Te Pipiwharauroa 1

Te Pipiwharauroa 1

1898/03

(Maori Version at PapersPast.)

[1] He Kupu Whakamarama

[2] He Kupu Whakamarama, Number 1, Nelson (Whakatu), March, 1898.

Editor: Rev. F A Bennett.

To the tribes, the hapu, of the Province of Nelson and of other areas of Te Wai Pounamu and Aotearoa, greetings.

Because this is the first time you have received my letter to you, it is appropriate to explain its purpose.

Its name is the one above. But you must not be mistaken about its purpose. Let me say now, its explanations are centred on the faith. It is perhaps also right to tell those who are reading this letter that the writer is Maori and a minister of the Church of England.

Because many of the principles of the faith are not clear to most people, ‘the harvest is plentiful but the labourers are few’ (Matthew 9.37), the idea came to send out a few words to be placed on the marae of your villages, (since there are very few of us Maori clergy for this great harvest), to see whether some few seeds might bear fruit in each man, woman and child who reads these words.

This letter will be printed every month. There is no charge for this paper. If a person reads the paper and does nothing, that is alright. But if you contribute we will be able to print it, and if you contribute we can purchase a stamp so that it can be sent to you in the mail. What I am saying is, the survival of this bird depends on people’s generosity. If a person feels goodwill towards this bird, it would be good if they sent even a single penny to help with the printing. Five hundred copies of the letter will be printed each month and sent to all parts of Te Waipounamu and Aotearoa. I dearly want the people of every area to call out to this bird to come to their districts. It can be freely called, there is no demand for payment, that is up to the people. I do not know the areas and the people who want this bird so let me know your names and your addresses.

I would also like you to send to me your questions about the teachings of the Church or the Scriptures, or your requests for explanations of what you see as difficult teachings of the Faith. If you find some difficult verses in Scripture, send them here to see if there is some explanation. Enough for words of explanation. You know now the purposes of this letter which is being sent to your area. Welcome, welcome our bird, for may he not be carrying on his back a word of enlightenment for your darkness.

This bird is sent out from a believing heart, from a heart which prays to God that he will pour out his blessing on this project which he has placed on the hearts of his servants. Isaiah says (55.11): ‘So shall my word be which comes from my mouth; it will not return to me empty, but will do my will and accomplish that which I sent it to do.’

It is for people to scatter the seed, but it is God who brings the fruits. So we sent the Kupu Whakamarama to lie on the marae in your area for you to read and think about, to help you with the questionings of your hearts, and to light your steps on the narrow path of our faith.

So, may God send down his blessing on this offering which we place before him.

THE GATHERING TOGETHER OF THE FAITH

My friends, people of every place, in these days we see that there are many divisions in the Church. One man has come forward with his beliefs and another with his beliefs. Let us be on our guard, let us be watchful, lest we be ‘tossed to and from and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming’ (Ephesians 4.14).

[3] 

I Peter 3.15 says: ‘Always be ready to make your defence to anyone who demands from you an account of the hope that is in you.’

The Church of England has set down Thirty-nine Articles. These were to do away with wrong ideas and to strengthen unity of thinking about the Faith and Worship.

Those Articles were drawn up in 1562 at a time when it was seen that many teachers were setting themselves up as guides as to the teachings of the faith. Many misleading teachings and ignorant words were spoken of the faith, so the leading scholars, elder statesmen of the faith, gathered together and on the basis of their discussions presented to the whole world those Thirty-nine Articles which form an appendix to our Prayer Book, at least to our new Prayer Books.

All those Articles were written on the basis of the faith and in accordance with the Scriptures. It is right, my friends, that we should often read those Articles and find the explanation of those Articles within the Scriptures.

Those Articles are to protect us at times when we are buffeted by all the winds of teaching, the deceits of men, and the fabrications designed to lead us astray.

The Articles.

I. Of Faith in the Holy Trinity.

‘There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body, parts, or passions; of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the Maker and Preserver of all things both visible and invisible. And in unity of this Godhead there be three Persons, of one substance, power, and eternity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.’

One finds here a denial of the belief of some people in former times who said that God was a man. (In these days it is the ‘Mormons’, that is, the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints, who preach that God is a human being.)

I. The First Article says that God is ‘without body, parts, or passions.’ See John 4.24; Isaiah 40.18,25; Deuteronomy 4.15; Luke 24.39; John 1.18 & %.37; Acts 17.24, 28-29; Romans 1.20-21; 1 Timothy 1.17, 6.16.

‘He is without passions.’ Numbers 23.19; Malachi 3.6; Hebrews 6.17-18; James 1.13,17.

II. 1. ‘There is but one living and true God.’ Exodus 3.3, 14, 15 & ^.23; Numbers 27.16; Deuteronomy 5.26; Joshua 3.10; 1 Samuel 17.26; Psalms 42.2, 84.2; Isaiah 42.8; Jeremiah 10.10; Daniel 6.26; Matthew 16.16; John 17.3; Acts 14.15; Romans 9.26; 2 Corinthians 6.16; 1 Timothy 4.10, 6.17; Hebrews 10.31; Revelation 4.8, 10.5-6.

2. ‘Of infinite power.’ Genesis 17.1, 18.14; Job 42.2; Matthew 19.26; Ephesians 3.20.

3. ‘Wisdom.’ Genesis 16.13; 1 Samuel 2.3; 1 Kings 8 39; Job 26.6; Psalm 44.21; Acts 15.18; Romans 11.32.

4. ‘Goodness.’ Exodus 15.11; 1 Samuel 2.2; Psalm 86.15, 118.1; Daniel 9.9; John 4.2; Luke 1.77-78; Romans 2.4; 2 Corinthians 1.3; Ephesians 2.4; Hebrews 6.10; 1 John 4.8.

5. ‘The Maker of all things.’ Genesis, Chapters 1 & 2; 2 Kings 19.15; Psalm 33.6; Acts 17.24; Ephesians 3.9; Colossians 1.16; Revelation 4.11, 10.6.

6. ‘The Preserver of all things.’ Deuteronomy 32.39 etc.; 1 Samuel 2.6; Job 12.9; Psalm 22.28; Isaiah 14.27, 40.11-13, 15, 22; Matthew 6.25-30, 10.29-30; Romans 11.36.

7. ‘From ancient times and for eternity.’ Genesis 21.33; Deuteronomy 33.27; Psalm 9.7, 90.2, 4; Isaiah 44.6, 57.15; Romans 1.20, 16.26; 1 Timothy 1.17; Revelation 1.8, 5.14, 10.6.

Enough. This explanation will show you that the Scriptures are the basis of our faith. There will be more explanatory words in another edition.

So, fly away, bird. May God bless you and bring you to the appropriate places for you to alight. Go with your load and the passage of the sun will tell you when your work is done.

From your friend in the work of the Lord.

Peneti,

Nelson.

Bond, Finney, and Co., Printers, Nelson.