218 
THE GOSPEL INTRODUCING 
among a great body of the people. No doubt 
can, for a moment, be entertained, but that this 
will eventually be of great benefit to the country ; 
being the first grand step towards the civilization 
of New Zealand, tlie improvement of which was 
once tliought to be beyond all hope. 
The very language which the natives them- 
selves use, expresses what eventually will be the 
effect of the preaching of the Gospel. On one 
of my latest tours in the island, the following 
instance of this occurred. As we descended the 
hills, and returned to Kopu, we found that Horeta, 
a chief who was expected, had arrived ; and the 
people had just begun to sing his welcome. He 
stood in the centre of a circle, and gently mur- 
mured his good wishes toward the people of the 
place ; whilst they, with the most extravagant 
expressions of joy, bade him welcome. The wo- 
men cut themselves most frightfully ; and the men 
seemed to vie with each other, who should roar 
and cry the loudest. When this was over, Horeta 
commenced a speech of a very pleasing cha- 
racter. It all respected the Mission just esta- 
blished among them. It consisted of questions 
put to the body of people, but which he answered 
himself. One remark is worthy of notice. “ What,*” 
he asked, what are these Missionaries come to 
dwell with us for? They are come to break our 
clubs, and to establish peace here.*’ Then, follow- 
ing up the idea, in a second speech, he said, They 
are come to break in two our clubs — to blunt the 
