Frederick Bennett was son of a high-born woman of Ngati Whakaue of Te Arawa his father was Dr John Bennett, first registrar-general of New Zealand. Frederick's dual ancestry equipped him powerfully for his life's work. Renowned for his skills in oratory in both Maori and English, he was able to speak for the Maori to the pakeha and for the pakeha to the Maori. A man of deep humility of spirit and infinite courage, he is remembered as one of the most revered and loved leaders Maori have ever known.

He was "discovered" by Bishop Suter of Nelson when he went to see the Pink and White Terraces* (the 8th wonder of the World), and led a service at Te Wairoa. Bishop Suter impressed by his singing and bearing, invited him to be educated and train for the ministry in Nelson (and sing in the Nelson Cathedral Choir). Two weeks later, on 9 June 1886, Mt Tarawera erupted burying the entire village of Te Wairoa. God had saved Frederick Augustus Bennett, God had plans for him.

Frederick Bennett had already received some schooling at St Stephen’s School in Parnell. At Nelson he sang in the choir, taught Sunday school, attended Nelson College, studied theology and gained his L.Th. He was ordained deacon in 1896 and priest in 1897. He served under F.W. Chatterton in All Saints’ parish, Nelson, who encouraged him to extend his ministry to the Maori of the Nelson district.

In 1899 he was personally requested to lead a renewal of ministry among Maori in Taranaki. Afterwards working in the Wanganui area until being promoted as chaplain to the bishop of Auckland in 1903. In 1905 he was appointed Maori missioner in Rotorua and superintendent of mission work in his home area. He worked with great determination and enthusiasm. Vicar of the Ohinemutu pastorate, he re-built the present Church of St Faith’s to replace the first church, which had been blown down in a gale. He encouraged the cultural activities of his Te Arawa people. A vigorous missioner he made an impact on the faith of the church, also gaining the respect of many outside it. In 1917 he was appointed superintendent of the Hawke’s Bay Maori mission and moved to Kohupatiki near Clive. He was a member of the diocesan Standing Committee and edited a monthly Maori paper.

On 2 December 1928 in Waiapu Cathedral, Frederick Augustus Bennett was consecrated as the first bishop of Aotearoa (New Zealand), his work to minister to Maori in all dioceses, under licence from diocesan bishops, he served for 22 years. He was the spiritual representative of a generation, giving unstinting service to the welfare of the Maori people. At a time when many Maori were dispirited, he brought “faith and belief in the future”. In August 1946 Bennett celebrated the 50th anniversary of his ordination. In 1948 he attended the Lambeth Conference in London, and preached at Westminster Abbey. Then proceeded to the first assembly of the World Council of Churches at Amsterdam. All while engaged in the revision of the Maori Bible. In the New Year's honours in 1948 he was made a CMG.

His work was complex and beset with difficulties, calling for talent, infinite patience and an ungrudging sacrifice of time. His loyalty to his church never flagged, he maintained a constant faith, a catholicity of outlook, and a quiet, unruffled calm. He left a legacy of 19 children who gave distinguished service to Maori and to New Zealand, one of his sons became the 3rd bishop of Aotearoa.

BORN: 18 November 1871, Ohinemutu, New Zealand

DIED: 16 September 1950, Kohupatiki, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand.

*The pink and white terraces that Bennett knew in his youth, have recently been re-discovered after being hidden for 150 yrs they still exist at the bottom of Lake Rotomahana.