He claimed that while standing on the veranda of his home at 2pm, on 8 November 1918, three days before the end of the First World War, he saw a small cloud coming in from the sea toward his house.

Rātana was told to unite the Māori and turn them to Ihoa o nga Mano (Jehovah of the Multitudes).

[1] He continued his study of the Bible and began one of the most powerful faith healing ministries in New Zealand history.

The movement campaigned for ratification of the Treaty of Waitangi as a "cure-all" for Māori problems and collected 30,000 signatures on a petition calling for this.

Savage's predecessor Harry Holland had been reluctant, because of the animosity between Rātana and the Māori King Movement, especially Princess Te Puea.