Te Pipiwharauroa 3

Te Pipiwharauroa 3

No 3

1898/05/01

(Maori Text at Papers Past.)

[1] He Kupu Whakamarama

[2] He Kupu Whakamarama, No3, Nelson , Editor: Rev F A Bennett. May 1898

A MAORI SCHOOL

The loving concern of some people of faith in the area of Nelson about the state of the Maori children of Whangarae, how they are growing up in ignorance because of the lack of a school to teach them knowledge, and in response to a plea from the elders of that area that provision should be made for their children, has led them to seek a way of establishing a school there.

The government would not agree to setting up a school there out of fear that setting up a building would be a waste of time and before long the Maori would become tired of it. Then we thought to establish a school there for a short time to see the commitment of the children and also how many there are.

That school has been opened. The Maori gave one of their houses for the schooling of the children and a new house was built as a dwelling for the teachers. There are two teachers, Pakeha women from Nelson. The Pakeha are very keen on this venture for the good of the Maori. All the furnishings needed for their house were freely donated by Pakeha and Maori of Nelson – tables, chairs, beds, mats, kitchen equipment. They also got together foodstuffs – one gave a bag of flour, some a bag of sugar, others a bag of oatmeal. But we cannot count all that was given, but these stand as evidence of the love of the Pakeha. A cow was given so that the teachers might have milk, as well as hens so that they might have eggs.

Friends, these caring people were Pakeha believers. But where there was no faith, alas, there was indifference. The school opened on 30th March. There were ten children at the opening and there are now seventeen and this will perhaps grow to twenty in the months to come.

Be diligent, parents, in seeking out children for your school. A school with only ten pupils will not survive long, but if there are nearly twenty it will survive.

On Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings the school is open for older folk.

The teachers instruct the children in school subjects, in sewing, in cooking, in Pakeha housekeeping, in the contents of the Scriptures and singing.

Payment for the teachers has not yet been arranged but they go on with what they are doing in faith. They see this work they are doing as their work for the Lord. One of the two has left a teaching position which paid her eighty pounds, and for the work she is now doing she has not yet received any payment.

The Government has agreed to help that school but they want to see how it is faring in three or four months time and then they will make known their proposals to help.

The trustee of the Nelson Tithes has also agreed to help that school. So by the combined efforts of everyone to bless that school we shall see a school firmly established at Whangarae.

THE BOOK OF MORMON (Conclusion)

Charles Anthon of New York, America, an expert in ancient languages, has said something important. ‘Those Mormons are lying who say that the Gold Book of Mormon was shown to me. The assertion that they make that I read the writings within and knew that the writing was from Egypt is also false. All these words of theirs are lies. The truth rather is this. A Mormon called Harris came to me. He was a farmer. He put a piece of paper in my hand 

[3] 

to translate if I could. When I saw it I said, ‘This is not Egyptian script. You have been deceived, friend.’ He said to me, ‘No. Those letters were written in a gold book dug out of the ground by a young person along with spectacles through which one could look to read the writing dug out of the ground.’ I said to him, ‘Friend, you have been deceived.’ That man went away.

My people, this is a cautionary word lest you be beguiled by the deceitfulness of men. Know that anything arising from the malevolence of man or the devil will not be hidden. Why then should what God has written be hidden? Were the two tablets of Moses concealed? No, he laid them down in the presence of the people. Then why was the Mormon Bible hidden by Joseph Smith? There is only one answer to that question: out of fear lest his deception be revealed.

And whence comes the saying that a man may sleep with his friend’s wife? This comes out of the adulterous hearts of the leaders of the Mormon Church. (This Mormon practice is spoken of in the writings of [?Te Poete].) Beware all you Maori people lest you be caught up in this great sin taught by the Mormons, that is, adultery. (Perhaps this is not being taught to the Maori but you find the instructions in Pakeha writings. - Editor.)

However fabrications and deceptions cannot be hidden even though men were clams; the word of God will oppose all evil deeds. So we have the teaching about such human foolishness, as in the instruction of the Almighty to Moses: ‘And if a man commits adultery with the wife of another then put to death the one who committed adultery with the wife of his friend, both the adulterer and the woman.’ (Leviticus 20.10) In the writings of the Apostle Paul also we read, ‘Although we, or even an angel from heaven, should preach to you a Gospel different from what we preached to you, let him be accursed, again… if someone preaches something different from what you received, let him be accursed.’ (Galatians 1.8-9)

Fathers and all of you, right now the Maori are perhaps like the people of Athens of whom Paul said, ‘Now also all the people of Athens like to speak and perhaps to hear about some new thing.’ (Acts 17.21)

No, Fathers, but rather follow what Paul said to the Church of Ephesus, ‘Let us cease to be children, lest we be tossed about and tugged by all the winds of teaching, men’s deceitfulness, trickery which leads to error.’ (Ephesians 4.14)

Everyone, hold fast to the Scriptures and the Scriptures alone.

Thomas S Grace,

Archdeacon,

Blenheim.

A SONG AGAINST STRONG DRINK

(Tune: So Early in the Morning)

William Edwards, Judge, of Auckland, translated it into Maori.

1 I grieve for the deceived rascal who says concerning his drink, This is the good thing.

Chorus: This is what this evil practice.is like.

2 According to him beer is a wonderful thing to have, a beverage to make one happy, to give everyone pleasure.

3 He is obsessed with his drink. This is for him the only precious thing. This temptation spells ill for all.

4 Much money is wasted when a person is allured by this drink. Many valuable possessions are wasted [to pay] for this drink.

5 His great affliction is beer. He thinks it wonderful when it is poured out so that it overflows continually and when it makes him stagger.

6 But having drunk he stands, becomes angry, and fights, striking his companions and cursing everyone.

7 His family weeps. suffering from starvation, while he continues to consume his drink.

8 Their clothing is threadbare. His wife is poverty-stricken. He however has red cheeks, the result of drinking.

9 He is not ashamed at being drunk. He wanders about aimlessly and restlessly. The mud is his friend.

THE DEATH OF BISHOP SELWYN

(Junior)

On 15th February we received a telegram from England saying that Bishop John Selwyn has died. He was formerly Bishop of the Islands, that is, of Melanesia. He was the son of George Selwyn, Bishop of all New Zealand. Some Maori recall growing up together with him when they were at the Bishop’s College in Auckland. He was ordained as a minister in England in 1870.

In 1875 he travelled to Melanesia to minister to our relations [4] living in those islands of ours. In 1877 he was consecrated as Bishop in the Cathedral in Nelson on 18th February. He laboured for many years for the spiritual and physical well-being of the natives of the islands. Because he devoted himself to his work and would not take a break he caught one of the diseases of the islands. He was carried to Port Jackson and then to England. When the doctors examined him they said that he would not completely recover but if he returned to the islands he would certainly die. If he stayed in England, a cooler land, his health would improve. In 1893 he was appointed Master of Selwyn College, Cambridge, which was set up in memory of his father. He suffered several recurrences of his illness but when it returned in February it proved fatal.

When news of his death arrived the General Synod of New Zealand was meeting in Christchurch. News of his death was announced to the Synod and all the members stood to honour this man. While they were standing the Presiding Bishop read this motion:

‘The members of this Synod are deeply saddened by the news that has arrived of the death of Bishop John Selwyn, a man greatly loved by the members of the Church, first for his work when he was a missionary, and secondly, for all his work while he was Bishop of Melanesia. They praise God for giving them such a man as an exemplar, for his vision when he was working, and for his bravery when he was suffering. The Synod instructs the Presiding Bishop to convey our sympathy to the Bishop’s mother, his widow and children, and we pray that they will be helped in their sorrow by the Father of mercies, the God of all comfort.’

OTHER ITEMS

We have received some questions. These will be answered in June.

The amount given by Naaman to Elijah was six thousand pieces of gold. In our money this is more than £10,000.

The amount paid to Judas for betraying Christ was thirty pieces of silver, £3 10s 8d. This was the amount paid to Jews if their pet or slave was killed by a beast.

Joseph was sold by his brothers for twenty pieces of silver, £2 7s.

The total area of the Holy Land, Canaan, measured by the surveyor is ten-thousand square miles. What a small land it is!

The area of Aotearoa (the North Island) is 45,687 square miles. Te Waipounamu (the South Island) is 57,313 square miles.

We have received letters of greeting to the bird from Archdeacon Williams, Te Aute; Rev A O Williams, Putiki; Rev Hoeta Te Hata, Tauranga; Rev A H Rangi, Mahia; and others. Thank you for your kind words and greetings.

A word to the clergy. Send us word of all that you are doing in the name of the Lord. If you have something to say to our people, send it here so that it will fly straight to the marae of Aotearoa and Te Waipounamu.

If you have come across something difficult to understand in the Scriptures or the Prayer Book send it to us and we’ll see if we can’t explain it.

There is no charge for this paper. I you would like six, ten, or more copies to distribute, just ask and do not be afraid. This all helps in the work of our Lord. If you wish to send a gift to our bird, that is up to you.

The money we have received this month:

£ s. d.

Rev H P Cowx, Westport 0 5 0

Mr W Simpson, Melbourne 1 0 0

Archdeacon Williams, Te Aute 4 0 0

Total received: 11 11 0

The annual cost of printing

the paper 24 0 0

Enough! If some of you wish to write to me, the address of the publisher is:

Rev Perere Peneti,

Nelson.

Bond, Finney and Co, Printers, Waimea Street.