ENROLLED
2016 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 43
BY REPRESENTATIVE LYONS
A RESOLUTION
To commend Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church of Marrero upon its one hundredth
year anniversary and to recognize its rich Christian tradition and history.
WHEREAS, more than one hundred years ago, Harvey residents, the Reverend Louis
H. Johnson, Sr., his wife, Constance Johnson, Jim White and his wife, Emma White, Bella
Harang, and Arthur Dobby Hicks met to petition the Lord on behalf of the Reverend
Johnson's vision for a new house of worship, and on July 10, 1915, the vision became
reality; and
WHEREAS, Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church was birthed in the home of
Sister Harang with the founding members dedicated to purchasing land and building an
edifice; the women cooked suppers and baked pies, and the brothers sold the edibles on the
riverfront for as much as fifteen cents; and
WHEREAS, a certain Mr. Toyhine owned land he planned to sell for use as a
barroom but the prayers of the founding members resulted in Mr. Toyhine selling the land
to them; not only did he sell them the land on which Morning Star currently resides, but he
was moved by the Holy Spirit to donate the adjacent lot to the church; and
WHEREAS, in 1919, construction began with volunteer workers who completed the
church building in 1920; in 1923, the muddy Mississippi River served as the initial baptism
venue for Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church, and twenty-nine souls were baptized;
and
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WHEREAS, in 1953, founding Pastor Louis H. Johnson was called from labor to
reward, and the Reverend Charles Samuel Williams was elected as Morning Star's second
spiritual leader; the Reverend Williams resigned in 1964, and the Reverend Joseph Walker,
Jr., was elected to take on the mantle of leadership; and
WHEREAS, along with five other men of the church, Pastor Walker led by example,
and the group mortgaged their homes to match $100,000 raised by the church to build a new
$200,000 edifice; in five years, the mortgage was paid in full, and Pastor Walker continued
to bless the congregation until his retirement in 1994; and
WHEREAS, on December 31, 1994, the Lord gifted the Morning Star Baptist Church
congregation with a spiritual leader who continues the great tradition of obedience to God's
Word in the form of the Reverend Thomas J. Brown, Jr.; and
WHEREAS, the Reverend Brown has received and is actively implementing the
vision God has given him concerning the church: "to see God raise up a spiritually strong
church, rendering praise and glorying Him to the fulfillment of His will and purpose"; and
it is fitting to pay honor to the rich history of Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church in its
one hundredth year of existence.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
Legislature of Louisiana does hereby commend Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church
upon the celebration of its one hundredth anniversary and does hereby express best hopes
and prayers for continued fruitfulness in faith and steadfast proclamation of the Gospel.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted
to the Reverend Thomas J. Brown, Jr.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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