Pleasant Prairie Church

 (1893 - 1899)

The Gospel Messenger Aug. 16, 1892 page 508 Vol. 30 No. 32

From Le Mars, Iowa

  Our dear brother, Wm. C. Hipes, came and preached for us last March, and returned again June 20.  He has been preaching more or less for us until the present date, and baptized five.  We believe others are near the kingdom.  We believe this to be the way to do mission work, - stay at one place as long as circumstances require.  Bro. Hipes was worked faithfully, and the Lord had blessed his labors in this part of God’s heritage.  Oh how I wish we had more like him in the field!

  His wife, sister Rebekah, usually travels with him, and surely is a great help to him in his labors of love.  The brethren and sisters met with us at our place July 2, to commemorate the death and suffering of our Blessed Master. It was the first love-feast, held in these parts, and was a feast indeed, to our hungry souls, and as such will long be remembered. Brethren Hipes and Nicodemus were the minister present.  They did not shun to warn sinners, and to encourage and upbuild the saints.  We also had an Independence Day service.  Bro. Hipes preached two sermons, showing how our world is falling into unbelief as people did in the days of Noah.

   Our neighbors and friends were much please. Some said that it was the most pleasant “Fourth of July,” they had ever spent, and decided that it must be kept up in the future.  We believe this is the way to spend that day.  Elders J. W. Trostle and Wm. Thomas were with us July 30, and organized our little band of eleven into a church, namely the Pleasant Prairie church.  We hope we may be recognized in heaven, as well as on earth, by that name, for if we live pleasantly together here, surely we can be recognized by the way we live.  The brethren remained over Sunday, and gave us much encouragement by their hearty admonitions. Now, that we have bright prospects before us, we heartily invite Brethren to come and settle here, and help us in this great work.  We chose Bro. J. W. Trostle to take the oversight of our little church. We have one minister, and one deacon, but have room for many more, for our prairie is broad and uncultivated spiritually, though thickly populated.

  We contemplate building a church-house in the near future, and hope to have it finished this fall.  Any wishing to know more of our country, will do well to correspond with the writer.  He will gladly answer any questions to inquirers by enclosing a stamp.   D. A. Miller

The Gospel Messenger Feb. 7, 1893 page 91 Vol. 31 No. 6

From the Mission Field of North-Western, Iowa.

I wish to call the attention of our brethren East, contemplating coming West, to seek homes and missionary fields where they are much needed,— especially our young ministering brethren. The Counties of Woodbury, Plymouth, Cherokee and Ida, to which my personal knowledge extends, furnish a grand opening to build up churches of the very best society. Those Counties are largely made of Brethren's children and young people from Illinois, Ohio and the Eastern States. We moved to this County ten years ago, with but four members, and commenced to hold forth the true Gospel to the people. So far we have succeeded in building up a church of nearly a hundred members. We now have a comfortable house of worship, and a large Sunday- school. We also organized a new church last fall, twelve miles North-west of Le Mars, Plymouth County.

Bro. David A. Miller was chosen to the ministry and a deacon was also chosen. Bro. David, by his energy and zeal, has succeed in building a house of worship, which will be dedicated Jan. 22. There is a fine country round, and a good class of people. I anticipate a bright future for that church. Bro. H. P. Maust, a young minister, moves into this church next spring from Waterloo, and also his father and family. There was also a new organization effected in Ida County, four miles south-east of Battle Creek, of some fifteen members. Bro. Miller was chosen to the ministry, and Bro. Wm. Isenburger as deacon. Here is also a good farming country, where land is low in price.

   Another organization was effected at Galva, Ida County, lately. Bro. Jacob Miller was chosen deacon. There is no resident minister here. The very fine country at this place presents a good opening for a young, active minister to find a good field. We have been giving them meetings since the organization. This formerly belonged to the Aurelia church, Cherokee County. Bro. J. Early is the elder of that church, These three last churches have been organized during the last year. We especially invite your attention to this prolific field of labor. Come, dear brethren, there is work here for a large corps of workers. We could make use of several ministers in our church here to a good advantage, as our field is very extensive. Brethren, wishing further information in regard to the country in any of those churches, may address me at Kingsley, Iowa; Bro. David A. Miller, Le Mars, Iowa; Jacob Miller, Galva, Ida County, or Levi Isenburger, Battle Creek, Iowa. Any of the above will give you all the information you need or desire. J. W. Trostle. Kingsley, Plymouth Co., Iowa.