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NEW MEMBER ORIENTATION TRAINING
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115 years ago, the late
Mr. Rose Ferguson
and a few laboring
personnel came to the Leesville community from
Jasper, Texas
with the
Nona Mills Lumber Company
. The people were
provided a home by Mr. Ferguson, who named the settlement
the
Nona Mills Quarters
, which is the present site of the Vernon
Parish School Board, East Leesville Elementary, Leesville Jr. High
School, Leesville High School and Leesville High School Stadium.
These people were not only working for a living, but
working for a life. They met in their homes and held
church school and worship services. God provided, these
“Anyhow Christians”
, through Mr. Ferguson, with a plot
of land, lumber and labor cost for a church building.
On September 1, 1899, God sanctioned the naming and dedication
of the
Pleasant Hill Baptist Church
,
the first African-American
church in Leesville.
From Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, other
churches in Leesville were organized such as the New Willow
Baptist Church in 1900, the Mt. Olive Baptist Church in 1912 and
the St Paul Baptist Church in 1925. The location of Pleasant Hill
was moved from the Nona Mills Quarters in 1911 to the site near
the late brother Dan Mullen’s property, the present site of the
Leesville Temple Lodge. Later, a move was made into the U.S.O.
building that had been converted into a church, located at the
corner of Simpson and Nona Street. On February 12, 1958, the
location of the church and its contents was destroyed by fire.
After our church burned, there was no place for worship, but God
always provides a way for His children doesn’t he.
Mr. A. Roy
Rushen
, then principal of Vernon High School, offered the use of the
school for church services. The site at 1100 Nona Street was built in
1959 under the leadership of the late
Reverend D.L. Carter
, and
less than 15 months after the church had burned the members were
able to enter the new location. Reverend Carter was a good shepherd
for his sheep and led us in the way of the Lord for 35 years. Later, his
health failed him and he recommended a new pastor,
Reverend
Monroe W.. Harrison
, in 1971. Reverend Harrison was a deacon
of the church and became an ordained minister in September of
1957. He preached his first sermon as full time pastor on February 7,
1971. Throughout his 22 years as pastor of Pleasant Hill, Reverend
Harrison exemplified exceptional abilities as a shepherd of the
Christian flock. Because of his great pastoral ability, Reverend
Harrison was commonly referred to as
“Leesville’s Pastor”
.