HISTORY Of SHILOH BAPTIST CHURCH

In this year of our Lord 2004, Shiloh Baptist Church has been pointing souls to a better religious, social, and economic life since its beginning in 1863, 141 years ago. By so doing, we are living in hope of a far Greater Life in the Promised Land.

"There are now six churches of colored people in that city, (Alexandria). The "African Methodist Episcopal" and five Baptist church: First Baptist Church", "Second Baptist" or "Beulah Church", The "Fourth Baptist" or "Shiloh" Church was organized about 1863 at "Newton" - L'Ouverture Hospital - the military hospital for colored soldiers, which was located in the yard of "Price & Birch's" old slave prison, used during the war as a prison for deserters. Another Baptist colored church, the "Zion Baptist," is located in the vicinity of the railroad tunnel. These churches have each a flourishing Sabbath school, in which old and young unite in learning to read and in the study of the Bible."

[An excerpt from the Department of Education Special Report of the Commissioner of Education on the Condition and Improvement of Public Schools of the District of Columbia, submitted to the Senate June 1868, and to the House, with additions, June 13, 1870].

During the Civil War the Union Army occupied the City of Alexandria to prevent the Confederate Army from having a route into Washington, D.C., the Capitol. Since the Union Army was not in the slave trade, Alexandria became a haven for run away slaves (contraband). These contraband, along with captured Confederate soldiers were housed in the old slave pen area at 1315 Duke Street. It was here that Shiloh Baptist Church began March 29, 1863 as the Old Shiloh Society when fifty former slaves gathered in a U.S. Government mess hall to worship and praise God. When the group outgrew the mess hall, it moved to the barracks. Shortly afterward, the building was destroyed by fire. Staunton School temporarily became the next meeting place. The Reverends Charles Rodgers, E. Owens and Leland Warring served during these times.

Pastoral Leadership Accomplishments: 1863 - 2004
Reverend Leland Warring 1863 -1889
The first edifice of Shiloh, a neat frame church, was erected on West Street near Duke Street. On September 26, 1865, the new church was dedicated. The Reverend Warring's ill health forced him to retire on March 15, 1889 after over 25 years of service and his son, the Reverend Henry H. Warring, became the supply pastor.

Interim Period 1889 -1890
Account in the Alexandria Gazette, March 7, 1890: The Origin of the difficulty that caused the split of Shiloh Baptist Church: Rev. Henry Warring was accused by a segment of the membership of misappropriating $15 in fees to the Virginia Baptist State Convention and $10 in travel expenses and not telling the truth about it. The majority of the membership rejected the charges and proceeded to call Rev. Henry Warring to be the pastor. Some of those aggrieved members left Shiloh and were among the founders of Mt. Jezreel Baptist Church.

Reverend Henry Warring 1890 - 1913
Work on the second edifice, the present church, began in 1891. The cornerstone was laid with imposing Masonic Ceremonies on August 1, 1891. The new building was completed on October 1, 1893. The building cost $8000 and the furniture $2000. The new church was considered the handsomest in town, with its great bell tower, eight stained glass windows, modern circular oak pews, and a "large reflector, resplendent with glass prisms" swinging from the ceiling. An Executive Committee became the Trustee Board, a Missionary Circle was organized, the Deacon Board, the Sunday School, and a church choir were formed, during the 22 years service of the Reverend Henry Warring. Toward the end of his pastorate in 1913, the congregations of Shiloh and Mt. Jezreel came together for a reconciliation meeting held at Shiloh. The officers of both churches signed a reconciliation document and they all sang "Blest Be the Tie That Binds".

Reverend McKee 1914-1917)
The mothers of the church, later known as Deaconess were organized.

Reverend J.H. Marshall 1917-1924

Reverend Frank E. Hearns 1924 - 1944
Established the Shiloh Usher Board, created the Willing Workers Club, and spearheaded the purchase of our first electric organ. These were lean times for Shiloh and often Rev. Hearns would forego his salary in order to help pay church expenses.

Reverend J. Edward Stevens 1946 - 1947
The Gospel Chorus, composed of young people, was organized during his pastorate. Rev. Stevens resigned in 1947 for personal reasons.

Reverend Moses William Beasley 1947 - 1986
Under his administration many distinctions were achieved. In 1948, Shiloh became a member of the National Baptist Convention and the National Congress of Christian Education. He was also instrumental in having two members from Shiloh become members of the National Teaching Staff and in having our youth participate in its Youth Rally. The Laymen's Movement, now known as the Men's Fellowship, was organized. In 1955, the Flower Club was organized; Open communion was instituted into the regular morning worship service, offering anyone who missed the monthly communion. A Baptist Training Union was organized; a Minister of Music became a reality; and the Choralite Gospel Chorus was organized in 1956. The Youth Choir, an outgrowth of the Tiny Tots Choir, evolved into a singing group for the Youth Church in 1962. Junior Deacons and Junior Trustees were organized in 1966 and Junior Deaconess in 1974. Junior officers were later integrated into the main boards.

The City of Alexandria Welfare Department opened an integrated Day Care Center at Shiloh from January 1964 to October 1971. In 1972, the Rev. Beasley conducted his first annual Leadership Training Program for all church officers. Shiloh's Food Bank, which served its needy members and the community, began operation in 1984 and closed in February 1992. In order to familiarize new members with Shiloh, a New Member Orientation class was instituted.

Shiloh became the first church in Alexandria to purchase a bus to meet the transportation needs of its members. Two buses and a van have been purchased since then. Church facilities were improved: a new heating plant and air conditioning was installed, an addition as built with modern restrooms, the sanctuary and lower auditorium were renovated and remodeled, a new organ, piano and walk-in pulpit were installed and dedicated, and a modern kitchen was installed. Neighboring properties on Duke Street were purchased that effectively expanded the parking area. Purchase of the Ballard property [now knows as the Moses W. Beasley Center] at 1323 Duke Street provided greater space for the many church ministries. Reverend Beasley's assistant was the late Rev. James O. Powell. Other Assistants to the Pastor and Associate Ministers were Reverends Richard Garner, Frederick Gibbs, Frederick Houwens, Frederick Gibbs, and LaReintz Johnson. After 39 years of service, the Reverend Moses William Beasley retired December 31, 1986.

Reverend Robert Lewis Taylor 1988 -1994

The Scholarship Committee, Tutoring Ministry, and Adult Reading Classes were formed. A Discipleship Training Class, the Shiloh Newsletter, the Pastor's Service Club (formerly the Pastor's Aid Society), and weekly Bible Study were reestablished. The Board of Christian Education became a reality. In 1993, the Shiloh of Alexandria Federal Credit Union (SAFCU) was one of four credit unions chartered in the United States. During this pastorate there were many Associate Ministers: the Reverends Tom Bailey, John Grady, LaReintz Johnson, Dwayne Jones, Ralph Martino, Kenneth Nelson, Bobby Washington, and Evangelists Ruth Bellfield and Lucretia Brown. It was during these years that the membership increased to the extent that two services were needed to accommodate the congregation. The Sunday morning worship service eventually was moved to George Washington Middle School. In 1994, because of clergy and membership incompatibility, Shiloh split into two separate congregations. One part of the congregation continued to worship at the George Washington Middle School with Reverend Taylor, calling itself the Greater Shiloh Baptist Church. The other part of the congregation returned to the church site located at 1401 Duke Street.

Reverend LaReintz Johnson, Interim Pastor 1994 - 1996

Reverend Luther Bailey Interim Pastor 1996
During Reverend Johnson's illness, Rev. Luther Bailey became the Interim pastor until Rev. Johnson's death in 1997. It was during this interim period that Jeanette Darden Johnson became the first woman in Shiloh licensed to preach.

Reverend Lee A. Earl 1997 - Present
Under his pastorate the church's Spiritual growth is evidenced by a larger weekly and midday Bible Study; continued leadership and ministerial training. Several women, Ministers Florine Murphy, Gloria Brown, Tanya Ingram, Denise Cannon, Zandra Earl and Rene Conaway have been added to the ministerial staff. The church was richly blessed to have had the service of the Reverends Don Lewis, Ralph Martino and Luther Bailey until they were called to other pastorates. Still Shiloh is fortunate to have a wealth of spiritual leaders like Reverends Carl Bennett, Thomas Bolen, Jr., Reginald Nelson, Xavier Jackson, Kenneth Nelson, Robert Beard, Albert Lawrence and Minister Arriod Jackson as members of the ministerial staff. The Mission statement was reformulated and the Value and Vision Statements were added. The yearly theme "Working Together, In Love..." was evidenced when Rev. Earl reached out to Greater Shiloh's Pastor Tom Bailey and congregation to help heal the sadness of the church split.

The organizational structure of the church is defined into five ministry areas: Christian Education, Community Service, Evangelism, Fellowship and Worship. The purchases in 1997-98 of an office building at 346 Commerce Street, named the Warring-Hearns Christian Life Education Center, and the Armstrong property, adjacent to the church began a steady increase in the church real estate holdings of Shiloh Baptist Church. These holdings include the Armstrong property at the back of the church, which provides additional parking, houses at 223 (the parsonage) and 207 S. West St. and the American Statistical Association office building at 1429 Duke Street, next door to the church as rental properties. Currently, the church is partnering with St. Coletta School, a school for children and young adults with physical and mental disabilities, in the use of the Warring-Hearns building.

In 2002, the TESST office building at 1400 Duke Street opened as the Shiloh Meeting and Conference Center. It encompasses the Shiloh administrative suite, the Church School, Children's Church, Youth Church and the Nursery. A new ministry, Harambee, Inc., housing for senior citizens, to be located on the Ballard property, is in planning and development stage. The 2003 Church is in the process of exploring the feasibility of creating an historic district around the neighboring area of the church. Shiloh has also become increasingly active in aiding the victims of crime, children of offenders, and ex-offenders with volunteers funded by a grant from VISTA.

During this year there were many high points. The format of Vacation Bible School, for example, changed to include, not only more adult classes, but a worship service as well. A 9:30 Sunday morning worship service was added to the 7:30 and 11:30 services. Nationally known gospel artist Shirley Caesar and Donnie McClurkin were presented in concerts. At the Watch Night Service, nationally known Rev. William Becton performed. The church also purchased another van and a new commercial style kitchen.

Shiloh gives a tenth of its income yearly to missions. Included among Shiloh's nearly 30 local, state, and foreign missions are Hopkins House, Carpenters Shelter, Alexandria Black History Resource Center, United Negro College Fund, Northern Virginia Baptist Center, National Congress of Christian Education, Alexandria Hospital, Victim Victory, Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation, Unshackled Jail/Prison Ministry, Shalom Ministry and Lott Carey Convention.

Now in 2004, Bible Study continues to flourish on Wednesday nights, Thursday mornings and has expanded to Wednesday noon at the AMC Hoffman Theaters. The Music Department underwent a complete re-awakening including intensive training. A massive financial thrust is underway to help retire much of the Debt in a shortened amount of time. Under the pastorate of Reverend Lee A. Earl, Shiloh entered the 21st century creating a new legacy on the foundation of our ancestors. We praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Researched and recorded by Sis. Lillian Stanton Patterson, Church Historian. Updated March 2004.