Faith
3
According to tradition, the earliest congregation that would become Bethlehem Baptist Church was organized circa 1863 by Samuel K. Taylor, a former slave, who preached in the homes of the African-American residents of Gum Springs. Shortly after the Civil War ended, the first building was used as both a house of worship and school. The cornerstone for a new church was laid in April 1884. Third and fourth edifices were built respectively in 1930 and 1993. The church grew with the African-American community and continues to be an important center of religious activity in Gum Springs.
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Hybla Valley, Virginia · United States
