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In The Beginning – The History of a Mission by T.G.Hammond Literature and Colporteur Society (NZ) 1915 and 1940 Page 1 In The Beginning – The History of a Mission by T.G.Hammond Contents Preface to the First Edition Foreword to the Second Edition Chapter I. The Fellowship of Heroic Beginnings Chapter II. Enter the Gospel — Exit Slavery Chapter III. The First Maori Evangelist in South Taranaki Chapter IV. Discipleship in Action Chapter V. The First Maori Martyrs Chapter VI. The Pioneering Missionary Survey Chapter VII. Arrival of Rev. C. Creed at Ngamotu Chapter VIII. The Arrival of Rev. J. Skevington and First Service at Waingongoro Chapter IX. The Work of William Hough Chapter X. Thomas Skinner, Mr. Hough's Successor Chapter XI. Mr. David Sole Chapter XII. Contacts With Contemporary Missions Chapter XIII. Rev. Wm. Woon Comes To Heretoa Chapter XIV. A Lutheran Ally Chapter XV. The Industrial Emphasis Chapter XVI. Promise and Harvest Chapter XVII. Pagan Rivalry Chapter XVIII A New Terror — Unknown Diseases Chapter XIX. Problems of Transport Chapter XX. The Roman Catholic Church Chapter XXI. A Woman's Heroism Chapter XXII. Maori Churches Chapter XXIII Mr. Woon's Trials and Death Chapter XXIV. George Stannard And Educational Developments Chapter XXV. Wanganui River And The Work Of Rev. W. Kirk Chapter XXVI. The Darkness Of War Chapter XXVII Early Land Problems Chapter XXVIII Taiporohenui And The Land League Chapter XXIX. The Waitara War Chapter XXX. Troubled Days Chapter XXXI. A Bewildering Experience Chapter XXXII. Tauke Chapter XXXIII. Mr. W. Williams And Katene Tuwhakaruru Chapter XXXIV. Some Letters The Author. Thomas Godfrey Hammond Literature and Colporteur Society (NZ) 1915 and 1940 Page 2 In The Beginning – The History of a Mission by T.G.Hammond Preface to the First Edition In my own mind I do not feel qualified to sum up the contents of this most interesting booklet, for although it is small in size it covers a large field in human experience, and deals with efforts of far-reaching importance. It is true that the contents are fairly well known to me, for as Editor of the Hawera Star, I became familiar with them while passing the manuscript for serial publication in that journal. I have also read the book since then; and Mr. Hammond writes with such freedom from sophistication, and in such lucid language, that it is, indeed, a plain, unvarnished tale which he tells us. Yet it seems to me that these very facts make it difficult to give a satisfactory summary of the contents in a few fugitive forewords and, indeed, I regard the book as one of those which conform to the true literary standard by being self-justifying and self- explanatory to an extent which makes prefaces and postscripts so much verbal surplusage. Still it may perhaps be permissible to say that, in my opinion, Mr. Hammond's book is a necessary and valuable contribution to the history of New Zealand — the human history as opposed to the technical 'or formal history, which too often has very little that is human about it, except sophistication in the form of evasions, suppressions, over-statements, and efforts to make the worse appear the better reason or the better way. There is none of this taint in Mr. Hammond's work, any more than there is the taint of verbal obscurity, for his moral sincerity and literary lucidity are complementary to each other, or as two made one in flesh and spirit. In fact, the work as a whole is stamped with the character of a Christian gentleman, whose outlook on life, and whose estimates of the persons and the incidents with whom and with which he deals, are those of a man, not a pedant; yet a man whose moral tests and social standards are ever those of the Christian gentleman, not of the latitudinarian or time- server. Mr. Hammond's insight into Maori character is singularly sympathetic, yet he never writes as a sentimentalist; indeed, his mind is obviously too masculine and just for him to be guilty of this weakness. The same quality is seen, too, in what he has to say about Europeans in their dealings with the Maoris or with each other, and the clearness with which he discerns character and discriminates conduct in both races. It would be easy to quote instances of this — they are so numerous; but their very number makes quotation unnecessary; besides, it is better for a reader to find out an author's good things and distinctive qualities for himself. In this booklet of Mr. Hammond's they are there, and it will be the reader's own fault if he does not find them. Some day perhaps New Zealand will have a Minister of Education who, while favouring the study of history generally, will take a special interest in that of the New Zealand missionaries and pioneers, and of their labours for and relations with the Maori people. It may be presumed that such a Minister will see that every school in the country has a library systematically supplied with the most trustworthy and best Literature and Colporteur Society (NZ) 1915 and 1940 Page 3 In The Beginning – The History of a Mission by T.G.Hammond written books on these subjects, and that every teacher shall, as a matter of course, not only encourage the more advanced pupils to read those books, but will set lessons from them and expound them in class. When that day comes this book of Mr. Hammond's will deserve a prominent place in all such libraries. Of course the qualities which will entitle it to that consideration also entitle it now to a cordial reception from those intelligent general readers, who must enjoy being brought into intimate contact with the primary characteristics of so fine a race as the Maoris, and with the nature of the relations between them and the missionaries and other Europeans. These indeed are things which necessarily interest intelligent minds, especially when they are set forth with the veracity, in the fine, broad human spirit, and in the simple sinewy English, which give value and distinction to Mr. Hammond's book. JOHN CHRISTIE. Hawera: August, 1915. Literature and Colporteur Society (NZ) 1915 and 1940 Page 4 In The Beginning – The History of a Mission by T.G.Hammond Foreword to the Second Edition I think the decision to reprint Mr. Hammond's booklet In the Beginning is a wise one. It is deserving of a better format, and its sketches of life and work in the early days of Taranaki particularly, deserve a wider circulation. Mr. Hammond is no ordinary chronicler. He revelled in the experiences of the early settlers, and especially the first attempts to Christianise the Maori. His own experiences as a missionary amongst them made him a discriminating chronicler, while his well-known love for those whom he was never ashamed to call "my people" gave a revealing touch to all that he wrote about them. Mr. Christie is quite right when, in his adequate preface he says "that the book conforms to the true literary standard by being self-justifying and self-explanatory to an extent that makes prefaces and postscripts so much verbal surplusage." Yet I may be pardoned as Mr. Hammond's successor at Waima and a life-long friend, if I add my personal tribute to the man and his work without it being regarded as "verbal surplusage." I found Mr. Hammond a big man, not only physically, but mentally and spiritually. He was not an echo of other people's opinions, but thought out for himself the burning questions of the hour. In Hokianga he was brought into contact with all sorts and conditions of people, rabid Rationalists, Atheists, and every shade of freak religion, yet his big brotherly personality won practically universal respect; and that, without loss of loyalty to his own convictions. But that is not to say that he met with no opposition, misrepresentation, dissimulation. He met with all of these, and there are stories of his resort to muscular Christianity on desperate occasions, but I think they are mostly apocryphal. He usually acted on the maxim, "No gentleman will insult me; no other can." After nine years of hard, faithful and in many respects successful service he was transferred to Taranaki in 1887. Mr. Hammond's task in Taranaki was one of great difficulty. It was to win back to the Christian Church the Maoris who, disgruntled and embittered by the war, had renounced the faith they had at one time embraced. Mr. Hammond met with opposition wherever he went. He was not allowed to enter their houses, they scoffed at his religion, they told him he was a spy in the pay of the Government, and so on. Patient persistence won the day, and even Te Whiti and Tohu came to look forward to his visits and to offer him the best they had in the way of hospitality. This did not mean any radical change of heart; it did mean, however, a change of attitude to Christian workers and their work, and for this Mr. Hammond was mostly responsible. When the Ratana defection was brewing, Mr. Hammond visited Ratana and tried to prevent it. He told them that he (Mr. Hammond) had a seat in the stern of the Canoe, and they couldn't throw him out as Turi did Tuanuiatera. This reference to an incident that happened on their ancestor's canoe Aotea won him a favourable hearing, but did not alter their decision.

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