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Our History

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President Woodrow Wilson was in the White House, World War I was beginning, and women could not vote when Mt. Horeb Baptist Church was organized July 16, 1916 in a small dwelling at the corner of Lowery and Sunday streets in the South Dallas-Lincoln Manor Addition of Dallas, Texas. The church was chartered and incorporation January 15, 1946.

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In the first decade of the 1900s, black people were beginning to move from the established black community of North Dallas to this near-wilderness pecan grove area of South Dallas that offered land to build modest frame house and the potential for development. Many of Mt. Horeb’s original members had been members of Macedonia Baptist Church in North Dallas, which later became Good Street Baptist Church. The South Dallas newcomers began holding regular prayer gatherings in individual homes, a practice they continued from about 1908 to 1916 when certain individuals decided to form a church.

Organizational Effort

Rev. S. E. J. Watson, moderator of the Baptist and Methodist Convention, led the organization effort at a rent house at Sunday and Lowery streets along with the founding deacons who were: W. M. Winston, W. W. Phillips, Bro. Robinson, and Bro. Grayson. Rev. Watson contacted Rev. J. L. Jordan of South Dallas’ Joppy area who was known for his willingness to preach. Rev. Jordan led services for a few months at Sunday and Lowery streets while the new congregation looked for a pastor. Soon the owner recalled that property to sell it. The new church then rented a small house on Anderson Street.  Next, they saved enough money and bought a vacant lot at Bluitt and Hooper streets that would become Mt. Horeb’s site for the next 42 years.

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There – working for about a month by night to avoid the heat -- the members constructed a brush arbor from thick trees and brush on the land. The crude hut-like structure had no walls but had a foundation as flooring and poles that held up a roof made of brush and twigs that barely protected them from the blazing sun. The women sat under parasols and the men sometimes ran snakes away.

 

After a couple of months, members transformed the arbor into a tent by placing cloth and rugs over the brush roof which the sun was rapidly burning away. Services were held at night as most members were obligated to domestic jobs during the day. Members used matches to light the church’s one oil lamp which the wind frequently blew out. They were happy when they finally secured a gas lamp. Rain brought flooding, deep enough for wading, and meant there would be no service until the waters receded.

Telling our church history through the eyes of the saints.

In early 1917 Moderator Watson appointed Rev. J. W. Bailey of Dallas as Mt. Horeb’s first official pastor. He served about 3-1/2 years, and sometimes a Rev. Redmon also was guest preacher. In 1918, members built a frame “shot gun” structure using the foundation from the brush arbor and tent and continued to make small improvements. In 1919, Rev. I. A. Bonney joined Mt. Horeb as assistant pastor under Rev. Bailey and became a key quiet influence and reliable interim pastor when needed.  Membership was about 25 or 30 with about 15 attending regularly.

 

Sunday School and Baptist Training Union were Mt. Horeb’s only organizations at the time. Rev. Bonney remained as assistant pastor/sometimes interim pastor for more than 50 years until he died on April 15, 1969. Members named a church chapel in his honor. Rev. Wooten from Oklahoma City succeeded Rev. Bailey as the second official pastor in August 1921. Under Rev. Wooten, Rev. Bonney organized Mt. Horeb’s first choir in 1921. Rev. Wooten stayed about one year, and Rev. Bonney again was interim pastor.

 

The church prayed mightily for a third new pastor and the Lord answered by sending Rev. Paul Eugene Castle from Bryan and Hearne in South Texas. He became the most illustrious pastor during Mt. Horeb’s formative years. Mt. Horeb members were impressed when they heard him preach at a revival. Rev. Bonney met with Rev. Castle and persuaded him to accept Mt. Horeb’s offer with a starting salary of $15 a week in 1922. Rev. Castle’s wife, Bessie T. Castle, a teacher, soon began teaching in Dallas.

Pioneer Pastors and Preachers

Paul Castle Inspires Progressive Era

Mt. Horeb advanced to a new era under Rev. Castle with his caring, sympathetic style. He began a building movement that over decades produced three major edifices -- all at the corner of Bluitt and Hooper streets. The congregation met in a Lodge Hall on Dyson while Rev. Castle completed his first edifice in 1924 which he called “Greater Mt. Horeb” -- a lovely frame building with a welcoming covered porch.

 

Auxiliaries began to be added to the Sunday School, BTU, and Adult Choir. Over the years – and some under succeeding pastors – new auxiliaries included the Mission Society, expanded Deacons Board, Trustees, Church Clerk, Flower and Decorating Committee, Bible Band, Prayer Band, Singles, Wednesday Night Bible Study, Nurses Guild, Adult Ushers, Junior Ushers, Children’s Starlight Band, Young Women’s Auxiliary, Boys’ Basketball Team, Praisers Youth Praise Team, Save the Children Youth Mentoring Program, Summer Bible School, and Royal Ambassadors Male Youth Mentor Program.

 

The music department expanded to include seven choirs – some under succeeding pastors. These included Angelic Choir, Women’s Chorus, Male Chorus, Youth Choir, Gospel Choir, Combined Choir, and the original Senior Adult Choir. The choirs also recorded several albums under Rev. Castle and future pastors. The self-supported Mt. Horeb radio broadcast on KHVN/Heaven 97 (970 AM) was a hallmark ministry that started in 1954 under Rev. Castle and continued for more than 50 years, ending in 2007.

 

The Depression created a period of stalemate from 1929 to 1936. Then in the late 1930s, Rev. Castle completed his second building project – a renovation that added a baptistry and brick exterior, and brought the building to a $14,700 value. Before adding the baptism area, members were baptized at Wahoo Lake in nearby East Dallas. Rev. Castle had become a force in the community and held political influence. He was able to convince city leaders to put lights and sewage lines in the Lincoln Manor community. He also held positions of power in state and national religious organizations while Mt. Horeb became a leading congregation in South Dallas and black Dallas.

Rev. Castle's Ultimate Edifice & Daycare/Kindergarten

In 1945, Rev. Castle began his third and most ambitious edifice, still at Bluitt and Hooper streets. Mt. Horeb members worshipped jointly with the congregation at Primitive Baptist Church on East Lowery St., where Rev. Stewart was pastor. Mt. Horeb members moved into Rev. Castle’s third edifice in 1946. The state-of-the-art $100,000, two-story, brick church seated 850 people and contained a basement, balcony, 16 classrooms, kitchen and dining areas, main sanctuary and $9,000 worth of furniture.

 

The edifice became a proud South Dallas landmark and offered community services including the long-standing, popular Mt. Horeb Daycare and Kindergarten that Rev. Castle started. The daycare and kindergarten became an institution and functioned for more than 40 years --beyond Rev. Castle’s death and under his successors. It served generations of families and an average of more than 100 children a day. It closed in 1988, more than two decades after Mt. Horeb moved to its present location.

Dr. Brent Succeeds Rev. Castle

Rev. Castle was pastor for 35 years and even though he had been ill, his unexpected death on June 9, 1957 at age 62 shocked and devastated his congregation and the local and national black religious community where he held various influential positions. These included being president of Dallas City and County Baptist Ministers Union, president South Dallas Ministers Alliance, and member National Convention of America’s State Convention and Home Mission Board. His survivors included his faithful wife, Bessie T. Castle, and daughter, Janice Castle.

 

Many members believed that nothing could exceed Rev. Castle’s stellar reign as pastor. But they discovered that Dr. Warren Sidney Brent would take Mt. Horeb to heights beyond their dreams. Mt. Horeb languished for eight months after Rev. Castle died, searching for a new leader and hosting visiting preachers each Sunday. The search prompted conflicts among the congregation, so church clerk, Mrs. J. M. Lewis, asked Rev. Brent, known for his organizing ability, to come and counsel with the congregation about the search process.

 

Dr. Brent was the highly respected pastor, founder and builder of Antioch Baptist Church in Ft. Worth. He had a firm, authoritative leadership style and no tolerance for disputes. He came and so impressed the congregation that they soon invited him to be Mt. Horeb’s pastor. At age 61, he was very entrenched at his own church. But after much agonizing and prayer, he accepted and became pastor on Feb. 15, 1958 with an attitude of openness toward what God wanted him to accomplish at the then 42-year-old Mt. Horeb.

MT. HOREB BAPTIST CHURCH

Deeply rooted in the city of Dallas for over 100 years

Over his eight years as pastor, the demanding perfectionism of Dr. Brent transformed Mt. Horeb into a highly efficient and renowned congregation. He liquidated a $25,000 mortgage and members learned the value of following sound leadership. So, members were shocked but not without hope when the state informed Mt. Horeb that it would have to move from its beloved Bluitt and Hooper streets to make way for a highway. Did God bring Dr. Brent and his confident leadership to Mt. Horeb for such a time as this?

 

Dr. Caesar Clark, pastor of Good Street Baptist Church, one of Dallas’ leading, historic black churches, stepped forward to help. For one year and seven months, Mt. Horeb worshipped at Good Street Community Center on Hatcher Street while Dr. Brent made plans for a new edifice. During this period, Dr. Brent experienced tremendous burdens and some backlash from a group of members who felt he was not moving fast enough in securing a new place of worship. Dr. Brent ultimately built a new state-of-the-arts edifice which Mt. Horeb now occupies at 3306 Carpenter Ave. near Fair Park. He had already built two edifices in Ft. Worth before coming to Mt. Horeb and the stress of conflicts plus building a third edifice at his age took its toll. He entered the hospital several times with ulcers and other conditions. Yet he continued to oversee construction and often met with the congregation stooped on a cane or seated in a chair.

 

The edifice became a proud South Dallas landmark and offered community services including the long-standing, popular Mt. Horeb Daycare and Kindergarten that Rev. Castle started. The daycare and kindergarten became an institution and functioned for more than 40 years --beyond Rev. Castle’s death and under his successors. It served generations of families and an average of more than 100 children a day. It closed in 1988, more than two decades after Mt. Horeb moved to its present location.

Highway Forces Mt. Horeb To Move

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Entering Our Current Edifice

Finally, construction was completed and during the weekend of September 30-October 1, 1961, members held a jubilant entrance celebration. The building and celebration created much public hoopla and recognition from local media. The Dallas Morning News ran an article and photograph of the building on Friday Sept. 29, 1961. An open house was held Saturday Sept. 30. Members held a 5 a.m. sunrise march from the community center to the new church and held a jubilant entrance day service and dedication on Sunday Oct. 1, 1961. Mt. Horeb’s good friend Rev. Clark of Good Street delivered the Entrance Day sermon. Dallas Mayor Earle Cabell cut the ribbon. Other dignitaries included County Judge Lew Sterrett and many other political and religious leaders.

 

The new $300,000 edifice was hailed as an architectural triumph in the early 1960s – ahead of its time in Dallas’ still-segregated African-American community. The new church was a showplace featuring a rare, for then, fully-equipped, ultra-modern kitchen with ample fixtures, including cabinets and storage closet, stone-inlaid front lobby, social hall, bridal room, choir room, prayer room, infants cry room/playroom, separate sanctuary and Sunday School chapel, a 50-ton central air-condition and heating unit, 32 classrooms, offices, and lounges, and a spacious parking lot. The church seats about 500 in the sanctuary alone, including the balcony and when the accordion doors are opened to include the social hall.

 

During Dr. Brent’s tenure, the annual Bank Day effort was instituted, became one of the church’s major fundraisers, and still functions today. Assigned captains represent specific banks and collect “deposits” from members that added to church income. The next five years were glorious for the church and its nationally-renowned pastor. But a shadow loomed. In early 1966, as he continued to push forward, his heart grew weaker. Still, it was a blinding tragedy when at age 69 his heart took its last beat on May 23, 1966. His death ended what had been a storybook time for Mt. Horeb that would observe its half-century mark that year.

 

Dr. Brent’s local and national standing had added to Mt. Horeb’s stature. His many positions of authority included a Texas state appointment by Governor John Connally to the Governor’s Committee on Aging. He had served as president of Conroe College and interim president of Mary Allen College, which were two historically-black institutions; and had been president, moderator and organizer of several religious organizations, including president of the Texas State Sunday School Congress, and organizer of the Fellowship District Association. When he died, he was serving in more than a half-dozen positions that included being treasurer of the National Baptist Convention of America and education secretary of the Missionary Baptist General Convention of Texas. His survivors were his devoted wife, Josephine Brent, and two adult daughters, Josie Lee and Johnetta.

The Meeting Place of God

Joshua After Moses - Rev. B.J. Bradford, Jr.

Looking back, it appears almost prophetic that a year before he died, Dr. Brent brought in a younger assistant -- Rev. Bishop Johnson Bradford Jr. as his assistant and Direct of Human Relations in 1965.The elder pastor was a longtime friend of Rev. Bradford’s family. Rev. Bradford Jr., a third-generation minister, had worked as a state social worker, owned and directed a funeral home, and had led small congregations as pastor and assistant pastor at churches in Texas cities that included Mt. Pleasant, Gatesville, and Ft. Worth.

 

Despite his large, imposing physique, his down-to-earth, friendly personality and thunderous laughter won him quick acceptance and allowed him to mingle easily with paupers and kings. He had a soft spot for society’s forgotten people and used his warm personality to disarm them and ultimately draw them to Christ. One particular program, the All These Blessings are Mine program reached out to the community in need during the Christmas season and involved the Mission Society adopting disadvantaged families during Christmas.

 

Rev. Bradford Jr. completed Dr. Brent’s unfinished projects and earned kudos in 1974 when he led a campaign that liquidated the church’s $300,000 mortgage in 3-1/2 years and within eight years of his tenure. The church held an enthusiastic mortgage burning ceremony during its 58th church anniversary on July 14, 1974. The church purchased adjacent property, expanded the parking lot, and added a playground in back. The resourceful minister also was known throughout Dallas’ black community as “the praying preacher” whose fervent, booming voice was heard praying each Sunday morning over four decades during Mt. Horeb’s radio broadcast on station KHVN Heaven 97 – 970 AM.

 

Rev. Bradford Jr. waged a determined, lengthy battle against illness and told his congregation reassuringly in his final months that he was prepared to meet his savior. Serving as pastor for 40 years, Rev. Bradford Jr. became the longest-serving pastor in Mt. Horeb’s history. He transcended to life above on June 27, 2007 at age 78. His survivors at the time included his loving wife, Fannie, a Dallas school teacher; four offspring; seven grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Rev. Bishop J. Bradford III Becomes Pastor

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Rev. Bishop J. Bradford III is a licensed and ordained 4th generation preacher who seemed destined to preach the Word although he kicked mightily against the prick before answering “the call.” He preached his first sermon on Sunday, Sept. 10, 1989 at Mt. Horeb. With his younger brother, Rev. Warren Sidney Bradford, they became co-assistant pastors under their father, Rev. B. J. Bradford Jr.


When his father became ill, Rev. Bishop, as he is fondly called, filled in. He was preacher, microphone technician, furniture mover, strong choir tenor, and chief bottle washer. But he did it all with a loving spirit of service for a God he clearly loves. The youth department gave him an appreciation program as early as 2004 to let him know that his labor was not in vain while he was just filling in for his father. When his father died in 2007, Rev. Bishop was already fully operating as interim pastor. He was installed as our pastor on Oct. 21, 2007. Because he was born into and grew up in Mt. Horeb, he has many “mothers” and “fathers” at the church and has had to transition from child to man to pastor and leader
as they all looked on. Pastor Bishop has studied and received biblical training at Southern Bible Institute and Criswell College in Dallas, Texas.


​ “From the very beginning of my personal ministry, I believed that my calling involved more than just being a guardian of the souls of men. I do not diminish that aspect of my vocation, for it is first and foremost, but I believe that I have a responsibility to minister to the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the whole person. As a direct result, I always strive to make myself available and approachable to people inside and outside of the congregation where I serve. As a child and even into adulthood, I never quite understood why my father invested so much of his time and energy into this work. But with every encounter of life’s events that are common to man, from birth to death that I am privileged to be a part of, I realize that there is no more sacred trust that mankind can bestow than to allow you access to those private moments. It is for that reason I humbly serve and strive to give my best”.

 

Pastor Bishop is married to Cassandra and they have two adult children, Bishop IV and Alexandria.

History by Life Member Norma-Adams-Wade

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*NOTE: Much of the history of Mt. Horeb’s beginning years was gleaned from memories of Mt. Horeb’s then lone surviving charter member, Mrs. Estella Dilworth Cary, during interviews for the church’s 50th Anniversary in 1966 when Mrs. Cary, who has now passed over, was in her 80s. Other early members whose recollections helped record Mt. Horeb’s previously unwritten history include Mrs. Geneva Ellison, who joined in 1921, founded the Starlight Band, and has since transcended; Mrs. J. L. Lewis, who joined in 1926, was church clerk for nearly 40 years, and died in 1981; and her daughter, the late Evelyn Carter, who preserved her mother’s records.

 

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Summary of Church Programs and Physical Improvements

Improvements over the years include:

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(1)  Four edifices at two locations, (2)  Long-standing daycare and kindergarten, (3)  Choir musicals that raised necessary funds and drew full-house crowds, (4)  Bank Day that started in 1959 and remains a leading annual fundraiser, (5)  Annual Day for each church auxiliary which generates added income. Groups that have Annual Days are: the Sunday School, Junior Church, Baptist Training Union, Choir, Usher Boards, the Mission Society that consolidated it former 12 circles, Mothers’ Board, Singles for Christ, Bible Band, Prayer Band, Condolence Committee, Women’s Day, Men’s Day, and Youth Department, ​(6)  Addition of a playground and expansion of the parking lot, (7)  Adding a ramp and later handrails for handicap access, (8)  Complete renovation of kitchen and its fixtures, (9)  Repairs to the roof after serious leakage, (10) Replacing gutters and re-painting church interior and exterior

(11) Improved outside lighting, (12) Extensive upgrades to the air-conditioning unit, and, installation of a security cage after repeated thief of copper wiring, (13) Improvements to men’s and women’s lounges, (14) Installation of a library and reading room, (15) Replacing carpet in the sanctuary, (16) Purchase and maintenance of vans to help transport members, particularly the elderly, and (17) Replacing social hall and chapel folding chairs with upholstered chairs.

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