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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Members of Dixie Missionary Baptist Church in Jasper |
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are marking the 160th anniversary of the founding of their church in |
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July 2013; and |
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WHEREAS, Thought to be the oldest African American house of |
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worship in Texas, Dixie Missionary Baptist Church was organized |
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around 1850 under the leadership of Richard Seale, who also served |
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as its first pastor; and |
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WHEREAS, Dick Seale was born a slave in Virginia in 1798 and |
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moved to Texas in 1850 with his master, who established a plantation |
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west of Jasper near Bevilport; Mr. Seale was a devout Christian who |
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had acquired an education as a child, and he was much in demand to |
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conduct Bible readings and to attend to the spiritual needs of the |
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local African American community; he held his first formal |
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devotionals under a beech tree before a sanctuary was constructed |
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in 1853; part of that original structure stood until 1967 and was |
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awarded a historic building medallion, and today the Dixie |
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Missionary congregation of 500 still worships in a sanctuary at the |
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same location; and |
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WHEREAS, Through the years, the church has benefited from the |
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dedicated efforts of many outstanding clergymen; the list of |
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distinguished men who preceded the current pastor, the Reverend |
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Barry Keys, includes Reverends Griner, Grigsby, Reed, Brown, |
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Peacock, Bridges, Gipson, and Norsworthy; and |
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WHEREAS, Dixie Missionary Baptist Church has long served as a |
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source of inspiration and guidance to those who worship there, and |
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its continued existence is a tribute to the unwavering commitment |
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of its members and leaders, both past and present; now, therefore, |
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be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the 160th anniversary of the |
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founding of Dixie Missionary Baptist Church and extend to the |
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congregation sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the church as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |
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White |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 984 was adopted by the House on March |
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27, 2013, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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