[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 68 (Wednesday, May 21, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1001-E1002]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               A SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO DR. ROBERT L. FULLER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. LOUIS STOKES

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 21, 1997

  Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, on May 24, 1997, Mt. Hermon Baptist Church 
will honor a dedicated individual and servant of God. The church, which 
is in my congressional district, will pay special tribute to Dr. Robert 
Lawrence Fuller, a pastor who completed 81 years in the Gospel 
Ministry. I join the Mt. Hermon Church family and the Greater Cleveland 
community in saluting Dr. Fuller. I want to share with my colleagues 
and others some information regarding this distinguished individual.
  Dr. Fuller was born on October 10, 1911, in Decatur, AL. At the age 
of 5, his call to the ministry was recognized. Although Dr. Fuller was 
born with a speech impediment and had never been to school, he 
undertook the preaching of the Gospel with an unwavering conviction. He 
received his license at the age of 11, and was ordained some 8 years 
later. At the youthful age of 22, Dr. Fuller accepted his first 
pastorate at the Union Hill Baptist Church of Chattanooga, TN.
  Mr. Speaker, in February 1937, Dr. Fuller arrived in Cleveland, OH, 
and began his ministerial service at Mt. Hermon Baptist Church. With 
the country in the Depression and the congregation on the verge of 
losing its place of worship, Dr. Fuller began a faith-building 
itinerary which would continue throughout his tenure. In 1939, the Mt. 
Hermon congregation began to purchase its first building. They burned 
the mortgage in 1942. As the membership continued to increase, a 
building fund was established, with a view to expansion. The ground 
breaking for the new place of worship took place on July 7, 1957. On 
August 10, 1958, the Mt. Hermon Baptist Church conducted its first 
worship service in the newly-completed, half-million dollar edifice on 
East 40th Street.
  Mr. Speaker, Reverend Fuller retired as pastor of Mt. Hermon Baptist 
Church in October 1992, after a record 55 years of dedicated service. 
He left with an impressive list of accomplishments to his credit. Under 
Dr. Fuller's leadership, renovations continued to take place, including 
the installation of an infra-ray heating system, a state-of-the-art 
public chime system, and the completion of a tower and third floor 
addition. Further, Dr. Fuller was instrumental in seeing that Mt. 
Hermon was responsive to the needs of the Greater Cleveland community. 
He led the congregation in evangelistic crusades and conducting 
religious surveys. Dr. Fuller was also responsible for the planning and 
building of the Good Samaritan Foundation Home which officially opened 
its doors to the community in October of 1990.
  Mr. Speaker, I join the Mt. Hermon Baptist Church family and many 
others in saluting Dr. Robert L. Fuller. His slogan that he is ``God's 
Minute Man,'' exemplifies his intention to immediately respond to God's 
direction. I applaud Dr. Fuller for his strong commitment and dedicated 
service throughout the years. I recognize his achievements, and I wish 
him continued blessings and Godspeed.

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