Rev. Dr. Charles Clifford Smith Ii

Rev. Dr. Charles Clifford Smith II, Dip. Th., M. Div., DD, J.P., O.B.E. 
Age 59 Years of #111 Sandy Port, West Bay Street Cable Beach, preached 
his final sermon at the Princess Margaret Hospital on Tuesday, February 16, 1999.

Charles was born, the twelfth child on Sunday, October 01, 1939 
at Dumphries, Cat Island, Bahamas to Rev. Charles I and 
Nurse Maudline Smith. During his primary and secondary 
education in Cat Island, under the tutelage of such great men 
as the late, Mr. Harold Poitier, Mr. Rodney E. Bain and Dean William Granger, 
he excelled in wisdom and stature and gained the status of 
pupil Teacher at Arthur's Town High School.

He came to Nassau in 1953 to further his education, at the 
southern Senior School and the Oakes Field Technical College, 
after which he was employed at the Standard Plumbing and electric Company. 
While at Oakes Field however. He became very fond of C. Jacqueline Williams 
who would later become his lifelong companion. They were married at 
Zion Baptist Church on Friday, October 30, 1964. Their union was blessed 
with six children, daughter (Alethiea pre-deceased) him at birth.

Charles heard the voice of Almighty God; whose call was strong and clear 
that it consumed his desires and his destiny to become one of this century's 
greatest clergymen. In 1959, he offered himself as a candidate for ministry 
and entered the Calabar Theological College of Kingston, Jamaica, where 
he pursued a Diploma in Theology. Upon completion, he came back to 
Nassau for a short period, where he worked as Assistant to 
the late Rev. Talmage Sands, Pastor of Zion, Shirley and East Streets. 
It was during this time that he was sent to pioneer the Mount Moriah Baptist Church, 
organized in 1963. In 1966, he continued his training, entering 
the Masters of Divinity program at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 
in Louisville, Kentucky. He was later conferred the degree of Doctor of Divinity 
by Indiana Baptist College. He graduated with honours and in 1968, returned 
to his beloved Bahamas to continue service.

 In May 1970, he assumed the Pastorate of Zion Baptist Church Shirley and 
East Streets in Nassau N. P., Bahamas and later became the General Superintendent 
of the Zion United Baptist Convention. While in these offices, he was also involved 
in the Kiwanis Club of Nassau, Royal Eagle Lodge #1 Prince Hall Order 
of Free and Accepted Masons.

The greatness of this clergyman took him to many heights such as, 
the first Baptist to serve as President of the Bahamas Christian Council, 
Chaplain to the House of Parliament, Executive Secretary to the 
Bahamas National Baptist missionary and Educational Convention and 
later elected President of that body. Regionally, he served on the board 
of the Caribbean Christian Publications, elected President of the 
Caribbean Baptist Fellowship, in 1990 he rose to the position of 
Vice President of the Baptist World Alliance, because of his health, 
his wife Jackie and her sister Gloria made the trip to Korea to 
receive the articles of appointment on his behalf. In January 1994, 
in recognition of his untiring services he received the Queen's Honour, O.B.E.

Charles is preceded in death by his:
Father: Charles C. Smith I;
Mother: Maudline Smith;
Daughter: Alethiea Smith;

The Radiance of this "Opal of A Gem" will always glow in the hearts of his:
Wife: Coralee Jacqueline Smith;
Five Sons: Pastor C. Clifford III (Judy), Joseph (Nancy), 
Rev. Benjamin of Dunlap, Tennessee, Makarios and David Smith;
Four Grand Children: Larissa, Tania, Tyrone and Joseph II;
Adopted Son: James Farrington;
Adopted Daughter: Mary Christie;
One Brother: Kendley Smith;
Five Sisters: Brownwell Bowe, Claudia Leslie and Doreen Hatcher of New York, 
Rev. Elva Russell and Florida Butler;
Adopted Sister: Charity Rolle;
One Aunt: Deaconess Ferris Elizabeth Stubbs;
Nine Brothers-in-law: Carleton, Edward, Rodney and Kendrick Williams, 
Preston Hanna, Ivan Francis, Ernest J. Bowe, Leonard Leslie and William Butler;
Nine Sisters-in-law: Lorraine, Virginia and Ethelyn Smith, Gloria Hanna, 
Shirley Francis, Katherina, Daisy, Esther and Frances Williams;
Numerous Nephews, Nieces, Grand Nephews and Nieces: many other loving family and friends.