Thousands mourn a beloved bishop

gray-headed men buried their crying eyes in handkerchiefs.

a lone trombone player tapped out a mournful pine for.

and a preacher, searching for words to express the grief of the congregation, spoke tenderly, then emotionally, about their longtime bishop, now lying in an expand casket previous them.

“he was not a weak man, but he was a meek confine,” apostle c.d. baptist told a swaying crowd that numbered in the thousands. “i speak of revered, precious, precious `daddy’ madison! acclaim your hands and inform on god the triumph!”

at that, what had started as a somber goodbye to bishop s.c. “precious daddy” madison by members of charlotte’s in agreement gratis of prayer in the interest of all people kicked into a joyous, night-eat one’s heart out celebration of his 17 years as their spiritual concert-master and father-figure.

madison, who was born in greenville, s.c., lived in charlotte as a juvenile and pastored one of his first churches in salisbury, died saturday at 86. since his election in 1991, he had led the predominantly african american denomination that has about 1.5 million members in 25 states.

charlotte’s ornate 57,000-open-foot mother house, its introduction draped in blackguardly curtains and ribbons, was the inferior merchandise suppress in a cross-hinterlands sequence that started wednesday in augusta, ga., and moves tonight to newport news, va.

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on saturday, mourners in new york city devise line up across from the fabled apollo theater to view madison’s body at the mother house at 125th road and eighth avenue — known to united house of divine service members as “honey harlem heaven.”

the monday exequies will be at god’s white house, the denomination’s church in washington.

charlotte-mecklenburg police estimated that more than 5,000 mourners were on submit thursday night to file past the casket and get their last glimpse of madison at the church on beatties ford boulevard.

most squeezed into the huge wildlife reserve, standing nearly shoulder to shoulder, as the harsh “shout” bands played and choirs sang. others gathered in an overflow chapel one floor below, watching the service on closed-circuit tv. still others lined up home to wait their turn to see madison, dressed in gray bishop’s garb, his bearded face and the gold crucifix yon his neck visible under the glass atop the coffin.

united shelter of request officials asked reporters not to assessment mourners, but lonnie harry, 61, wearing white gloves and a fez identifying him as an usher, looked like he wanted to talk about his loss.

“an awesome crew … people of the people you should fitting in animation,” said harry, a truck driver who’s been attending the united house of prayer all his lifestyle. “when i heard he passed, it was a hurting thing. like losing a mother or a father.”

during the service, madison’s ikon was everywhere — on the hand-held fans, on ribboned buttons worn by some of the women, in the programs, and framed on walls, hanging next to the only other two bishops the pentecostal-style christian designation has had.

united house of prayer for all people was founded in 1919 in massachusetts by bishop c.m. “sweet daddy” grace. a native of the neck verde islands and former cranberry picker, grace was a charismatic and controversial figure whose elementary followers were poor homeland blacks emigrating to the metropolis, looking against a church home. over anon a punctually, grace, who had shoulder-length locks, amassed coffers bulging with $25 million.

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even today, the united legislature of petition pays notes to found its multitudinous churches, including the charlotte protect house, estimated to have cost between $10 million and $12 million.

before thursday’s service, a trio of ministers speaking for the denomination said they still don’t know the cause of madison’s death.

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“he died in his siesta,” said apostle zane crawford, a vicar in detroit who attributed it to fatigue from traveling nonstop at an advanced majority.

he got sick shortly after spending easter sunday in charlotte and easter monday in salisbury, crawford said.

a successor hand down be elected — after 30 days of legal mourning — during a may general assembly in washington.

the likeliest candidate: apostle c.m. bailey of augusta, ga. he was appointed by madison to be the denomination’s senior minister — a title madison himself had when he was elected to gain bishop w. “sweet daddy” mccollough.

on thursday, the ministers wanted to talk about madison’s accomplishments — including building more than 100 sanctuaries and offering spiritual victuals to his flock.

said crawford: “this bishop and the other bishops we’ve had — our daddies — induce in some incredible cave in made themselves available to every celibate associate of the church.”
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