Wiens, Peter Jakob (1877-1945)

Christlicher Bundesbote obituary: 1945 Jul 10 p. 13

Birth date: 1877 Apr 15

text of obituary:

Missionar Peter Jakob Wiens, Sohn von Jakob J. und Maria Quapp Wiens, ward am 15. April 1877 in Neu-Schönsee, nahe Cherson, Südrußland, geboren und besuchte dort die Schule und half seinem Vater und Brüdern auf der Farm bis er 1896 die neuorganisierte “Zentralschule” bezog. Hier studierte er unter anderm Bibel und Deutsch als Vorbereitung auf Missionsdienst. Hernach gedachte er seine weitere Ausbildung z. Neukirchen, Deutschland z. erlangen, doch kam Pred. David Goerz aus Newton, Kansas, eben aus Indien dort an, und bewog ihn nach Amerika zu kommen und Bethel College zu besuchen. Er ließ sich im College in 1900 einschreiben und gewann viele lebenslängliche Freunde als er sich für den Missionsdienst vorbereitete im College und hernach 1904 – 1905 im Missionary Training Institute, Brooklyn, New York. Einem dringenden Ruf der Behörde für Aeußere Mission der Allgemeinen Konferenz folgend, kürzte er sein Studium, und nach seiner Heirat mit Agnes Harder, die er in Bethel College kennen lernte, begaben sie sich sofort auf unser Missionsfeld in Zentralprovinz, Indien, nach einer kurzen Hochzeitsreise über Rußland. Er ward bis 1911 auf Champa stationiert und zog dann 24 Meilen südlich auf Mauhadih wo eine neue Station eröffnet wurde. Von dann bis 1937 — mit Ausnahme von 1928, da er u. Familie auf Basna stationiert waren — widmete er seine volle Kraft dem Aufbau der großen Station mit ausgedehnter evangelistischer, medizinischer und erzieherischer Arbeit. Nebst Anleitung im Bau von vielen Nebenstations-Bauten, reiste er viel über großes Gebiet zu allen Jahreszeiten und ward oft gerufen um armen Kranken dringend nötige Hilfe zu leisten. 1915, 1925 und 1937 war er auf Urlaub daheim in Amerika. Geschwächte Gesundheit erlaubte nicht Rückkehr nach Indien für weiteren Dienst. Während 1937 – 1938 bereiste er Konferenzgemeinden in Amerika im Interesse unserer Mission. Er liebte das indische Volk und wäre gerne nach Indien zurückgekehrt um seine letzten Jahre unter ihm zuzubringen. In den letzten Jahren war er in der Historischen Bibliothek der Allg. Konferenz beschäftigt am Sortieren Klassifizieren und Ausgeben von Konferenz- und Missionsliteratur und machte auch für das MCC Uebersetzungen. Er liebte seinen Heiland und gab Gott früh sein Herz und weihte sein Leben dessen Dienst. Er war fleißig in der Sonntagsschul- und Gemeindearbeit, und hatte besonderen Genuß am Gesang, was es leichter machte die Herzen des indischen Volkes zu gewinnen und des Lebens Lasten zu tragen. Nach einer Krankheit von zwei Wochen daheim und 8 Tagen im Bethel Hospital ward er am 7. Juni 1945 heimgerufen. Es trauern um ihn seine Gattin; 5 Kinder: Ferdinand J., Portland, Oregon; Rudolph P., eben in Y.M.C.A. Dienst in Iraq; Frau Robert Willis und Frau Galen Koehn, Newton, Kans.; und Frau Daniel Epp, Toccoa, Ga.; 8 Enkel; 1 Bruder, Franz J. Wiens, Paraguay; und 1 Schwester, Frau John Harder, Hepburn, Sask. In seiner letzten Krankheit sprach er oft vom frohen Heim im Himmel und bat alle ihn dort zu treffen. Er ist nicht tot — ist nur heim gegangen. Die Begräbnisfeier fand in der Memorialhalle statte.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1945 Jun 7 p. 5

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Newton And Vicinity

— As the Review was already on the press, word came that Missionary P. J. Wiens died at the Bethel Deaconess Hospital at 1:31 o'clock early this morning (Thursday). Missionary Wiens is widely known here and in India, where he served for about 30 years. He was taken to the hospital during the forepart of last week, after having been ill at his home several days. Funeral services will be held Monday, at 1:30 P. M. at the home, 312 East Fifth street, and at 2:30 P. M. at Memorial Hall on the Bethel College campus. It has been requested that no flowers be sent by the public, but that money intended for flowers be given to foreign missions. Besides Mrs. Wiens, five children survive, all of whom will attend the funeral, except Rudolph, who is in Iraq.

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1945 Jun 14 p. 1, 8

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Career of Long Missionary Service Comes To A Close

REV. P. J. WIENS, 68, DIED AT BETHEL DEACONESS HOSPITAL JUNE 7

An outstanding life of missionary work and service in India as well as in the homeland, came to a close early Thursday morning, June 7, when Rev. P. J. Wiens, 68, passed away here at the Bethel Deaconess Hospital, where he had been a patient for eight days. Rev. Wiens was able to be about his duties at the conference Historical Library at Bethel College until only a few weeks before his death.

Funeral services in Memorial Hall at North Newton on Monday afternoon were largely attended by relatives and friends who came to show their respects for the departed minister and friend.

The services at the home were conducted by Rev. J. E. Entz and Rev. D. J. Unruh, while the sermons at Memorial Hall were preached by Dr. P. P. Wedel of Moundridge, president of the General Conference Foreign Mission Board, and Dr. P. A. Penner, veteran missionary in India and for many years an associate of Rev. Wiens. Others participating in the services were Rev. Lester Hostetler, Dr. P. H. Richert, Rev. W. F. Unruh, and Dr. C. H. Suckau, who officiated at the graveside.

Pall bearers were Rev. W. C. Voth, Rev. Karl Friesen, Rev. J. J. Voth, Rev. J. F. Moyer, Dr. C. Krahn and Rev. H. P. Jantzen.

All of the children and their families, except Rudolph who is in Iraq, were present for the funeral.

Missionary Over 30 Years

Peter Jacob Wiens, son of Jacob J. and Marie Quapp Wiens, was born at Neu-Schoensee near Cherson in South Russia on April 15, 1877. He attended the village school and then helped his father and brothers on their farm until the year 1896, when he entered the newly organized "Zentralschule."

In this high school among other things he studied Bible and German in preparation for missionary work. After high school he was planning to continue his education for missionary work at the Mission House in Neukirchen, Germany, when the late David Goerz of Newton persuaded him to come to America to attend Bethel College. He enrolled in the college in 1900 and made many lifelong friends while there and while continuing his preparation at the Missionary Training Institute of Brooklyn, New York, in 1904 and 1905.

An urgent call from the Mission Board of the General Conference of the Mennonite Church of N. A., caused him to cut short his studies. He married his fiancee, Agnes Harder, whom he had met while at Bethel College, and then proceeded at once to India. After a brief honeymoon in South Russia, he reached India on August 16, 1906, to begin a long period of fruitful work in the field of the General Conference Mission in the Central Province.

Stationed at Mauhadi

He was stationed at Champa until 1911 when he moved 24 miles south to Mauhadi, where the mission had decided to open a new station. From then until 1937, with the exception of the year 1928 when he and his family were stationed at Basna, he devoted his entire energies to building up of this large station with its extensive evangelistic, medical, and educational work. Besides supervising the building of many substantial station buildings, he traveled over a large area during all seasons of the year and was often called out by poor, suffering people in urgent need of medical attention.

He returned to America on furlough in 1915 and 1925, and again in 1937, but health difficulties prevented his going back to India for a fourth term of service. During each furlough and in 1937 and 1938, he traveled among the churches of the General Conference in America, telling people of the work of the mission in India. He loved the people of India and would gladly have returned to spend his last years among them.

During the last few years he worked at the Conference Historical Library, sorting, classifying, storing and checking out conference and mission literature besides doing translation work for the Mennonite Central Committee.

He loved the Lord and early gave his heart to God and dedicated his life to the service of the Savior. He was diligent in all church and Sunday School work. He was fond of music and singing which made it easier to gain the hearts of the Indian people and to carry the burden of life.

After an illness of two weeks at home and eight days at the Bethel Hospital, he passed away to his reward on June 7. He leaves to mourn his passing his devoted wife, five children — Ferdinand J. of Portland, Oregon; Rudolph P. who is in Iraq; Mrs. Robert Willis and Mrs. Galen Koehn of Newton; and Mrs. Dan Epp of Toccoa, Georgia — eight grandchildren, a brother, Frank J. Wiens, of Paraguay, and a sister, Mrs. John Harder of Hepburn, Saskatchewan, Canada.

During his last illness he often spoke of the happy home in Heaven and urged all of his family to meet him there. He is not dead — he has only gone home.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1945 Jun 28 p. 1

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Departed Missionary

The late Rev. Peter J. Wiens, 68, of Newton, who died early Thursday morning, June 7, and whose funeral was held at Memorial Hall, North Newton, Monday afternoon, June 11. The following data is a brief summary of his more than 30 years missionary service in India:

Arrived in India August 16, 1906. Stationed at Champa until 1911. His work during that time, besides evangelistic, was supervising the Leper Home while Missionary P. A. Penner was on furlough, building the first brick church at the Leper Home as well as the first village school of the mission, and attending to the daily medical work. Lived and worked at Mauhadi from 1911-137, with the exception of 1928, when he and his family were stationed at Basna.

The Basna field belonged to the Mauhadi mission station until 1924, so it fell to him to have the privilege and joy to work that field and baptize the first converts there, nearly 400 persons. He opened up churches and schools for them, at the same time carrying on the work at Mauhadi. To the dispensary at Mauhadi came the sick, both rich and poor, and time and again the number of patients entered on the books was over 4,000 at the end of the year. Whether preaching, teaching, building, touring, attending the sick, with him it was "All for others, none for self." — Cut used courtesy The Mennonite.

The Mennonite obituary: 1945 Jun 12 p. 14
The Mennonite obituary: 1945 Jun 19 p. 11