Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1922-09-02

THE REV. r.. II. SMITH IIEAN H..
NEWPORT NEWS.

Anyone attending Trinity Baptist
Church last Sunday and Il number din
attend despite the Indictment weather
could not fail to have been sensible
OF the atmosphere Of depression AMI
sorrow that settled over the church
1t was the last Sunday that the Rev.
T.. T.. Smith would preach rs paS1o,,
he having accepted Il call TO the Sc
ond Baptist Church of South Rich.
mond. Many of his SChdOl-matcS ana
one Of the his classmates, MIR. Man
nings was present, Rev. Smith hatt
been pastor OF this progressive church
for seven years, and had cndcarr"
himself to its entire membership ana
the friends who visited, there an"
there was real sorrow that he was 6.
ing to preach his farewell sermon.
without making reference TO tho
fact OF his going. the young Divine
took rs a subject The Voyage of Life
and for twenty-five minutes he enter.
tanned his hearers with an eloquent
discourse. repletc with spiritual force
which held his audience enthrallei
1t was a masterpiece of elOQuence and
left everyone who heard il viSibiy
touched.
At the request Of Deacon Virgins
Lawyer J. Thomas NcwSomc made Z
few remarks on behalf Of tho church.
In a voice saddcncd and trembling
with emotion the Lawyer pointed
out some Of the things that had been
accomplished under the leadership OF
Rev. Smith. He said that under his
administration, 'hc church debt +.
which was over three thousand dol.
lars had been paid; that he had been
such a constructive leader that the
adult members Of the church dOnItc'
more money per capita than any
church he knew Of in the State; that
he said. by his quiet life and genial
disposition. created better neighbor
hood feeling than had ever existed III
the East End, and that although rs
came to the church a single man, hav.
ing married three or four years after
no was elected pastor, that his III.
had been transparent and pure and
his influence for the highest mora.
ity had given a certain tone to the
church which would be with it for
years and years to come; that he m,
been strong advocate for higher cdu
cation. his advice resulting in nun
Der of the young men and women MAJ
circulating in some OF our very best
schools and colleges, and that Al
though he was a man Of education he
ing IN Honor graduate from both no
college and theological departments
OF Union University yet, he had al.
ways maintained an attitude of SIM
plicity, his sermons being easily un-
derstood by tho most unlcttered com
municant that worshippcd in the
church. At tho conclusion of lawyer
Newsome's remarks a splendid collec-
zion was lifted and Deacon Wiggins
appointed Il committee to draft resold
tions to DO read at the evening scrv-
ices.
Quite crowd greeted Rev. Smith
when he assembled the rostrum for
this service when he really preacne..
his farewell sermon, taking as his sub
ject: "Growing in Grace" He preach
ed TO the audience very much rs Il
father would to his children from
whom he expected to be separated 70.
some time.
1t is impossible to use words to col,
vey any idea Of the effect the sermon
had upon his hearers. AT it's concluS.
ion touching remarks were made by
Dtacons Virgins, w. II. Srhoficld
and John ii. Jordan after which the
following resolutions were read and
adopted:
Whereas, after seven years OF high.
ly satisfactory service rs pastor Of
Trinity Baptist Church, Rev. l.. j..
Smith has rendered voluntarily his
resignation; and,
Whereas, the church has accepteL
with unfcigncd sorrow the rcsigna-
ZION so rendered and desires to go OF.
record rs testifymg TO the high char
actcr, eminent fitness. and unselfish
labors cXcmplified by Rev Smith ua.
ing his stay in our city and church,
now, therefore,
BE it resolved that, while we rciuc.
antly rclingnish our claim upon h1Ea
rs pastor, We nevertheless cheerfuliy
commend him to the members of ms
new field OF endeav0r as a man OF
high ideals, unblemishcd, Christian
character, a bold preacher Of the Cos
pei and fearless, uncompromisinG
advocate OF righteous living as taught,
i'll the words and acts Of Jesus Christ
Resolved second, That he shall not
only carry with him the high esteem
and sincere good wishes of the entire
church. but that we shall invoke for
him from the Giver Of good and per-
feet gifts a full life OF servie in the
front ranks of the Soldiers OF tn.
cross.
Done by order Of Trinity Baptist
Church, Sunday August 81, 1922.
COMMITTEE:
w n HPRRNE