illustration of one Sunday, when one of the
missionaries paid us a visit.
The ceremony of all assembling to public
worship astonished the natives greatly, though
they always behaved with the utmost decorum
when admitted into the house where
the ceremony takes place. On the day in
question the minister endeavoured to explain
the sacred mysteries of our religion to a
number of the chiefs who were present. They
listened attentively to all he said, and expressed
no doubts as to its truth, only remarking
that “ as all these wonderful circumstances
happened only in the country of the white
men, the great Spirit expected the white men
only to believe them.” The missionary then
began to expatiate on the torments of hell, at
which some of them seemed horrified, but
others said, “ they were quite sure such a
place could only be made for the white faces,
for they had no men half wicked enough in
New Zealand to be sent there;” but when
the reverend gentleman added with vehemence
that “ all men” would be condemned,
the savages -all burst into a loud laugh, declaring
“ they would have nothing to do with
a God who delighted in such cruelties; and
then (as a matter of right) hoped the missionary
would give them each a blanket for
having taken the trouble of listening to him
so patiently.”
I cannot forbear censuring the missionaries,
inasmuch as they prevent the natives,
by every means in their power, from acquiring
the English language. They make a point
of mastering the native tongue as quickly as
possible, and being able to give their whole
time and attention to it, this is easily accomplished.
It is of importance that they should
do so, otherwise they could not carry on the
duties of the mission ; but by thus engrossing
the knowledge, they obtain great influence
over the minds of the natives. We ourselves
were sadly puzzled by a correspondence wre
had with two native chiefs, who had been
taught to read and write by some of the
society; but their acquirements being in their
native language, were of no possible use. The
difficulty of teaching them English would not