Rose Petals for God by D P Lydford Page 1

Rose Petals for God by D P Lydford Page 1 Rose Petals for God by D P Lydford Page 2 Rose Petals for God by D P Lydford Rose Petals For God ONE HUNDRED AND FIFIY YEARS OF METHODISM IN WAIPA PIRONGIA MOUNTAIN DISTRICT AND TE AWAMUTU 1841-1991 Researched by:— David Paul Lydford Roly Field Noel Johnson Ngaire Phillips The late Mrs E.C. Johnson Ruth Cullen Garth Cullen June Higham Murray Higham Freeman Raine Audrey Moonie Mavis Cribb — Maori Translations Sister Rona Collins EDITOR:— Freda Lydford COVER:— Olive Bryant A special thanks to the following:— Methodist Archivist (Christchurch), the Reverend Frank Parker and Douglas Payne for the loan of historical books and documents. Freeman Raine co-ordinator of pictures and photographs. Toni Mitchell of the Te Awamutu Museum and the Management of the Te Awamutu Courier and many others too numerous to mention. Foreword:— Sister Rona Collins Dedication:— Deacon June Higham “The living, the living, he shall Praise Thee, as I do this day; the father to the children shall make known the truth.” Isaiah 38 Verse 19 King James Bible Page 3 Rose Petals for God by D P Lydford FOREWORD Tena Kotou Tena Kotou Naumai Haere Mai 150 years on from the first greeting to Wesleyan Missionaries in the Waipa — the greeting was again given on 4th May 1991 at Cannons Road on the banks of the Waipa River. It is an impossible task that we have asked of David to capture in a few pages the journey of the Church in this area. A journey from one site to another, a journey taking the Gospel from place to place — a journey on foot, on horse back, pushbike, motorbike and car — a journey with people as they make their commitment, receiving forgiveness and love and in turn reaching out to others. There is fun in the story — hilarity often, there are sober times and tears too. I entourage you — read it for yourself — and not only read — but commit yourself to carry on the journey into the next decades. Thank you David for your research — your encouraging us to write our pieces — even bullying us when needed!! “And it’s from the old we travel to the new. Keep me travelling along with You.” God’s Blessings Rona Collins Page 4 Rose Petals for God by D P Lydford ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS OF METHODISM IN PIRONGIA MOUNTAIN DISTRICT AND TE AWAMUTU AND THE WAIPA And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together in one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together He called the Seas. God saw that it was good. And God said, “Let the Earth put forth vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind upon the Earth.” And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruits in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, a third Day. (Revised Standard Version). In that period one supposes the land was formed in and around Pirongia and Te Awamutu. The legacy of grains and fruits are still with us, plus many other living things with which God has graced us. The Waikato can be likened to the land of milk and honey with its herds of dairy bows from Friesians to Jersey and Guernsey cattle supplying us with life- giving milk. The Waikato is famous for breeding horses also. In Biblical times the horse was hunted for food and was known to the Egyptians and Assyrians. The Arabs showed what it was capable of in speed and beauty. Down through the ages the horse has been domesticated and in agriculture we have the Clydesdale and Suffolk Punch, great muscled animals full of power. In the Waikato, Clydesdales are famous. Most of the other horses are reared for racing, pleasure riding and the like. There are also a few sheep in the area, without which our woollen materials would be hard to come by. So, a land of ‘Milk and Honey’ indeed! The Rev. William Morley D.D. author of ‘The History of Methodism in New Zealand’ circa 1900, starts his work by saying “Methodism is one of the youngest in the Sisterhood of churches. Its formal organisation began less than one hundred and sixty years before (1740). But its progress has been so rapid and its extension so wide, that it is now one of the most important factor in the World’s evangelisation. Among English speaking people its growth has been phenomenal.” Today in 1991, Wesley’s traditions are still carried out and Methodist hearts are still beating strongly. Hearts had to beat strongly in the Rev. Thomas Buddle’s day. Appointed to the Maori mission of Te Kopua in 1841, it was a case of strong hands and arms as well! In 1991, the strong waters of the Waipa river pushing its way to the sea via rich pastureland, willows dipping their long green tresses into the stream, bears no relation Page 5 Rose Petals for God by D P Lydford to the primeval forests of Kahikatea and King fern which the missionaries encountered as they entered the area one hundred and fifty years ago. It must be remembered also, that Te Kopua is a bare seven miles from Te Awamutu as the crow flies Otawhao as it was then known and Alexandra only five miles away and so the influence of the Mission came to bear on the military and their families in both places. The name Pirongia came into being on 10.5.1896 to avoid confusion with its sister town of Alexandra in the South Island, taking the name of the mountain being most appropriate. In December 1845 the Rev. Buddle and family moved to Auckland and the Rev. George Buttle appointed in his place. This man undertook the gigantic task of replacing the native style building which had served as a chapel. I have been wondering during my researches, whether those in charge of sending out missioners had regard to the name of George Buttle as being so similar to Buddle, the natives would find the changeover of name quite easy, especially since the characters and demeanours of both men were so similar. However I have been reliably informed by the Rev. Moke Couch of Hamilton that Buttle was deaf and the Maori referred to the ‘Deaf One’ Buttle and ‘The One Who Can Hear’ Buddle. In 1852 the Rev. Buttle reported a serious epidemic of measles and there were many deaths. In March 1857 Jane, George’s wife, died aged thirty-eight in childbirth and was buried at Te Kopua. The Rev. Alexander Reid was appointed to Te Kopua in 1862, but in 1865 the European appointments ceased and the Waipa came under many years of service from Maori Ministers and Catechists. An early piece of New Zealand history quotes a letter from the famous Australian geologist Doctor Ferdinand von Hochstetter. In 1859 when he was on a visit to New Zealand, said of Waipa — “The district is not only extremely fertile, but as to the scenery, no doubt the most beautiful in the Country. The weather having turned pleasant again, we agreed upon an excursion to the top of Kahepuku (1859 spelling!) The Rev. Reid, resident missionary was so kind as to accompany me on the excursion. The top can be reached easily in the space of three hours.” It had been eighteen years earlier that Rev, and Mrs Thomas Buddle after travelling overland from Raglan (Waingaroa) came up the Waipa River to establish the first mission station on its banks and there to tell of God’s love shown to the human race through His Son, Jesus Christ. It was also interesting to note that the Buddle family had been shipwrecked when leaving Kawhia Harbour bound for Wellington, but God had other work for this family to do, and negotiations were begun with Te Wherowhero (later, the first Maori King), to begin a witness for Christ at Te Kopua. The Mission was very important sitting as it did astride the Waipa-Kawhia Maori trail. Unfortunately the Mission had to close its door during the unhappy days of the 1860’s war. Afterwards though through the kind help of Chief Maniapoto, broken relationships were restored under the leadership of the Rev. William Gittos until in Page 6 Rose Petals for God by D P Lydford 1891, the first Maori Home Missionary — Wi Warena Pewa was appointed to Te Kopua and in 1896, Hamiora Kingi joined him. The only details we have of Wiremu Warena Pewa is that he was born at Waima in the Hokianga in 1852 and was converted under the Rev. Mr Rowse’s ministry. He entered the Methodist ministry in 1879 and spent several years in the Hokianga district, after receiving three years’ training at Three Kings College. He afterwards moved to Whangaroa where he spent five years. In the year 1891 he was transferred to the King Country, where he laboured with great acceptance among his people for sixteen years. He passed away on July 31st .1907, leaving his wife and children to the care of the church. He was buried alongside Mrs Buttle at Te Kopua and the grave is still there. (Page 62 of Minutes of Methodist Annual Conference 1908).

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