House Bill 9517

    Florida House of Representatives - 1998                HR 9517

        By Representative Dennis






  1                         House Resolution

  2         A resolution celebrating the 80th anniversary

  3         of the Holy Church of the Living God, Inc.

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  5         WHEREAS, after his coming into the knowledge of the

  6  seventh day Sabbath, Bishop Rufus Abraham Reid Johnson began a

  7  ministry known as the "Commandment Keepers Church," later

  8  founded and organized The House of God, Holy Church of the

  9  Living God, Pillar and Ground of The Truth, The House of

10  Prayer For All People, Inc., on March 10, 1918, and the church

11  was incorporated in Washington, D.C., on April 4, 1918, and

12         WHEREAS, the Holy Church of the Living God, Inc., is

13  one of the first Sabbath-keeping churches in the United

14  States, and

15         WHEREAS, the founder of the church, Bishop Rufus

16  Abraham Reid Johnson, was born on January 1, 1863, the son of

17  slaves, and

18         WHEREAS, the father of Bishop Johnson was born a slave

19  in New Bern, North Carolina, was owned by the Crawfords and

20  was known as Bill Crawford, was later sold to a Mr. Johnson of

21  Crawfordville, Georgia, and was known as Bill Johnson until he

22  and his wife were given to Mr. Johnson's daughter, Eliza, upon

23  her marriage to Mr. Ben Reid, at which time the couple became

24  known as the Reids, thus explaining how Bishop Reid acquired

25  his name, Rufus Abraham Reid Johnson, and

26         WHEREAS, Bishop Johnson presided for 22 years, until

27  his death on August 21, 1940, at the age of 77, and was

28  succeeded by Bishop Alaska Augusta Smith, and

29         WHEREAS, the national headquarters was moved from

30  Washington, D.C., to New York City where Bishop Smith presided

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 1998                HR 9517

    511-143A-98






  1  for nine years until his sudden untimely death following the

  2  13th Annual Holy Convocation in 1949, and

  3         WHEREAS, Bishop Smith was succeeded by Bishop Moses

  4  Baker of Jacksonville, Florida, who was ordained to the

  5  Bishopric August 28, 1949, during the 13th Annual Holy

  6  Convocation held in New York City, and was appointed by the

  7  board to succeed Bishop Smith as Chief Apostle during the 14th

  8  Annual Holy Convocation held August 20-27, 1950, in

  9  Jacksonville, Florida, and

10         WHEREAS, it is fitting and appropriate that the House

11  of Representatives of the State of Florida celebrate the 80th

12  anniversary of the founding of the Holy Church of the Living

13  God, Inc., NOW, THEREFORE,

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15  Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of

16  Florida:

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18         That the House of Representatives of the State of

19  Florida joins the residents of Jacksonville in commemorating

20  the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Holy Church of the

21  Living God, Inc.

22         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution

23  be presented to the Holy Church of the Living God, Inc.,

24  located in Jacksonville, Florida, as a tangible token of the

25  sentiments expressed herein.

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