562 
MANIHERA AND KEREOPA. 
my teachers, to supplicate the Divine blessing* upon our 
labors. I felt it was good to be there, the fervency and 
fluency with which some poured forth their prayers at the 
throne of grace, gave a well-grounded hope that they had 
tasted the good gift of God, and were thus able to proclaim 
the Gospel with effect amongst their fellow countrymen. 
It was a most interesting season, for there was an unusually 
large assemblage of natives, and those too of all the various 
tribes inhabiting that part of the island, and who, a few 
years ago, could not have been induced to meet on any 
terms, but now they sat quietly by each other's side as 
brethren. The duty of aiding those still sitting in heathen 
darkness was alluded to, when Manihera arose, and said, 
they had received the Ohristain faith from the distant 
country of England, and if we had left our native land, in 
obedience to the Lord's command, “To go into all the 
world, and preach the Gospel," surely it was theirs also 
to do the same amongst their own benighted countrymen, 
for his part, he willingly offered himself as a Missionary 
for his enemies the Taupo natives, who were still heathen, 
Kereopa, who also lived at Waokena, said in former times 
the apostles did not go alone to preach the Gospel, but went 
two and two, therefore he requested to be his companion ; 
having full confidence in the spiritual state of the former, 
their offer was accepted, and they were solemnly commended 
to the care of the Most High ; all present were deeply affected. 
Wiremu Eruera and Tahana, two of the teachers, came 
forward and said, that as these two were now devoted to the 
Lord, they did not think it right the servants of God, as 
ambassadors of Christ, should go forth without suitable 
clothes ; they immediately gave each a pair of black trowsers, 
the only Sunday ones they had ; others contributed coats ; 
one person gave one garment and another gave another, until 
they were both perfectly provided. 
Afterwards Manihera and his companion came to say, that 
Enau, the brother of Herekiekie, told them, they had better 
defer their proposed journey to Taupo until his return, as 
their going before would be like walking over the dead 
