OUR HISTORY

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In the year of 1911, with six borrowed members and the Reverend S.N. Reid presiding, the Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church was established.  This took place at Jeff Davis Hall on South 6th Street.  Later, Reverend Murphy Walter Talley was called as the pastor.  In approximately eight months, the first Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church building was constructed on Pipe Shop Street, October 1912, the pastor and members marched into the new church building.  Mount Pilgrim was considered one of the finest structures of that era.
In 1930, after 20 years of service, Reverend Talley suffered a massive stroke, impairing his voice.  He was no longer able to pastor. Reverend Will Arnold served as interim pastor until late 1932.  Reverend T.E. Bettis, who pastored Mount Pilgrim for three years, followed him.  While at Mount Pilgrim, Reverend Bettis created the Young People’s Club.  After his resignation, Reverend O.P. Woolen served as interim pastor for several months, until he was relieved of duties by Reverend William Mallory, in April 1935.
Under Reverend Mallory’s leadership, the church was remodeled.  He served as pastor for 35 years until his health begin to fail.  At that time, he resigned and Reverend K. Lindsey served as acting pastor for one year.
Reverend Lindsey was followed by Reverend H.L. Spruill on January 17, 1971.  During Reverend Spruill pastorship, the Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church building was destroyed by fire on December 12, 1971.  For two years, the congregation held its meetings in the Carver School Complex.  The groundbreaking ceremony for the new church was held on Thanksgiving Day, 1912.  The location is the current location of 408 North 9th Street.  Ten months later, the building was completed.  Reverend Spruill and the congregation marched from the Carver School Complex to the new church home on North 9th Street.
After the death of Reverend Spruill, pastor Byron Woods became pastor in 1999, and served this congregation until December 2012.