Story: Missions and missionaries

Distributing Bibles

Distributing Bibles

Stacks of Bibles are distributed to eager readers in 1842, in the shadow of Mt Taranaki (Egmont). As soon as Māori learned – mostly from missionaries – to read and write, they were willing to pay high prices for reading matter. Bibles and other religious writings were almost the only printed material in Māori available. This hand-coloured lithograph shows baskets of food ready to be exchanged for copies of the New Testament donated by the British and Foreign Bible Society.

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Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: F-029

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Peter J. Lineham, 'Missions and missionaries - Māori converts', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/artwork/28016/distributing-bibles (accessed 25 April 2024)

Story by Peter J. Lineham, published 5 May 2011, reviewed & revised 8 Aug 2018