A Maori Girl and Her Treasure
TARORE was a little Maori girl, the daughter of Ngakuku, a chief in the region known as Waikato, New Zealand. He sent her to school in a small town called Tauranga to learn to read her native language. Just before she returned home a gentleman gave her a gospel of Luke as a present. Tarore treasured her little book and each night she would read to her father out of it. Through her reading the gospel to him Ngakuku became a true Christian.
Some time later Ngakuku went on a journey, taking Tarore and her brother with him. One night they halted beside the Wairere Falls and lit a fire. Alas, the smoke attracted the attention of the Arawa tribe, enemies of the Waikatos. Then the Arawas made a surprise attack, and in the darkness and confusion little Tarore was left behind fast asleep.
Her gospel was under her little pillow.
Tarore never knew what happened, for she awoke no more on earth. Her murderers carried off her gospel along with the rest of the booty.
Uita, chief of the Arawas, kept the little book for a long time. Then one day he called one of his slaves, Ripahau, who could read, to read to him from Tarore's gospel. He became captivated by the story of Jesus and His love, and the time came when he too confessed Christ as his Saviour.
The Lord so touched Uita's heart that he determined to seek an interview with Tarore's father, so he could declare his faith and plead for pardon at the same time. The Waikatos urged Ngakuku to take revenge but he refused saying, "The great God of heaven, whom I have learned to love through reading Tarore's gospel, will take care of the revenge." After that Tarore's father and Uita, the once bitter enemy, were often seen in each other's company, worshiping the Lord together.
The gospel of Luke had by God's grace wrought much, but its work was not yet finished. Years afterwards a great centennial took place at the Maori church building in Otaki, a center especially linked with Tarore's gospel. Among the many interesting relics displayed was one little book, the gospel of Luke, Tarore's treasure. It was tattered and torn, some of the leaves were missing and the covers were gone, but on one of its pages was the name Ngakuku, her father, the
chief. On that occasion there were mentioned the names of other chiefs who had come to Christ through the reading of this same precious gospel, among them Tamihana, and Te Whiwhi.
Te Whiwhi was so filled with the love of Christ that he journeyed over 1000 miles as far south as Otago in an open canoe, visiting all the native "pas" (villages) along the way, bringing to his people in those early days the story of the love of Jesus who died for sinful men everywhere.
Years afterwards my oldest brother labored among both the white people and the Maoris in New Zealand, bringing Christ to them. He found many Maoris who had trusted Christ as their Saviour, all through reading the Scriptures.
"Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days." Eccles. 11:1. "The gospel of Christ . . . is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth." Romans 1:16.
Memory Verse
"THEIR SINS AND INIQUITIES WILL I REMEMBER NO MORE." Hebrews 8:12
Messages of the Love of God 9/28/1975