In December 1953, Queen Elizabeth and the duke of Edinburgh began a month-long visit to New Zealand. The Wellington, New Zealand, Dominion reported: “Mr. and Mrs. Tuiri Tareha [dad and mum] were two among the 74 people presented to the Royal visitors. Instead of shaking the Queen’s hand Mrs. Tareha passed to Her Majesty a small, neatly-wrapped brownpaper parcel.” The package contained the New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures, and the book “New Heavens and a New Earth.” Dad explained: “The Queen once said that she wished that she had the wisdom of Solomon so that she could rule her people with equity and justice. We were confident that these books would help her.”

A CHANGE OF RELIGION

By the time dad returned home he possessed a library of seven books published by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society entitled “Studies in the Scriptures.” Immediately he began a regular weekly family Bible study, which close relatives and friends joined. When the clergyman became aware of these studies, he expressed strong disapproval. Yet, when he was asked to give Scriptural support for the Church doctrines of immortality of the soul and the Trinity, the only reply he gave was, “Be loyal to the Church.”

This convinced dad that what he was learning from the Bible was the truth. So, recalling the words at 2 Corinthians 6:14-17, “Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers,” and “get out from among them,” dad sent in a written resignation from the Anglican Church for the entire family. I was 19 at the time, and was in total agreement with dad’s action. He concluded his letter with the words: “As for me and my household, we shall serve Jehovah.”​—Josh. 24:15.

This caused a commotion in the Anglican hierarchy, due to dad’s prominence in Maori society. They immediately requested a special meeting for the purpose of getting him to withdraw his resignation. Dad agreed to the meeting​—not in the church—​but on our property where a huge platform was erected for the occasion. A number of clergymen, including F. Bennett, the Anglican bishop of New Zealand, along with a large crowd of about 400 others, were on hand.

THE MEETING

The Maori spokesman for the Church seemed purposely to avoid using the Bible. Rather, he appealed to the emotions. “Our ancestors believed that the soul continued on after death,” he reminded, “and yet you have chosen to adopt a religion that denies the existence of the soul.” Then dad proceeded to show from the Bible that the person himself is a soul, and, therefore, when the person dies, the soul dies. Dad also explained that God can resurrect the person as a living soul once more.

When it became apparent that the Anglican clergyman was not presenting a convincing case, then, making an impatient gesture toward the nearby church my great-grandfather had built, in an emotion-packed voice he exclaimed: “I make one last appeal to you not to abandon this sacred heritage handed down to you by your illustrious ancestors.”

After that dad stood up, thanked all for coming, and explained that he was more convinced than ever that he now had the truth. He informed everyone of the day and time of our regular Bible study, inviting them all to attend. Many did.