Methodist acclaim for Ratana

AN interesting feature of the Methodist conference in Wellington yesterday was an address by the Rev Robert Haddon, the wellknown Maori missionary. Referring to the coming of the Hindus into certain districts, he said he had no objection to Asiatics coming, so long as they brought their wives with them, but the crossing of the Indian and the Maori was no good. Referring to Ratana, the miracle worker, he said Ratana was his second cousin. Ratana’s grandfather was a Christian man. The call came to Ratana to surrender himself

completely to God and to isolate himself. He fasted six days, living on prayer, and then power came. He went to a sick child and prayed and immediately she was healed. The Maori sought more of mana than of Christianity. You must put away this mana idol, said Ratana. It is tohungaism. Have faith and I will have faith, and God will hear you. When they did this at Ratana’s request they were able to say: My eyes can see or I can walk. It was, declared Mr Haddon, out and out Christianity. Ratana was against everything that tied the Maori down. To accept Christ as his personal saviour was the only way to build the Maori up.