Mount Hermon Missionary Baptist Association
History as recorded on May 29, 1976
In March 1940 in Atlanta, Georgia, the Mount Hermon Missionary Baptist Association was organized. It is believed that Reverend T. H. George was the inspiration for the idea for the association and that Reverend J. W. Carter was to elect Officers. Reverend W. F. Paschal presided during the election of officers as well as giving the name of
Mount Hermon Missionary Baptist Association to the association.
The first elected officers of the association were:
Reverend T.H. George, Moderator
Pastor, First Baptist Church of Reynolds Town; Sweet Home Baptist Church and later Antioch Baptist Church North.
Reverend J.W. Adams, Vice Moderator
Pastor, Chapel Hill Baptist Church
Deacon Theodore Thomas, Clerk
Member, First Baptist Church of Reynolds Town (though elected, Deacon Thomas was not able to serve faithfully due to his job as a letter carrier). Upon receiving this information Moderator George appointed Reverend L.R. Edwards as Clerk.
Deacon Charley Williams, Treasurer
Member, Chapel Hill Baptist Church
The Ministers who were present at the organization of the association looked at the present and had a vision for the future with a spiritual and physical foresight and they agreed that the association’s purpose should be to grant scholarships to boys and girls who are active in the member churches. The amount of the scholarship, $75.00 was quoted and agreed upon as the allotted scholarship grant. In later years, it was named and given as “Scholarship Aide”.
Under the leadership of the current Moderator, Reverend Stanley A. Smith, the “Scholarship Aide” was renamed the Homer E. Smith Scholarship and the award amount has grown to $1000.00 per membership church.
The first session of the Mount Hermon Missionary Baptist Association was held on the Thursday and Friday after the 3rd Sunday in October 1940 at Zion Grove Baptist Church, where the Reverend J.C. Alexander was the Pastor. The first sermon was preached by the Reverend R.N. Milner, whose subject was “Living in The Bounds of the Word of God”. The session’s services were divided into three daily sessions of mornings, afternoons and evenings.
The original churches of the association are:
Greater Elem Street Baptist Church – Rev. H. J. Jackson
Chapel Hill Baptist Church – Rev. J.W. Adams
First Baptist Church of Reynolds Town – Rev. T. H. George
Zion Grove Baptist Church – Rev. J. C. Alexander
Mt. Sinai Baptist Church – Rev. H. M. Smith
Mt. Gilead Baptist Church (Spencer Street) – Rev. J. H. Daniels
During the first 40 years of the Mount Hermon Missionary Baptist Association, five Moderators had served. They are as follows: Reverend T.H.George, Reverend J.C. Alexander, Reverend D.T. George, Reverend P.L. Jones, Reverend C.C. Reeves and Reverend S. Randall.
Several Moderators have served since that time. Our current leadership members are:
Reverend Stanley A. Smith, Moderator Reverend Dr. Arthur Carson, Jr., President-Congress of Christian Education
Pastor, Greater Fellowship Baptist Church Pastor, Springfield Missionary Baptist Church
Reverend W.W. Morris, Vice Moderator Sister Selethia D. Smith, Dean-Congress of Christian Education
Former Pastor, Philadelphia Baptist Church Member, Greater Fellowship Baptist Church
Reverend Dr. H.D. Freeman, Moderator Emeritus Sister Geraldine Thornton, Dean-Mission Institute
Pastor, Zion Grove Baptist Church Member, First Baptist Church
Reverend E. B. Childs, Chairman-Scholarship Committee Sister Alice Doanes, Dean Emeritus-Mission Institute
Former Pastor, Chapel Hill Missionary Baptist Church Member, Philadelphia Baptist Church
Deacon Byron Whatley, President – Layman’s Department Sister Cecelia Brooks, Corresponding Secretary
Member, Greater Pleasant Hill Baptist Church Member, Zion Grove Baptist Church
Sister Terri Watts, President – Women’s Department Sister Marianne Hamilton, Financial Secretary
Member, Zion Grove Baptist Church Member, Philadelphia Baptist Church
Sister Diedre Watson, President – Young Women’s Department Sister Lola Hardy, Recording Secretary
Member, Chapel Hill Missionary Baptist Church Member, Zion Grove Baptist Church
Deacon Byron Whatley, Treasurer
Member, Greater Pleasant Hill Baptist Church