USK PIONEER CHAPEL

In October of 1966, Mr. George Hiemstra, a member of the Christian Reformed Church, proposed an idea to church council for a 1967 Centennial year project. His proposal was to move the old Marsh Memorial Church in Usk across the Skeena River and place it along Highway 16 as a wayside chapel.

A committee was formed to look into the possible move of the old church building, but the findings were that some of the bottom structure was not all that sound anymore, and also the cost of moving was getting too high. Mr. Len Vander Kwaak reported on the above findings and suggested to build a replica of the church, measuring 12’ x 18’ feet, and place that along Highway 16.

The estimated cost at that time was $820.00 without installing a heating system. And so the wayside chapel in Usk was on the drawing board. The congregation of the Terrace Christian Reformed Church took up a collection, and it was unanimously agreed upon to go ahead with the construction of the Usk Pioneer Wayside Chapel.

Yes, that was all good and well, but where to place it? Mr. W. McRae, owner of the land where the chapel is now, made that possible. He liked the idea and indicated his willingness to donate a plot of his property along the highway for building and placing the chapel. Construction of the chapel was then started.

In the Centennial year 1867-1967, on June 25, 1967, the CHAPEL was dedicated in Usk with many people from both Usk and Terrace present. It was a sunny, beautiful day when this dedication took place.

This chapel has been visited by thousands of people from all over the world. They have taken pictures of the building, signed the book inside the chapel and left many good comments. It is interesting to look through these books and see the names of the countries and cities of these visitors. It is also amazing the number of Bibles and Gospel booklets that have been taken from the chapel for these people to read.

Marriages have also taken place in this little chapel. Many have memories that way.

As we look back over the years, many different people looked after and cleaned this chapel, put in gospel booklets, mowed the grass, etc. THANK YOU for those services you provided.

A LOOK BACK ABOUT THE PIONEERS

In early times before and during the construction of the Grand Trunk Railway, Canon T.J. Marsh, who had devoted his life to missionary work, made many trips back and forth between Terrace and Usk to serve the people. This was a distance of 12 miles. It was his name, used for the original Church, “THE MARSH MEMORIAL CHURH, of Usk.

In 1936 when the Skeena’s water flooded everything as never before, this church was standing in deep water. A house, which floated down, leaned against the church. Tree stumps, whole logs and whole trees battered the houses and other buildings.

The people moved in a big hurry to higher grounds, and so there are many stories about what these “Old Timers” lost in this flood on homes and furniture and the like. Also the train did not travel for months, because the tracks washed away. Some places the ties were hanging on the rails in the air and the roadbed wasl gone down in the Skeena.

It is to these people and Rev. Marsh those pioneers that this chapel is built on Highway 16.

Whenever you drive by Usk, stop sometime and read the information inside about the untouched Bible that was in the original Marsh Memorial Church during the flood of 1936, a story written by Will Robinson. You will find it worthwhile and very interesting.

C. Braam

THE UNTOUCHED BIBLE

There is a Bible in Upper British Columbia that has a curious history. No illumination on the letters decorate its pages; tooled leathers have given no beauty to the covers. But in the district it is prized above all others. For when disaster came, when angry waters swept through the village of Usk, that Bible, of all that stood within the church, came through unharmed.

The village of Usk is about a hundred miles inland from Prince Rupert, the northern seaport of the Pacific coast province. In the latter days of May of 1936 the Skeena River rose to levels unknown in the records of the white men. Then destruction and desolation swept down on the community and wrecked the village. Close by the river bank stands the Marsh Memorial Church: a building raised in honor of the late Canon T. J. Marsh, who, throughout a long life, devoted himself to missionary work in the wilder places of Canada.

As a young man he saw service in the wilderness of the Yukon Territories, ranging far and wide to serve the men who went into that land in quest of gold. Later, some years before the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway was built through the gorge of the Skeena, he came to where Terrace now stands. He served a life in which hardships were many, and self-sacrifice for others was part of the daily record. So, in his declining years, it was felt that some fitting memorial should be erected in his memory.

Twelve miles from Terrace and the nearest church, the mining village of Usk had no place of worship. So that little place, lying in the bottom of a mountain rimmed bowl, was chosen to carry his name down through the years.

The people of the Skeena Valley decided that in order to meet the needs of these folk most fully the church must be on a community basis. Such a church, also, would most fittingly tell of the veteran missionary, who had labored for all men, regardless of faith and race. For the project aid was obtained from the Anglican Church, the United Church of Canada contributed to the enterprise. Donations came in from Valley points, and the people of Usk gave freely of their time and money.

For some years Canon Marsh lived to see the new church serving his people. Its use was made available for services conducted by ministers of any and all denominations; in that church, men, far from their homes and lands, worshiped God in their accustomed manners. The church furnishings were simple-a small organ provided the music. Some chairs were used for pews, and by re-arrangement were formed into Sunday School classrooms. On the platform stood a small table. It was covered with a fair linen cloth, and on it rested a Bible that had been loaned by a lady who lived in the village.

In the latter days of May 1936 the great interior plateau that forms the headwaters of the Skeena was drenched with rain, intense heat followed close on the heels of the downpour. The rain had softened the snows that still lay in that northern country. When the sun came out and for long days baked on that swift melting came. The snow slides, packed deeply on the lower slopes, melted at a rate unknown in the previous records. Water came down the river in such volume that the Kitselas Canyon, a narrow rocked walled gulch - some two miles downstream from Usk was unable to carry away the flood.

For days the long hours of shimmering heat continued, and the nights - usually cool - offered little relief from the scorching airs. On May 30th, the water came over the banks at Usk. That evening it rose ten feet in a few hours.

The people of the village, driven from their homes, took refuge on high ground on which stood the school. Here, with the flood surging through the village, they stood and saw havoc wrought to their homes and goods. The angry water swept past them at twenty miles an hour; every hour spelt some new disaster for that place. Some saw their homes torn away from the foundations, to be dashed to pieces as they were carried down the river. Others, whose homes were not completely destroyed, saw their houses battered and broken by great trees that came down in the debris of the flood.

One house, lifted by the torrent, was save when it lodged against the upstream side of the church. For that home, at least, the church stood as a pillar of strength.

For days the village was completely isolated. Roads were washed out. The railway track was flooded and broken. Telegraph and telephone wires had gone down in the swirling waters. Some food had been saved as the water came up, but many were without supplies. On special Constable Guy Taft fell the duty of organizing a communal camp where all shared alike, and those who were sick were given all the care that was available.

At last, after several days of privation, the people saw the flood receding. Soon parties were out on the water and making for their homes to have a closer view of the damage that had been done. Constable Taft was the first man to reach the church. Inside he found wreckage strewn all around. Chairs were broken. The organ had moved from its place and now lay on its side.

With one exception the scene was one of confusion. But, in the place where the organ had been before the flood came, the small table stood upright. The wood showed the effects of the prolonged soaking. The linen cloth was stained with the silt and the mud of the river. BUT, ON THE TOP, STILL LAY THE BIBLE.

Through those days of terror the table had floated in the Church. Swirling waters had caught and spun it around. It had collided with other articles of the furniture, but through it all the waters had never lapped the table’s edge. No sudden jar had disturbed the Holy Book. The Bible, alone of all that had been in that church, remained unspotted; untouched.

Written by: Will Robinson
Birch-lands
Terrace, BC, Canada.

Redone from the faded original
By Casey Braam
………..

A Thank You To the Terrace Christian Reformed Church Council
and Centennial Committee

In this little Chapel
I have come to kneel and pray
Revering Thee, Oh Lord,
And grateful for the way

Yon kindly fellow-men
With such loving hands
Have built this little Chapel
And placed it where it stands.

To honor those who were the first
The old Usk pioneers
Who, sad to tell, hard luck befell
In those dark yester-years.

To them who built this Chapel
And aided in the dedication
These thankful lines are written here
To express appreciation.

Now friends, my lines are ended;
I’m very glad that you are here
To help us celebrate and to rejoice
O’er Canada’s Centennial Year.

By: An USK PIONEER