Memories of Bishop A. Frank Smith linger through years

Without doubt the office of bishop is the genius and strength of The United Methodist Church. Special virtues and characteristics must be present for any clergyperson to attain that high honor and sacred trust.
The office calls for wisdom and winsomeness, compassion and commitment, personality and people skills, dedication and determination, charisma and impact beyond one’s own locale.
The words and voices of bishops linger across the years to challenge and direct us, to guide or humble us. Traditionally a quote from a bishop had authority and meaning as though he or she spoke “ex cathedra” on any subject.
The bishop I remember best is A. Frank Smith. He led the Southwest Texas and Texas conferences from Houston from 1939 to 1960. People said he was “a natural” in appearance and voice, especially when he rose to speak or sat to pontificate on any subject that came into focus during a conference session.
Smith encouraged every lay member to love and encourage his or her pastor, thus bringing out the potential and the best in each one. His words were: “You can make a strong and effective minister out of a wooden Indian by getting behind him and loving him and helping him to grow.”
Frequently Smith would declare “we are Armenian” in our theology, thus reinforcing our staunch commitment to “freedom of choice” with the responsibility and the personal dignity that goes with it.
His stance reaffirmed our belief in the four freedoms of Franklin D. Roosevelt—and all of the other freedoms—as well as “freedom’s Holy Light” being our vision and our quest for all people everywhere.
Smith encouraged us to honor and respect our own roots and forebears, to appreciate “the log from which we were hewn.” Every year during the reading of the pastoral appointments, he would pause when he came to Elgin, Texas, to pay tribute to his own “Smith” ancestors who had lived in that area, thus reminding us to be proud of our own family trees.
Smith often encouraged us to have more children with the commitment “your kind of folks will run out if you don’t have three or four children per family.”
With tongue in cheek those of us who had four or more children would laugh and say we had met the episcopal quota.
I was in seminary at Southern Methodist University when my first son, Mark, was born. A handwritten congratulatory letter about the importance of parenthood came to my wife and me from Bishop Smith at our student appointment address.
At every ordination the bishop would invite every spouse to kneel beside her husband as he commented about the necessity of mutual commitment to our calling if we were to succeed in the pastorate. He always laid hands on the head of both husband and wife.
When he presided at an annual conference session, his very presence created an aura of purpose and direction. The agenda flowed smoothly, with a touch of color and good humor but without a hint of foolishness.
After a report or motion had been completed and approved, his usual comment was: “And it is done.” That was as much as to say, “You have approved it; now go and fulfill it.” It also suggested conclusion of a subject to make room for the next matter.
I was so enamored of his devotion and leadership that I postponed my elder’s ordination a year to have him be the ordainer instead of anyone else. His heart was where his mouth was.
His words and the shadow of his influence still linger on in the hearts of all who knew him and saw him in action. May his tribe increase.