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was also convinced of the need for actively propagating the gospel on the New Credit Reserve. The Wesleyan Methodists were the most active churchmen among the Mississauga at the former Credit Village and on the New Credit Reserve. A mission was established on the Reserve in 1848 by the Reverend William Iq-erson, former Chairman of the London District {1844-47). The congregation, which began with 80 members, was served by travelling missionaries until .a resident minister, .,e,he Reverend David Wright, was appointed in 1852. A frame parsonage had been completed, reportedly in September 1851, and in July 1852 a si1aple frame church as finished. (Both b1ii ldings still stand, although the church was bricked over and renovated after 1870.) The early missionaries frequently met with what they considered to be discouraging results in their work among the Mississauga. Having taught school for a month in 1858, Wright expressed his dissatisfaction with the e)dldren•s progress in English and the lack of books. "We want a geography of our country", he advised, "also a spelling book and definition of words, a short grammar in catechetical .form, and then burn c;,r des- troy all Indian books and put an end to talking Indian in school." Such missionaries did not recognize the importance of maintaining Indian culture, and later observers repeatedly assessed the religious and agricultural development of New Credit by the . standards of white society. In 1856 David Thorburn, for example, was impressed by the Mississauga's "strong desires to advance in the scale of civilization". Three years later the Reverend Thomas Williams was pleased to report that a good number of people, long trained by the remembered Peter Jones, adorn their religious professions, and adopt the [~eligious] . J.ife which the venerable [William] Case so well reconmended; and .:it now ~ppears · that new as their settlement is, thirty Indians, in 1857, raised, .. ·" · .. · · ~ besides other crops, more than 4,500 bushels of wheat. By 1860 many houses, barns, and fences had been erected, and the majority of farm lots were being worked. With this prosperity, and fearing repeated dis-- location, the Mississauga became increasingly concerned over the security of their claim to the Oneida township land occupied afte.r 1849. This had been confirmed only by verbal agreement and disputes arose between some members of the two Bands. In August 1865 these fe~s and controversies were temporarily allayed. At the request of Chief David Sawyer of New Credit, the Six Nations Council formally reassured the Mississauga of their security and placed the Oneida land under the same terms a·s the Tuscarora land given in 1847. · The prosperity achieved by the New Credit Missj_ssauga after 1865 was noted by numerous observers. Thriving farms were observed by representatives attending the Seventh Grand General Indian Council, held 13 .. 18 September 1882 at New Credit through