CHURCH. 
301 
Nationally, the land is Christian. To the Church Missionary 
and Wesleyan Societies alone must the honour he given of 
accomplishing what has been done ; and, though in later years, 
other laborers have appeared in the field, yet they have effected 
nothing worth recording. 
But the subject for our more immediate consideration is the 
Church of England in New Zealand, or, more properly speak¬ 
ing, the Church which the former has been the honored 
instrument of planting. 
The laborers who have been employed in this work were 
few in number, though the harvest has been great, and the 
field of labour extensive, even the length and breadth of the 
island. The soldiers of the cross have, therefore, only been 
able to overrun the land, and partially occupy it. Except by 
native teachers, many of whom are naturally very inefficient, 
and with the exception of a few schools, the grand bulk of the 
rising generation has not been attended to. It is, therefore, 
evident that after the first zeal and enthusiasm of the converts 
have passed away, deadness and indifference must, as a matter 
of course, ensue, independent of other causes, such as the 
increase of irreligious characters, who are constantly wandering 
about in every part of the island, and are unceasing in their 
efforts to undermine the labors of the Missionary. The greater 
attention given to the cultivation of the land and other labors, 
which engross the mind, are also at present exercising an 
injurious influence, and rendering the natives less attentive to 
their religious duties. 
To make the work permanent, it is evident a ministry equal 
to the wants of the Church must be established, and schools 
proportioned to the population, be instituted. 
But before this can be properly effected, the Church itself 
must first be formed, and its constitution fixed : this is yet to 
be done. As far as the natives are concerned, its discipline 
has been established ; but the Church in general as applied 
to both races, is without any system which can meet its general 
wants and necessities. 
The fact is, its members in New Zealand have yet to decide 
upon its future rules of government. The relative powers of 
