palestine. They have sent their representative, Israel Cohen, to speak throughout New Zealand. He arrived in Auckland and his advertisement directed at us brought in more than £20,000 in the short time he was speaking there. Soon after he visited Wellington and the Prime Minister, Mr Massey, and Judge Stout attended the meeting which was chaired by the Mayor of Wellington. In his speech he said that England had recognized their right to this land of Palestine and were strongly supporting them. The statement of the Government of England, made by Mr Balfour, was very important to the Jews – it was what all Jews hoped for. The first problem facing them now is the number of Arabs living in Palestine. There are 500,000 Arabs and 80,000 Jews. The Arabs will not agree to hand over the government to the Jews but, given this situation, the government is being left in the hands of England. The organization plans to settle 30,000 Jews on the land during the next twelve months. After that the organization will work to settle a further 60,000 Jews on the land during the following twelve months. These plans will only be fulfilled if there is money and that is one reason for his tour. During the short time he was in Wellington he received £5000.
[13]
This is a very important matter for this generation of the universal Church. The prophecies of Scripture are being fulfilled before their eyes.
EXTRA NEWS.
Diocese of Auckland.
This Diocese is grateful to the Bishop of Nelson for supervising and carrying out the the Confirmation services in this Diocese while its own Bishop is attending the Lambeth Conference in London. Fourteen Confirmation services were conducted by the Bishop of Nelson from Te Kuiti, Waikato, to Kamo, Whangarei, and he confirmed 263 people.
Money Offerings of the Church of England.
We have received information about the amount of money given in offering in the Church of England throughout the world in 1918. It is a very large amount despite the intense fighting that was going on for most of the time. It was two million pounds more than was given in 1917. The amount for 1918 was £8,853,237. This amount comes only from offerings in churches and does not include other amounts received by the Church.
TE RAU COLLEGE.
This year’s examinations at Te Rau began on 28th September. Four men sat the ‘Grades’ exams i.e. the Pakeha exams: Takati Toka and Pakeke Heketoro Leonard sat Grade I, and Kahi Harawira and Paki Matene sat Grade III.
One of the Te Rau men, Kahi Harawira, will be ordained Deacon by the Bishop of Auckland towards the end of this year. This man belonged to the Hokowhitu-a-Tu [the Maori Battalion} and was on many of the world’s battlefields upholding the name of the Maori People. When he arrived back from the war he came to Te Rau and after three years here he has reached the point of being called to the work. Therefore we salute this soldier of ours who has returned from the war and is taking up this important work. Our hope is that many of our young soldiers will follow this path because the eyes of
[14]
this great people are looking to them. They have seen the myriad things of the world and through the blessing of the heavenly Father many of them have returned home. They have elevated the character of the Maori People before the whole world therefore all are looking to them to raise up the Maori People in these days of peace.
But what we see here is that many are keen to come to Te Rau. Indeed, three soldiers, besides the one we have spoken of, are now at the School. They are Anaru Paora from Te Arawa, and Te Pou Ngatai and Hipera Ngatai from Ngaiterangi.
These are the names of the men at the School this year:
Wiremu Panapa, Te Rarawa
Kahi Harawira, Aupouri
Paki Matene, Ngapuhi
Tamati Toka, Ngaitai
Kahungunu Kerekere, Aitanga-a-Mahaki
Penewhare Netana, Ngatiwhatua
Tara Titore Kareko, Ngapuhi
Pakeke Heketoro Leonard, Te Arawa
Anaru Paora, Te Arawa
Rangi Himiona, Te Arawa
Te Pou Ngatai, Ngaiterangi
Hipera Ngatai, Ngaiterangi
The saying of our Lord still applies. He said, ‘The harvest is great but the labourers are few; pray to the Lord of the harvest to send workers into his harvest.’ [Matthew 9.37-38]
{Children with bad chest infections should take Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure, 1/9, 2/9 a bottle.}
[15]
[This contains the Church Calendar for November 1920. The October Calendar appeared as usual on Page 2.]
[16]
FOOD FOR TE KOPARA.
Name / Address / Payment / Subscription Ends
September – October
Kahu Iriiri / Whirinaki / 5/- / October 1921
Aitua / Whanganui / 5/- / October 1921
Pita Mohi / Native School, Waimarama / 5/- / October 1921
Mohi Te Atahikoia / Pakipaki, HB / 15/- / April 1921
T Renata / Waimarama / 10/- / October 1920
James Jones / Wairoa, HB / £1 / March 1924
Tawa Maru / Opoutama / 10/- / March 1921
Riki Karena / Horapa, Herekino / 5/- / October 1921
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 to
Te Kopara,
Te Rau Press,
6 Berry Street,
Gisborne.
4. All items you want printed in Te Kopara should be sent to the Editor,
Rev F A Bennett,
Kohupatiki,
Clive, Hawkes Bay.
A NOTICE
Those wishing to purchase Prayer Books, Hymn Books or Testaments should send their request to
Miss K Williams,
P O Box 41,
Hukarere, Napier.
These are the prices.
Large, soft cover 3/-
Large, red cover 3/6
Large, hard cover 4/6
Large, superior cover 6/6
Prayer Book with Hymns, soft cover 2/-
Prayer Book with Hymns, red cover 3/-
Prayer Book with Hymns, hard cover 6/6
Prayer Book, New Testament and Hymns, red cover, 4/6
Prayer Book, New Testament and Hymns, superior cover, 7/-
I will pay the postage to send the books to you.
People wanting to buy a Bible for themselves should write to the Rev F Spencer, Whanganui. He has Bibles and New Testaments of all qualities from soft covers to superior bindings.
No comments:
Post a Comment