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Te Hoa Maori 1885-1910: Number 11. 01 January 1889 |
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TE HOA MAORI, WITH " I haere mai hoki te Tama a te tangata ki te rapu ki te whakaora i te mea i ngaro." Ruka 19.10. " For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." Luke 19.10. NAMA 11. ( AKARANA, HAUNARE, 1889. (Registered as No. 11. AUCKLAND, JANUARY, 1889. a Magazine. " Kahore he aroha o tetahi i rahi ake i tenei, kia tuku te tangata i a ia ano kia mate mo ona hoa."—Hoani xv. 13. " Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends-"—John xv. 13. " Heoi e whakakitea nuitia ana e te Atua tona aroha ki a tatou, i a tatou hoki e hara ana, ka mate a te Karaiti mo tatou."—Roma v. 8. "But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."—Rom. v. 8. "TOKORUA I MATE MOKU." •KUA takiri te ata, ho marino, he pai, he marama, ko nga kapua me te awha me te ua o te po kua whakatahe, kua pai. Ko te hau whakahara o te po kua turaki i nga rakau tupu o to ngahere; a i mamae o matou ngakau, no tu mea i haeremai i roto i te kaha o te hau nga ano o te waha tangata, a kua mohio matou tora ho kaipuke e paea ana e akina ana e te ngaru ki te toka, ,1 tera pea te tane, te waihine, te tamariki te horomia mai ra e te moana. I te aonga o te ata, haere ana ahau ki tatahi; kua mutu te awha, e whiti ana te ra, kanapanapa mai ana te moana, e koroki ana te manu i waenga kaanga i ko tata atu, ko nga mahinga o te awha e putu ana i uta, ara nga pakaruhanga o nga kaipuke. Titiro mihi atu ana ahau me te meake ano taku whakaaro, tokohia ra o nga tangata o enei kaipuke tahuri, i ora mai i te mate "TWO DIED FOR ME." THE morning had broken bright, and clear, and beautiful after a wild night of fierce howling wind and driving rain. The wind had seemed to us like a hurricane, sweeping by, relentlessly uprooting trees, hurling down chimney-pots, breaking or bending everything that opposed its mad career ; and our hearts had ached as, above the noise of the raging storm had come to us sounds of distress over the foaming waters, and we bad known too surely that some vessel or vessels were battling with the waves, and that men, and perhaps women and little children, were facing the dread realities of eternity, and that, alone in the darkness, terror-stricken and despair- ing, many a one might be finding a watery grave. When morning came I stood on the sea- shore ; the storm had ceased, and now the sun shone brightly, the sea sparkled and
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TE HOA MAORI. mutunga kore. I te mea e penei ana aku whakaaro, kua tu mai he heramana ki taku taha. Ka patai ata ahau ki a ia ki nga mate o te po. Korero mai ana ia ki ta ratou mahi uekaha, he kawe na ratou ki te whakaora i nga tangata; ko etahi i ora ko etahi kua mate. Whai kupu mihi atu ana ahau mo nga mea i mate, a ki mai ana ia— " E tai, kaua koe e kino mai ki taku kupu. KEI ROTO RANEI KOE I TE HUNGA KUA WHAKAORANGIA E IHU, KEI ROTO TONU ANO RANEI I ERA KIANO I WHAKAORANGIA. ara, kua matau ranei koe ki a Ihu ?" Pai rawa atu ahau ki tana patai mai no- temea kua hopu ahau ko Ihu to maua ngatahi Kai-whakaora. Korero ana maua ki a Ihu e arohangia ana e maua ngatahi, me te hariru o maua ringa, a, ka patai atu ano ahau ki a ia, kua pehea te roa o tana matauranga ki tenei Kai-whakaora aroha, a he aha te take o tana timatanga rapu atu ki a Ihu. Ano ra ko ia mai. " Etata ana ki te rima tau i whakaora ai Ia i taku tinana i te paremo ki te moana, i whakaora ai ano hoki Ia i taku wairua i te ahi ka tonu, E kore rawa ahau e wareware, no te mea, tokorua i mate kia ora ai ahau." Ki miharo atu ana ahau " Tokorua ?" Ano ra ko ia mai, " ae ra e tai, tokorua." Ko taku Ariki kai-whakaora i mate ki runga ki te ripeka i Kawari moku i te kotahi mano e waru rau tau kua pahure ake nei, a ka rima nga tau o te matenga atu o te mete o to matou kaipuke, he mea nana ko ahau kia ora, a ko te mea tena nana ahau i kukume ki a Ihu Karaiti." Ka matau ia e tau atu ana aku taringa, ka haere tonu tana korero:— " Rite tonu te po ki na po nei, i akina ai to matou kaipuke ki te toka i te akau o——. Hutia ana o matou kara, puhia ana nga pu, hei whakamohio ki nga tangata o uta, a kihai i roa kua kite atu matou i nga tangata maia i uta, kua manu te poti i hanga mo tera mahi kua hoe mai. I ki matou, hore rawa taua poti e ora i tera ngaru kino, Kawe ana ratou i ta ratou koha, a na te Atua te tiaki ka tae ake ratou. Eke gleamed as though studded with gems, the birds sang sweetly in the corn-fields near at hand, and the storm and its accompaniments might have seemed only a hideous night- mare but for the scene on the shore. There were traces enough of wreck and ruin. Sadly I gazed, and wondered as to how many had been saved from present death and how many had been saved from eternal death of those on board the wrecked vessels. As I thought this I was conscious that a sailor had come up close to me. I turned and asked him somewhat of the events of the night. He told me of the brave at- tempts at rescue, of their partial success; and then, as sorrowfully I spoke of the lost, he said to me very earnestly— " Beg pardon, ma'am, you'll forgive a plain blunt question. ARE YOU SAVED OR LOST YOUR- SELF? I mean," he added, " do you know Jesus ?" Very sweet the question was, for I could assure the questioner that his Saviour was my Saviour too. And as we spoke a little of the One dear to both our hearts, and shook hands heartily, I asked him how long he had known this blessed Saviour, and what had brought him to Him. " It is nigh on five years since He saved my body from a watery grave, and my soul from the lake of fire," he said. "Never will I forget it, for two died for me." "Two?" I questioned in astonishment. " Ay, ma'am, two, he answered. " My Saviour died for me eighteen hundred years ago on Calvary's cross, and my mate died for me just five years since, and that brought me to know ray Saviour." Seeing I was interested, he continued :— "It was just such a night as last night that our vessel was driven on to a rock just off the coast of———. '• We hoisted signals of distress and fired guns, and by-and-by brave men on shore manned the lifeboat and put out. We hardly thought it could live in such a sea, but they tried it, and God helped them to succeed. With difficulty we got our women and children in, and she put back to shore. Once more, manned with another crew, she
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TE HOA MAORI. whakanana o matou wahine tamariki hoki, a ka hoki te poti ki uta. Ka riwhi ano he kai-hoe hou, ka hoe mai a ka poto ki runga ko nga Pahihi. Katahi matou ka mohio ko te mate etahi o matou, no te mea, ki te hoe ake ano te poti hei toru hokinga mai, e kore matou katoa e poto ki runga i te tokomaha, a e whano ana to matou kaipuke ki te koara ki te totohu. Heoi pangapanga rota ana matou kia mohiotia ai ko wai ma me mahue ki te kaipuke. Kua riro ko ahau tetahi o nga mea e mahue. Ko ahau me totohu ki runga i te kaipuke. Aue te pouri i tau ki a au! Me mate tinana me mate wairua ahau— ka tu mai ki taku ngakau aku hara katoa whakapae mai ai. Kihai ahau i wawau, otira e tai mataku rawa ahau ki te Atua mo aku hara! Ko to matou mete he tamaiti na Ihu, e aroha atu ana ki a Ia. Kua maha ana whakamaharatanga mai, heoi taku whaka- hoki atu, "ko nga ahuareka o tenei ao maku." E tu mai ana ia i taku taha, hore rawa ahau i maia ki te mea atu ki a ia kia inoi ia moku, miharo noa ana ahau ki tona kore e whai kupu mai mo te Kai-whakaora. No muri iho katahi ahau ka mohio. Titiro pu atu ahau ki a ia, tau tonu te rangimarie ki tona mata, marama tonu. Ka mea taku ngakau, waiho ia kia marama ana no te mea ko ia tetahi e riro i te poti ki uta. Aue e taku hoa aroha e Himi, he aha rawa i pena ai taku kuware atu ki a koe ? Heoi ra e tai ka tae ake ano te poti, katahi ka eke takitahi nga tangata o matou kua kitea e te rota mo te eke ki runga, kua tae ki a Himi, he mea pei ahau e ia ki runga ki te poti, me te mea mai, " E Tame ko koe o taua ki runga ki ' te poti, ko ahau o taua me mahue ki konei mate ai, otira e hoa whakataua ake ahau ki te rangi, me kaua koe e mate rua, ko te tinana ko te wairua : hei pai moku nga mea i e taria atu nei. Kua kore au e pai kia mate ko ia, na te peipeinga riro ana ko au o maua ki runga ki te poti. I matau ano a Himi ma te peinga ka riro ai ko ahau, koia ia te I whakaatu mai ai. | KIHAI I AHA KUA EKE AHAU KI TE POTI WHAKAORA. Kihai i matara atu to matou poti, ka totohu te kaipuke me Himi ano hoki, taku hoa put out, and this time the passengers were got on board. Then we knew some of us must die, for if the lifeboat could put out again she would not hold all that were left, and the vessel must sink ere a fourth journey could be accomplished. So we drew lots who should stay. My lot was to stay in the sinking ship. What a horror of darkness came over me! Doomed to die and be damned,' I muttered to myself, and all the sins of my life came before me. Still I was no coward. I made no outward sign, but oh, ma'am, between my soul and God it was awful! I had a mate who loved the Lord. Often he had spoken to me of my soul's welfare, and I had laughed and told him I meant to enjoy life. Now, though he stood by my side, I could not even ask him to pray for me, though even then there was a moment's wonder that he did not speak to me of the Saviour. I understood it afterwards. His face, when I once caught a glimpse of it, was calm and peaceful, and lighted up with a strange light. I thought bitterly, it is well for him to smile, his lot is to go in the lifeboat to be saved. Dear old Jim, how could I ever have so mistaken you ? Well ma'am, the lifeboat neared us again; one by one the men whose lot was to go got in. It was Jim's turn, but instead of going he pushed me forward. ' Go you in the lifeboat in my place, Tom,' he said, ' and meet me in heaven, man. You mustn't die and be damned: it is all right for me.' I would not have let him do it, but I was carried for- ward. The next one, eager to come, pressed me on. Jim knew it would be like that, so he never told me what he was going to do. A FEW SECONDS AND I WAS IN THE LIFEBOAT. We had barely cleared the ship when she went down, and Jim, dear old Jim, with her. I know he went to Jesus, but, ma'am, he died for me! Did I not tell you true, two died for me ?" " Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends."—John xv. 13. For a moment he paused, his eyes filled with tears. Ho did not attempt to disguise
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TE HOA MAORI. aroha nui ko Himi. E tino matau ana ahau i tika tonu atu ano ia ki a Ihu, otira e tai i mate ia kia ora ai ko ahau. E tika ana ra taku kupu atu ki a koe, tokorua i mate moku. "Kahore he aroha o tetahi i rahi ake i tenei, kia tuku te tangata i a ia ano kia mate mo ona hoa."—Hoani xv. 13. Kei konei ka maringi ana roimata i te maharatanga ake ona ki te aroha o te tangata i tuku i a ia mo te mate he mea kia ora ai ko ia. Whakamau kau atu aua ahau —a?" Ka oho mai ano ia, "a, e tai, ka titiro atu ahau ki te totohuranga o tana kaipuke, ka ki atu ahau ki te Atua ka taunaha atu, "ki te u ora atu ahau ki uta, e kore e maumau mate noa a Himi moku, Ki te pai te Atu ka tino whakataua atu ano ia e ahau ki te rangi He Atua rawa ake ano te Atua o Himi i na a Himi ka piki i te mate moku kia whai takiwa atu ai ano ahau ki te rapu ki a Ia ki te ora moku. " I roa ano to rapunga atu ka kite koe i te Kaiwhakaora?" "Kahore i roa. Kahore ahau i matau, me pehea ra te timata. Ko te mea i toko tonu ake ki taku mahara, ko te paremotanga o Himi ki taua kaipuke totohu, me tona mata rangimarie i kitea atu e ahau; ahakoa parangia au e te moe, titiro ranei aku kanohi, takoto tonu mai ano tora ki taku mahara, hore rawa e wareware. I te timitanga ko Himi te mea i rahi atu i te Ariki ki taku mahara, a, ka tonoa ahau e te tangata kia hoki ano ki aku mahi tawhito, ki te iinu hoki, ka tino kaha taku moa atu ki a ratou, "kahore au e hoa ma e hoki ki ena mea. I tuku a Himi i a ia kia mate kia ora ai ko ahau kia whai takiwa rapu kia haere ki te rangi. E kore rawa ahau e tae atu ki te rangi i runga i tena huarahi, a, ko taku kupu taunaha tenei i reira, e kore rawa e maumauria e ahau te matenga o Himi moku." Heoi kua kite nga tangata i taku ; pakeke, ka mutu ta ratou tono mai. Kei ! konei, ka mahara au ki te hoko Paipera, kua kite atu hoki ahau i a Himi e korero ana i tana, he mea nui hoki tera ki a ia, a, i ka whano ahau ki te korero i taku paipera, ka matua inoi ahau. I korero atu ahau ki te Ariki ki taku kuware, a, mea atu ana ahau " e kore ahau e matau ki te huarahi e them. They were a tribute to the love that had gone into death for him. Presently, when I could speak, I just said, " Well?" " Well, ma'am," he said, " as I saw that ship go down I said to God in my heart, 'If I get safe to land Jim shall not have died in vain. Please God, I will meet him in heaven. Jim's God must be worth knowing, when Jim died for me that I might get another chance of knowing Him.' " "Was it long," I asked, "before you found the Saviour ?" "It was not long, though it seemed so to me then. I did not know where to begin. The thing always before me was Jim going down in that sinking ship with the quiet smile of peace I had seen on his face; waking or sleeping it was before me. At first I thought more of Jim than of the Lord, and when the men wanted me to go back to my old ways and to the drink, I said outright to them, " I could not do it, mates. Jim died that I might get another chance of going to heaven. I know I cannot get taere that way. and I vowed poor old Jim should not die for nothing.' So when the men saw I meant it, they left off asking me, and so I got left to myself. Then I thought I would get a Bible, because I had seen Jim reading it, and he loved it so, and before I began to read it I just said a bit of a prayer. I was very ignorant, and I told the Lord so, and ! that I did not know the way to get to heaven and meet Jim, and I asked Him to show me the way." "And He did?" "Ay, ay, ma'am, that he did. I did not know where to begin to read in the Bible, so I thought I would just begin the New Testament and read straight on till I found out how I was to be saved. But, oh! I had an awful time of it at first. When I came to the fifth and sixth and seventh chapters every line seemed to condemn me. and I said to myself—' It is no use, Tom ; there is no chance for you. You have been too bad, and I shut up the book. Then Jim's last words came over me again, 'Meet me in heaven, man.' So I thought Jim must have thought there was a chance for me, and he knew about God and his Bible and
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TE HOA MAORI. tika atu ana ki te rangi e kite ai ahau i a Himi, mau ahau e tohutohu." " Rongo tonu mai Ia, ne ?" "Ae ra e tai, whakarongo mai ana ia. Te matau kau ahau hei hea ra timata ai taku korero i te paipera, ka mahara ahau me timata i te Kawenata Hou. a, ka korero tonu ai kia hopukia ra ano e ahau te huarahi o te ora moku. Ka tae taku korero ki te 5 ki te 6 ki te 7 o nga upoko o Matiu, ka pouri rawa taku ngakau, me te mea nei e whakamate ana nga kupu katoa o era upoko i a au, a ka puta mai ki taku ngakau tera mahara—hei aha mau e Tame, kahore kau koe e whakaorangia, kei te nui rawa o hara; whakakopia ana e ahau te pukapuka. Te wareware kau ahau ki nga kupu whakamutunga a Himi, e, "whakataua ake ahau ki te rangi." Ka mea ano ahau, kua mohio ano a Himi, e, e puare ana ano te huarahi moku, i mohio ano ia ki te Atua, ki tana paipera, ki taku kino hoki, a—me tona ki mai ano hoki i era kupu kia whakatau atu ahau i a ia. Heoi ka whakatuwheratia ano taku paipera ka haere tonu taku korero. Watea kau ano he takiwa moku ka rere ahau ki te korero, tae noa ki nga tangata tahae tokorua, a ki te mea kotahi i whakaorangia e te Ariki. Ka mea taku whakaaro, aue, me ahau nei ano tenei tangata. Hohoro tonu taku tuku i taku paipera ki raro me te piko aku turi, ka mea atu ahau "e te Ariki, pera tonu ano taku kino me te tahae ra; E kore koe e whakaora ano koki i a au ? Kua taka tuwhera tonu ano taku paipera ki raro, a ka mutu tenei inoi aku, titiro pu iho ahau ko nga kupu nei— ' HE PONO TAKU E MEA ATU NEI KI A KOE, KO AIANEI KOE NOHO AI KI A AU KI PARARAIHA'—RUKA xxii, 43. Hopu tonu atu ahau, he utu mai tenei mo taku inoi. Kihai ahau i mea ko te mate ahau. I ahua hiahia ahau kia mate, otira i mea taku whakaaro he mea tuku mai enei kupu e Ihu kia matau ai ahau kua murua e Ia aku hara. Whakapiko ana ano ahau i aku turi ki te whakawhetai ki a Ia. He pono ra i kuware ahau otira i tupu a konikoni atu he kite moku i te ara o te ora: about my life too. So I opened it again, and read on, and on, and on. I was always at it whenever I could get a few minutes. " At last I came to the part about the two thieves and the Lord saving the one and I thought, Here is a man almost as bad as I am. So I dropped my Bible and fell down on my knees, and said, "Lord. I ara as bad as that thief; will You save me just like You did him ?' My Bible had dropped down open, and as I unclosed my eyes after praying this they fell on these words— ' Verily I say unto thee, TO-DAY SHALT THOU BE WITH ME IN PARADISE.'"—LUKE xxiii. 39-43. I took them as my answer. I did not think I was going to die. I almost wished I was, but I thought JESUS had sent me these words to tell me He had forgiven me. So I went down on my knees again and thanked Him. Of course I was very ignorant, but bit by bit I saw just the way of salvation. " I am the way and the truth and the life." —John xiv. 6. At first I had only come to the Saviour, and I never doubted He had saved me before I saw the way. "You will wonder, perhaps, how I could be so ignorant; but I had no pious parents. I was an orphan, and went to sea very young, and never read my Bible, so I thought people got to heaven by turning over a new leaf and saying long prayers, and some day I meant to be good. Then Jim died for me, and that set me thinking in earnest. Well, ma'am, it was not long after this day I have been telling you about that I discovered all about the way—how Jesus had died instead of me. For " God commendeth His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us."—Romans v. 8. And taken away all my sins by His pre- cious blood, and how His blood was on me instead of my sins, and that was how I could be brought to God now and taken to heaven by-and-by, for ' the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.'— 1 John i. 7. And it is only sin that keeps us away from God. At first, ma'am, it was Jim's watery grave that stood before me and my old sins, and since then, ma'am, it is another death—it is the blessed Lord's own
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TE HOA MAORI. i te timatanga he haere atu naku ki te Kaiwhakaora, a mea tonu ake ahau, kua ora ahau i a Ia, taiho atu e kite, ara ia i peneitia. " Ko ahau te huarahi te pono me te ora."— Hoani xiv. " Tera pea e miharo koe ki taku kuware, otira kahore aku matua i whakapono. He pani ahau, he iti rawa i taku haerenga ki te moana, kahore i korero i taku paipera, i mea ahau na te whakarere i te kino na nga inoi roroa i tao ai te tangata ki te rangi, heoi taiho atu ano e whakapai i a au. Na te pikinga o Himi i te mate moku i whakatimata aku maharahara tuturu. Kihai ra e tai i roa kua matau katoa ahau ki te ara, e, i mate a Ihu kia ora ai ko ahau. "Heoi e whakakitea nuitia ana e te Atua tona aroha ki a tatou, i a tatou hoki e hara ana, ka mate a te Karaiti mo tatou."—Roma v. 8. Na Ona toto i horoi aku hara, a ko taku ara atu tena ki te Atua i naianei, taiho ano e maua atu ki te rangi, no te mea " E horoia ana o tatou hara e nga toto o Ihu Karaiti o tana Tama.—1 Hoani i. 7. Ko te hara anake te mea arai mai i a tatou i te Atua. I te timatanga e tai, ko te mate o Himi te arai te hoki ai ano ahau ki aku kino, a muri iho i tena ko te matenga o te Ariki tonu, i mate hoki Ia mo era hara pu, na kona e mea ana ahau e hara ahau i au ano otira Nana. Ko taku ora i te ao nei i utua ki te toto, a, e rua oku hiahia, tuatahi kia kite ahau i te Ariki tuarua kia kite ahau i te aho mai o Himi i runga ra. Na, e kaikorero kia pataia atu ano hoki koe e ahau ki te patai mai a taku hoa heramana ki a au—" Kei roto ranei koe i te hunga kua whakaorangia e Ihu, kei roto ! tonu ano ranei i era kiano i whakaorangia, i ara, kua matau ranei koe ki a Ihu ?" A, ki te taea e koe tenei kupu ki te aroaro o te | Atua, e, " Kua whakaorangia ra ahau ki te i toto o Ihu mo ake tonu atu," heoi he kupu waiho atu maku ki a koe, ko te mea i tokona ake ki roto ki a au e te korero o te ata ra:— "E hara i te mea no koutou ake koutou. Kua oti hoki koutou te hoko ki te utu : na, whakakororiatia te Auta ki o koutou tinana, ki o koutou wairua; na te Atua hoki ena.—1 Koroniti vi. 19, 20. x. death that comes between, for He died for those very sins; and so I feel as if I did not belong to myself at all. My earthly life has been bought for me by blood, and next to seeing the Lord Himself I do long to see Jim shine up there." And now let me ask you, my reader, the same question my sailor-friend asked me— " Are you saved or lost yourself ? I mean, do you know Jesus ?" and if before God you can say, " I am saved by the blood of Jesus, and safe for all eternity," then let me leave you with, the verse that my morning's con- versation left with me:— " Ye are not your own. For ye are bought with a price ; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's."—1 Cor. vi. 19-20. x. (TO THE CHILDREN). JOSEPH FORGOTTEN. (GEN. x1-14, I5, 23.) I HAVE been thinking, dear children, how very unkind it was of that butler, when he was fetched out of prison, to forget all about poor dear Joseph, who was left in. And he had begged him not to forget him, too. Just read his words again: "But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and show kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house." " Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but for- gat him!" How very different to the way the dear Saviour treated the man who was hanging by His side on the cross, and who asked Him to remember him! Did He forget him ? Joseph said, " Think of me;" the poor thief said, " Remember me; and it was as if Jesus answered him, " Remember you, when it shall be well with Me Why, I am going to Paradise to-day, and you shall go, too, and be with Me there ;" and so he was. How unkind of Pharaoh's butler to for- get Joseph! how very kind of Jesus to think of the thief, and take him to be with Himself! Would you not like to live for ever with such a Saviour ? And, the more we think of it, the more wonderful it seems, for what brought Joseph into prison? Hear what he says, "Indeed, I was stolen away out of the land of the
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TE HOA MAORI. (KI NGA TAMARIKI) KIHAI I MAHARA KI A HOHEPA. (KENEHI xl. 14, 15, 23.) E TAMA ma, i te mahara ake ahau ki te aroha kore o taua tino kai-riringi waina, i te wa o tona whakaputanga mai i te whare herehere, ki tona mahara kore ki a Hohepa u ana, kua mahue atu ra ki roto. Kua tono atu ra hoki a Hohepa, kaua e wareware ki a ia. Tena korerotia ano ana kupu : " Otiia kia mahara mai koe ki a au ina whiwhi koe ki te pai, kia puta mai ano hoki to aroha ki a au, korerotia atu ano hoki ahau ki a Parao, kia puta atu ai ahau i roto i tenei whare." " Otiia kihai te tino kai-riringi waina i mahara ki a Hohepa, i wareware hoki ki a ia !" Kihai i pena ta te Ariki whakaaro ki te tangata i werewere ra ki Tona taha ki te ripeka, i tono atu nei ki a Ia kia maharatia ia! I wareware ranei a Ihu ki a ia ? I ki a Hohepa, " Mahara mai koe ki a au;" ko te tahae ra i tono atu "mahara mai ki a au;" Matemea nei i whakahoki atu a Ihu ki a ia, " E ki kia mahara ahau ki a koe ina whiwhi ahau nei ki te pai? E haere ana ra ahau aianei ki Pararaiha, a ka haere ano hoki koe i a au, ki reira taua;" a, pono tonu. Tena ra to aroha kore o te tino kai-riringi waina o Parao, te wareware ki a Hohepa! Tena ra to aroha nui o Ihu ki te mahara ki te tahae me te mau atu ano ki a Ia ! E kore ano hoki ranei koe e pai kia noho tonu, mo ake tonu atu, ki tenei tu kai-whakaora? Miharo ana tatou a ka whakaro ake, he aha ra te take i kohia ai a Hohepa ki te whare herehere? E pehea ana koia ia, " He tino tahae rawa hoki toku tahaetanga mai i te whenua o nga Hiperu, Kahore ano hoki aku mahi i konei i maka ai ahau e ratou ki roto ki tenei whare herehere." A he tino pono tenei. Otira, pewhea mo te tahae i iri ki ra i te ripea; kahore ano hoki ranei ona hara ? Whakarongo atu ki tana kupu : " Ka tika raia to taua; ka whiwhi hoki taua ki nga mea e tika mo a taua hanga!— Ruka xxiii. 41. Heoi ra ko te tangata kahore he take kia kohia ki te whare here- here, i mahuetia ki roto, i warewarea; ko te Hebrews; and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.'" And it was quite true. But what about the thief on the cross; had he " done nothing ?" Hear what he says : '(We indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds!" (Luke xxiii. 41.) So the man that had no business in prison at all was left in and forgotten; while the man who was hung on a cross, because it was the only, right place for him, was taken to Paradise, to be with the Lord of glory the very same day. And then, again, Joseph in prison had been very kind to the butler, and it was a great shame that he should forget all about-him when he was out himself; but had the dying thief been very kind to Jesus ? No, indeed, for we find that he had been mock- ing Him only a short time before (Mark xv. 32), and nothing had he done that could be a reason why Jesus should think of him. Yet Joseph in prison, who had been such a good friend to the butler, was clean forgotten; and the thief, who had been no friend at all to Jesus, has found a home ever since with the Saviour he despised How- much Jesus is better than the ungrateful butler! Has this Lord Jesus got your heart, dear little one ? Is He the One you love, and long to see, and try to please ? Who else is there like Him ? Who so kind to his enemies, or who so good to his friends. '' He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life : and he that beliveth not the Son shall not see life: but the wrath of God abideth on him".—John Ui. 36. IF any of my readers think the sin of unbelief is of small account, beware ! One sin shut man out of an earthly paradise, and so one sin will shut you out of a heavenly paradise. If you live nine hundred and sixty- nine years like Methuselah, and spend a highly religious life, praying, and reading your Bible, going to places of worship regularly, giving alms in a munificent manner, and doing all you could to earn the favour of God in your own strength, and passed an unbeliever into eternity, with only a record of one sin against you, you would be found for ever in the lake of fire. Awful judgment! "He that believeth not is condemned already" (John iti. 18). If you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, salvation is yours on the authority of God's written word (Acts xvi. 31; John v. 24). It is an awful solemn thought that there will not be one unbeliever in hell. Men scout now the idea of everlasting torment and the idea of a hell, but
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TE HOA MAORI. tangata i whakairihia ki te ripeka, mo ana hara, i mauria ki Pararaiha i taua ra tonu, kia noho ki te Ariki o te kororia. Ko Hohepa i te whare herehere, I aroha ki te tino kai-riringi waiua, a, ho ho nui tona mahara kore ki a Hohepa, i tona putanga ai ki waho ; tera ranei kua atawhai te tahae ki a Ihu? Hore rawa, i te mea hoki, kua tawai hoki ia i a Ihu i mua-mua kau atu. — Maka xv. 32. A kahoro ana mahi, hei whakaputake, i to aroha o Ihu ki a ia. Ko Hohepa kua koa aroha nei ki te lino kai-riringi waina, kahore i maharatia ; ko te tahae kahore rawa nei i whakahoa aroha atu ki a Ihu, kua whakanohoia ki a Ihu i kinongia noi e ia, a, taea noatia tenei ra. Ano, he pai rawa atu a Ihu i te kai-riringi waina aroha kore ! E tama, kua tukua atu ranei tou ngakau ma te Ariki ma Ihu? Ko Ia tau o aroha na, u hiahiaina kia kite kia mahi atu? Kowai ho rite Mona ? Kowai ra e penei ana te atawhai ki ona hoa-riri, te aroha ki ona hoa-aroha '? "Ko ia e whakapono ana ki te Tama, he orangatonu-tanga tana, a ko ia e kore e whakapono ki te Tama, e kore e kite i te ora, engari ka mau tonu te riri a te Atua ki a ia" KI te whakaaro etahi o aku kai-korero, e, he, mea noa ako nei, te huru o te whakateka, 'kia tupato rawa ! He kotahi ano te hara i katia atu ai te tangata ki waho te pararaiha whakateao, whaihoki he kotahi ano te hara mana koe e arai atu ki waho o te pararaiha whakaterangi. Mehemea i taea, e koe te iwa rau e ono tokau ma iwa tau o Metuhera, a, i nui rawa to mahi ki te whakapono, ki te inoi, ki te korero i to Paipera; ki te haere hono tonu ki nga whare karakia, ki te hoatu nui i o ra wa ma te hunga rawa kore, he mea katoa nau kia riro mai ai te whakapai o to Atua ki a koe mo to kaha a e ; kahore ra, i haere i heke atu hei tangata whakateka ki te akeaketanga, a, heoi ano to hara ho kotahi, hewhen they pass out of time into eternity — Christless souls— they will find all the unbelief of infidelity withered up. "The devils . . . believe and tremble" (James ii. 19). If you believe now, salvation, with all its present blessings and future joys, will be yours. But if you refuse to believe on earth, you will be forced to acknowledge the truth of these things in eternity, for it is written, " As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess to God " Rom. xiv. 11). Be wise then, dear reader, and close in with God's most wondrous offers of mercy and grace, for " it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." But, " the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation " (2 Peter iii. 15.) A.J.P. whakateka, ka kitea koe kua tuturu rawa koe mo te roto ka aua i te ahi. Aue te whakawa moku e! "Ko ia e kore e whakapono, kua whakahengia noatia ako " (Hoani iii 18). Ki to whakapono atu koe ki te Ariki ki a Ihu Karaiti', kua mau tia te whakaoranga o ai ra ta te kupu inana a te Atua kua tuhituhia (Mahi xvi.31 Hoani v. 24). I na ra te whakaaro taimaha rawa nei, tera o kore rawa e kitea ki te reinga tetahi tangata mau tunu toua whakateka. E whakatupereru ana te tangata inainei ki te mamae mutunga kore me te korero mo to reinga, otira, a te wa e haere atu ai ratou i konei ki te akeaketanga — he wairua Karaiti kore— tera e hopu ratou ko to ratou whakateka katoa kua memenge. "E Whakapono ana hoki nga rewera, me to wiri ano ratou " (Hemi ii. 19). Ki te whakapono koe i naianei, ko te whakaoranga me ona pai katoa o tenei wa, me ona hari o ko atae mautia. Otira, ki to paopao koe ki te whakapono tenei ao nei, ko roto i te akeaketanga e kore noa iho o taea e koe to huna te pono o enei moa, me to moti kua tuhituhia, " E ora ana ahau, e ai ta te Ariki, ina, e piko katoa nga turi ki a au, a o whakaae nga arero katoa ki te Atua ";Roma xv. 11). Mokonei kia matatu koe e kai-korero, hopu atu koe ki ta te Atua tapae mai i Ana puturanga whakamiharo o te atawhai me te aroha, no te mea. ''He mea mataku te taka ki roto ki nga ringaringa o te Atua ora" (Hiperu x. 31). Otira, "Kia mahara ano koutou ki te manawanui o to tatou Ariki he whakaoranga" (2 Pita iii. 15). A.J.P.