Work Among the Oneida Indians
By William Covert
A MEETING for the Oneida Indians was recently held at Oneida, Wis. Representatives were there from their churches in the Ontario Conference. This meeting was held September 20-27, and was the third annual gathering of the kind. Probably not all of our people know that there are now two churches in Ontario and one in Wisconsin of this people. The total number of members in the three churches is eighty-five. Five persons were baptized on the last day of the meeting held at Oneida, and six were added to the church at that place. The message for the present time was given to this people, and it was well received by them. Also many practical themes were presented by the speakers. I know that our people will rejoice to learn that nearly one hundred of these native Americans are now rejoicing in the precious light of the third angel's message. They are becoming much interested with the thought of giving the same truth to other tribes of their people. I am sure that every conference in the United States which has tribes or communities of this people located in its territory, should see that provision is made for giving them the truth as it is in Jesus. We find them just as ready to receive it as are the English-speaking people of the States, and they are just as happy in it, or even more so, than the average of our people to be found throughout our conferences. The Oneidas were moved from the State of New York, to a reservation in the east center of Wisconsin, about ninety years ago. There were six hundred that came, and the number now in the reservation is about twenty-two hundred. They are, as a rule, quite civilized, and many good farmers are to be found among them. Though all of them can talk in their mother tongue, yet many of them also converse intelligently in the English language. We find many substantial people among them, and we hope to see many others accept the truth before this message closes. Our hope in this respect is built upon the substantial evidence that is declared by this people in regard to their intentions of giving the truth to their people, and for this purpose they are becoming quite interested in educational workers that the truth may go to them in the shortest possible time.