Smart, L.W.
11/2/1952
October 16, 1892 - November 2, 1952 |
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| Rev. L. W. Smart was born October 16, 1892 at Hood’s Mill, Louisiana. He was reared and educated in Jackson Parish. On December 23, 1914 he was married to Miss Winnie Hearn. To this union was born one son, Cedric. For 16 years he gave himself to the vocation of teaching in the elementary and high schools of the State. He began his ministry In the Methodist Protestant Church and was ordained an Elder in 1915. He left the Methodist Protestant Church to become a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South and In 1918 was admitted into full connection with the Louisiana Conference. After serving in active service for 26 years Brother Smart was superannuated because of Ill health while serving the Lisbon Church. After his retirement he and his wife lived in Bossier City, La. In 1943 he entered the work again, even though superannuated, and organized the Caddo Heights Methodist Church where he remained pastor for three years. Finding this work ‘a little too hard, Brother Smart retired again to do only part time work in the business world. During the past five years he has taught the Everyman’s Bible Glass of Mangum Memorial Methodist Church and In June of 1952 was appointed associate pastor of this Church. During his associate pastorate Brother Smart endeared himself to the entire congregation. He was loved and appreciated by the Bible Class and Is greatly missed by the men who were so devoted to him and who received so much from his lesson from Sunday to Sunday. All were deeply shocked the afternoon of October 31, 1952 when we learned that Brother Smart had suffered a severe heart attack in his home about 2:00 o’clock~ He was taken to the Physicians and Surgeons Hospital where he was given every aid that medical science knows to bring him healing. However, this was his appointment with His Lord and God took him to his eternal reward at around 5:00 o’clock on Sunday afternoon, November 2, 1952. His funeral was held at Mangum Memorial Methodist Church at 2:00 o’clock, Tuesday afternoon, November 4, with the Rev. A. W. Townsend, Jr., Pastor of Mangum Memorial, in charge and the following Methodist Ministers assisting: Dr. Guy M. Hicks, Dr. B. C. Taylor, Rev. W. R. Wendt, and Rev. J. B. Grambling. The interment was held at Forrest Park Cemetery, Shreveport, Louisiana. Brother Smart is survived by his widow, Mrs. Winnie Smart; a son, Cedric Smart, both of Bossier City, La.; two sisters, Miss Effie Smart and Mrs. L. S. King, both of Jonesboro, La.; a brother, John T. Smart, of Jonesboro. Brother Smart also held Pastorates at the following Churches: Clay, Fairbanks, Water Proof, Pelican, Bossier City, Belcher, Gllliam, Pioneer and Chatham. Someone has said, “If I were God, the sins of this, lost works would break my heart.” E. Stanley Jones answered, “God’s heart did break yonder on Calvary’s cross.” The greet Peter Marshall, carrying the load of his great church In Washington, our nation’s capital, found that the sins of the world were still breaking the hearts of men and his great heart also broke under the strain of lifting a fallen world up to God. L. W. Smart was lifting the world and the people that he loved up to God when his heart broke under the strain. But, like Saint Paul, his whole life testifies, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there Is prepared for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me In that day and not to me only, but, to all of them also that love His appearing." |
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| Source: Annual of the Louisiana Conference of the Methodist Church, Pages 162 -163, 1953 by A. W. Townsend, Jr. | |
