[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 14 (Tuesday, February 24, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E215-E216]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HONORING MR. SAM MOORE FOR HIS SERVICE TO GOD AND FOR HIS COMMITMENT TO 
                        THOMAS NELSON PUBLISHERS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BOB CLEMENT

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 24, 1998

  Mr. CLEMENT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Sam Moore, the 
head of Thomas Nelson Publishers, for his devoted service to God and 
for his dedication to the distribution of God's Word.

[[Page E216]]

  Mr. Moore was born in Beirut, Lebanon in 1930. When he immigrated to 
the United States in 1949, he came with $600, a will to succeed, a 
strong faith and a willingness to devote his life to God.
  Upon his arrival, Mr. Moore began to live the ``American dream.'' by 
selling books and Bibles door to door, he earned enough money to pay 
tuition to Columbia Bible College in South Carolina. The oldest of six 
children, Mr. Moore knew the importance of sacrifice and he worked hard 
to put himself through school. In any situation, supporting oneself is 
difficult while pursuing an education. But for Mr. Moore, the task was 
more difficult because he was thousands of miles away from home and had 
only a limited grasp of the English language.
  Still, he was determined to succeed, and he certainly did. He earned 
two master's degrees simultaneously from the University of South 
Carolina and from Columbia International University. Then he started 
his own Bible and book sales business, sticking to the trade that had 
allowed him to go to college. His dedication paid off. By 1962, Mr. 
Moore had formed his own Bible publishing firm, Royal Publishers.
  In 1967, Mr. Moore was approached by the owner of Thomas Nelson 
Publishers, a publishing house with a history that dated back to 1798 
in Scotland. Thomas Nelson Publishers had been the first to offer 
spiritual literature to everyone, not just the wealthy elite. The 
company had survived fires, World Wars and bombs. Now, the owner of the 
company was asking Mr. Moore to run the American operations.
  Instead, Mr. Moore bought Thomas Nelson and merged it with Royal 
Publishers. By 1975, Thomas Nelson was the leading publisher of Bibles 
in the world, publishing Bibles with special features targeting 
individual needs. Today, Thomas Nelson books and Bibles continually top 
best-seller lists and are found in every country across the globe. In 
addition, Thomas Nelson is the largest publicly traded Christian 
communications company in the world. All this from $600, a 
determination to succeed, and an unfailing belief that God had a plan.
  This year, Thomas Nelson celebrates its 200th anniversary. Examining 
the history of the publishing company, God clearly had a plan for Sam 
Moore. The company started In the heart of an 18-year-old Scottish man, 
flourished through political and social change, survived several 
devastating setbacks and emerged as a world leader in Christian 
publishing. God's plan was for Sam Moore and Thomas Nelson Publishers 
to join together with the goal of spreading God's Word to all people.
  As we celebrate 200 years, let us reflect on the colorful, glorious 
history of Thomas Nelson Publishers and the promise of a bright future 
in Christian publishing. And, let us not forget the man we honor today, 
who lives his life to honor God.
  Congratulations to Sam Moore on his extraordinary life and business 
career, and may God continue to bless him, his wife Peggy and his 
children, Samuel Joseph and Sandra Lee and Rachel Michelle.

                          ____________________