Show ELDERS IN NEW ZEALAND NUHAKA HAWKER HAWKES BAY New Zealand Sept 8 pt 24 1894 Thinking a few fell linn lines Jine from this far off land Jand would be of interest t to the many readers of your jour valuable paper especially to the many Elders Elder who have bave labored in this part of the Lor Luria vineyard I pen peu you the following Spring Is ii now dawning daw nine upon this fair fairand fairand and plea pleasant ant land laud which causes the hearts of ot th tb the New Zealand Zealand Elders Elder to relo rejoice e to think think bat hat the th r rainy iny season l is nearly at an AD end cod for for fOl a tow few more months month The hills illa and valleys valley car oar oar- with lovely green gr grass with horses horae sheep and nd cows COWl quietly grazing a lovely sight Bigot more especially to an Elder who has hag just come from the opposite aide side of ot the equator Trees are io in bloom and nd figs are appearing on the fig trees In 10 the fig g season sealon we have all that we can eat gratis gratia While attending the annual confer confer- conference conference ence of ot the Australasian lan mission held beld beldin in this the Mahal conference April of ot the present year I 1 Iwas was released l from the con cun- cunI conference con conference I ference terence and appointed to preside over this conference with J mider lder Jas Jaa C CAlien Allen AileD as my traveling companion This Thil conference has bas a m et nearly souls soule all Maoris natives except one European family amity These are divided into eight branches with Maori presidents counselors Teachers Deacons etc eto over each of the branches We Elders usually visit each branch once a II month bold Priest Priest- Priesthood Priesthood Priest hood meeting and spend Sunday with them We bad had been expecting a visit from Elder Gardner president lent of ot the Aus Aus- Australasian Australasian mission and on calling at the P O 0 on 00 August 1 re- re received received re received word to meet him at Mohaka on OD the following day We were up early next morning and soon loon on our way to the branch of the la is 40 miles milea south of ot Nu Nu- Nuhaka Nuhaka haka hake We had some in procuring procuring In ing an n extra horse borle for tor we only got ot or aa u tat far aa as that day la is a quaint little littletown littletown town of Europeans situated on the banks boks of ot the long water river within about half halt a mile from the sea lea beach on the eastern shore of New Zealand Elder Eider Allen Alien and I 1 were oft on OD our Journey towards Mohaka early DeX next morning ng When we had done about bou halt of our day days day's travel ravel we saw a lone lODe hor horseman eman approaching ua us and aud OB on his bis drawing nearer we clearly discerned it was waa our beloved president On meeting we dismounted and let our horses graze while we spent a halt half hour in relating some lome of our many experiences since elnoEl we parted last April As Aa the shades of evening were last drawing nigh we did not have much time to spare BO so we were soon on the travel again I continued on to Moha- Moha Mohaka Moba-ka Moba ka and preached to the natives of ot that place Elder Allen Alien returned toW In company with Elder Gardner Grdner On the following Monday I was waa up at three o'clock and lode rode back to before it got very warm Shortly after my arrival the mall steamer arrived at atthe atthe the Walton with part of the American mail mati on board bord Up to this time all had bad been life Ute and Joy among us but on Elder reading his bla home news it conveyed the sad news newl of the death of his bis only living son aon a bright little lad of about fourteen months montha This cast a gloom over us ua for tor some days daYI still lUll Brother Gardner feels that It is la all aU in the wis wie- wisdom dom dom of the Almighty We left on the morning of Aug and spent the remainder of the mouth month In visiting the Saints be- be between between be between tween and Nuhaka Sept lot lit found u us at t Nuhaka the old home ot of brother Hiram and bl his wife Mary went to Z Zion Zon on last June We received word of ot their safe aate arrival val by last lut mail maU and aDd the natives here are very dry pleased to hear bear that the they are so ao pleased with their new home Sunday the 2nd being the first Sunday Bunday we tasted lasted as aa also allo do our native Saints on the first Sunday Bundy of each month At 10 o'clock we held beld Sunday school the meeting meetinghouse house bouse being crowded Quite a number applied for baptism so we set apart 1 o'clock to perform the sacred ordinance At 1 o'clock the nati natives vel commenced to gather at the western bank of ot the Nuhaka river t to watch the perform perform- performance performance performance ance of the holy boly ordinance We then sang lang a song Elder Gardner spoke a afew afew afew few moments to the candidates for tor baptism m explaining to them the Im- Im Importance importance Im Importance of the ordinance that was about to be performed namely to be born of ot water and of ot the 85 35 I then dedicated the spot and El- El Elder Elder El Elder der Gardner went down into the water and aud baptized by immersion 17 souls The baptism m having haYing having been we all returned to the village At three o'clock the church bell rang out clear which announced it wa was time for the Sacrament meeting Our neat little frame was soon filled to over over- overflowing overflowing overflowing flowing by our skinned dusky Maori Saints and a few visitors The meet meeting ing house Is II built white man style except that there are no chairs or benches for the congregation atlon as al it Is Maori cust custom m to sit alt down on en the floor The floor wa was nicely carpeted how bow however ever bow ever with Maori flax ax mate mats In the upper end of the ball hall was a raised railed stand and Bad a pulpit with seats seata behind on which were seated Elders Win Will Gardner Ja Jas Jae C U Allen Alien R B E Scott myself also the Maori pre presidents ident and some o officers Elder Scott came down dOWD from u the night previous Js to meet Elder Elder Gardner There was a little passage left down the center of the he hall ball along which paced two DeMun Deidun's with long Ionic rods rOlli ready to give live the first one that showed signs larol of sleeping a poke or gentle re- re remInder reminder re reminder minder to not sleep in meeting We coo confirmed the newly baptized persons members of ot the Church and aDd blessed eight little children By the time Lime the Sacrament bad had been adminis adminis- administered administered we had consumed fully two hours time so 80 meeting was adjourned till evening At the appointed time the house was Wll again filled with the Saints After the usual opening exercises Elder Wm Win Gardner spoke to the Saints for tor foran foran n an hour giving them much counsel and instruction pertaining to their duties in the Church He Be advised early marriage among the young Saints and d dwelt welt at some lome length on the rewards that await the he faithful I Rev 20 6 Elder EJder Hoagland made I the closing remarks Elder I Gardners Gardner's words regarding mar mar- marriage marriage marriage proved effectual so ao much so 80 that on the he next Dext morning during our regular morning prayer meeting six hearts were made as al three Sunday was a day of great rejoicing to us to see lee so 80 many new members into the fold of ot Christ but Monday was wal the rever reverse e as 1 one or our dear sisters was wu lying at Mt deaths death's door Satan seeing the success eSI ol of our previous days day's labors became infuriated Infuriated Infuriated ted and commenced to afflict this sister and we went to administer to tober her ber On arriving at the house bouse where she Ibe was staying we learned that hat bat her ber attendants were all aU outsiders outsider and they were practising their Maori doctor business on her ber such as dipping her ber in the cold river and using other medicines all unknown to the victim We administered te to her ber and nd It Immediately afforded her great rem re- relie relie lie lief and we remained for tor some lome time and conversed with willi williber her ber As It was wan getting late and aDd time for us to return to our sleeping quarters we bade her good goodnight goodnight night and left the house We had hardly got outside the fence when a ayoung ayoung ayoung young man came oame running after atter usand calling Come bacK come back the evil spirit has bas returned Bro Gardner and aoa I then retired to a secret spot pot had a few words of prayer then returned to the house On ree re- reentering entering re-entering entering the house we beheld five men holding hoJ her ber down and anI they could hardly keep her ber from getting up up She was and blood and anI troth troth were from her bar mouth We had bad prayer her with oil oU and confirmed the same in the name of Jesus Jesul Within five minutes after the confirming woo was done she was sitting up eating and talking to us The out out- outsiders out outsiders siders soon began to see that their cold coldwater coldwater coldwater water baths and medicines bad but little effect for tor good to the sick lick woman On our return to the Till ge that even even- evenIng evening evening Ing we asked the Saints to have bave her brought among them so 80 that they as al well as al exercise e faith in be- be behalf be behalf half balf of the II afflicted l one oue The next day the Saints went down dOWD where she Ibe was wu procured a turnpike cart oart and brought her to her own home bomb We then felt more at hom home but hereto hereto- heretofore heretofore fore we ge felt as al If we had Dean outing casting pearls pearll before swine We all in- in including the Saints fasted and prayed for tor thirty six hours houra As soon as the they brought her home we saw she was un- un unconscious un unconscious conscious and in great pain so 10 much so 80 that she Ibe would cry out in agony and twist her ber body and features in un- un unnatural un unnatural natural shapes After the house boule had bad been cleared of ot every soul except one ODe attendant we Elders Elden and Dd ble blessed ed her ber four times in close succession at the end ol of which ahe she she- came to her ber natural mind and knew for the first t time Ume that chat Ih she had bad been returned to her old hom home We kept close guard that day and night to see aee that she be got no worse and we feel to thank God as we know He has baa answered our prayers prayer and Castings in ia behalf of our dear der sister On Thursday morning the Elder Ehler Gardner and I rode to the Wal Wai- Wal where branch twenty mile miles east Elder Allen Alien remaining at Nuhaka to 0 look Jook after our sister for a few tew d days We were warmly welcomed by the Saints and remained two days daya and aDd one child The Saints Bainte of ot thy this branch are very anxious anxious to have a day school there and Elder Gardner prom prom- prom th them D a teacher as soon loon as they get their house etc eto finished hed Oj Oa Saturday we went to Kopua- Kopua Kopua whar where we met Elder reported our hick sister as at improving nicely While at this branch we blessed two wo children and held beld three meetings meeting on Sunday On Monday Mondy morning the Elder Gardner left to go to the Po Poverty Bay conference He expressed ed him him- him oell as al belog being highly pleased with the condition of ot the Saints of this coos coos- once We have Dae had bad three forty bap baptisms p blessed blamed bl thirteen children and six couple during the last lut r months month and the tits prospects prospect are bright brighi r for more new members member In the neat near future in fact some lome have applied to be baptised ed at the semi annual confer confer- conference conference ence of the district which will be heldon held beld heldI oil on the and aDd of this month Having received an invitation to at attend at- at attend attend tend the Poverty Bay Hay semi semi annual conference Elder Allen Alien and I left at a m on Friday We bad a large range of ot mountains cov cov- covered covered ered red with timber timbe to cross It having rained a short time previous the toads were very muddy and there I was only a Maori trail through the e forest of ot giant trees and dense un underbrush un- un The heavy rains had washed the soil away in many places which left huge roots rising up above the UIe soil soU thereby leaving the trail in a rough stade for tor traveling On lag descend descend descend- descendIng Ing some of the hills blUs our horses borses would o often n slide sUde down the slippery soil twelve welve or fifteen feet till their feet GUIle came in contact with the roots which would usually bring them to a stand- stand standstill still elm till A Along long other otner portions of the road the he land was covered with terns terOl palm and other trees tree which grow spontaneously spontaneously ou ly in this tropical semi climate e The branches and leaves of the trees and plants plant hang bang over the trail and lake it difficult for tor a rider ricer to stay Itay on Lis il horse In places We stopped on the rood road several times to rest reat and andie let ie our oar horses bor es graze and arrived atTe at atTe Te Muriwai the Conference place late tin tD the afternoon The day following Elders E and Scott arrived Owing to missionary and other duties Elder Eldr Gardner was not able to be pre pre- present pre pre- prent present sent nt The President of the Conference Elder Eldr Jas Ja E Fisher was wu off preach preach- lag R to some natives In the north COD con b be did not arrive in time to attend nd But we had bad an enjoyable time together and aud one on that will be long remembered re- re re remembered by those who were In at- at attendance r On the following folio ring Monday we Elders lode to lio the city of ot Gisborne which isa is II alively lively little sea port sea sea-p rt town Here we rejoined Elder Gardner who was walt walt- waltIng waiting Ing for tor the next steamer to Auckland the afternoon and evening In writing Saints and friends Early se t morning Elder Allen Alien and I loom loom- com com- commenced commenced our return to the Mahla Elder Eldr Gardner accompanied us UI as far as Wednes Wednes- Wednesday Wednesday day 47 we w the mountains and aDd it was one ODe of ot the worst days known in iD this land for tor many years yearn There was u a heavy beavy fog all day it also rained very ry bard hard and blew so 10 bard hard that many plant trees treel were thrown to the tb ground and aDd broken into matchwood It was indeed a bad day to travel through snob noh a place on account of falling reee rem We walked and led our horses most mOlt of ot the way as al the tb road roads I were wre fearfully slippery Early In the attar alter noon Mon we arrived at wet and aud tired Our Saints soon loon had bad a large wood fire built in 18 the meeting bouse house and nd w we spent tb the remainder of the day Ja in drying our clothes Thursday morning we rod rode to Wal- Wal got some fresh horses and con COD continued con continued on to Nuhaka We were werts quite late lae however hower in leaving consequently it was after bed time long before we reached the Nuhaka river We knew it would be In vain 10 try to wake them up to ferry terry us ua across as they dill all lived on OD tb the opposite ald side almost almol out of calling distance r I R Therefore we turned our horses out and aDd thought to make a big fire or and dry our clothes My companion bad two matches the first one burned allright aU all allright right but the brush was too wet to catch fire before the match matoh was con con- consumed consumed Only one match left so St we got some of the wood we could find and a little paper Ay A then struck bl his last lad match matoh when all of a Iud |