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To understand the significance of Cedar Point Disciple Church in the Black community, we must first direct our attention to the years of chattel slavery. For it is this creative and innovative atmosphere that helped to make the Black church what it has become.

It is understood by now that slaves' work days were very laborious beginning from sun up to sun down. Often the work hours ranged from twelve to eighteen hours daily. Their work was difficult in which they were forced to perform, by threats, whippings, and fear. Even though the slave life was dominated with a daily work routine, it should not be overlooked that the slave did have a life outside of work. During slavery their life was maintained in their consciousness and spiritual relationship with God. That life was significant in creating the Black church which was and still is the most dominating force in the development of our community. This is a fact that can be readily supported in that Blacks walked miles just to attend Prayer Meetings and Sunday Church Services during the early days of freedom.

The Significance of Trees in Black Religion In Prayer Meetings slaves renewed their spiritual contact with God. Old slave stories, either written by those who had learned to read and write (even though the law prohibited it) or by other, who wrote the story for them, relate hundred of preferences about nightly Prayer Meetings. The story goes like this:

1. They were usually held late at night because the master prohibited slaves from meeting in groups
2. They would sometimes meet in a slave cabin
3. On occasions they would meet in an old brush shelter
4. The meetings usually were held once a week

In Newton Grove, North Carolina in the county of Sampson, Blacks continued to meet at a tree. The tree was a cedar tree. But as time went by the people attached a brush shelter about a group of cedar trees and named their little church Cedar Point. According to an eyewitness account the church was established in the latter part of the Nineteenth Century.

The eyewitness continued the history of Cedar Point Church by relaying that land for the church was deeded to Jonas Warren, Nelson McPhail and Jim King by George Bass and Ida Bass. The first building consisted of one room with two doors and four windows. It was heated by an old wood heater that was attached to a chimney in the center of the church. The first land deed was given to officials on August 10, 1897. We were unable to find the purchase price; it was believed that the land was given to us from the Bass Family.ws. It was heated by an old wood heater that was attached to a chimney in the center of the church. The first land deed was given to officials on August 10, 1897. We were unable to find the purchase price; it was believed that the land was given to us from the Bass Family.

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