The Mount Pleasant Christian Church was organized out of the desire to restore New Testament Christianity on Saturday, July 18, 1868 at Brown’s School House (later called Sallee Branch School) now the site of Belvoir Elementary School. This was accomplished following a week of meetings conducted by A.J. Battle and Josephus Latham during which there were thirty-four baptisms.

Amos Johnston Battle: 1805-1870. Son of Joel and Mary P. Battle, Amos was b. at Shell Bank, Edgecombe Co., NC. His brother, William Horn Battle, was Associate Justice of the State Supreme Court. Amos was first a Missionary Baptist, converted at Mt. Zion, Georgia, on a trip to his Florida plantation in 1828. He was ordained to the Baptist ministry in 1831; became minister of the Disciples of Christ in 1852. He had moved to Wilson, NC, in 1843. Amos married Miss Margaret Hearne Parker of Edge. Co., NC. He was a trustee of Wake Forest College in NC, and ran the 1st hotel in Wilson, “Battle House.” In 1869 he was “attacked with cancer near the outward corner of his right eye,” interrupting his evangelistic work in the mountains of NC.” (taken from the North Carolina Disciples of Christ: A History of Their Rise and Progress, and of Their Contribution to Their General Brotherhood. Christian Board of Publication; St. Louis, MO., 1927.)

Josephus Latham: 1828-1889. Son of Thomas Jordan Latham (one of the pioneer ministers of the Christian (Disciple) church in North Carolina.) and Nancy Cordon of Pantego, NC. Born June 6th, 1828. Baptized June 4, 1843 by his father. Ordained Apr. 1, 1849. Married Miss Martha F. Brown of Pitt Co., NC, on May 31, 1854.

Josephus Latham 1828-1889

Was Superintendent of Public Instruction of Pitt Co. Schools 1882-1889. Had daughter Nanny who attended Hamilton College in Lexington, KY. Nanny/Nannie E. married Mr. Quinerly of Pitt Co., NC (taken from the North Carolina Disciples of Christ: A History of Their Rise and Progress, and of Their Contribution to Their General Brotherhood. Christian Board of Publication; St. Louis, MO., 1927.)

At fifteen years of age Josephus became a member of the Christian church at Pantego, being baptized by his father. Three years later when was only eighteen, he became a minister of that church and made that his life work, though he was also a farmer and gave much attention to education work, teaching at various times and places. He taught the Farmville High School many years and many of the successful men of that section, and others, received their training under him. He was a member of the Pitt County Board of Education and County Superintendent from 1883-1889.

After many years itinerary, during which he served the Kinston church several years, he made his home on his farm near Greenville and was for many years pastor here at Mount Pleasant. During his ministry, only sickness, the performance of some other sacred duty or unavoidable circumstances, made him miss preaching every Sunday in the year. And besides, he held many revival meetings and preached at other times. During his ministry be baptized about 3,000 persons and married near 500 couples. He died April 27th, 1889, aged 60 years, 10 months and 21 days, as was buried in Mount Pleasant cemetery near his home. A marble tombstone marks his grave.

One story goes that one cold day he met a Confederate soldier, who was barefooted and not too well-clothed. After a short conversation with the soldier, he pulled off his shoes and socks and gave them to the soldier.

May 31st, 1852, he married Martha Brown, daughter of Alfred L. and Nancy E. Brown, Reverend John P Dunn officiating. At the age of 81 years his widow, with two of their children, survived him. (She died September, 1910.)

The following account was taken from The North Carolina Christian for December 1943. It was copied from the first record book of the Mount Pleasant Church.

Church of Christ at Brown’s School House. Saturday, July 18th, 1868: A protracted meeting having been held here since last Lord’s Day by A.J. Battle and Josephus Latham, the result has been glorious and today a church has been organized to have no human creed. Recognizing the New Testament as our rule of faith and practice and accepting no name except a scriptural one, namely: “Church of Christ” as the name of the church to which we belong, etc.

The meeting commenced as above was continued until the night of July 30 when it closed for the laborers to go to other fields of labor. Saturday, August 8th, 1868: A large crowd assembled which was addressed by Elder Josephus Latham from the text, “Come let us reason together” after which the following officers were chosen for the church, viz: Josephus Latham, Evangelist or Pastor; John R. Brown, Willie Stancill, William H. Cobb, Elders.

There was a roll from 1883 that contained 75 names. In December 1943, only one was living from that group. Her name was Mrs. Lucy Brown Worthington of Ayden, North Carolina. While looking through a folder on our congregation at the Disciples of Christ Historical Society in Nashville, TN, we found the following picture from the 75th Anniversary of Mt. Pleasant Christian Church.

Mrs. Nannie E. Latham Quinerly (L)
Mrs Lucy Brown Worthington (R)
1943

Josephus Latham had been a minister for quite a number of years before coming to Mount Pleasant as her regular minister.

Josephus Latham was the regular preacher on each first Sunday for Mt. Pleasant from
1868 to 1881, at the salary of $3.00 a month. Others supplied when the pastor was absent and were paid accordingly.

It was said that Elder Latham’s “sermons were strong in their fullness of Scripture truths, and the directness with which they were presented. His pulpit efforts were largely directed to the fundamental principles of the Gospel.” His favorite sermon topic was “The Conversion of the Ethiopian Eunuch”.

During this time it was not unusual to see both members and ministers disciplined by those in authority over them. Discipline was enforced at their Saturday business meetings: August 1870, Thomas Anderson was restored, J.B. was excluded for profaning the name of the Lord; F.T. excluded herself by request; S.H. (was) excluded for disobeying the laws of God.

The graves of Josephus Latham and his wife, Martha Brown are located in the center front of the Mount Pleasant cemetery. A marble plaque in his memory has been placed beside the entrance (left side) of the building dedicated in 1964.

Josephus Latham was known for his interest especially in education. Because of this passion in his life a Sunday School was started, October 1874. In the evening a Lord’s Day School was started with Willie Stancill, Superintendent; S.H. Spain, J.L. Smith, Pattie Smith, M.F. Latham, and Rebecca Brown were teachers. Again in 1908, while C.M. Morton was minister, another Sunday School was organized. J.A. Teel was Superintendent (father of J.O. Teel); Miss Rosa Randolph, secretary (Mrs. Rosa Briley); and Mr. Daniel Jordan was Treasurer.

It is funny to look back and see what we now consider tradition and maybe even essential to being effective as a church and how it was not always so well-received.

“Effective training of young people by the church in their recreational, social, and religious life is a modern development. Looking back a few decades before this time one will observe almost none of this in the practice ofthe church.

Yet our fathers wrestled with the problem. In their hearts they recognized the principle. They were handicapped essentially by lack of both equipment and sympathetic co-operation. In large areas where the North Carolina Disciples grew, they were immediate neighbors to a people who professedly regarded Sunday Schools as “modern invention,” no better than a circus or other worldly amusement of the day. Gradually, the young people came to have a large and distinct part in the activities of the Church.

When the Disciples began in North Carolina in 1841, so far as the records disclose, there was not a Bible School among them. Their first “Sabbath School” was organized at Kinston, April 8, 1849. When they gathered in Annual Meeting at Rose of Sharon in 1854, R.W. King, then of Kinston, moved: “That we recommend to the brethren to establish Sunday Schools in all our churches.” This motion was adopted, but we see no evidence of its being carried promptly into effect. Their next Annual Meeting was at Kinston. Here they first adopted an agenda for such meetings called “Order of Business.” The sixth item of this was “Sunday Schools.” Josephus Latham as chairman of the Committee gave the following report which was “received,” and adopted:

The importance of Sunday Schools, we presume, no Christian will pretend to doubt; as they have a tendency to draw the minds of children from vicious pursuits on the Lord’s Day, and to raise them to holier aspirations. But nothwithstanding all the advantages to the rising generation which might be received from Anti-sectarian Schools, the Disciples have neglected establishing any, and tamely submit their children to be taught by those who actually despise the doctrines we so much cherish. We, therefore solicit our brethren to establish Sunday Schools, in which the true principles of the Bible may be taught.”

Over the years many faithful workers have provided the Gospel message through the classroom and from the pulpit. The following is a roll of ministers who have preached for Mount Pleasant Christian Church from its beginning:

Mount Pleasant 1870-1949

The congregation has been through a number of transitions with her place of meeting both in campus and buildings. On June 5, 1870, the church dedicated a new building about one mile south of Brown’s School House on a two acre lot given by John R. Brown, the father-in-law of Josephus Latham. After moving to the new location, the church decided to take on the name of the community and be known as Mount Pleasant Church of Christ. This original structure was constructed of wood and had stained glass windows which were inscribed

Mount Pleasant 1949-1964

with the names of the families who donated them. In 1936, the original structure was wired for electricity. Also the same year, a community building was erected for the general purpose of social functions. In November of 1949, the original structure was enlarged and modernized to accommodate growth. Later, both the original and the community building were sold and moved from the property to make room for parking.

Mount Pleasant 1964-1997

The first brick sanctuary was completed in 1964. An educational wing was added in 1977 and is still in use today. In 1995 additional land was purchased with the help of the MacMillan family. To provide for future growth, a new sanctuary was added with a dedication service held on October 5, 1997. The new sanctuary was designed to seat up to five hundred people. At present it seats three hundred and fifty people and has for temporary classrooms.

Mount Pleasant Christian Church Today