Whitefish Lake was the only Methodist mission founded solely by
Aboriginal missionaries-Henry
Steinhauer and Benjamin
Sinclair. The almost immediate success of the mission was a clear
sign to the Methodist church that Aboriginal
leadership was advantageous and that the influence of the two missionaries was
paramount in
promoting agriculture to local Aboriginal people. Steinhauer and Sinclair were
actively involved in the Treaty 6
negotiations and in keeping the community from being drawn into the
uprising known as the "Riel Rebellion" in 1885.
Henry Steinhauer's sons,
Egerton and Robert, would follow in their father's footsteps, becoming
ordained Methodist ministers and working at Saddle Lake, Whitefish Lake
and Morley.

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