A compilation of some facts and photos about M. Lynwood Smith by Johnny Elmore.

1. M. Lynwood Smith
March 27, 1924 - October 24, 2007

2. N.L. Clark. He was
the preacher who
took the gospel to
Mississippi and
established the
church at New
Salem.

3. New Salem Church of Christ in the late forties or
early fifties. Uncle Johnson Smith is standing by
his brother, T.E. (Nong) Smith.

4. Some of the
ladies and
children of the
New Salem
Church of Christ.

5. Another view of
New Salem’s church
building. The old
tabernacle in which
the gospel meeting
was held is not
visible but stood
just beyond the
corner of the
building.

6. Lynwood’s
maternal
grandfather, T.E.
(Nong) Smith. He
was dismissed
from the Baptist
Church for heresy -
He became a New
Testament
Christian.

7. Lynwood’s
grandfather with
Lynwood’s mother,
Lillian.

8. Lynwood’s
mother as a
child.

9. Lillian, Lynwood’s mother. She died from renal
failure when he was just two months old.

10. The only picture we have of Lynwood’s
mother and father together.

11. A rare picture
of Lynwood’s
mother with
an unidentified
child.

12. Lynwood’s
grandmother
whom he
adored. She
was a mother to
him after his
own mother’s
death. Her
pious life and
example
brought out the
best in him.

13. A very rare
photograph of
Lynwood’s father
and Lynwood - a
babe in arms.

14. We think this is
Grandma
Griffin holding
baby Lynwood.

15. Lynwood as a
baby with
(possibly) Aunt
Jo holding him.

16. Lynwood as a
motherless babe.
He always made fun
of his “wooly” baby
booties.

17. Lynwood and his
father, Rance
Smith.

18. Child Lynwood. Can
you see why his
family might have
spoiled him?

19. Lynwood as a child in
a bubble suit and
button shoes. How
cute is this?

20. A picture of H.C.
Harper, a much-
loved gospel
preacher who held
many meetings at
New Salem when
Lynwood was a boy.

21. Another picture of
Brother Harper. He
was an editor of
The Apostolic Way
and later began
another periodical,
The Truth, which
was the precursor
of The Old Paths
Advocate.

22. Schoolboy
Lynwood. He
has his books
and is ready for
school at Loyd
Star.

23. Lynwood as a boy.
These are rare
pictures. This
must have been
some storm
damage.

24. Some say Lynwood
looks rather
depressed in this
picture. Could it be....

25. Outside of algebra, Lynwood was an
exemplary student.

26. Lynwood graduated with honors from Loyd
Star High School in 1943.

27. Young Lynwood,
outside of Loyd
Star School in
Mississippi.

28. Lynwood. How
many pictures
of him in a hat
have you seen?

29. This is Lynwood
and (we think) his
half-brother, Pat.

30. Lynwood’s Aunt
Agnes. She
never married,
she cared for
her parents,
and worked
hard all of her
life.

31. Agnes worked
at Shipp’s
flowers in
Brookhaven,
MS for years
and sometimes
brought
beautiful
bouquets for
the church.

32. A studio
portrait of
Agnes.

33. A later
portrait of
Agnes.

34. Aunt Jo,
Agnes, and
Betty Joyce,
one of
Lynwood’s
little cousins,
at the home
place.

35. Lynwood’s
home as I
first saw it.
That must be
Aunt Jo,
Lynwood’s
grandmother,
and me out
on the
sidewalk.

36. Young preacher
Lynwood - ready to
tackle the world.

37. An early picture of
Lynwood with lots
of hair.

38. Part of our singing normal at Ardmore in 1946. L-R Students: Vera
Elmore, Glenn Elmore, Sister Clyde Middick, Barbara Middick, C.T.
McCormack (teacher), Opal Tate, Jack Ivey, Lynwood, Winston
Middick, and Gayland Osburn.

39. L-R: Lynwood Smith, Tom E. Smith, Homer L. King, J.D.
Elmore, Raymond Bray, Gayland Osburn. At the site of a
singing normal at Ardmore in 1946.

40. Another singing
school picture.
L-R: Opal Tate,
Lynwood, Vera
Elmore, Glenn
Elmore.

42. Lynwood and
Warren
Arnett -
probably at
Sulphur back
in the late
forties.

43. L-R: Nelson Nichols, Glenn Elmore,
Lynwood. At Sulphur, when it was really
a camp meeting.

44. Lynwood and Dean
Hopkins at the old
church building on
Tishomingo Avenue
in Sulphur.

45. A quintet trying
out a new
songbook at
Sulphur. L-R:
Korean Milner,
Lynwood, Betty
Tate, Billy Joe
Tate, Glenn
Elmore.

46. Lynwood
posing in the
pulpit at
Sulphur. Note
the cup and
brother E.H.
Miller’s tracts
on the stand.

47. A spiffy Lynwood with
Homer Smith, young
Joe Neil Freeman and
Mrs. I.H. Bills, picture
dated March 27, 1949.

48. At Sulphur again, in the old denominational
tabernacle near the old church building. L-R:
Howard Robinson, Glenn Elmore, Larry
Robertson, Lynwood, Johnny Elmore.

49. A young, happy
Lynwood without his
glasses.

50. Lynwood in
informal dress
at the
tabernacle in
Sulphur. Behind
him we see
Bobby McGill,
Korean Milner,
and Billy Joe
Tate. This must
have been the
year Lynwood
lost his
suitcase.

51. Too many to name, but part of the young people,
including Lynwood, who attended an early camp
meeting at Sulphur.

52. Larry Robertson, Lois Robertson, and Lynwood
eating watermelon at Sulphur, OK.

53. Lois Robertson in
the yard of the old
tabernacle at
Sulphur. She was
as close as
Lynwood ever came
to having a girl.

54. Lynwood after a
baptizing - probably
in Missouri or
Arkansas.

55. A good-looking group of preachers - probably
at Harrodsburg, IN. L-R: Wayne McKamie, Ted
Warwick, James Orten, Billy Orten, and
Lynwood.

56. L-R: Billy Orten, Ted Warwick, James Orten,
and Lynwood in a Culhane moment.

57. At Temple, TX, probably in 1951. L-R: Lynwood,
Johnny Elmore, George Titlow, Ted Warwick,
Unknown.

58. L-R: Dorman (Pinky) Bryant, Lynwood, Billy
Orten at Sulphur.

59. L-R: Back Row: Billy Orten, Wayne Fussell, T.J. Shaw, Lynwood;
Middle Row: Leon Fancher, James Orten, Jimmy Shaw; Front Row:
Nancy McLemore, June Branch, Janetta Branch and Sister Shaw
seated.

60. Lynwood and I made
the front page of the
Foreman Sun in our
mission meeting at
Oak Grove near
Foreman, Arkansas. It
must have been a slow
news day. This
meeting is described
in Lynwood’s book.

61. The editorial staff of The Proclaimer at Sulphur.
L-R: Ted Warwick, Paul Mackey, L.G. Butler, Doyle
Elliott, John D. Smith, Johnny Elmore, Lynwood.

62. L-R: Leon
Fancher,
Dorman (Pinky)
Bryant,
Lynwood,
Johnny Elmore.
This must have
been at
Foreman,
Arkansas in the
early fifties.

63. Lynwood and
brother T.J.
Shaw, of
Commodore,
PA, father of
Tommy and
Jimmy Shaw.

64. Lynwood and
John D. Smith. Do
you suppose this
was about the
time a Baptist
preacher referred
to Lynwood as
“Fatso”?

65. An early
picture of
Lynwood.
Looks like it
may have
been before a
evening
service.

66. Lynwood’s
Aunt Ivy and
Aunt Agnes at
the lunch at
the close of
New Salem’s
meeting in
August. No
doubt many
chicken pies
were
consumed.

67. The cornerstone of New Salem church building.
We could only wish that Lynwood had lived to
celebrate the 100th anniversary of the church.

68. Another
picture of
Cousin Sis and
Aunt Jo
resting
between lunch
and the
afternoon
service.

69. Aunt Armindy, Aunt Jo, Lynwood’s grandmother
(center) and Cousin Sis at the annual gospel
meeting at New Salem.

70. This picture of
Lynwood and me
must be in the early
sixties - look at
those narrow ties.

71. Lynwood is not
doing the Watusi.
He’s trying to
start an
uncooperative
lawnmower. Note
my 1950
Chevrolet parked
in the shade, and
the lane to his
home.

72. I hardly
remember
this but
Lynwood
and I were
painting the
porch at his
home.

73. He and I were at
Knott’s Berry
Farm. Lynwood
was trying to look
mysterious, and I
was trying to look
like Stephen
Elmore.

74. Another picture
at Knott’s Berry
Farm with Wayne
DeGough - not a
very convincing
photograph of
trying to subdue
a bear.

75. L-R: Clarence Cude, Johnny Elmore, Wayne DeGough, Jack
Ivey and Lynwood at Knott’s Berry Farm. Make-believe fun.

76. Another picture of Lynwood’s home in
southern Mississipi.

77. A picture of
me and
Lynwood at
his home.

78. A relaxing
moment on
Lynwood’s
porch during
Paul Nichols’
meeting at New
Salem. L-R:
Lynwood,
Johnny, Wilma
and Paul
Nichols.

79. Lynwood
baptizing an
unidentified
young man.

80. Lynwood in
his study. I
think this is
Tim Berna
with him.

81. Lynwood at
our house in
Fort Worth in
the late
sixties or
seventies. Did
he like
watermelon?

82. Happy days
with Stan,
Joni and Kim
at the Elmore
home in Ft.
Worth. Our
children
referred to
Lynwood as
“Uncle
Lynwood.”

83. Lynwood with Johnny Elmore and Irvin
Barnes at Sulphur, OK.

84. My mother and dad at New Salem’s meeting -
one year when I held the meeting.

85. L-R: James Norton
(Judy Dickinson’s
grandfather), Sam
and Irma Lee
Smith with Grafton
(Jimmie Smith’s
father) in the
background at
New Salem’s
annual gospel
meeting.

86. Lynwood
and an
unidentified
boy.
Lynwood
was a great
encourager
of young
people.

87. Lynwood and
an unidentified
sister. He truly
cherished and
respected
older sisters.

89. Lynwood with his Uncle Garland, Aunt Ivy,
on his Aunt Bernice’s birthday.

90. You can barely see Lynwood standing in
the door of his home in this photograph.

91. The
chameleon
lizards kept
me and
Lynwood
entertained
as we
enjoyed a
visit on the
front porch.

92. Lynwood and
Robert
Holmes of
Birmingham,
AL. The man
at the organ
is Fletcher
Gurganus,
Billie Holmes’
great-uncle.

93. I do not
remember
where this
picture was
taken, but
evidently it was
before I had my
eyebrows lifted.

94. L-R: Raymond Fox, Lywood, Glen Osburn,
and Greg DeGough. I’m sure he borrowed
the hat.

95. Lynwood’s
study - taken
after his death.
It looks better
with a new
paint job.
Some
landscaping
work was in
progress.

96. Landscaping
around Lynwood’s
study after his
death. Note the
huge tree blown
down during a
storm when we
were going through
his stuff. Is there a
connection?

97. Lynwood’s study. This picture was taken after his
death. Note the Stamps poster in the back. It was
signed by all of the famous group, including J.D.
Sumner.

98. A view of part of Lynwood’s library.

99. Another view of his books and in the foreground, the table
where he wrapped the books he sold and mailed. He had
many rare books.

100. A letter from C.C.
Stafford - A teacher
in the Stamps
Quartet School of
Music, with whom
Lynwood wrote
many songs. A
good many of us
studied harmony
under Mr. Stafford.

101. A letter from E.E.
Davis of
Convention Music
Co. responding to
condolences from
Lynwood at O.A.
Parris’s death.

102. A letter from
Hovie Lister,
pianist and
spokesman for
the famed
Statesmen
Quartet. This
quartet recorded
Lynwood’s song,
Some Things I’d
Change.

103. A letter from
Albert E. Brumley,
one of the best-
known gospel
song writers. We
are familiar with
many of his
songs.

104. A letter from
Rupert Cravens.
Lynwood published
many of his songs
and wrote words
for some of them.
Cravens was a
Presbyterian
minister, originally
from Competition,
MO near Lebanon.

105. A letter from O.C.
Boone, later
president of
Convention Music
Co., sending
Lynwood music to
put to words.
Lynwood was a
popular wordsmith
among gospel
song writers.

106. A letter from Mrs.
J.R. Baxter
thanking him for a
plant he sent for
the holidays. I
don’t know if
Lynwood ever read
Carnegie’s book,
but he knew how
to win friends and
influence people.

107. Lynwood and me at Lebanon. This photo
was in front of the “dummy” of his last songbook
along with the poem about old friends.

108. Lynwood’s home after his
death and some landscaping.

109. Lynwood and the Elmore Family at the church
house during his last meeting in Ardmore.

110. L-R: Chad Smith, Jeff Cantrell, Lynwood, Kip Smith,
and Ryan Cantrell during Lynwood’s last meeting in
Ardmore.

111. Johnny Elmore, Ronny Wade, and
Lynwood at the Lebanon meeting.

112. This was not so
long before
Lynwood’s death.
This may have
been taken in
Ardmore.

113. The graveyard at
New Salem and
Lynwood’s grave
& headstone.

114. Lynwood is buried next to his Aunt Agnes. He argued
with her all the time but loved her beyond measure.

115. Lynwood Smith: A simple man. Defender
of the truth. Master of the song.

116. “If you would be a
friend, a friend forever,
don’t act as if my faults
you do not see. But tell
me of the Friend who
leaves me never, and
point me to the cross of
Calvary.”
--M. Lynwood Smith.
Gone, but not
forgotten.

117. Produced by Johnny & Sally Elmore, Stan
Elmore, & Clay Elmore.
Thanks to Darrell & Diane Smith for their
dedication to Lynwood’s estate and
memory.
Thanks to Derwin Reynolds for making this
presentation possible.