A History of Mt.Pleasant Church of Christ

(adapted from Mt Pleasant Church of Christ 1838-1998 by Lloyd Raymer)

In 1838, a group of the citizens of this community went to hear Alexander Campbell preach near Smiths Grove, Kentucky. They were so inspired by his plea to return to simple New Testament Christianity, that they organized the Mt Pleasant congregation. Soon a log meeting house was erected in which to worship. The seed of the gospel had been planted on the Mt. Pleasant hill. By 1848, this “seed” had grown to forty members.

Even during the Civil War, the gospel did not cease to be preached from this church. In August of 1864, a gospel meeting resulted in twenty three baptisms and seven restored!!

The old log meeting house was replaced in 1890 when the wood frame church building was erected. This frame church building would house the Mt. Pleasant congregation from 1890 to 1998. The 1890 membership list shows that the membership had grown to eighty-nine.

Many of our earliest preachers came from this community. Such gospel preachers as John Nelson Tinsley, Samuel W. Basham , Gideon Floyd and Lewis P. Arnold were also local residents from the 1840’s to 1900. Mt. Pleasant has always stood for the truth. From at least the 1890’s, gospel meetings usually last for ten days or more. Pioneer gospel preachers traveled on horseback from surrounding counties to preach the gospel at Mt. Pleasant.

From earliest days up to the early 1950’s, preaching services were usually conducted only once or twice per month. In 1954, our first full time preacher was secured. At this time, classrooms were first added to the church building and Wednesday night services were added as well.

Mt. Pleasant’s 150th Anniversary services took place on May 15, 1988. Speakers for the special services that day were E. G. Nash and Woodrow Hazelip(former ministers). Former members and ministers from eight states were also in attendance.

In 1998, the new brick church building was completed and it replaced the white frame building. While we are proud of our past, our best days can be before us. May we always let our “light” shine at Mt. Pleasant and think of the scripture from Matthew 5:14, “Ye are the light of the world, a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid”.