On the recordOctober 25, 2017
As I was listening to Congressman Price a moment ago recite the names of those great men who have led the General Baptist State Convention, I could not help but to think that I, too, remember all of them. And then I glanced down at the list of presidents that I am going to enter into the Congressional Record in just a few moments from now, and there have been 32 men who have served as presidents of this great convention, and I have had the privilege of knowing 12 of them. {time} 2030 I did not realize that until I actually pulled out the list and started counting: C.R. Edwards, who Mr. Price recognized a moment ago; Joy Johnson; John Manley; E.B. Turner; J.B. Humphrey; W.B. Lewis; Clifford A. Jones, Sr.; John D. Fuller, Sr.; Charles T. Bullock; Gregory K. Moss, Sr.; Howard W. Parker, Jr.; and the current president, Dr. Nilous M. Avery, II. I might say, Mr. Speaker, that of these names that I just mentioned, three of those passed away in this calendar year. They have been great Baptists and they have been great North Carolinians and great Americans. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues and I want to thank the General Baptist State Convention for 150 years of incredible work in North Carolina, and I thank the men and women of both clergy and laity who keep this convention alive and well. Mr. Speaker, if I can close by simply using my dear, departed uncle as but one example of a Black preacher who gave his entire life to his ministry. Reverend F.L.…
