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Following the Conference, Peter Jones went with Mr. Case to Grape Island. While there Peter became very seriously ill, and the Indians of the Island prayed for his recovery. Peter was very upset when he heard that some Indians from the Kingston area, in whom he had shown such interest, had fallen and given up their new faith. "I was very sorry to learn that a number of the Kingston Indians had left the Mission and gone to their old enchanted ground at Kingston and Gananoque, where some white savages at Kingston, had succeeded in their hellish designs in getting them to take and indulge in their greatest enemy, the firevwatersl'm S. Hurlburt was the teacher in the boys' school. On October 17 he wrote a letter to William Case who was probably on a missionary tour. Parts of the letter were published in the Christian Guardian.55 He described how the Indians were seeking to provide enough food in spite of their limited acreage. James Crawford rented 20 acres on shares from a white farmer. In addition to cultivating Grape and Sawguin Islands, the Indians also used Goose Island, a field on Huff Island, 20 acres on Everett Island plus another island near the head of the Bay. Having their farms scattered like this must have been an inconvenience, and indicates the seriousness of their position. 1833 In 1833 the number of members of the Methodist Society on Grape Island declined to 81. However, William Case was able to rejoice in the material improvements of the inhabitants and their continuing religious fervour. Of particular cause for rejoicing was the return of two of the Kingston families. In a letter to the Secretary of the Missionary Society, Mr. Case gave a delightful comparison of the condition of the Grape Island Indians in contrast to their former ways: Their fields and gardens on this land and neighbouring lands, are commendable, and show a happy contrast between their former degraded condition, and their present happy state. In company with a friend I lately stepped into the dwelling of Pigeon, one among the most drunken and worthless of the Kingston body. The house was cleanly and well set off with most useful furniture. The cupboard and table and bed were of neat workmanship. A neat spread, the work of native female 5' Jones, Journal, p353 55 Christian Guardian, OCI. 14, 1832. 24 Mission on Grape Island hands covered a good bed of feathers and blankets. The Britannia cups and spoons as bright as silver. The kitchen furniture in order, the axe and hoes and saw in their places, and the happy family comfortably clothed. We sat down to make some inquiries. Pigeon seemed delighted and happy in his condition, and said, "God very good to us now we serve him, .. when I first came here from Kingston, 1 had but one small kettle, my blanket coat all torn, --- no shirt, -- no shoes, ~ nowI got all this, I owe no man, and I got little money to."56 At Conference that year, the union with the British Conference came into effect. Mr. Case resigned his position as General Superintendent, and Rev. George Marsden was appointed President of the Wesleyan Methodist Church in British North America. The work of missions was placed under Rev. Joseph Stinson who was known as the General Superintendent of Missions. Rev. William Case was appointed to the Credit, "but he was also designated a general Missionary to the Indian tribes, who will also pay attention to the translation of the Sacred Scriptures into the Indian Languages."S7 Thus Mr. Case left his home on Grape Island, and the Indians there lost a true Father-in God. No missionary was appointed to the Island for the 1833--34 year. The minister from Belleville was expected to visit regularly however, Mr. S. Hurlburt, teacher of the boys' school, was an experienced and able leader and became in fact "the missionary in everything but name."58 1834 The number of people living on Grape Island continued to decline. Apparently there was a similar decrease in other Missions as well, and Rev. Joseph Stinson attributed it to the lack of resident Missionaries. "It is a painful fact that owing to the connection of mission stations with ordinary circuits, an arrangement which was necessary to make through want of funds, serious injury has been done to some of the Indian societies."59 This may have been partly true of Grape Island, but likely the unsolved problem of inadequate land was the more basic cause of the declining population.]onathan Scott was appointed as Missionary on the Island for the next year. In his report to Conference, Mr. Stinson gave the following 5" 'L?ler of William Casc', Christian Guardian, Yorlc Oct. 2, 1833. p186. '7 Carroll, Case 6? Contemporaries. 417. 5" Carroll. CusL' 8 Cuntcmpomries, 417. 59 Ibid, p451. Mission on Grape Island 25