Memoirs of the Life and Labours of the Rev. Samuel Marsden, of Paramatta, Senior Chaplain of New South Wales; and of His Early Connexion with the Missions to New Zealand and TahitiMarsden, Samuel
Religion
Memoirs of the Life and Labours of the Rev. Samuel Marsden, of Paramatta, Senior Chaplain of New South Wales; and of His Early Connexion with the Missions to New Zealand and Tahiti
Marsden, Samuel
Marsden, Samuel, 1765-1838; Missions -- French Polynesia -- Tahiti (Island); Missions -- New Zealand; Māori (New Zealand people)
pounded, the rudest form in fact of the pestle and mortar, should not
have occurred to him; but the total want of invention is an invariable
characteristic of savage nature. At length the Active brought the
important present of a hand-mill for grinding corn. Duaterra's friends
assembled to watch the experiment, still incredulous of the promised
result; but when the meal began to stream out beneath the machine their
astonishment was unbounded; and when a cake was produced, hastily baked
in a frying-pan, they shouted and danced for joy, Duaterra was now to
be trusted when he told them that the missionaries were good men. And
thus the first favourable impression was made upon the savage Maories,
whose race was in the next generation to become a civilized and
Christian people.
Messrs Hall and Kendall, having introduced themselves and their mission
in New Zealand, now, in obedience to their instructions, returned to
Sydney accompanied by Duaterra and six other chiefs, amongst whom was
Duaterra's uncle the famous Shunghie, or Hongi, the most powerful of New
Zealand chieftains; such was the confidence which Mr. Marsden's name,
together with the good conduct of the missionaries, had now inspired.
The Active reached New South Wales on the 22nd of August, 1814. Nothing
could exceed the joy which Mr. Marsden experienced on the successful
termination of the voyage, and being filled with an earnest desire to
promote the dissemination of the gospel amongst the New Zealanders, and
having obtained the governor's permission, he determined to accompany
the missionaries on their return to the Bay of Islands. To his friend,
Avison Terry, Esq., he wrote just before he sailed, Oct. 7, 1814--"It is
my intention to visit New Zealand and see what can be done to promote
the eternal welfare of the inhabitants of that island. I have now
several of the chiefs living with me at Paramatta. They are as noble a
race of men as are to be met with in any part of the world. I trust I
shall be able, in some measure, to put a stop to those dreadful murders
which have been committed upon the island for some years past, both by
the Europeans and the natives. They are a much injured people,
notwithstanding all that has been advanced against them. The time is
now come, in my opinion, for them to be favoured with the everlasting
gospel; and I trust to hear the joyful sound in those dark and dreary
regions of sin and spiritual bondage. I have long had the most ardent
wish to visit these poor heathen, but have never till the present time
obtained permission. I have submitted my views to the Church Missionary
Society, and solicited their aid. The expense of establishing a mission
here will at first be very considerable." ... [Here he mentions his
purchase of the Active, etc.] "Should the Society approve of my views,
no doubt they will give their support, but if they cannot enter into
them in the manner I do, I cannot expect that assistance from them which
may be required.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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