Tuesday 6 September 2016

1814 The first Christian service on land

Samuel Marsden (1765 - 1838) was an English born Anglican cleric and a prominent member of the Church Missionary Society, believed to have introduced Christianity to New Zealand. He conducted the first Christian service on New Zealand soil during Christmas Day 1814. The service from the Church of England Book of Common Prayer was read in English but it is likely that, having learnt the language from the Maori chief Ruatara, Marsden preached his sermon in the Māori language.


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