This record of events is presented as history of the Mount Zion Baptist Church. It is the result of diligent research and has been authenticated throughout extractions from the memoirs of Indiana Gradington, mother of Mable Gradington Collins, who was spiritually motivated, for the sake of posterity, to set the records of the church in order.
In modern religious parlance, the Mount Zion Baptist Church came out of a congregation organized in 1907, by Reverend George W. Gradington and known as the Sweet Unity Baptist Church.
After several location changes, the name was changed to the Shiloh Baptist Church. In 1918, Reverend W.M. Green and several members of the congregation separated from Shiloh and organized the People Baptist Church, holding meetings in a small apartment. Later, the name of this congregation was changed to the Mount Zion Baptist Church and moved to a single-family home on Durazno at Estrella Street. According to Ferdinand Ware Sr. (deceased) who at the time of this research, was in terms of membership, was Mount Zion’s oldest member who joined as candidate for baptism in 1918.
This edifice is best remembered for its humble condition; dirt floor, rough-hewn benches, and a large pot-bellied heater in the center of the building. Through these days of obvious struggle and poverty, Mount Zion possessed a spiritual magnitude that attracted many visitors and new citizens to the community, including many young men from the Civilian Conservation Corps. This unexplainable attraction to the church by others amplifies Isaiah 66:8,” for as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.”
Several of the young men from the Civilian Conservation Corps joined Mount Zion and grew to extraordinary heights in Christendom, namely John C. McDaniel (Deacon), Willie L. Miller (Deacon), and Leon McNeil (Presiding Elder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church), all of whom are deceased.
These men did a considerable amount to release Mount Zion from the pangs of poverty by eagerly joining forces with the established elders of the church and together, they propelled Mount Zion into community prominence. These Elder Deacons were John J. Stephens, A.B. Stephens, C.S. Stephens, Henry Rose, Eugene Bogan, A.W. Perkins, George Moseley, Lorenzo Johnson, and Alex Wilborn.
The church continued to grow and in 1939, with Rev. M.L. Bratcher, as pastor, refurbished the edifice. In 1950, with Rev. J.L. Maxwell as pastor, the church selected a site adjacent to the building in use and erected a sanctuary and parsonage constructed of rock. This property was unfortunately in the path of the proposed Interstate Highway 10. The church, like others, was forced to yield its properties to the Texas State Highway Department.
In November 1959, the church moved to 3401 Wyoming. For a brief period served as both sanctuary and parsonage. Later the parsonage was converted to classrooms. With the inevitable growth of the church, this facility soon became inadequate and for several years a variety of expansion plans would periodically emerge which included a second story facility.
In 1976, under the pastorship of Reverend M.L. Brown, the church purchased a single vacant lot across the street and the property was converted into a parking area.
In 2017, Reverend Artie C. Maxwell, Jr. became the current serving pastor.
Below are former pastors of Mount Zion. Reverend James Larry Williams is noted as the longest serving pastor of Mount Zion Baptist Church, serving 32 years, from 1984 through 2016.
- Reverend W.W. Green
- Reverend A.W. Walsh
- Reverend J.H. Carrington
- Reverend Caples D. Sheldon
- Reverend H.H. Banks
- Reverend Smith M.L. Bratcher
- Reverend A.T. Inman
- Reverend Noah Taylor
- Reverend J.L. Maxwell
- Reverend J.E. Brockington
- Reverend R.L. Brown
- Reverend M.V. Lee
The church is fortunate to have descendants from the early years still worshipping and serving Mount Zion.
The following individuals provided significant information during research: Mable Gradington Collins, Frank Mathis, John C. McDaniel, and Ferdinand Ware, Sr.
