[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 137 (Friday, October 12, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1867]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              IN HONOR OF REVEREND W.J. HALL, D.D., PASTOR

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 11, 2001

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Reverend W.J. Hall for his 
many outstanding years of service to the Bethel Baptist Church.
  W.J. Hall was born August 1, 1928, to Mr. and Mrs. G.A. Hall in 
Oxford, NC. He attended elementary and high school in Oxford, NC. After 
graduating from Mary Potter High School in 1947, he went to 
Philadelphia, PA, to work. He also attended Temple University. In 1950, 
Reverend Hall joined the U.S. Army serving as a military policeman and 
working with the CID (Criminal Investigating Department). Following his 
honorable discharge from the Army in 1953, he completed a double major 
in religion and social studies at Shaw University in Raleigh, NC. 
Reverend Hall also earned 18 semester hours toward a masters degree in 
education at North Carolina College in Durham, NC. He used this 
knowledge when he taught 4 years of public school in North Carolina and 
Virginia. In addition, Reverend Hall is a member of Phi Beta Sigma, a 
Master Mason, and a member of NAACP.
  Reverend Hall has been the pastor of several other churches, 
including the Olive Grove Baptist Church of Oxford, NC; Spring Street 
Baptist Church of Henderson, NC; and the Greenwood Baptist Church of 
Warrenton, NC.
  He was married in 1954 to Miss Beatrice Mabel Sellars of Vass, NC. 
Together he and Mabel have two daughters, Wanda and Andrea.
  Since Reverend Hall arrived at Pastor of the Bethel Baptist Church, 
he has been busy. Under his leadership, the church membership has 
greatly increased, the church has been painted and remodeled, a church 
paper has been published, a new parsonage added, a station wagon 
purchased and a new pastor's study built. A mural also has been added 
over the pipe organ, which was purchased by the trustees, along with a 
Hammond organ purchased. In addition, to his tremendous success at 
Bethel Baptist Church, he recently, received a divinity degree.
  Mr. Speaker, Rev. J.W. Hall has devoted his life to educating others 
and his church; as such he is more than worthy of receiving our 
recognition. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring this dedicated 
and hard-working man of faith.

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