Mt. Moriah Baptist Church (1845-Present)

The Mount Moriah Baptist building, three miles south of Clarksburg, was dedicated in August, 1881, by Mr. Letts.

The Mt. Moriah church two and a half miles southwest of Clarksburg was organized in 1845. The present building was erected in 1881. Deacons are W. B. Milburn, H. W. Lander, A. V. Jobe, Smith Donley and Robert Ralston; trustees, Clyde Landers and D. E. Williams.

The Mt. Moriah Baptist Chuch located just south of Clarksburg in Moniteau County, was organized April 12, 1845 on a plot of ground a short distance south and west of the present site.

Sixteen charter members, whose names are on record, came from our mother church, Mt. Pleasant, to constitute a new Baptist body and name it Mt. Moriah. The present building was erected in 1881, and the annex was added on the north side in 1954.

At present, the church has Sunday School every Sunday, and preaching services each second and fourth Sunday. When it is convenient for the pastor, this is changed to preaching every Sunday morning, but omitting the Sunday evening service. The resident membership at present is thirty-two, and there are sixteen non-resident members.

From the 1980 History of Moniteau County, Missouri published by the Moniteau Co. Historical Society:

“On the twelfth day of April, 1845, the members desiring to be constituted into a church having convened at the schoolhouse in Lancaster district-namely James Robertson, G. J. Robertson, Maremna Robertson, James Stinson, Cynthia Robertson, John S, Howard, Frances J. Howard, Edward Deakins, Sarah Deakins, Joseph Stinson, Nancy Stinson, Mary Stinson, James Stinson, Martha Stinson, Margaret Stinson, Elizabeth Howard, Frances Everett, Warren D. Everett, Panthia J. Everett, and having produced letters of dismission from Mt. Pleasant were Elders Kemp Scott and Thomas V. Greer constituted into a church upon the abstract of principles of Concord Association and upon the church covenant on form of government as set forth in the Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge. (Signed) Elder Kemp Scott, Elder Thomas V. Greer, John S. Howard, Church Clerk.”

Mt. Pleasant in Cooper County was the mother church as noted in the above minutes.

Thomas V. Greer was chosen as the first pastor and James Robertson as church clerk. Greer served until his resignation in November, 1848, and Robertson served until his death in 1853. Brother Michael Brown was chosen as the second pastor.

The membership met in the schoolhouse for the first five years but they began to plan for a church house in May, 1848. “She (the church) will build a meeting house 20 feet by 44 the isle 6 or 8 feet.” In October, 1849, “the church agreed to build a frame meeting house 22 feet by 44 one story.” In November, 1849, they empowered the trustees to superintend the building and May, 1850, they “agree to seal in place of lathe and plaster.” The deed for the land was given in April, 1850, and recorded in September, 1851.

They used this building until 1881 when $800 was collected through donations and “paid over to G, W. Robertson to build a church at Mt. Moriah in the year of our Lord 1881.”

Slaves were accepted as members prior to 1865 and there is a Negro cemetery adjacent to the present cemetery on the south. By Ruth Cooke

From the 2000 History of Moniteau County, Missouri published by the Moniteau Co. Historical Society:

The following is an actual copy of the first minutes taken at the constitutional meeting.

"On the twelfth day of April, 1845, the members desiring to be constituted into a church having convened at the schoolhouse in Lancaster district, namely James Robertson, G.J. Robertson, Maremna Robertson, James Stinson, Cynthia Robertson, John S. Howard, Francis J. Howard, Edward Deakins, Sarah Deakins, Joseph Stinson, Nancy Stinson, Mary Stinson, James Stinson, Martha Stinson, Elizabeth Howard, Frances Everett, Warren D. Everett, Panthia J. Everett, and having produced letters of dismission from Mt. Pleasant were Elders Kemp Scott and Thomas V. Greer constituted into a church upon the church abstract of principles of Concord Association and upon the church covenant on form of government as set forth in the Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge. (Signed) Elder Kemp Scott, Elder Thomas V. Greer, John S. Howard, Church Clerk"

Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Cooper County was the mother church as noted in the above minutes.

Thomas V. Greer was chosen as the first pastor and James Robertson as Church Clerk. The pastors that have served Mount Moriah Baptist Church are as follows:

Pastor	Years served	Pastor	Years served
Thomas V. Greer	1845-1848	Clifford Ingle	1936-1938
Michael Brown	1848-1868	David Likins	1939-1941
R.P. Scott	1869-????	Paul Thompson	1941-1943
John Wood	1872-1882	L.F. Ryan	1944-1946
W.M. Robertson	1882-1883	Sanford Smith	1946-1948
Rev. Maxey	1884-????	Hugh Trotter	1948-1949
Nicholas Allee	1886-1888	Donald Reed	1950-1951
E.T. Shelton	1889-1890	Monroe Vaughan	1951-1952
Nicholas Allee	1891-1892	E.P. Weaver	1952-1955
William Driver	1893-1894	William C. Smith	1955-1957
Jehu Robertson	1895-1896	Hugh Trotter	1957-1958
R.F. Driskell	1896-1900	Phil Phillips	1958-1959
Rev. Godby	1900-1902	Ervin Harris	1959-1961
R.L. Hood	1902-1903	Vernon Mallow	1961-1962
E.T. Shelton	1904-1906	Roy Sparks	1963-1969
L.R. Kenney	1906-1909	Lindley Enloe	1969-1971
B.M. Shackelette	1909-1911	E.P. Weaver	1971-1973
T.R. White	1911-1914	Derald Harris	1973-1974
B.V. Pennington	1915-1919	Jack Wingate	1975-1976
L.R. Kenney	1919-1920	Walter Wood, Jr.	1976-1978
Roy Porter	1920-1921	Earl Hoskins, Jr.	1978-1993
M.S. Humphrey	1921-1922	J.D. Cooper, Interim	1993-1994
Clifford Humphrey	1922-1928	Michael Reeves	1994-1995
T.M. MacDonnell	1929-1930	J.D. Cooper, Interim	08/1995-11/1995
Charles Whaley	1931-1934	Walter D. Lockhart	1995-
Rollin Burghans	1934-1936

During the first business meeting, held on May 10, 1845, the church voted to go by the name Mt. Moriah and adopted a church covenant. The membership met in the schoolhouse for the first five years, but they began to plan for a chuch house in May, 1848. "She (the church) will build a meeting house 20 feet by 44 the isle 6 or 8 feet." In October 1849, the church agreed to build a frame meeting house 22 feet by 44 one story. In November 1849, they empowered the trustees to superintend the building and in May 1850, they "agree to seal in place of lathe and plaster." The deed for the land was given in April 1850 and recorded in September 1851. They used this building until 1881 when $800 was collected through donations and "paid over to G.W. Robertson to build a church at Mt. Moriah in the year of our Lord 1881." Slaves were accepted as members prior to 1865 and there was once a Negro cemetery adjacent to the present cemetery on the south. Due to it being grown over and no graves marked, the overgrowth was cleared and it is now kept mowed. The graves within are still in tact.

The first Church Clerk was John S. Howard. Others that have served include James Robertson, William Howard, Edmund Stinson, G.W. Robertson, Truly Hamlin, Herman Lander, Robert Ralston, Willard Milburn, C.A. Lander, Earl Donely, Laura Martin, Sue Milburn, Viola McPherson, Leland Donley, Della Birdsong, Louise Dick, Dolan Bollinger, Carol Gross, Carol York, Larry Ashley, and Elaine Cary. Carol york is the present Church Clerk (11/1999).

The first Treasurer was James Robertson. Others that have served include James Donley, John G. McPherson, Willard Milburn, Arthur Springer, Lewis Williams, Floyd Birdsong, Orla Bollinger, Dolan Bollinger, C.W. Yarnell, Wayne York and Paul Cary, present Treasurer (11/1999).

Sunday school was organized in 1900. The first superintendent was Willard Milburn. Others that served were Robert Ralston, Lewis Williams, C. A. Lander, Earl Vaught, Earl Donley, Floyd Birdsong, Leland Donley, V.B. Williams, J.T. Ashley, Orla Bollinger, Paul Cox, Paul Cary, Larry Ashley, Anna Gross, Danny Volkart, and Dale Ashley. Larry Ashley is the present director (11/1999).

The church building constructed in 1881 has served its members well. There were two annexes built on, one in the late 1950's on the north and in 1978 the south annex was added. The north annex has three classrooms and the church office. The south annex has three classrooms, two bathrooms and the kitchen and fellowship area. The membership has, at various times, painted, papered, shingled, and redecorated the building. The original church sign on Highway 50 was put there in 1951 by the Young Married People Sunday School class. It has been painted several times and even replaced, but there has always been a saying, "Draw Nigh Unto God," on the Mt. Moriah Baptist Church sign and an arrow showing people in which direction the church is located. The brick sign along Route E was constructed by Walter Wood, Jr. in January 1977. The steps leading into the church were poured in 1980.

The well was dug in 1979 as well as the parking lot being leveled and regraveled. New carpet was installed that year as well, but has since been replaced as well as the pews that were purchased in 1951. They were sold to a church starting out and we hope they are filling them by now. The piano and pulpit were purchased in 1978. A communion table was built by Gene Cary and presented to the church in that same year. We still have the piano, but the pulpit went with the pews and a relative of Gene Cary is using the communion table in his small church. When the church was recarpeted several years ago, it was also painted. The present pews, pulpit and communion table were purchased from a church in O'Fallon, MO that was remodeling.