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Te Hoa Maori 1885-1910: Number 41. 04 October 1895 |
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TE HOA MAORI
ANO
GOOD NEWS.
" Tena ra, tatou ka korerorero, e ai ta Ihowa, ahakoa i rite o koutou
hara ki te mea ngangana, ka pera me te hukarere te ma ahakoa i whero
me te mea whakawhero, ka rite ki te huruhuru hipi. " Ihaia 1. 18
" Come now and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your
sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like
crimson, they shall be as wool. " Isaiah 1. 18.
THIS MAGAZINE MAY BE OBTAINED AT
Bible, Book and Tract Depot—Karangahape Road, Auckland.
,,,, 91, Manchester St., Christchurch.
,,,, Hardy Street, Nelson.
,,,, Cuba Street, Wellington.
PRICE, Payable in advance—One Penny each, or Six Shillings
per hundred. Postage extra.
Correspondence to be addressed "Te Hoa Maori, " care of Bible,
Book and Tract Depot, Karangahape Road, Auckland.
———*— \_
The Prayers and interest of the Children of God are affectionately sought
in connection with this Magazine. John vi. 5-13.
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TE HOA MAORI
AND
GOOD NEWS.
TE MARAMATANGA ME TE AROHA.
I TETAHI wa i mahue atu nei ka tau tetahi kaipuke ki tetahi
\_ tauranga kaipuke hei reira kia pane peetatia houtia. A i te
otinga o te pane peeta tuatahi ka ngaro te ingoa ma o te kai-
puke i raro i te peeta hou, he me pango tera.
A i tetahi ra i muri mai i tera ka anga atu tetahi kai-whaka-
ahua ki reira ki te whakaahuatia i taua takiwa ko taua kaipuke
ia kua mau ki roto i taua whakaahua. Koia ra, ko te mea miharo
tenei, ko te ingoa o taua kaipuke kua whakangaro i te peeta
pango, koia kua whakakitea maramatia mai ki roto i taua whaka-
ahua, a ka taea te katoa te korerotia. Ko te take i penatia na
te ra i whiti mai ki roto i te mea o te kai-whakaahua hei reira
kua whakakitea mai te mea i ngaro.
Na, ka pena tonu te mea ka pangia ki te tangata e whakahihi
nona ma runga i te tika o tona whakahaere tangata i tona mahi
tika, ina ka tae mai ia ki te aroaro o te Atua.
Te kaha o te whakamaramatanga o ta te Atua kupu
ka uru ki raro i te ahua pai te ahua karakia o te tangata, a, ka
whakakitea maramatia mai e nga mea katoa e huna ana ki roto i
te ngakau, na reira kua whakahengia te tangata, ko ia he tangata
hara.
Engari ra, tera pea ka ki mai tetahi, ehara ra ahau i te pena,
ki taku mohio ka kore e kitea i tetahi he ki au, aeha maku te
whitinga mai o te maramatanga o te Atua ki roto i taku mahi,
ehara ahau i te pena me nga tangata ke.
Nau ena kupu 1 Mehemea he tika nau ena kupu kia mohiotia
ai koe ko ena te tohu tika e kore ano i whiti mai te maramatanga
o ta te Atua kupu ki roto i tou wairua kia whakakitea maramatia
mai e koe tou ahua pouri, ahua he, ahua matapo. Mehemea i
whiti mai taua maramatanga ki roto i tou wairua ka rere ke tou
whakaaro pai mau ake. Tera koa, he tau hou ra te maramatanga
tika ki a, koe, ara, ko te Karaiti nei ? Te take, e kore e taea e
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TE HOA MAORI.
koe te haere mai ki a Ia ki te kore koe e haere mai hoki ki te
maramatanga, hei reira ka whakakitea noatia o mea e tino huna
ana ki roto tonu i tou ngakau.
Tera tetahi e ki ana, " Ata, e kore au e pai kia whiti mai te
maramatanga ki au. He nui oku mea ahua he, e kore e taea
ratou te maramatanga. Ka wehe ahau ki te whakaaro atu ki
tena. Tera ka wehe ahau ki te haere atu ki a Ihu, mehemea ka
whakakitea noatia oku he katoatia i taku taenga atu.
Na, e taku hoa aroha, mehemea e pena ana tou mahara e nui
atu taku whakaaro ki a koe, a e kupu tuturu hoki tenei naku ki
a koe, e kore rawa he take mo tou awangawanga mo tou wehe, te
take, e mau ana te rama whakamarama ki te ringaringa o te
A roha.
Na, me whakaaro moa iho koe i tetahi ahua mea, ara, me haere
atu e koe ki tetahi pito o Ranana, ki te takiwa e noho nei e nga
tamariki rawakore. Na titiro atu ki tera temaiti e moe ana ki
tetahi pito o te huarahi. Na katahi ia ka oho. Ka mataku ia.
E aha ra te take o tona mataku. Tena ko tenei. Ko te rama o
te Pirihimana ia ka whiti mai ki a ia. Ae mohio ana hoki ia
e mau ana i taua rama ki te ringaringa o te Ture. He take nui
ra tana kia wehe ai.
Engari taihoa ka moe ano ia i muri tata mai. Kei te moe ia ki
te pito o te huarahi. Ka oho ano ia i te whitinga mai o
tetahi rama ki a ia. Kai te mataku ia inaianei kahore ranei.
Mehemea ko ia kei te mataku he mataku take kore tona. Te
take ko tenei, ko taua rama e whiti ana ki a ia inaianei e
mau ana taua rama ki te ringaringa o te "tangata ngakau nga-
wari, ngakau whakaaro pai ki nga rawakore a ka mau ra taua
rama ki
Te ringaringa o te Aroha.
E rite ana te maramatanga o tenei rama ki to pirihimana rama,
ka rite to raua kaha ki te whakakitea mai i nga mea i ngaro, otira
ko te rereketanga o tenei i tera ko tenei, ko te ringaringa e mau
ana te rama.
Na, ko Ia te Wakamarama o te Ao ko Ia hoki te Aroha. E
hiahia ana Ia, e te tangata he, kia tu mai e koe i tou wahi e huna
ana koe, kia tu mai ki te wahi marama kia rongo ai koe te kupu,
ehara i te kupu whakahe o to te ture tikanga engari te kupu pai
te kupu murunga hara o te Aroha.
Tena koa kia titiro ki te tikanga i paungia ki te waihine hara
i te waru o nga upoko o Hoani. Kahore he kore te kitenga o
tona hara, kua mau tonu hoki ia ki roto i te he, kua harea atu ia
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TE HOA MAORI.
e ona kai-whakahe ki te aroaro o Ihu ara ki te maramatanga tika.
Katahi ka meatia i tetahi mea miharo. I kawe ratou te wahine
ki te maramatanga hei whakahengia mona, engari ra ko ratou ia
i whakahengia e taua maramatanga. Kua whakakitea noatia
ratou, otira kihai ratou i tatari kia whakapaingia ratou e te aroha.
Ka hohoro o ratou haere atu i a te Karaiti. He tika kahore
ratou i whiwhi i te whakapainga. Engari ra me pewhea te wahine?
Kahore ranei i whakakitea noatia i a ia e te maramatanga 1 Kua
whakakitea. I whakapumau tonutia i ona he, engari ra kahore
ano ia kua whakawhiu, te take tera te aroha i tua i te marama
tanga.
Na ka tu ke te Karaiti ahua i tenei i to te ture ahua. Heoi te
mahi o te ture ahua ka whiti mai te maramatanga, tapuki runga i
te hunga he. Kahore tona wahi aroha. Tetahi ahua tona, kotahi
tona ahua rerenga mai, ara, ki nga tangata. Ko ia ka whakakitea
atu te ahua tangata, otira kihai tera i whakakitea mai te Atua.
Kotahi tonu te rerenga atu o te whakamaratanga o te pirihi-
mana rama kia kite te mea ka tau ai ki runga, a, i a ia e whaka-
kitea i te mea e tau ana ki runga ka ngaro te pirihimana ia e
mau ana te rama.
Engari ra ehara i te pena te tikanga o te maramatanga kua
karangatia koe kia tomokia ki roto. Erua nga whitinga o taua
rama, kotahi ki te tangata kotahi hoki ki te Atua. Ka whaka-
kitea atu e ia te aha te tangata ka whakakitea atu hoki e ia te
aha te Atua. Tera tetahi whakaaturanga paitanga me te whaka-
aturanga maramatanga koki. Ka whakakitea noatia te tangata
hara kua kakahuria i tona kakahu rekenga kua kinotia hoki i te
hara, otira ka whakakitea mai ano hoki te Atua.
E pai ana ki te muru i nga hara ki te whakaora
hoki.
Ka kaha te whakamarama ki te whakakitea katoatia mai te
ahua o nga tangata me te whakakitea mai hoki tera he oranga i
whakatika mai e te Atua, ara, ka whakakitea mai te aroha a te
Atua e te maramatanga, me te aroha hoki e murua i nga mea i
whakakitea e te whakamarama i roto i te ngakau o te tangata.
Ko wai tera e kore nei e haere mai ki tenei maramatanga pai,
ahakoa ko ia ka whakakitea mai i nga mea e ngaro ana i roto
tonu i tona ake ngakau ?
E te tangata hara, haere mai ki te - maramatanga, mana kia
whakakitea mai te he o tou ngakau hei reira kia mohiotia ai e
koe te aroha a te ngakau o te Atua.
" He maramatanga te Atua" " He aroha hoki te Atua, "
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TE HOA MAORI.
KO WAI HOKI HEI WHAKAATU ANA ?
KO wai hoki hei whakaatu ki te tangata ko te aha e puta
. \_ \_ mai i muri i a ia i raro i te ra 1 Tera pea he mohiotanga
pai tera, engari ka waiho tera mo te aha 1 Tera koa he patai
mui atu i tera, ara, ko tenei, E aha ra ka pangia ki te tangata i
muri i tona haere atu i konei ?
Na, tera tetahi tangata kei te takato, kua tata tona ra; ko
tona roia ki tona taha, kua oti tana wira te tuhi, he nui te kupu
whakahaere o roto i te wira mo runga i te tikanga o te tukunga
o tona whare. A ka mutu aua ahua mahi ka waiho ia ratou ko
ona whanaunga.
Katahi ka mea mai tona kotiro ki a ia, E Papa, ka haere atu
koe i tenei whare ka noho koe ki hea 1
He patai tika tena nana engari i nga ra ora o tona papa i mea
atu ia " Ko wai hoki hei whakaatu ana, " a inaianei nei kua tata
tona ra, te ra o tona haeretanga atu ki te mutunga kore mona, e
kore e taea e ia te utua mai te patai.
I tetahi ra i mahue tata nei ka tutaki au ki tetahi taitama-
riki, he nui tana kaha ki te haereere ki te ao. Ka ui atu au ki a
ia, Ko hea koe inaianei nei 1
Ka mea mai ia ki au, kao, ka noho ahau ki konei inaianei.
Taku mea atu ki a ia, Koia, mo ake tonu atu nei ?
Katahi ia ka oho. Kihai ia i mahara penatia. A kihai ia
hoki i mohiotia ai keihea he haeretanga mana ina ka tae atu ia
ki te mutunga o tona noho ki konei, a, ka haere atu hoki tona
wairua ki te takiwa mutunga kore. Ka mea mai ia ki au " Ko
wai hoki hei whakaatu ana. "
E te kai-korero—e kore e kore i tenei, ka haere atu koe i
konei, ratou ko nga tangata ke. Tera tetahi tangata nonamata,
he tangata mohio rawa ia i nga tangata katoa o taua wa a, i mea
atu ia "Kahore he tangata e whai mana ana ki te wairua ki te
pupuri i te wairua; kahore hoki he mana i te ra o te mate; i
taua pakanga ano e kore tetahi e tukua atu; e kore ano te kino
e whakaora i ona ariki. " (Te Kai Kauwhau, 8. 8. ) Na, e kore
e taea e koe ki te whakahe te tika o aua kupu. Kei konei ano
koe inaianei, engari ra, apopo pea koe ka riro atu. Otira
Ki hea ? Koia ano, ko te patai nui rawa tena. Tera tetahi
tangata mohio nui i mea atu, " Tera nga mea etoru e tika ana
kia mohiotia ai te kotoa—
Te tuatahi, —Kei hea ia,
Te tuarua, —Ko hea ia,
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TE HOA MAORI.
Te tuatoru, —E aha te mea tika rawa mana i runga i enei
tikanga. "
E kore e taea e ia te whakaatu te tikanga i pai atu i tera
whakaaturanga, A ki taku mohio he nui atu te kuare a te
tangata e kore nei ia e whai mohiotanga ki aua mea e toru,
ahakoa ka mohiotia ai e ia i nga mea ke atu.
Engari ia, ko wai hoki hei whakaatu ana. Heoi ra, Ko te
Kupu a te Atua ko ia anake e taea te pera. E ki ana a
Epeha 2, 13., o etahi "I tawhiti i mua " E te Kai-korero, mehe-
mea i waho koe i a te Karaiti, koia ra, kei reira koe " i tawhiti. "
E ki ana a Hoani 3, 18, tera etahi i raro i te whakahengia. A
te rarangi 35 ka korero tera mo etahi ka mau tonu te riri a te
Atua ki runga i a ratou. E taku hoa whakapono—kore, Kei
hea koe 1
Tena ko tenei, Ko hea koe. "Ki te Po. " Ko ia te utu i tika
mai ki au ki taku patai i pataia e au i tetahi rangi i mahue tata
nei. Ae ra, e tika tonu tera ahakoa he taumaha te tika. Tera
he tokomaha e haere ana i runga i te huarahi he nui te whanui,
a ka mutu iho hoki ki te mura mutunga kore. Engari ka pewhea
tou utu mai ki taku patai ? E haere ana koe ki hea. Ka mohi-
otia ai koe, kahore ranei. Kahore e kore tetahi o enei mau,
" Ki te uru ki te waiata o te hunga whakarauora,
Ki te aue ranei o te pouri o te ngakau whakaparahoka. "
Mehemea i waho koe i a te Karaiti koia ra ko te mea tuaru mou.
Te take, kotahi tonu te tangata e kaha ana ki te arai i te pua-
kanga o te po mou, ko taua tangata ia ko te Karaiti. A he tau
hou hoki koe ki a Ia. Ko tona toto anake e whai kaha ana ki
te uakina te puakanga o te rangi mau, a ki te homai hoki he take
tika ki a koe ki taua kainga o te waiata mutunga kore, engari he
mohiotanga kau to mohio ki te kaha o taua mea, ara, ki te horoi.
Na, kia titiro pu mai koe ki enei mea nui ki enei mea pono koki.
Ue tangata hara koe, ka tawhiti atu koe i te Atua, i raro hoki i te
whakahengia, a e haere atu ana koe ki te po. Na ki tou mohio e
e aha te mea pai atu i runga i tenei raruraru. Ehara i te mea
tika kia whakaaro atu koe ki nga mea hanga noa iho nei 1 Mehe-
mea ko au he tangata herehere kua whakawhiua kia mate apopo,
a, ki tenei ahiahi e kore ahau e raruraru ana ki te aha te utu o
tenei o tera atu taonga ki te makete inaianei, e kore hoki ahau
e homai moni hei petipete ki tetahi hoiho pai. Kahore. Engari
ka noho tupato ahau, noho whakaaro nui hoki ki te pitihana kua
tukuna maku, a heoi te mea nui ki au, ka whiwhi au tetahi mur-
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TE HOA MAORI. 7
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unga hara apopo ka toronatia ranei ki runga i te ripeka 1 A
mehema ko koe he tangata hara kua oti nei tou whakawhiu he
tika hoki tou mate ake ake ake, tera koa te mea pai atu mou kia
kimi ai he oranga mou i taua mate, ae ra, Here ata kia ora ai koe.
Engari ra, tera ranei he rerenga atu 1 Ae ra. Kia whaka-
whetai atu ki te Atua tera he rerenga atu. I te aroha nui o Tona
ngakau Nana i whakarite i tetahi Kai-Whakaora—-Tetahi i kaha
ai ki te oti pai te mahi o te orangatanga. Ka mea Ia, " Whaka
orangia ia kei heke ki te rua; kua kitea hoki e ahau he utu. '
Hopa 33: 24. Ko taua utu ko Ihu.
I mate Ia mo te hunga he i runga i te ripeka, a kua maranga
mai hoki i te rua i runga i te kaha. Kua karaunatia hoki Ia
inaianei i te kororia ki te ringaringa katau o te Atua, a, he oranga
tonutanga teru te whakapono atu ki taua Kai-whakaora. I raru-
raru ranei koe i o hara 1 "Ae horoia ana nga hara katoa e ona
toto. " 1. Hoani 1. 7. A i wehe ranei koe ki te wakawakanga
a muri ake 1 " He pono, he pono taku e mea atu nei ki a koutou,
te tangata e rongo ana ki taku korero, a e whakapono ana ki taku
kai tono mai, he oranga tonutanga tona; a e kore ano hoki ia e
riro atu ki roto ki te whakamatenga, engari kua whiti atu i te
mate ki te ora. " Hoani 5. 24. E pai ana ranei koe ki te
whakarere ke to tunga tawhiti mo tetahi tunga tata? A ka
taea i tenei ra kia meinga e nga toto o te Karaiti kia tata koe.
Epeha 2. 13.
Kia kaua e whakaroa. Kia hono te Karaiti mou, i tenei ra
tonu. \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
E RUA NGA KATOA.
TATOU katoa, ano he hipi, i marara ke, i anga atu tatou
ki tona ara, ki tona ara; na Ihowa ia i mea kia tau iho
ki a ia te kino o tatou katoa. " Ihaia 53 6.
Ka timata ka mutu hoki te korero kua oti nei te tuhi i runga
ake ra i nga kupu nui whakaharahara—ko aua kupu koia ko enei
ko '• Tatou katoa. " Engari e pai atu te kupu i te mutunga i to
te kupu i te timatanga; te take ko te kupu i te timatanga ko ia
te kupu o nga hara o nga tangata katoa, otira ko te kupu i te
mutunga ia ko te katoa o te oranga tonutanga a te Atua.
" Tatou katoa. " Ano te nui me te kaha koki o taua kupu.
Ekore e taea tetahi ki te tu ki waho. Kua mau katoa ki roto,
ko nga tino koroua a tae noa ki nga mea iti kua whakarapopotia
katoatia ratou ki roto. Kahore he pokanga ketanga—" Kua
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TE HOA MAORI.
hara katoa hoki, " ko te katoa hoki e kore e taea e ratou te kororia
o te Atua.
"Ano he hipi. " Tera pea e kore e taea tetahi atu kararehi te
ahua pohauhau o te hipi. Kanui tona kaha ki te puta ki waho
i tona kainga, engari te hoki mai ki roto e tino pohehe ia ki te
pera.
" I marara ke. " Ka kotiti tatou i te ara ki to te Atua i pai
ai. Ka haere atu tatou ki roto i nga tikanga he, ki nga whaka-
aro pakeke a tae noa ki nga hara. Ka mahara tatou, ka taea e
tatou ki te mahi i tetahi mahi pai atu ma tatou i to te whakaaro
mai a te Atua ma tatou.
" I anga atu. " Ehara i te mea i anga atu ki te Atua, kahore
engari i te Atua. Kua tahuri to tatou tuara ki te Atua, ki te
rangimarie ki te rangi hoki; to tatou kanohi e ahu atu ana ki te
whakawakanga me to roto ahi hoki.
" Tatou. " Ano tenei kupu kua whakakahatia mai. Kahore
he pokanga ketanga. " Kua peka ke ratou katoa, kua kino nga-
tahi; kahore he tangata e mahi ana i te pai, kahore kia kotahi. "
"Ki tona ara" Ka whiriwhiri te tangata he tikanga mona
ake, ka pera ra tana mahara, otira kahore ia e mohio ana ko ia
kei raro i te mana kaha o nga he; na kona ia e hanga ana he ara
mona kia riti ai i tana e pai ai; engari ka tuturu te ki " Ki tona
ara, " ehara i te ara o te Atua, ko te ara hoki he ahua pai ai ki to
te tangata titiro koia ra ko te mutunga iho o tena ko te mate.
Kua whakakitea mai te ahua o nga tangata i enei kupu toru-
toru noa iho. Kahore he mea ahua pai o roto, kahore hoki he
kupu ngawari. "I marara ke, " a "I anga atu, "Ki tona ara, "
ka mutu i te ngaromanga; —ka pera tatou i taua wa i whakatika
mai te aroha noa mo tatou.
" Na Ihowa ia. " Ano te pai o te huri atu i a tatou ki a
Ia tonu, i o tatou kupu ki Tana, i o tatou ano tikanga ki Tana.
Ko Ihowa—ko Ia i mahi kino nei tatou ki a Ia, ko Ia kua meatia
kia whaki atu te katoa ki a Ia, Nana nei te whakaaro nui kia riro
mai he oranga tonutanga ki a tatou.
"I mea kia tau iho. " Ae ra, kua oti tika te mahi. Ehara i te
mea " e tau iho ana, " kau, engari, " I mea kia tau iho. " Kua,
oti tonu te whakataunga o Angaanga. Kua oti tonu te mahi nui
whakaharahara, kahore he toenga kia iti noa iho ma te tangata
" Ki a Ia. " Ki a te Karaiti, ko Ia nei kua whakakorea, ko Ia
nei te kino kore, te hara kore, ko te Tama ngaunga o te Atua.
Koia kua tau iho ki runga i a Ia nga ahuareka katoa o te Atua,
Nana hoki i mahi tikatia i Tona whakaaro a i whakakororia hoki
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TE HOA MAORI.
i Tona ingoa, Nana hoki i Tana whakaaetanga na te Wairua Tapu
i whakaeke patunga tapu i a ia i runga i te ripeka.
" Te Kino, " Te kino me te taumahatanga o te hara, te mea
whakarihariha hoki ki to te Atua titiro, ko taua mea nei i kaha
ai ki te whakangaromia i a tatou, ko taua mea nei kua tau iho ki
runga i a Ia.
"O tatou katoa. " Kahore rawa tetahi tangata e whakapono
ana i hapa i nga mea pai o tena. Ko te katoa e whai kaha ana
ki runga i te pono i te ripeneta hoki ki te whakaae ko ia tetahi
o te tatou katoa i te tuatahi i runga ake ra, ae ra ko ngatahitia
o te hunga i whakakitea i tona he, me te aroha noa a te Atua i
tana mahi pai ki te homai he Kai-Whakaora, ko ia tahi o taua
hunga ka whiwhi ai te tikanga nui o te mohiotanga o te murunga
o ona hara i runga i te whakaritenga i otia ki runga i te ripeka,
ae ra kua murua ake tonu atu.
TE HUARAHI KI TE MANAAKITANGA,
KO te Karaiti kua koroiatia ki te ringaringa katau o te Nui
\_\_ \_ i runga rawa, kua whakakitea i a Ia e te Atua ki te katoa
hei mea whakaponohia.
" Ko ia hoki ta te Atua i whakaatu mai ai i mua hei whaka-
marietanga, i runga i te whakapono ki ona toto, kia whakakitea
ai tana tika, i te mea ka whakapahemotia nei nga, hara o mua, he
mea hoki na to te Atua manawanui; hei whakatika i tana tika
i tenei wa nei ano; he mea hoki kia tika ai ia, me te whakatita
ano i te tangata e whakapono ana ki a Ihu. " Roma 3, 25, 26.
" Ina, na te rongo te whakapono, a i rongo ai, na te Kupu a
te Atua. " Roma 10, 17.
E marama nui whakaharahara te whakaaturanga a te Atua ki
te orangatanga i roto i ona kupu. Kua riro mai, i te titiro, i te
whakarongo, i te haere mai, i te tango.
TITIRO.
" Tahuri mai Ki au, Kia ora ai Koutou, e nga pito katoa o te
whenua. " Ihaia 45, 22.
WHAKARONGO.
"Tahuri mai o koutou taringa, haere mai hoki ki au; whaka-
rongo mai, a ka ora o koutou wairua. " Ihaia 55, 3.
HAERE MAI.
Haere mai ki ahau, a koutou katoa e mauiui ana, e taimaha
ana a maku kotou e whakaokioki, " Matiu 11, 28.
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10 GOOD NEWS.
TANGO.
" Kia tangohia noatia ano te wai ora e te tangata e hiahia
ana. " Whakakitenga 22, 17.
Ka taea te Atua ki te whakamarama ake ? E te kai-korero,
kia marama hoki koe. Pera ka titiro atu koe ki a Ia ki roto i te
kororia, ka whakarongo koe ki tona reo, ka haere mai ki a Ia, ka
tangohia tana mea homai noa mai, he mahi whakapono tena au a
ka ki te Atua ka ora ai koe. Kohore koe e pai ana ki te whaka-
pai i ana kupu 1
Ko te Karaiti I tukua nei mo o tatou he, i whakaarahia ano
hoki mo tatou kia whakatikaia. Na, ka tika nei tatou i te
whakapono, ka mau ta tatou rongo ki te Atua, he mea na to
tatou Ariki na Ihu Karaiti. " Roma 4, 26 me 5, 1.
GOOD NEWS.
[The foregoing Articles are free Translations of the following. ]
LIGHT AND LOVE,
SOME time ago there was a ship lying at the port of S———
to be re-painted. When the first coat of paint had been
applied, the name of the ship, printed in white letters on its
side, was, of course, quite invisible. It had been entirely
covered over with black paint.
One day a photographer happened to be taking a photograph
of the scenery, and the ship was included in the picture.
Strange to say, in the photograph, the name of the ship, painted
over and hidden as it was, came out clear and distinct, so that
anyone could read it. The bright light of the sun, acting through
the photographer's camera, had penetrated the coat of paint, and
had disclosed the name that was hidden underneath.
Now. that is just what happens when a man, who has been
priding himself in his exemplary life and moral conduct, gets
into the presence of God.
THE POWERFUL SEARCH-LIGHT OF HIS WORD
penetrates beneath the coat of respectability and religiousness,
and brings to light what is lurking in the heart, and, as a conse-
quence, the man stands exposed as a " Sinner. "
" But, " says some one, " I am not like that. I think my life
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GOOD NEWS. II
will bear scrutiny. I would not mind the light of God shining
in upon it. I am not as other men are. "
Are those your words ? If so, they are a sure proof that the
light has never shone upon your soul, and shown you what you
are in God's sight—miserable, sinful, and blind. If it had, you
would not be on such good terms with yourself. Christ, who is
the true Light, must be a stranger to you, for you cannot come
to Him without coming into the light, and having your inmost
soul exposed.
" Oh !" exclaims some one else, " I don't like to think of the
light shining upon me. There are so many things in my life that
would not stand the light. The thought of it fills me with fear.
I should be afraid to come to Jesus, if I must be exposed, and all
that I am laid bare, when I come. "
Well, dear friend, I can sympathise with you if such be your
thoughts; but at the same time I can assure you that there is no
cause for fear, because the lantern of light is held by the hand of
LOVE.
Pay a visit, in imagination, to a little back slum in the east
end of London. See that little street arab asleep in yonder
corner. Suddenly he starts up in terror, and looks the picture
of abject fear. Why 1 Because the bright light of a policeman's
lantern has suddenly shone upon him, and he knows that the
hand that holds the lantern is the hand of LA W. No wonder
that he is afraid.
But see him an hour later on. He is again asleep in a corner,
and again he is awakened by the bright light of a lantern being
turned upon him. Does he start with terror now, and are his
cheeks blanched with fear 1 If so, there is no cause for it, for it
is the kindly philanthropist's lantern that is now shedding its
beams upon him, and that lantern is
HELD BY THE HAND OF LOVE.
It gives quite as bright a light as the policeman's lantern; it
does the exposing work quite as well; but the whole difference
lies in the character of the hand that holds it.
Now He, who is the Light of the World, is also Love. He
wants thee, sinner, to come out from thy hiding-place into the
light that thou mayest hear, not the condemning voice of the
law, but the pardoning voice of love.
See what happened to the poor sinful woman in the 8th of
John. There could be no doubt as to her guilt. Caught in the
very act, her accusers drag her into the presence of Him who is
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12 GOOD NEWS.
the true light. And now a marvellous thing happens. The light
into which they have dragged the poor culprit is too strong for
them. It exposes them, and they do not wait for the Love to
bless them; but they get away from Christ as soon as possible.
Of course they get no blessing! But how about the woman ?
Does not the light expose her too? To be sure it does. It
convicts her, but it does not condemn her, because there is love
behind the light.
In this respect Christ stands in striking contrast to the law.
All that the law did was to shed a holy light upon unholy
sinners. These was no love with it. Another thing about it is
that it only gave light in one direction—that was manward. It
revealed what man is, but it did not reveal what God is.
The bull's-eye lantern of the policeman only shines one way;
it only lights up the object upon which it is turned. While it is
doing its exposing work, the policeman who holds it remains
invisible.
But not so in the case of the light into which you are invited
to come. This light shines both ways—manward and Godward.
It reveals what man is, but it also reveals what God is. There
is a blessed disclosure, as well as a searching exposure. It shows
up the sinner, clothed in rags, and polluted with sin; but it also
shows GOD,
READY TO PARDON, AND READY TO SAVE.
The light makes the sinner's whole condition evident, but it
also reveals what God has provided as a remedy. In short, the
light reveals the love in God's heart, and the love removes what
the light reveals in the sinner's heart.
Who would not come into such blessed light as this, even
though it will expose him to the inmost fibre of his being ?
Sinner, come into the light, and let it lay bare the sin of your
heart, in order that you may know the love of God's heart.
"GOD IS LOVE. " "GOD IS LIGHT. " H. P. B.
WHO CAN TELL ?
WHO can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun ?"
* * was a question asked not long ago. Well, it might be
interesting to know, but it would be of little use. A question of
greater importance is, " What shall happen to him when he is
gone T
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———————————————————————————
A man lay dying; his lawyer was at his side, and his will was
made, in which were special instructions as to the disposal of his
house. Business was settled at last, and he was left alone with
his family.
"Father, " said his little daughter, "you are leaving this
house, where are you going to live ?"
A very natural question, but " who can tell T he had said in
health, and now, at the portal of a lost eternity, he could not
answer.
I met a young fellow the other day who had moved about the
world a good deal. " Where do you intend to go next ?" I asked.
" Oh ! I am going to stay here, " he replied.
" What 1 for ever ?" I again asked.
He was startled; he had not thought of it, and did not know
where he would go when time had ceased to be for hira, and his
soul had passed into the great forever. "Nobody can tell, " he
remarked.
One thing is certain, my reader, that you, along with others,
must go. The wisest man of ages gone by wrote: " There is no
man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit: neither
hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in
that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given
to it" (Eccles. viii. 8). Now the truth of these words you can-
not deny. You are here to-day, but you may be gone to-morrow.
But where 1 is the great question. One of the nineteenth cen-
tury philosophers said: " There are three things that every man
ought to know—
"1st. Where he is.
" 2nd. Where he is going.
" 3rd. What is the best thing to do under the circumstances ?"
He could not have put it better, and I should say, the man
who does nob know these things is lamentably ignorant, though
he be possessed of all the learning of the universities.
But who can tell 1 God's word alone. Ephesians ii. 14 tells us
of some who were "far off. " If you are Christless, my reader,
this is where you are. John iii. 18 tells us of some who are
under condemnation, and the 36th verse speaks of those upon
whom the " wrath of God " abides. Oh ! unconverted friend,
where art thou ?,
But again, Where are you going 1 " To hell. " was the honest
answer I got to this question the other day. Yes solemnly true
this that many are travelling the broad road to the everlasting
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14 GOOD NEWS.
flames. But what will you answer to this question? Can you
tell where you are going ? One thing is certain, it is either
" To join the song of the ransomed throng,
Or the wail of dark despair. "
If Christless, then it is the latter; for there is but one Person
who can bar hell's gates against you. That person is Jesus, and
you are a stranger to Him. His blood alone can open heaven's
gates, and give you a clear title to yonder realms of eternal song,
but you know nothing of its cleansing virtue.
Now face these awful facts. You are a guilty sinner, afar
from God, under condemnation, and going to hell. What think
you is the best to do under the circumstances? Not to be occupied
with trifles surely. If I were a prisoner condemned to die, and
on the eve of the day of execution, I should not trouble my brain
as to the state of the markets — I should not be putting my money
on the favourite horse. No, with feverish excitement I should
await the result of the petition which had been got up in my
favour, and the question would be, Shall I get a free pardon to-
morrow, or hang at the gibbet ? And if you are a condemned
sinner, in danger of perishing eternally, surely the best thing to
do is to seek to escape from your peril, yes, ESCAPE FOR THY LIFE.
But is there a way of escape 1 Thank God there is ! In the
great love of His heart, He has provided a Saviour — One who
was able to accomplish the work of redemption. He says,
"Deliver him from going down to the pit, for I have found a
ransom" (Job xxxiii. 24). That ransom is Jesus. He died on
the cross for sinners, and rose triumphant from the grave. He
is now crowned with glory at God's right hand, and faith in that
living Saviour saves. Is it your sins that trouble you ? " His
blood cleanseth from all sin " (1 John i. 5). Is it the judgment
to come that makes you afraid ? " Verily, verily, I say unto you,
he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me, hath
everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but is passed
from death unto life " (John v. 24). Would you like to change
your "far off" position for ra near one? To-day you can "be
made nigh by the blood of his cross" (Eph. ii. 13).
Delay no longer. Make sure that Christ is yours to-day.
" All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own
way; and the Lord hath kid on Him the iniquity of us all. "— ISA. liii. 6.
THIS important verse begins with "ALL" and ends with
"ALL. " But better is the end than the beginning; for the
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GOOD NEWS. 15
opening all is the all of man's sin, the closing all is the all of
God's salvation.
" All we. " How comprehensive this is. None can escape its
embrace. The oldest and the youngest of my readers are alike
included. There is no difference—"All have sinned"; all have
" come short of the glory of God. "
" Like sheep. " Perhaps no animals are so foolish in this respect
as sheep. They will readily enough find the way out of their
pasture, but never seem able to discover how to return.
" Have gone astray. " Leaving the paths of God's pleasure, we
have gone afar into the ways of folly, and wilfulness, and evil,
thinking to do better for ourselves than God would do for us.
" We have turned"--nob to Cod but from Him. Our backs are
found towards Him, and happiness, and heaven; and our faces
are in the direction of judgment and the lake of fire.
"Every one" Again this truth is pressed. There are no ex-
ceptions. " They are all gone out of the way, they are together
become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, not one. "
" To his own way. " Man chooses for himself, or thinks he
does, for he knows not how he is controlled by the power of evil,
and thus he marks out a road which suits his inclination; but it
is always "his own way, " and never God's, and the way that
seems right in the eyes of a man ends in death.
These sixteen words give a truly solemn view of the sinner's
condition. It is without a relieving feature, or redeeming word,
"Astray, " and going "our own way, " which ends in destruction
—thus were we found when grace intervened on our behalf.
"And the Lord. " How blessed to turn from ourselves to Him-
self, from our works to His. The Lord—against whom we had
sinned, to whom all must give account—is He by whom salvation
was planned.
"Hath laid" Yes, the work is perfected. Not "is laying, "
but "hath laid. " The judgment of Calvary is finished. The
mighty work is done, and nothing remains for the anxious
sinner to accomplish.
" On Him "—on the rejected Christ, the spotless, sinless, suffer-
ing Son of God, the one in whom all God's delight was-found,
who ever did His will, and glorified His name, and who, in
obedience, offered Himself by the eternal Spirit to be the Sin-
offering at the cross. "
"The iniquity. " The whole burden of guilt, the awful weight
if sin, which was so hateful in the sight of God, and which have
sunk us for ever in perdition, has been borne.
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" Of us all" No believer is outside the benefit. All who can
in truth and repentance take their place as included by the first
" all" yes, every one who has been brought to see his guilt, and
God's grace in providing such a Saviour, is privileged to know
that his sins have been fully, and for ever, met by the atonement
made at the cross.
HOW TO GET THE BLESSING,
CHRIST, glorified at the right hand of the Majesty in the
heavens, is presented by God to the whole world as THE
OBJECT OF FAITH.
"Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith
in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of
sins that are past, through the forebearance of God; to declare,
I say, at this time, His righteousness; that He might be just,
and the justifier of HIM WHICH BELIEVETH IN JESUS. " (Rom.
iii. 26. )
" Faith cometh by hearing " [or a report], " and hearing by
the Word of God. " Rom. x. 17.
God presents salvation in His Word in the simplest manner
possible for all. You may have it either by looking, hearing,
coming, or taking.
LOOK. "Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the
earth. " Isa. xlv. 22.
HEAR. " Incline your ear, and come unto me; HEAR, and your
soul shall live. " Isa. Iv. 3.
COME. "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest. " Matt. xi. 28.
TAKE. " Whosoever will, let him TAKE the water of life freely. "
Rev. xxii. 17.
Could God make it more simple 1 Reader, will you be simple ?
Whether you look unto Him in the glory, hearken to His voice,
come unto Him with your burden, or take His free gift, it is
faith in each instance, and God says you are saved.
Will YOU take Him at His word 1
Christ " was delivered for our offences, and was raised again
for our justification. Therefore being justified by FAITH, we
have peace with God THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. " Rom.
iv. 25; v. 1 E. H. C.
Printed by C. H. Murray, at his Registered Printing Office, 46, Lower Queen Street,
Auckland, N-Z. January 1897-