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The Revd Samuel Marsden
Apostle of New Zealand
24 June 1765- 12 May 1838
First to preach the Christian Gospel in New Zealand.
Founded the CMS (Church Missionary Society) in N.Z.
 Born in Farsley, West Yorkshire in 1764, Samuel Marsden was a
puzzling duality in his own time, and remains so when viewed from the distance
of 200 years. An argumentative, intolerant, cruel adjudicator who appears to
have gained great personal benefit from his position and connections, he
generated intense dislike for his behaviour in Australia. His name still
generates vehement discord for some, as is witnessed by a web page devoted to
his violent punishment of Irish convicts in Australia.
Yet he is referred to in A New Zealand Prayer Book / He Karakia Mihinare o Aotearoa as the
"Apostle of New Zealand", and demonstrated such generosity of spirit
and deep care for Maori people that he earned their eternal respect and
admiration. His work in this country places him at the forefront of people who
were our true pioneers.
The Revd Marsden associated with William Wilberforce, who brought about the
end of slavery. Yet he was recognised by his Australian peers, and by government
officials of his day, for the extreme severity, cruelty and violence of the
punishments which he inflicted. He came under a shadow in Australia while trying
to expand his property holdings in rather doubtful circumstances, yet appears to
have spent huge sums of his own money in New Zealand to ensure that the Gospel
was promulgated according to the CMS ideals. At his own expense he purchased
land and erected missions, and used his ship the Active to transport
goods, materials, supplies and missionary staff.
Mr Marsden was admitted deacon and ordained priest in 1793, agreeing to
William Wilberforce's recommendation for him to become Assistant Chaplain
of New South Wales. He married Elisabeth Fristan (d. 1835) in April of the same
year, sailing for Australia shortly afterwards and arriving on 10th
March 1794, shortly after the birth of their first child. By 1795 he was settled
in Parramatta, where he became Chaplain, wealthy landowner, farmer and
magistrate.
Though his only previous work had been as a blacksmith apprenticed to his
father, he became an innovative and progressive breeder of sheep. He was the
first to ship wool to England from Australia in 1809, and is believed to
have introduced sheep to New Zealand - where there are now 14 to every human.
His well-documented harshness, especially towards Irish convicts in
Australia, who he saw as irredeemably sinful, earned him the nickname of the
"Flogging Parson". His sense of justice was further coloured by his
lifelong hatred of Roman Catholicism. Many of the Irish shipped to the penal
colony had been part of the Catholic uprising of 1798.
Yet he had a very high regard for New Zealand Maori, who he wrote of in his
diary as being ". . . a very superior people in point of mental capacity, .
. . . ". He became much revered by them, and was noted for his
protection of Maori against the incursion of settlers, and his encouragement of
missionaries to continue this policy.
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Landing of Samuel Marsden - 1814.
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Invited by the CMS (Church
Missionary Society) to establish missions in New Zealand, the Revd Marsden did
not come for some years because of the perceived risks following the 1809
killing and eating of the crew and passengers of the Boyd - an event
well-documented as being related to revenge over misunderstandings.
In 1814 he capitalized on a long friendship with and mentoring of
Ruatara, son of Te Pahi, the paramount Chief of Nga Puhi - the predominant tribe in the
northern North Island. Marsden was welcomed by Ruatara's whanau (extended
family), and on Christmas Day 1814 he became the first person to preach the
Christian Gospel in New Zealand. The service was held on the beautiful shores of
Oihi, Rangihoua Bay, Bay of Islands, with the text based on Luke 2:10,
"behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all
people."
He made six further trips to New Zealand as a missionary. Having purchased
land for a CMS mission station at Rangihoua Bay in 1814, he purchased land for
the second mission at Kerikeri from the famous Maori chief Hongi Heke on 4
November 1819. Original documents are held in New Zealand archives. He made his
last visit to New Zealand in February 1838, and died three months later in
Parramatta, where he is buried. His life is commemorated in Anglican Churches in
N.Z. on the anniversary of his death.
 The Marsden Chapel in the Cathedral is separated from the crossing and
chancel by glass panelling which is decorated with the Celtic Cross favoured by
Samuel Marsden. A window in the Sanctuary of St Mary's also celebrates his work,
and Marsden's name is used throughout the country to name places and features.
The Church Missionary Society building in Kerikeri, together with the
earliest trading store, and the oldest church in New Zealand, dating from 1817,
are protected historic buildings which may still be viewed by visitors to the
Bay of Islands. The mission station at Rangihoua Bay has not survived the
ravages of time. However, Lord Plunket, Governor of New Zealand, unveiled the
commemorative Celtic Cross on the hill overlooking Rangihoua Bay on March 1
1907.
A son, Charles, and five daughters survived him. His Great-great-great
grandson and namesake, the Venerable Samuel Marsden, is an Archdeacon in the
Diocese of Bathurst, and Rector of the Parish of Parkes.
Other reading:
An excellent and informative article from the "Online Australian Dictionary
of Biography" may be found here.
Of possible limited interest for those who wish to explore his
evangelism, some extracts from his personal notes are included in the highly
imaginative and factually inaccurate "Giants of the Missionary
Trail" by Eugene Myers Harrison, published online here. Major reinterpretation, and
dismissal of Marsden's negative traits runs counter to available documentation,
and a wildly original and colourfully graphic "Boys Own Manual"
approach to New Zealand history is presented. Be prepared for dramatic
descriptions of violent, ferocious, bloodthirsty natives taken in hand and
converted from almost daily cannibalism by a fearless man of indomitable
bravery, great kindness, extreme piety and unlimited spiritual wisdom.
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