The historic Musick Baptist Churchin Maryland Heights is the oldest black church of any denomination west of the Mississippi River, says Pastor David L. Scott.
The church was founded in 1811 by slaves on land given to them by their owner, Thomas Musick. Musick was a Baptist minister who had acquired large parcels of land stretching from the West Port area to St. Charles Rock Road, Scott said.
The church has remained at its original location, 790 Fee Fee Rd., for 202 years. The structural design of the church has evolved over the years, from a log cabin to a two-story traditional-style wood frame.
The area has also become more industrialized, with the headquarters St. Louis-based World Wide Technology, Inc. – the state’s largest black-owned business – just down the street.
Prospect Hill Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church is his “home” church, Scott said, the one he grew up in. At the time, Prospect Hill was under the leadership of his mentor and former pastor, the late Adrian F. Jones. This is where Scott said he received his call to the ministry.
Although, admittedly, he never wanted to be a preacher.
“I ran from the ministry,” he said.
He didn’t think he was worthy of the call and even tried to bargain with God.
“God, if you just pick somebody else, I’ll get back in the choir. I’ll drive the church bus. I’ll do anything but preach,” he said he prayed at the time.
However, God’s will was to be done.
Scott became a district missionary with the Berean Missionary Baptist District Association and would occasionally fill in as pastor at Musick. This is where he received his biblical training as well.
When Kendrick Trapp, former pastor of Musick, resigned, Scott was chosen by the congregation to serve in his first lead pastoral position in 2010.
Scott’s preaching style centers on a desire to bring the gospel to every single person, especially those who have strayed from the church. He and members of his church go out of their way to reel them back in.
“We go out to different apartment complexes to talk to the young adults and families to let them know we’re here,” he said. “They gotta see that you’re regular people. We’ve been through the same place that you are.”
In his basement office at the church, he has displayed two plaques linking him to his other career as a firefighter, which spans 25 years. He received his life-saving award for performing CPR on a woman who had went into cardiac arrest. In November 1991 he was awarded for aiding in the rescue of three children under the age of 10 from a burning building. One did not survive, he said.
Beside his awards is a framed photo of Scott, his wife, Carla, and son, Dominic.
Scott said he never wanted to be a firefighter, either. He studied at Vatterott College and thought he wanted to be an electrician. His interest in firefighting was piqued while working as a security guard at Medicare-Glazier, a neighborhood drugstore.
“It was a fireman that used to come in every day,” he recalled, referring to Wendell Goins. “One day he asked me how would I like to make a lot more money than I’m making now?”
Goins also played a role in recruiting Wayne Luster. Luster, Scott and John Watson Jr. are all pastors and members of F.I.R.E. (Firefighters Institute for Racial Equality), a fraternal and advocacy organization of African-American firemen in the city of St. Louis. Battalion Chief Steve Simpson, also a pastor, is a former member.
Scott is captain of Engine House No. 6 in South St. Louis. He says he owes his job to F.I.R.E. Its mission is to promote the hiring, retention and upward mobility of African-American firefighters.
Scott came into the department under 50/50, a court-ordered consent decree meant to promote diversity and equity in promotional practices in the St. Louis Fire Department. The 50/50 decree, mandating racially balanced hiring and promotions, has since been overturned in the courts.
Being a pastor and firefighter have been rewarding careers, he said.
Scott said, “I like to keep people from burning on both ends.”
This story is part four of a four-part feature series entitled, “F.I.R.E. in the Pulpit.” For more information on F.I.R.E., visit firestl.net.
Church: Musick Baptist Church
Address: 790 Fee Fee Rd., Maryland Heights
Founded: 1811
Denomination: Baptist
Membership: 60
Pastor: David L. Scott
First Lady: Carla M. Scott
Ministries: Men, Women, Youth, Outreach
