Clear Creek Church

(1881-1910?

Brethren at Work June 21, 1881 page 380 Vol. 6 No. 24

On Thursday, May 12th, I left home for Saline county, this State. After a night's rest at the house and kind family of brother David L. Williams, he hitched up his buggy and together we went to visit the Brethren living at the Missouri river, about nine miles south-east of Slater, a thriving business place of perhaps 1200 inhabitants, on the Chicago and Alton railroad.

  We found the members active and interested in the Master's cause. Also found a good interest in the community. Had several meetings. Baptized three. Organized them into a church under name of "Clear Creek Church." Held a choice for minister and two deacons; the lot fell on Abner Wallace, formerly from near Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, as minister. He was a minister in the United Brethren Church for a number of years. Deacons chosen were a brother Wilcox and brother John Ogden. The community in which those members live, never heard the Brethren preach until in January of 1880, when brother David L. Williams, in answer to a call, preached to them for some days, and during the time he baptized eight, and among them brother Wallace who is now their minister. The interest, from brother Williams' first appointment became strong, and has continued. On a subsequent visit, brother Williams baptized several more, and on our late visit three more were added to their number, with a very good prospect of an increase soon.

  The citizens, among whom this little church was organized, are sociable, and generally speaking, in moderate circumstances. A number of them are farmers in the large Missouri river bottom near which they live, and by the late high waters which swept their farms, lost crops and much of their fencing. The families living on the bottoms all bad to abandon their homes and resort to the bluffs, where they were taken in and cared for by those more fortunately situated. Some have returned to their farms in the bottom. But many of them will not go back before Pall on account of the heavy deposits of Missouri river, mud ranging from one to two feet deep over portions of the bottom, seriously threatening their health, should they venture to return before these deposits are dried out.

  The land on the bluffs is considerably broken, but the soil is good, and affords comfortable homes. The opening here is good, both as respects church prospects and to secure homes cheap.   We write this hasty sketch to call the attention of ministering brethren or others who look westward for homes. The localities of those members afford excellent market facilities. The Chicago & Alton R. B. leading from Kansas City to Chicago runs through this section of country, and the Missouri river, both of which afford a number of trading points. The country immediately adjoining the timber belt of the Missouri river and extending over a large portion of Saline and Lafayette counties, is one of the finest, if not the finest, county I ever saw, and noted for extensive wheat growing, and as a blue grass region, similar, [ imagine, to the blue grass section of Kentucky.

  The newly organized (Clear Creek) church is under the care of Elder Daniel L. Williams, whose labor for the maintenance of the time honored principles and characteristics of the church is known, and who still labors in that diction; and as this new field is now added to his already large territory of church work, he earnestly desires help in the Master's cause And as the country is fine, and church prospects encouraging, we hope brethren will think of this locality in looking for homes in the West. His address is Brownsville, Mo., and he will take pleasure in showing the county to those who will call on him.

S. S. Mohler.