The Missionary's Sporting Offer.

A good deal has been heard, in the course of Treaty of Waitangi reminiscenses recently, of the Williams family of pioneer missionaries. Here is one of page 45 several stories—it has not previously been told in print—narrated to me by a relative of Archdeacon Samuel Williams, son of the famous Henry Williams, first Archdeacon of Waimate. The Rev. Sam went to Gisborne—then usually called Turanganui—in 1865, in an effort to combat the spread of the Hauhau cult, and leaving the steamer Sturt at the anchorage, visited Waerenga a-Hika, the mission station. At the large village there he found a Hauhau prophet, with some disciples, who had worked up the feelings of the local Maoris to a dangerous pitch. As Mr. Williams entered the village there was sudden, absolute silence.

The missionary went up to the chief prophet and challenged him to exhibit his power, saying: “I hear that you are able to bring vessels ashore by your magic incantations. Well, there is the steamer which brought me, anchored yonder at Turanganui. Come and drag it ashore and you can then have all on board to offer as a sacrifice to your gods.”

An old Maori catechist came up and said: “Do you really mean what you say, Wiremu?”

“Yes, I do,” said Mr. Williams. “If the prophet is able to drag that vessel ashore we will give up ourselves as a sacrifice to his gods.”

There was tense expectant silence for a while. Then Mr. Williams rose again and said: “You recollect the Bible story which says that when Elijah all by himself met the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and they were challenged to bring fire from Heaven, they failed to get any response; and that when he called, the fire came down and consumed not only the sacrifice but the very stones and water; and then he called out to the people to take the prophets of Baal and not let any escape, and all were slain. Now then, if this prophet fails to drag that vessel ashore, be careful that neither he nor any of his party escape. Let all be taken and slain!”

This bold demand completely changed the aspect of affairs. The people who were being deceived by the Hauhau emissaries felt ashamed of themselves, especially the younger men, and these now ran for their guns. But the fanatics did not wait to put their magic to the test. They left the scene in much haste and were soon out of sight.