Our History
Established in 1876
Mt. Pleasant was a small community four miles west of Cabot that sprung up after the Civil War, probably around the 1870s. The center of activity was a cotton gin and gristmill, a small country store, and another gristmill.
As more people moved in there was a need for a church. In June 1876, the church was organized. The organization was published in the “Western Baptist” in Searcy. Eight men and four ladies presented letters from sister churches and organized into a body (assembly). The church was named “Hopewell”. In July of 1876, J. K. Winkler was elected and ordained the first deacon. In September A. M. Brannon was called to pastor, and the name of the church was changed to Mt. Pleasant.
J. G. Melton was the organizer and first pastor of Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in June 1876. He served as the pastor several times. This picture was donated by Bro. Melton’s granddaughter and a friend.
Around 1878 the first building was erected, which served as schoolhouse as well as a church building. In 1895 the church had grown, and a building committee was elected to oversee a new building. The church showed 50 members in 1907.
J.G. Melton
In 1927 Mt. Pleasant joined the Lonoke Association of the ABA. Mt. Pleasant has always been known as a Missionary Baptist Church, believing and teaching the same things that it does today. We believe Christ organized the first church. The church sent messengers to the American Baptist Association for the first time in March 1936, at Antioch Baptist Church in Little Rock. In 1935 the church had 93 members. A note in the minutes of April 1938 reads “Mt. Pleasant always welcomes young preachers as an encouragement to them.” Four new classrooms were added in 1944.
The first church bulletin was started by Bro. Homer Myers in 1946. The church first had electricity in 1948, and the first electric bill was 92 cents. The first full-time pastor was brother Sherrill Ford in 1948, and he was paid $50 per month.
In 1952 the church started a building fund for a new church building, which was occupied in 1955. In September 1962 a parsonage fund was set up. There were so many offers of land for the parsonage that a committee was elected to select the right place. The decision was made to take the land offered by Bro. and Sis. Paul Davidson. The parsonage was built in 1965. In 1975, additional Sunday School rooms were added, and in 1979, a new auditorium was built and connected to the existing church plant.
Over the years, Mt. Pleasant has grown in mission support, and gives liberally to local, interstate, and foreign missions, and to Christian schools.
An Invitation To Connect
We extend a warm welcome to you and your family to join us for a time of worship, fellowship, and community. Whether you are seeking a church home or simply curious about our faith, we invite you to be a part of our welcoming congregation. We look forward to meeting you and sharing in the joy of worship together. If you have any questions or comments please don't hesitate to reach out.