R E S O L U T I O N

 1-1           WHEREAS, The Texas House of Representatives is proud to honor

 1-2     the Reverend Dr. C. B. T. Smith for more than 44 years of

 1-3     outstanding service as pastor of Dallas's Golden Gate Missionary

 1-4     Baptist Church; and

 1-5           WHEREAS, A native Texan, he received his bachelor's degree

 1-6     from Bishop College and also attended Southwestern Theological

 1-7     Seminary in Fort Worth; in addition, Reverend Smith has been

 1-8     awarded honorary doctorates from both Guadalupe College and Union

 1-9     Theological Seminary; and

1-10           WHEREAS, Reverend Smith preached his first sermon in 1946 at

1-11     New Light Missionary Baptist Church in San Antonio and went on to

1-12     minister at New Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church; in 1952, he

1-13     received the call to become pastor of Golden Gate Missionary

1-14     Baptist Church, and he continues to offer special comfort and

1-15     religious guidance to his congregation in that capacity today; and

1-16           WHEREAS, Under Reverend Smith's leadership, the church has

1-17     experienced an exceptionally vibrant and rewarding period of

1-18     growth, building a new house of worship, expanding the church

1-19     complex, and developing both a welfare program to feed those less

1-20     fortunate in the community and a highly acclaimed recovery program,

1-21     the Adult Rehabilitation Ministry; and

1-22           WHEREAS, Well regarded throughout the ministry, he has also

1-23     shared his faith with countless others by conducting revivals, and

1-24     as one of 10 ministers whose sermons are featured in the book

 2-1     Bridge Over Troubled Waters, he has helped many more individuals to

 2-2     center their lives around Jesus Christ; and

 2-3           WHEREAS, This eminent clergyman has further served the

 2-4     members of his religious community in leadership capacities with

 2-5     the National Baptist Convention of America, Inc., the North Texas

 2-6     District Sunday School and Training Union Congress, and the

 2-7     Missionary Baptist General Convention of Texas; and

 2-8           WHEREAS, A man of immense vision and compassion, Reverend

 2-9     Smith has continued to work for the betterment of his community as

2-10     a member of both the Board of the Greater Dallas Council of

2-11     Churches and the Ecumenical Worship Committee for Racial Harmony;

2-12     and

2-13           WHEREAS, His remarkable efforts in behalf of others have

2-14     earned him well-deserved acclaim, for he has been honored with the

2-15     Outstanding Texas Award by the Legislative Black Caucus and was

2-16     recently named A Living Legend of the Clergy by the Bank of America

2-17     and the King Group of Dallas; in all his endeavors, he has enjoyed

2-18     the love and support of his devoted wife of 53 years, Rosie Lee

2-19     Hartfield Smith; and

2-20           WHEREAS, In Reverend Smith, the church has found both a

2-21     preacher and a stalwart friend for the work of the ministry; his

2-22     religious guidance has provided moral leadership and spiritual

2-23     support to countless individuals, and he is indeed worthy of our

2-24     highest praise and recognition as he celebrates more than four

2-25     decades of service to his church; now, therefore, be it

2-26           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 75th Texas

2-27     Legislature hereby honor the Reverend Dr. C. B. T. Smith for his

 3-1     exceptional contributions as pastor of Golden Gate Missionary

 3-2     Baptist Church and extend to him warmest best wishes for continued

 3-3     success and fulfillment in all his future endeavors; and, be it

 3-4     further

 3-5           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be

 3-6     prepared for Reverend Smith as an expression of high regard by the

 3-7     Texas House of Representatives.

                                                             Jones of Dallas

                                                                       Davis

                                                                    Giddings

                                                                       Hodge

                                             _______________________________

                                                   Speaker of the House

               I certify that H.R. No. 583 was adopted by the House on April

         9, 1997, by a non-record vote.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Chief Clerk of the House