[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 49 (Thursday, April 21, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S4104]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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       TRIBUTE TO FIRST MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH OF LITTLE ROCK

  Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, I rise today to honor one of the 
oldest houses of worship in Arkansas. This month the First Missionary 
Baptist Church of Little Rock, AR, will celebrate its 160th 
anniversary.
  The First Missionary Baptist Church was founded in 1845 by Wilson 
Brown, a slave, who felt led by God to establish a house of worship. In 
order to fully understand this remarkable achievement we must look at 
the era in which this church was founded.
  First Missionary Baptist Church was established 15 years before the 
Civil War began and 18 years before the Emancipation Proclamation. Men 
and women of African descent during those times were viewed as property 
and had no legal rights. It certainly took courage and vision to 
establish a church under such circumstances.
  Over the years, the First Missionary Baptist Church family has been a 
witness to history. Many important figures of the civil rights movement 
have stood in First Missionary's pulpit to deliver stirring messages.
  Reverend Roland Smith, the church's fifth pastor, was active in the 
civil rights movement and invited powerful leaders such as Dr. Benjamin 
Elijah Mays and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to speak from the pulpit. 
Dr. King spoke in April 1963, just 4 months before the ``March on 
Washington'', and his famous ``I have a dream'' speech. The podium and 
bible he used that day are still on display in the vestibule of the 
church sanctuary.
  In 1991, the church hosted another great leader, the Governor of 
Arkansas Bill Clinton. A few short months later Gov. Clinton launched 
his bid to become President of the United States. I guess you might say 
that the pulpit at First Missionary Baptist Church is a launching pad 
to greatness.
  Although First Missionary Baptist Church has great historical 
significance, its spiritual significance is most important. For 160 
years, this church has been a beacon of hope and a spiritual oasis to 
thousands of Arkansans. This church has worked hard to fulfill the 
calling of Christ spoken of in the 4th chapter of Luke--to preach the 
gospel to the poor; to heal the brokenhearted; to preach deliverance to 
the captives; and recovering of sight to the blind; to set at liberty 
them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. In 
the end, that is First Missionary Baptist Church's greatest 
legacy.

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