NO one could tell who God is without being taught, and God has told us about Himself, and thus it is that those who live in Christian countries know that His name is love, and that He gave His Son to die for sinners. The heathen do not know who God is, and the gods they worship they regard as cruel. In some heathen countries the people do not even have a name or a word for God; they have no idea of a Being all-powerful and all-wise.
The heathen New Zealanders have a word, “Atua,” which they use when speaking of God; but they call a lizard or a cloud by the same name. Indeed, the green lizard, which they call “Atua,” is very sacred in their eyes. Their idols are of an exceedingly horrible appearance; they are carved out of large pieces of wood, and much skill is shown in the work.
The chiefs are held as sacred persons, and they have great power over their tribes. The head of a chief is looked upon as very sacred, so much so that no one may touch it. The chief himself seldom puts his hands to his head, because whatever his fingers, which have touched his head, are placed upon is considered “tapu,” or sacred, like his head. When a chief’s wife has cut his hair, her fingers are looked upon as so very “tapu” that she may not even put them to her mouth for some days, and has to be fed.
But the “tapu” has its advantages as well as its disadvantages, for it stands in the place of a good deal of what is called law in civilized countries.
Thus, if you were a New Zealander, and wished to have a fine tree you saw in the forest preserved for your own use-perhaps to make a canoe out of-you would mark the free, and it would then be “tapu” to you, and no one would dare touch it. What a capital thing it would be if, when their parents told English little children not to touch things, that their order should make the things “tapu”!
There is one thing in which the New Zealanders strongly resemble English children―they find it very hard to keep a secret. In some things they can control themselves very remarkably, but not in keeping a secret.
The Maori (the propel name for the New Zealander) can remember long passages of Scripture, and recite hymns in a way which would make some of our young readers very astonished and now there are many who have the Word of God before them, and some who love it.
It is now many long years ago, when some good men went to Nev Zealand and told the poor heathen about God, and of His Son, the Lord Jesus. A great chief listened to what they said, and after the missionaries had left the part of the island where he lived, the chief began to long after the things of which they had spoken.
So he set out, seeking the preachers of God’s good news to men. He traveled long journeys to reach them. He went through the lands of his enemies, and risked his life to hear fully the strange words of love which the good men had spoken. When he came to the parts of the country inhabited by natives, who had heard the word, he would ask them to give him the riches which the missionaries had left among them. “Go,” said they, “to where the white man is; he has with him a spring of water.” “I will,” said the old chief; “and will fill my empty calabash.”
But when the chief reached the place, the white man had left, and his calabash or drinking bowl was still dry. Then the old man returned with a sad heart to his own land.
Several months passed by, and at length the old chief heard that another missionary was coming to his home. How glad was the old chief! “I saw a missionary’s face; I sat in his cloth house and tasted his new food,” said he. “My heart bounded within me, as I listened, and ate his words.”
The old chief learned who it was had made the earth and the sea, and how the great Creator had become a man and had died for sinful men. He learned that God is love. Thus the old chief found the true riches. He found Jesus, and he rejoiced that all his sins were washed away in the precious blood of Christ.
He very earnestly bade the people of his tribe heed his words. “My hair is white, and I am old; the yellow leaf is fading away; my strength has left me, and the days of youth are past; soon I shall be gone to the home of God, to dwell in the presence of His Son. I have drunk of the living waters, and I am refreshed. Fill your cups at the same stream.” He reminded them how he had sought and at length found the missionary, and had found the way to the home above.
May the earnestness of this old man, once a heathen, be an example to our young readers!