|
|
Poplar Valley Church (1918-59?)
The Gospel Messenger Oct. 6, 1917 page 636 Poplar Valley. – We met at Union Center, formerly a mission point of Grand View church, Montana, Sept 8, to organize a church. Elder Geiser and G. N. Falkenstein were sent by the District Meeting for this work. Eld. Falkenstein was moderator, and Elder Geiser, clerk. Thirty-four members were present. The name of the new church is Poplar Valley. Our minister, Bro. Aaron Swihart, was ordained to the eldership and was elected presiding elder for one year. Bro. Jesse D. Brown was elected to the ministry. One deacon was elected. Other church officers were elected. We are a small band, but we hope to do a great work for the Master. We ask an interest in the prays of all. – Bessie Dees, Seips, Mont., Sept. 21
The Gospel Messenger Sept. 1, 1923 page 556 Vol. 72 No. 35 Last Sunday, Aug. 12, we worshiped with the saints in the Poplar Valley church, Bro. W. W. Keltner preached at 11 A. M., after which we had a basket dinner. Then we had a council, with eleven members of the Poplar Valley congregation present. We reorganized the work as follows, Eld. W. W. Keltner, presiding: Presiding elder, J. S. Geiser; clerk, Howard Brechbeil; "Messenger" agent and correspondent, Bessie Dees. We held an election for a minister. Bro. Geo. Swihart was elected and, with his wife, was duly installed into the ministry. Congregational activities were then set in motion, to go forward again by God's help. The work here has been in bad shape for some years, but we now hope that it will be revived and come into its own again. The members here are only a few in number and very poor in this world's goods, but their big hearts are throbbing for Christ. Having written to Bro. Keltner to come to Froid, and to go with me out there, to see what could be done for those members, he came with his wife in a truck, sixty-five miles from Williston, N. Dak., last Saturday. At 3:30 we left Froid in our old Jimmy Maxwell car for the Poplar Valley church, out on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, over fifty miles from Froid. There we spent the night—the Keltners with the Dees, and the Geisers with the Swiharts. It was, indeed, a very pleasant trip. We returned to Froid on Sunday evening, just before a heavy thunderstorm. With me this has been a very quiet summer—very little dental work, but much church work. I preached the funeral of five persons, all of whom were drowned near Homestead, a few weeks ago. All five were buried in one grave—a very sad sight. It was the largest funeral gathering ever seen in this section. J. S. Geiser. Froid, Mont., Aug. 17.
The Gospel Messenger Nov. 13, 1926 page 733 Vol. 75 No. 46 Poplar Valley church met in council Oct. 17 at the home of Brother and Sister Geo. Swihart with J. S. Geiser in church. The following officers were elected for one year; J. D. Brown, elder; Howard Breckbill, clerk; the undersigned, “Messenger” correspondent. Bro. Geo. Swihart and wife were ordained to the eldership by the following committee; Elders J. D. Brown and J. S. Geiser. The later brought the morning message to an attentive audience of thirty-five. Since our last report on has been received into the church. – Esther Brown, Poplar, Mont. Oct. 27
|