Mount Zion Baptist Church was established in 1876. The current church building replaced an earlier log building on the site and probably dates from around the turn of the century. Many years ago the church was known as Bush Harbor Meeting Place.
At the time of slavery, arbors built of sapling poles and covered with brush were built by slaves, often secretly, for religious services. Later, revival meetings were held in this type of shelter, variously called brush arbors, bush arbors or bush harbors. Mount Zion traces its roots to before the Civil War, when it is believed that slaves worshiped in a bush harbor on this site.
I visited Mount Zion on Martin Luther King day, and just as I finished photographing, a car pulled up in front of the church and a man got out and introduced himself as George. George is a member of Mount Zion and has lived here all of his life. He offered to show me the inside of the church building. George was very proud of the church, and rightfully so. He pointed out the new wood flooring in the sanctuary and described the work that went into renewing the foundation and replacing floor joists under the old building. The church was immaculate inside and out. Next to the church, there is a small cemetery, and as I said goodbye to George, I had a sense that I was standing on sacred ground.
Interesting history and the photos are very well done.
ReplyDeleteThanks Robert.
ReplyDeleteGood eye, Edd, and a very interesting story. Thanks for sharing both...
ReplyDeleteThanks Glenn. I have always liked these old church buildings, and the history behind them.
ReplyDelete