History - Mt. Zion Baptist Church

In or about the year 1854, the men of this community met and agreed to build a church house. On the appointed day, they met at a place where there was a small cemetery. One of the men told how they were to start this work.They drew a ring on the ground and each man placed his ax in the ring. After prayer, led by Deacon William Hodgeson, the men took their axes and ran to the forest for a log. The first to lay his log across the ring would be the “Honor Man.” The first two to come with their logs were Brother A.D. Carpenter and Deacon William Hodgeson. In the race for the ring, Deacon Hodgeson stumbled on a root and lost to Brother Carpenter. Although A.D. Carpenter was a devout Methodist, he later had two sons would serve as pastors once it was built. The little log house was named “Mt. Zion Baptist Church” and served the faithful people of this community for approximately twenty years. The benches were made of logs and a stump served as the pulpit. The name Mt. Zion means “a high holy place” and is often referred to as “the city of David.”

The saintly women of the church realized the need for a better building and organized the “Ladies Aid Society” for the purpose of raising funds to carry out their dreams. The men of the church were enlisted in this cause and after many sincere prayers and a lot of hard work, their dream became reality. This building served the community for over fifty-five years. During this period of time the walls of the building echoed to songs of praise and rejoicing. They also bore witness to the sorrow and weeping of those loved ones who had gone on to their reward; and the aisles felt the pressure of hundreds of feet bearing their owners to the altar where they dedicated their lives to the Lord.

For some unknown reason, in the mid 1920’s the doors to the little church were shut but God had a reason for the little church to thrive again and Brother Newman Nickens, Brother Ruby Roddy and their families, reopened the doors swept it out and began holding services.

In 1949 the need for a larger and more comfortable building was felt and the remaining members of Midway Baptist Church donated their building to Mt. Zion. With the material from this building and some extra funds, the membership of Mt. Zion was able to construct a much larger and more comfortable building in which to carry on the regular services and activities.

On March 26, 1958, the Lord led Rev. Sammy Cook and his wife, Naomi, to Mt. Zion. It was under his guidance that Mt. Zion began to have visions of a larger, more modern sanctuary as well as a new parsonage. The new structure would be brick stone and would be located just across the road. Additional land was purchased on LA 933 and in 1963 the present parsonage was built. However the new sanctuary was not completed until 1965, under the pastorate of Bill Berry, and dedicated to the memory of Rev. Cook. Bro. Cook had gone home to be with the Lord on October 2, 1963.

Mt. Zion Baptist Church has a wonderful heritage. It will require plenty of hard work and faithful, prayerful hearts to continue to keep up the splendid examples of brotherly love and cooperation that have always been found among the workers of this fine old church. What a glorious sight awaits us on that great morning when the dead in Christ shall rise! Mt. Zion will be represented well. May the membership of this church ever hold up the torch of hope with the words of the Savior, “Come all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.”

OUR HISTORY