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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. T hese 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.
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".
Shiloh continued to grow in the community through the improvement of church facilities and the purchase of neighboring properties on Duke Street and the Ballard property [now knowsnas the Moses W. Beasley Center] at 1323 Duke Street . During 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.
Under the current pastorship of Rev. Lee Earl, 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 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. In 2002, the TESST office building at 1400 Duke Street opened as the Shiloh Meeting and Conference Center. A new ministry, Harambee, Inc., housing for senior citizens, to be located on the Ballard property, is in planning and development stage. 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.
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.
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
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