The Missionary Field in New Zealand has now faithful Labourers to cultivate it: and we may hope for the Divine Blessing. God has been very gracious to them all. The Mission has now been established about thirteen years; and no man, woman, or child, who were sent out to the… Read More »Early Church Missionary Society publications
Looking for information on the Church Missionary Society? Featured is a list of Church Missionary Society missionaries which was created by Bishop William Simkin in 1965. [ANG 17/3/3}. The list we understand is compiled from a printed register first published by the Church Missionary Society. The work of the CMS… Read More »Finding information on the Church Missionary Society in New Zealand
The creation of the early Mission printing press was a significant moment For many Māori, learning to read was a powerful incentive in accepting the early missionaries’ religious message. As demand for printed material increased, the missionary-printer William Colenso was sent to New Zealand, arriving in 1834. The early mission… Read More »Early Mission Printing Press in New Zealand
Matthew and Mark were revised in 1843 In 1838, 5,000 copies were produced of this first edition of the New Testament, which was translated mainly by William Williams. The second edition of the complete New Testament in Maori, published in 1841, was printed in London with a print run of… Read More »1843 Revision of the New Zealand New Testament
Researchers are used to the bulk of the early records from the Church Missionary Society only being available on microfilm unless one is willing to travel to Birmingham, England. However, amongst the records of the General Synod are a few volumes that provide copies of correspondence from the London based… Read More »Early Records of the Church Missionary Society
Scrapbooks from a time gone by The practice of cutting out items of interest and putting them onto blank pages is characteristic of scrapbook makers throughout the world. While scrapbooking is sometimes seen as a contemporary phenomenon, the term scrap-book first appeared in the English language in 1825, and books… Read More »St John’s College Scrapbooks
One of the more quaint archival items we hold is this wee pamphlet from our stacks. It was first published in 1933, and is called the First New Zealand Christmases by A.H. & A. W. Reed: BV 3667.M3 REE. Here are few snippets from the pamphlet: 1642 ABEL JANSZOON TASMAN… Read More »First New Zealand Christmases
First New Zealand Christmas: a quaint pamphlet As Christmas approaches, we share extracts from this quaint pamphlet from our stacks, first published in 1933: First New Zealand Christmases by A.H. & A. W. Reed. 1642 Abel Janszoon Tasman ‘On Epiphany eve … he sighted a small groups of islets to… Read More »First New Zealand Christmas
A Controversial Churchman edited by Allan K Davidson was launched at St John’s Theological College New Zealand’s first Anglican bishop, George Selwyn, was a towering figure in the young colony. Denounced as a ‘turbulent priest’ for speaking out against Crown practices that dispossessed Māori, he brought a vigorous approach to… Read More »Book Launch: A Controversial Churchman by Allan K Davidson
First Anglican Bishop of Auckland, William Cowie William Garden Cowie was selected by G.A. Selwyn to become the first bishop of Auckland and was consecrated at Westminster Abbey in June 1869. He arrived in Auckland with wife Eliza Jane in February 1870. Bishop Cowie was known as an intrepid traveller… Read More »Bishop William Garden Cowie, 1831 – 1902
