The Prince of Peace Presbyterian Church

Pine Valley Township, Clark Co., Wisconsin

Contributed by Wayne Opelt and transcribed by Janet.

 

Prince of Peace Presbyterian Chapel (ca. 1896)

Pine Valley Township, Clark Co., WI

We are still in the process of determining the exact location of this church.  We currently believe it was in section 32. 

If you can help, please contact us.

 

Excerpts from the "SABBATH-SCHOOL MISSI0NS IN WISCONSIN" by Rev. Joseph Brown (pg. 71-73).

Prince of Peace Services

 

Pine Valley's Prince of Peace Presbyterian Chapel

 

A BLESSED DAY'S WORK. Marshfield, Wis., March 20th, 1896.--A day well spent in the mission field for the Master 'brings with it a holy joy. Such a day was yesterday. At 9 A. M. I started from Neillsville to visit the mission district of Pine Valley. The pastor of the Neillsville church drove me two miles in order to facilitate the work of the day. I was enabled to visit twelve families of that district, with all of whom I had pleasant, loving converse. I left in their possession some of our missionary literature, which is always productive of good results. In all the missionaries' home-to-home visitations, the following grand words apply:  "The loving toil of the Sabbath- School missionaries and the self-sacrifice of their lives make just the needed link that, alas, is so often lacking between the ungospeled and the gospel itself. They will not believe in God's love, unless they see it lived out and manifested in the hearts of those who give the message, and that in the most practical and uncontroversial way." Going amongst the people and taking them just as we find them and striving to do them all the good in our power, has a wonderful influence over their hearts and lives, and also over our own.

 

I visited one home and found the father and mother absent; on exploring further, however, I discovered them at the wood pile, engaged in sawing wood. I did not interrupt their work, but had an interesting talk with them, which they seemed to enjoy exceedingly. At the next house I visited, I found the good wife of the household busied in preparations for dinner. She apologized for her appearance (her clothing being covered with hay seed), saying that she had been assisting her husband in moving some hay. In the midst of the preparations for, the noonday meal, I had a pleasant chat with the various members of the family, and was cordially invited to remain to dinner. This I gladly did, as I was feeling hungry from my long tramp (the presence of a few hay seeds in some of the dishes being no barrier to my enjoyment).

 

A little further along I came to a house standing at a short distance from the road. When I entered I found only the wife and children present. I talked with them and invited them to come out to the evening service, and requested especially the attendance of the male members of the family. One of the men came in. He had never been known to attend a religious gathering in the history of the settlement. He was a most attentive listener, and only God knows what will be the result of his hearing the gospel message on that occasion.

 

I went across the fields to the next dwelling. On my way I had to pass through several Wire fences, Which, by reason of last experiences, are always a terror to me, my clothes frequently bearing witness to their danger. I found the members of the family engaged at work in the clearing up of a field. I chatted with them for a time, commending them heartily on their endeavors to make success of their farm. These unconventional visits are always well received, and this one was no exception. A kindly invitation was extended me at parting to visit them at their home either by night or by day.

 

I went to the little schoolhouse near by, addressed the children, and left a present with the teacher to give to the scholar who received a perfect mark for conduct during the day. Thus I went, from house to house, until I reached the chapel of the Prince of Peace, which had recently been erected. In the chapel I found ten mothers busily engaged in making a quilt, which was to be sold to purchase an organ for the Sabbath-School. Of these dear women with toil-hardened hands, it may well be said: "Silver and gold have they none, but such as they have they give." Here I rested for a short season. A neighbor kindly hitched up his team and drove me to the new settlement where I arranged to have a meeting in the near future and organize a Sabbath-School. Then I returned to a home near the chapel, where I rested until time for the evening service, which was well attended by an appreciative audience. There being many young people present, I gave an address especially to them. As an evidence of their careful attention, I found that they were able to repeat the leading thoughts of the talk.

 

Thus ended one day of work in the vineyard of the Master, the results of which are in his hands, and will be made manifest in the lives of the people. The faith of the Apostle is ours: No work done for the Master in a right spirit ever fails of blessed results. This one day of labor is a fair example of the work done by all Sabbath-School missionaries in the needy fields of our country.

 

News Articles

 

Rev. James Bain of Portage organized a Sunday School at the Prince of Peace Church in Pine Valley last Sunday.  He expects to visit this locality again in the near future and look over the prospects of organizing Sunday Schools at Hewettville and Columbia.  Source: Clark Co. Press, May 1908

 

Memories

 

This Church would have been at the corner of what now is Sidney Avenue and W Sand Road (on the southwest corner).  All thru my years out there, having lived across the road from that location and also lived many years where my Mom still lives, we always knew that as “the church corner”.   On the 1915 Pine Valley plat map, it is shown in section 32.

 

Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon

 

 


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