Show DEATH OP OF A distinguished MAORI MUCH PAID TO HIS MEMORY near masterton Walara arpa new Z zealand ealand may 9 1886 editor deseret news it if not intruding too much on your columns I 1 would like Tike to chronicle the death of one of our beloved new ze zealand a sons whose noble spirit has j just u st departed from this life and taken its III flight lit to mingle with the just the the name aud and fame of president dibaia chaia te who died at ten minutes to 8 on the evening of april 27 at mainaga Mai naia Waira rapa is not only deeply cherished in the hearts of the elders of this church who have been closely associated with him but by those who know him by name lor for his sterling qualities and great love for the gospel of jesus as well as thousands of his and euro eans also on these islands who have hav e I 1 beans seans andly feelings elines fe for this good man the they y will doubt doubtless leis cherish his memory as one amongst the distinguished native dead he was born to be a leader and a peacemaker to his bis people he was of retiring disposition and deeply religious feelings a friend to the right and a firm supporter of our faith I 1 in n this land he was amongst the first of the maoris laoris to embrace our doctrine and was the first of his race to receive the Melchi sedek priesthood since which time he be has been full of zeal for the work always at his post and has rendered great assistance in establishing the truth amongst his people he e was one of the best known chiefs in this part belonged to the hun gunie tribe and was related to the Ugilt abi tribe and other subdivisions thus forming a connecting link wil with man v of the leading j tribes of these islai islands ids he was the son of and Pare arua Ni kaora and was born at Maun grake Waira rapa about the year 1820 through the troublesome times he was a mediator between the europeans and his people in 1863 he was appointed native assessor by sir george grey and for many years held that trust as well as being justice of the peace and aad officiated in other boffl cifre duties dubics ifor about for forty years he was a minister of the church of england and remained with it until the gospel in its simplicity was presented to him by elders greenwood and hinkley an and was ly lying ing on his bed for a long period with sickness he believed the message they brought acknowledged it to be the true gospel and aind at t once demanded baptism arising from his bed he be went to the river and was baptized followed by many ot his people he regained gained his health and felt better than he had for years he was set apart as president of the Teore ore branch which position he honorably and faitha faithfully ally filled until his death he never faltered but bat was courageous in the faith his whole whole ambition was to see his people come to the knowledge of the truth in 1884 he visited gisborne on the east coast and assisted president stewart and the elders in establishing the gospel in that section and in 1885 he accompanied elder amasa aldrich and myself to the west coast and helped to plant the gospel in that part for several months he had been failing in health some three weeks ago he visited the casterton Cas branch as he was very much in favor of the saints visiting each other to bring more unity amongst them on his return he was taken sick from which attack he never recovered he suffered much pain but buthis bis last moments were calm and he passed away as it if in a gentle sleep he said his time was short and that he was willing to leave all in the hands of the lord his last words to his son inlaw in law robert H Mani manisera hera were be firm in the gospel endeavor to fulfil fulfill every duty in a satisfactory manner be kind to the orpha orph athe anthe widow and the poor poon 1 I was with him while he be lived and when he died and I 1 know anat he died as he hael had lived a saint of god the funeral service was held at his residence by elders aldrich cliff and myself and was adjourned from there to the grave although a heavy rain was failing the procession was large composed bom posed of maoris laoris and europeans among the latter was mr G beetham MP lor for this district and other government officials many maily of tile the business houses were closed in respect for the memory of the deceased he was interred in the family lot in the public cemetery at masterton when after singing a maori nymn hymn boler elder cliff off siang ore red the dedicatory prayer thus we consigned to the silent tomb the remains of our dear and beloved brother to awatt the sound of the trumpet which shall ball call the dead to life your brot brother lier in the gospel EDWIN L davies ps our address for the benefit of correspondents is ed newby and edwin L davies masterton spa apa new zealand |