Transcripts For CSPAN Rep. Elijah Cummings Funeral 20240713

[organ music playing] is we remain standing, we prepare now for the wharq servant, theublic honorable Elijah Eugene cummings. It shall be done in a few draping ofter the the coffin by the honor guard. [horn sounds] amen. Was a cummings churchman. We sing to the glory of thgod this morning that opening hymn that meant so much to him. Bishop thomas you may be seated. Let us pray. Lord, we thankyou for your servant, Elijah Eugene cummings, assiduously, sagacious, and with integrity to preserve and protect the sacrosanct founding document of this country, from enemies both foreign and domestic. Lord, we thank you for one who stayed the same wherever he was as he ironically embodied kiplings command to walk with kings yet not lose the common touch. For ruthe praise you and robert cummings. You, thatt, we bless you lived in him, spoke through him, and strengthened him to do the work of kingdom building in the guise of a congressman and committee chair. Father, whereas we come to pay rose that grew out of concrete, a rock that refused to be overwhelmed by the rising ane of partisan rancor, and oak that would not yield itself to the gusts of fascism and racism, whereas we assemble ourselves today at this hallow time and in this sacred space, not for a public viewing, we already did that, not to award civic honors and accolades, we already did that, but we gather today for a home going celebration. [applause] of a fallen soldier in the army of the lord, a saint of god in the beloved. Therefore we invoke your presence. We invite your spirit, and we inquire in your temple, and we say come holy spirit, come heavenly dove and kindled the flame of sacred love in these cold hearts of hours. Lord, i pray that you would stand up in every speaker. But dont let them stand too long. Move through the music ministry, ulogist,the e Bishop Walter thomas, to use the glory of your gospel. Nse to be finally se absent in the body is to be present with the lord, therefore we ask you to comfort thy people and the only name that matters, in jesus name do we pray. Say amen. We will now have the Old Testament scripture reading by warren,rable elizabeth u. S. Senator, new testament reading by marcia fudge, u. S. Congresswoman. [applause] warren the lord is my shepherd, i shall not want. Me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside the still waters. Soul. Toreth my yea, though i walk through the valley of the shadow of death, i will fear no evil for thou art with me. Staff, they thy comfort me. Table in thet a presence of mine enemies. My cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and i will dwell in the house of the lord forever. Amen. [applause] rep. Fudge the new testament reading comes from second timothy chapter four, verse seven and eight. I have kept the faith. Later future there is for me the crown of righteousness, which the lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day and not only to me but also to those who have loved his appearance. [applause] elijah wrote his Funeral Program and determined who he wanted to do what. Some might be wondering why they arent doing anything. [laughter] so i just wanted to give you clarity. [laughter] the people he loved to white,ng was bb and he is going to come now and bless us in song. [applause] good morning. Learned from my brother ronald and my dad that i dont have to be strong. , learned that in my weakness gods strength is made perfect. Strength is made perfect. Promisee stand on his as we stand on his word. After youve done all you can, canr youve done all you standrch, we just you do me what do can youve done all you seems like its never enough tell me what do you say when your friends turn away so all aloneone, giveme what do you when youve given your all seems like you cant make it just and when theres nothing left to do stand watch, the lord see you through after youve done all you can you just stand, oh yeah, you do how me how do you handle the guilt of your past . Same . You deal with the tell me how can you smile brokenur heart has been and filled with pain oh, filled with pain tell me what do you give when youve given your all and it seems like you cant make it through well, you just stand when theres nothing left to do you just stand watch the lord see you through canr youve done all you standst be not in pain standst and endure, we will endure because god has a purpose and god has a plan you youve done all that can and it seems, it seems like you cant make it through well, you just stand you stand dont you dare give up dont you dare give in well go through the storm well go through the rain well go through the hurricane we wont give up oh no, we wont give in bring us through ill lean on him through the hurt through the pain after, after weve done all we can lift up your head lift up your head because hes going to come through gods going to come through after the pain, after the rain, after the rain, after the pain hes going to come through oh yes he will do what hese, hell said hell do yes, he will weve done all that we can remember, after youve done all that you can stander yall well oh, oh, oh together we will stand [applause] hallelujah, hallelujah put those hands together. This is a celebration. The lord will see you through after youve done all you can. You just sing. A person who meant so much to the work that elijah did and too asked that they might share some words at this moment. Im going to ask them to come in honorable, the Hillary Rodham clinton, former secretary of state. [cheers and applause] the honorable nancy pelosi, speaker of the United States house of representatives. [cheers and applause] former, thee reverend dr. Alfred bond from the clergy. Mr. Larry gibson, his mentor. [applause] margaretdeaconess anne. Secretary clinton, wont you give her a hand. [cheers and applause] sec. Clinton this is the day the lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad because this is the day for the ongoing celebration home going celebration of a great man, a moral leader, and a friend. Bishop Walter Scott Thomas and first lady of the church Patricia Thomas and the New Psalmist Baptist Church, thank to for welcoming us all here reflect on the life and celebrate the service of you like a cummings. Elijah cummings. , toto the Cummings Family the people of his district, thank you for sharing him with our country and the world. [applause] maya. You, as you have said so beautifully, lijahs side on this journey. Thank you for your steadfastness, resilience, and leadership. [applause] it is no coincidence, is it, that Elijah Cummings shared a name with an Old Testament prophet, whose name meant in hebrew the lord is my god. The power and wisdom god gave him to uphold the moral law that all people are subject to come and because andll people subject to, because of all people are equal. Like the prophet, our elijah could call down fire from heaven. [applause] workedalso prayed and for healing. Andeathered storms earthquakes but never lost his faith. Like that Old Testament prophet, he stood against corrupt leadership of king ahab and queen jezebel. [cheers and applause] and he looked out for the vulnerable among us. He lifted up the next generation of leaders. Miracles. Rked a few us, life is nong dress reversal. Rehearsal. The American People want to live their lives without fear of leaders,ders, and as we have a responsibility to keep the promises made when running for office to make the lives of americans better. As elijah said, while were all thats on this earth, my message. Was a fierce champion for truth, justice, and kindness in every part of his life. [applause] his integrity and character, his a guidingrit made him light in the congress. He pushed back against the abuse of power. He was unwavering in his defense of our democracy. Little tolerance for those who put party above anshipy or partish above truth. He could find Common Ground with anyone willing to seek it with him. He reminded us that you cannot get so caught up in who you are fighting that you forget what you are fighting for. [applause] adversariesitical recognized that it wasnt really about politics for our elijah. He led from his soul. Childrensaid that our are a message to a future that we will never see. Firsthand when i attended an event for the Elijah Cummings Youth Program in israel. [cheers and applause] a Leadership Program for young people in his district. Elijah did not just put his name on the program and then forget about it. Every applicant. He was personally invested in their success. He wanted all of us to see our memorablyle as he asked us to do when he gave the eulogy at the funeral for freddie gray, did you see him . By the time these young people came back from israel to baltimore, they had celebrated shabbat, studied hebrew, hiked, seen and been seen and made lifelong friends, all because of Elijah Cummings knew from his own experiences that it is one thing to learn abstractly about the world but another to experience at with people different from yourself, learning from each other, lifting each other up. Said his elijah often philosophy was simple do something. Go out and do something. No matter how daunting a problem seems, no matter how hopeless you feel, surely there is something you can do. I think that remains his challenge to each of us. As he said, even if it seems small, there is usually something you can do if you are looking for it. You can defend the truth. You can defend the mocker see. You can lift up you can defend democracy. You can lift up others. Begging them American People to Pay Attention to what is going on because if you want to have a democracy intact for your children and your childrens children, in unbord, we have got to guard this moment. This is our watch. Was aijah knew because he man of faith and a man of the church that life was fleeting and precious. That is why he worked so hard to make every moment of his life count. When we are dancing with the the questions will be asked, he said, in 2019 what did we do to make sure we kept our democracy intact . [applause] i will end with the paraphrase of a poem that elijah recited in his very first speech in the congress. He said that he told himself this poem as many as 20 times a day. Secondsave a minute, 60 in it, forced upon me, i did not choose it, but i know that i must use it. It, account if i abuse suffer if i lose it, only a tiny little minute, but eternity is in it. Cummings, forjah your work, your service, and the lessons you leave us. God bless you. [applause] [cheers and applause] Speaker Pelosi good morning, baltimore. Thank you, bishop thomas, for bringing us to pay tribute to our darling, precious elijah. Mr. President , mr. President , mr. Vice president. [applause] secretary, archbishop lorry, members of the clergy, distinguished guests who are all here for our darling elijah. As speaker of the house, i have the sad honor and personal privilege to bring the condolences of the entire congress of the United States to Cummings Family, the people and constituents of elijahs district, the people baltimore, our entire country. I say that with Great Authority because yesterday my friends and those of you who love elijah, yesterday my egg gave us the privilege of having a celebration of elijahs life in the capital of the United States. The first africanamerican lawmaker ever to serve lie in repose in the capital of the United States. Beautiful, and it has been referenced, elijah brought people together in life from different parties and in his from different parties. That is why i am pleased to yesterday service was very bipartisan. In fact it took bipartisan agreement for elijah to lie in captiol. The capitol. Today we have a very strong bipartisan of elijahs colleagues from the house of houseentatives led by hour chair of the black caucus, steny hoyer, marcia, and so many others of the house, please rise to be recognized and their families and their staff. Elijahs staff. [applause] you . Lewis, where are john lewis. Strong representation from the United States senate, today led by ben cardin and Chris Van Hollen bringing so many senators today. [applause] bishop thomas, how brilliant was it of elijahs parents to name him elijah . As the secretary said, the god is my lord. The oldow from testament, there is a tradition to leave the feet at the table elijahjah, but our always made a seat at the table for others. At the table for children. Even new members of congress, so for he could mentor them, all that wanted to be part of the american dream. Himself personally lived the american dream, and he wanted everyone else to have nce manyportunity, he seats at the table. How fortunate for our country that his parents also taught him to live up to his name, how blessed are we to know to learn from his friendship. Elijah was a proud man, proud of his heritage, proud of baltimore. [cheers and applause] and proud of america. Appealed to our better angels and to the promise of america, calling us to live up to our principles and to a higher purpose. We will uses that that are the best words are words tahhat elijah used. When he was not meeting the needs of children in our country, he said we are gathered in this we are better than this. He held himself to a high standard. That is why i have called him the north star of congress, our guiding light. Maya, for giving me this opportunity to speak at the baltimore celebration as well as yesterday. Previously, i have seen some of you over time, speaking as speaker of the house before at , a James Episcopal Church sad day for baltimore and our country that day. The Mitchell Family and my family have been friends for generations. Is my great honor and personal sadness to join you at church,psalmist baptist elijahs church, to celebrate elijahs life. Maya gave us the honor of holding that official service in statuary hall of the house. Master ofter of the house. His chairmanship on the committee of oversight and reform, he lived up to his responsibilities to hold the federal government accountable to the laws of the land. One word i would use to describe elijah over and over again is the word future. He was there to make the future for our children, who he called our living messengers to a future we will never see. He wanted for those children to their future where the of aspirations, and he wanted them to have a future builds on our values. As the master of the house, he was also the mentor of the house. Was anyone here mentor by Elijah Cummings . I think so. [applause] it was no surprise that when we won the congress, elijah said send me as many freshmen as you can because i want to help them be oriented for them to reach their fullest potential and the house of representatives. So wonderful that he did that, and all members new or not benefited from the generosity of his spirit. Whether we asked it or not, the candor was there. It is an honor to share some of these thoughts about our dear elijah. Elijah loved baltimore and his district. He was my baltimore brother in the house. We had chats about baltimore all the time. He loved and respected his constituents. He gave people hope. By his courage, he fought for what was right. By his brilliance, he made a difference in so many ways, fighting for gun violence prevention, expanding opportunity for everyone, recognizing now this is recent recognizing the cost of prescription drugs hurt the economic wellbeing of americas working families. He was willing to work across the aisle, across the cap itol, and even down pennsylvania avenue. The Committee Chairman thediately named hr3 elijah g cummings lowercost drug act. [applause] baltimore gave me special entree thatelijahs thinking helped me as speaker. Our love of the orioles and the ravens made it fun. Thank you, baltimore, for your contribution to the greatness of the United States of america. Wednesday that my brothers service, i acknowledged that we would be honoring elijah today. We lost two great leaders in one week in baltimore. [applause] one of the things that elijah, my brother tommy, and i being from baltimore had in common was the pride week took in baltimore, our baltimore. ,nother thing we had in common loveour hearts are full of for america. In san francisco, love means letting other versions exist, and that is exactly what elijah did, respecting the views of others, reaching across the aisle, Building Community and consensus. Thank you, maya, thank you to your entire family for sharing elijah with us and for loving him so much. Hiswere the source of strength and inspiration. I hope it is a comfort for you that so many people mourn your asad loss and are praying for yu at this time. Let us acknowledge that god truly blessed america with the life and legacy of Elijah Cummings, mentor, master of the house, northstar, mr. Chairman, may he rest in peace. Elijah cummings. Thank you so much. [applause] [applause] good morning. Good morning. , president obama [applause] clinton, Vice President biden, secretary of state clinton, governor holden, mayor jack young, distinguished clergy and all of the pulpit guests, and ladies and those of us who are his friends will remember him, but you will remember him the most. Every time the sunsplashed is on her face and warms us, we will miss elijah, but you will miss in most. We loved him, but you would come to love him most. Please accept as you see the collective condolence of a whole host of americans, who share this moment in front of tv screens and radios, it will take this moment and teach it in schools next week, and who will share it with their own children. [applause] our prayers go out to his siblings, to his children, to all those who were related to elijah. He said to me, if you go before i go, do not go up there and wing it. [laughter] he said, write it down. Then he said, really write it down. [laughter] so here we are. These, i think i know his house is in the village though he will not see me stopping here to watch his woods fill with snow yes, those woods are lovely, indeed but i have promises to keep and miles to go before i sleep and miles to go before i sleep the wordsthink that of robert frost were almost written as if he knew that elijah would one day be among us, with his spirit and his energy and everything he did, how he actually lived his life as if he had miles to go before he would decide to sleep. He could be both provocative and evocative. He found a way to capture our will to dare to be different in communities all over the country, and then challenged us to dare to make a difference. Elijah and i spend a lot of time in the last couple years privately talking about our own owns, our own deaths, our humanity and mortality. And our own funerals. And whether he was going to go before me, whether i before him. And because i was three years older than elijah, he liked to poke at me. And i said, based on statistics, i will probably be leaving here before you. Wheresay, dude, i you are going, so you may have to get in line. Sometimes out of the blue he would call me, just sticking it to me. What is it like now that you have turned 40 . 37. Ourse, he was we used to call each other unannounced sometimes on just asustice jay say birthday, but we wanted it to be a surprise and i would get those calls and enjoy every one of them. And he would. Yesterday was my birthday and i did not hear from my friend. Of 1979. In the spring ands a young talk show host i have launched a campaign to run for city council. Elijah was a young lawyer and precinct marshall working with the democratic club, headed by Clarence Mitchell and Mike Mitchell and a be state senator larry young, and John Jeffries and kay lee. The godfather and mentor to myself was, as you heard nancy speak about the revered congressman, congressman mitchell. [applause] it was both the Mitchell Family and the mercy family of the africa afroamerican newspaper that directed us. Inclusion. And feet sat at his fate and we listened and we learned and we got involved going back to the campaign of hubert humphrey, none of us knowing what we were doing, just passing out bumper stickers that said about for humphrey. He was being brought along by the Mitchell Club and i was brought along and tutored by the late state senator, who was the first black woman in america ever to be elected to a state senate. [applause] despite those allegiances, we became political buddies right away. We were eager to find a way to strike out and change the system that had maintained discriminatory practices in education, housing, employment and health care, as it worked to deny political power. He was attracted to my Grassroots Campaign in 1979 to run for the city council with no money at all. Thoughand he knew, even we did not discuss it at that time, that one day elijah, in the nottoodistant future, would be running for himself. I would go on later that year to get elected to the city council, winning by three votes. Elijah thought it was funny. They came along and said, as long as you are black which meant the rest of my life. Remember, those woods where the father, the son and holy ghost, and you cannot go wrong. [applause] although it would be chronically correct to suggest that that is how elijah got started, it would be a gross understatement of where he really began. That shaping and beginning started in the home of robert where youngmings, elijah learned the basics of life. [applause] he was taught to work hard, play by the rules, love your country, cherish your faith, respect your elderly. It wasnt what they pou was what they poured into him, with an uncompromising understanding of who he would forever be and i do not know that in the many years we have known each other that elijah ever gave a speech around me or had a conversation with me, where he did not mention his mother or his father and the lessons of humility that gave him strength. I remembered kneeling beside him at his mothers Funeral Service. Elijah was in a wheelchair. Touched thewn and back of his hand and he gripped my hand as he was gripping on the edge of the wheelchair, just a few feet from his mothers coffin. Although you could look in his eyes that day and see the and or rmoussense of loss eno sense of loss, you could also sense that at that moment her spirit had entered into him. He squeezed my hand and he just pointed to her, like that, through his tears and threw his smiles. Throughout the years together, when i served in the congress and later when he served in congress, we would remind one another that this is not a perfect nation and that we are not perfect people. But that god calls all of us to a perfect mission. Elijah believed it and he lived it. He was the 20th century manifestation of a race of people who had suffered, endured, and survived. Three centuries of slavery, oppression, deprivation, degradation, denial and this privilege. Disprivilege. Thrust from his mothers womb in an evolving civil rights movement, a movement of black renaissance, and like many of us, buoyed by the talent of that day. Poet,ott heron, the last nikki giovanni, Sonia Sanchez and his many others. [applause] and through it all he realized that the road less traveled was in fact the one less certain. But that is the one he knew he would be on anyway. You know, every day elijah saw his fate around him. Faith around him. He would say come all around me, i cannot explain it through the usual methodologies of science, whether it is the instinctive newness of the bumblebee or the orderliness of the cosmo, i have to have the faith to believe in what others see as being impossible. He would repeat that. He would repeat the poet and essay, i shall not shout my , three times eloquent are the trees and sod hush are the stars whose power is never spent yetaid the hills are mute, they squeak of god and so i believe and respectfully submit to you, that we use this occasion, this passage to another place, to recommit ourselves to sharing elijahs dream. It was also the dream of Martin Luther king and fannie lou hamer. The dream of the boys in washington and tubman and douglas. The dream of all those nameless and faceless sharecroppers of his fathers generation, who later their bodies down on plantations all over this country so that young elijahs could run across of them and get to the promised land. They could not always speak the kings english, they didnt have college degrees. They had to steal away to pray, but they never believed that they would ever give up and waver on the trust and belief they had in their children. They grew up, they became leaders, and they are who we celebrate. Achievementss and semind us students that wa right when he said that no during is daring is fatal. That he was right when he said the maximum hope lie closest to the maximum danger. That dr. King was right, elijah, when he said for the true believers, the darkness it would be light enough. So how do we celebrate him today . How do we honor him as we get ready to recommit his soul and spirit back to god . Not buy trinkets or false praise, or ceremony or adoration, those things never meant anything to elijah. We honor him by holding onto his example of commitment to a cause and by making it real in our own lives. Unawed by opinion, unseduced by flattery, undismayed by disaster. He confronted light with the courage of his convictions, and then confronted death with the courage of his faith. Hope and us all how to how to smile. How to laugh and how to cry. He taught us how to live. He with grace and dignity, has now taught us how to die. So what shall we say of him long after that last pebble of dirt hisossed to seal seal hi grave. Let doesnt say that elijah was a shakespeare, a foe without hate, a friend without treachery, a victor without oppression, and a victim sometimes without murmuring. Above all, to those who knew and loved him, he was simply a good man with a good heart. [applause] one final thing. My preference would be for elijah to be standing here right now. Me. Ing and speaking about is he said, you know, there neither rank nor station nor prerogative in the republic of the grave. And yet i know in a few minutes, we are prepared to send a big timber of a man to that grave, who through the simple eloquence of his example divide the limiting this defied the limited in this of others expectactions. Tell them what you told me the last time we spoke. Eace, like the p rivers, attended my way. When sorrow like sea billows rose. Torever thy has taught me say is well with my soul [applause] whose woods are these . I think i know. He will not see me stopping here to watch his woods fill up with snow. And i haveds promises to keep. And miles to go before i sleep. And miles to go before i sleep. [applause] want to give our former congressman a tremendous hand. [applause] you may be seated. Now, i must share one thing. I have made a commitment to the family to arrive at the graveyard at a certain time. So for all who are yet coming, be very mindful if you see me stand, we are moving forward. Thank you so very much. The lord is good and is worthy of all of our praise. We come today to honor one of christatest soldiers of that has ever lived. Only in the halls of congress, but he was also a real christian. It was nothing to see him show up and worship. And like his mother and father before him, he served the lord with gladness. And so we come today to celebrate his life and to say to him, thank you for everything you have done, particularly for the oppressed and the underprivileged. Him, bon voyage, we will see you in the morning. [applause] how humbling it is that this great man called me his mentor. Metah cummings and i first 50 years ago, to be precise it was march 26, 1969. 18yearoldn student at the high school i had attended, Baltimore City college. [applause] the school had a hall of fame that honor distinguished alumni. Elijah, as the senior class president , concluded that the school should add some diversity to its hall of fame, because no africanamerican had ever been selected. They explained that it honored graduates who had distinguished themselves in long careers. The average age of the inductees was about 60 years old. But elijah persisted. The selection criteria should be changed. Because the school had excluded black students up until brown v. Board of education, and that it would take decades before there were any africanamerican alumni in their 60s. Elijahs relentless advocacy prevailed. And i became the beneficiary. And [applause] and i was elected to the schools hall of fame. I was 27 years old. [laughter] and my only claim to fame was that Speaker Pelosis brother, the mayor, had appointed me to the Baltimore School board. I first met elijah at the hall of fame induction ceremony. Program. Ave the [laughter] [applause] is. Gibson here it it is dated march 26, 1969. Program is listed as the president of the class. A member of the hall of Fame Selection Committee [laughter] and the assembly chairman. [applause] mr. Gibson elijah and i have been Close Friends ever since that day. After high school, elijahs steps were like mine. He went to Howard University and was president of the student government. [applause] he came to then university of maryland, school of law, where i was teaching. Ask, areme jokingly to you following me around . [laughter] mr. Gibson elijah quickly rose in stature among maryland lawyers. The black Lawyers Organization and the monumental city bar exit association had existed since 1934. And the associations president was usually a Senior Member of the bar. That was until Elijah Cummings. Years,yer for seven became its president. His career ingan elected office, that is a win you when that are following me around question vanished. He sailed way past me and way ahead. There were his terms in the maryland general assembly, and then his years in congress, where he fought to protect our democracy, encouraged young people, and looked out for his hometown, baltimore. [applause] in elijahs last political campaign, even though theas on the ballot only in seventh Congressional District, 22,500 lawn signs and had them posted in every maryland county. His name was not on any of the signs, they said simply, vote for the democrats. Ier the years, elijah and talked a lot. And we talked about everything. It seems like everybody. Few closeshare just a up observations. The public asia that you saw was the public elijah that you saw was real and authentic. There was nothing phony about him. He generally believed the things that he said publicly. And respectful to people of all stations in life. And he was saddened when he thought he had unintentionally hurt or offended someone. And maya, we talked about you a lot. , he talked about you a lot. He really loved him some maya. He often said, maia is a genius. Those were his two words for you, beautiful genius. I spoke with elijah over the past few months many times. And as his health faded, he continued fighting for justice with the same persistence as , in 18yearold student who 1969, was determined to integrate his high schools hall of fame. He now enters americas hall of fame. [applause] good morning. Good morning. Will the members of New Psalmist Baptist Church please stand . [applause] i am honored this morning to speak on behalf of the New Psalmist Baptist Church, and to speak about brother Elijah Cummings. , he was youru political colleague, but to us he was our church member. And he was not just a cme member. He did not come on just christmas, mothers day and easter. But rather elijah was here, he posted just about every week. He not only was he here, but was a 7 15 a. M. Member. [applause] you have you know to have good religion to come to church every week at 7 15 a. M. But rather elijah love to worship. And he loved this church. Church invitelove their friends, invite their Family Members. And brother elijah was no different. So it is no surprise at that in 1998, he invited president clinton to come to church with him. [applause] howie brother elijah did not come here to be seen, he came to see his god. He did not come here because of politics, but because of praise. Church family. And he was one of us. So he carried us with him through the halls of power. Himarried our prayers with when he sat in those committee meetings. He was one of us. Us withuse he carried et to carry him with us. [applause] ms. Howie brother elijahs spiritual dna is now a part of our Church Family tree. Him with us. Arry we will carry him when we speak truth to power. Give a carry him when we voice to the voiceless. We as therry him when church of the living god refuse to sit down. [applause] church,e because the like brother Elijah Cummings, does not yield. [applause] if we die on friday, we are going to get raised up again on sunday. [applause] farewell, brother elijah. We will miss you. We know that you are dancing with the angels and with young tommy. And we look forward to seeing you in the morning when our work is done. God bless you. [applause] [piano playing] [singing] holy is the lamb the precious lamb of god lordou love me so, i shall never know the precious lamb of god holy is the lamb godprecious lamb of you love me so, lord i shall never know god cious lamb of the precious lamb of god sin that i may live again the precious lamb of god when i always didnt do right he told me to go right but i am standing right here lorde midst of my tears, thank you to be the lamb of god thank you for the lamb the precious lamb of god because of your grace i can finish this race the precious lamb of god broke, broken i your heart my sins tore us apart but im standing right here in the midst of my tears i claim you to the lamb of god new life can begin away, washed away every one of my sins is trulyson sets free, free indeed i claim you to be the lamb of god now behold the lamb the precious lamb of god born into sin, that i may live again the precious lamb of god oh oh oh ohoh oh oh oh oh oh oh why you love me so, lord i shall never know why you love me so, jesus i shall never know why you love me so, lord i shall never know why you love me so, lord i shall never know why you love me so, lord i shall never know the precious lamb of god oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh ohoh ohoh love me so, lord i shall never know the precious lamb of god [applause] elijahs family please an integral part in his life and his Family Members are coming first, led by his daughters, then his brother, two of his mentees are going to speak, a member from his Congressional Staff is going to speak, and then his wife, maya, is going to speak. Wont you come in that order. [applause] [piano playing] i knew this day would come, but i never thought it would be so soon. My dad and i had a special bond, one that spanned the 37 years of my life, and that 37 years of his life of public service. Our connection was into remains one of heart, spirit and soul. It is almost impossible to put that connection into words, but i am deeply grateful for it. Today i want to say thank you. I have written you a letter to express my gratitude to you, dad, for a lifetime of lessons, memories and blessings. Recently you said my handwriting was getting too small, so i would like to read this note allowed. Except today, all these people have gathered to celebrate your life, so it is not just you and me. I hope as always to make you proud. Dear dad, over the past week baltimore, the nation and at the world have celebrated your life and your contributions to our collective humanity. You were so many things to so many people. You touched so many lives. And that is because yours was one not only of duty into service, but one of compassion and empathy. You truly saw people. And they saw you. Nomatter their lot in life, matter their politics or anything that made them different from you. As you often said to me, thank you for just being you. You are the gift and i had much to be grateful for. And while you were a congressman, mr. Chairman and daisies into political leader, perhaps the most important title you held in your 68 years of life on this earth was dad. You for loving me before i even took my first breath. I remember you telling me how what i was born you were amazed you could hold me in the palm of your hand, just one hand, this life, my life in your hand. You and mom literally gave me life. And we have shared an unbridgeable connectedness ever since, which is what makes today so incredibly hard. While right now the words ring hollow in my heart, where since last thursday it felt like a piece had been torn out, it is this connection and love, even when i could no longer feel your big bear hug or give you a kiss on your forehead. Dad, thank you for teaching me the dual power of my beauty and my brilliance. This might sound boastful, but ever since i was a little girl my dad told me i was beautiful. It may sound basic and like a nobrainer um, but dad wanted me to understand and appreciate it truly feelnd that my rich brown skin was just as beautiful as alabaster or any shade of the rainbow. [applause] he insisted on buying me brown dolls that looked like me, so i could appreciate myself and what made me different. From my nose to the fullness of my lips, and to the coarseness of my hair. As he would say in speeches, just a footnote here, i remember being on the playground in Elementary School and a classmate calling me ugly. To which i retorted, my daddy says i am beautiful. [laughter] [applause] out hisroceeded to pull Business Card from my purse, filled with nothing else but rocks, and said, you can call my dad and ask him. [laughter] thank you for also teaching me to be bold, confident and stand in my power. To stand up against bullies, be it their overt words or covert actions. And younot suffer fools taught me not to either. Thank you for teaching me to spot those with false motives from miles away and to see the difference between Blind Ambition and true purpose and being called into a mission. To a mission. Thanks for teaching me what leadership by example means by exhibiting it. And to circle back to blackness and brilliance, thank you for encouraging us to attend Howard University, your alma mater. [applause] a speech inpped in the year before i enrolled that no matter where i decided to go to college, your tuition checks would be going to howard. Thank you for investing in my education well before and through howard. Thank you for teaching me to persevere. I remember when we took the training wheels off my bike and i went careening down the alleyway behind the house and fell. And i remember crying to you and telling you i did not want to ride ever again. And you told me i could do it and to wash off my scraped legs and try again, and i did. Thank you for teaching me that i do know. You would ask me questions on the way to school, maybe out of a lack of confidence i would say, i dont know. He would say, jennifer, you do know. What do you think . You will is cared what i thought. That never stopped. From our first conversations to our last. Thank you for teaching me to strive for excellence in all that i do. Thank you for instilling in me the idea that if i tried my best, that is all i could ask of myself. Thank you for giving me an appreciation for the spoken and written word. I remember many a day, either in your office or your office in the state house in annapolis, where you would be reading from the baltimore sun, and summarizing them. On those summaries, the best score i could get was an e for excellence and i always aim to for those. That led to writing frisco newspapers in heisel and college. And a career in communications that i have now. It is no coincidence that it was preparation. Thank you for seeing me. I saw you. Thank you for nurturing me. I think i nurtured you in return. Thank you for loving me unconditionally and it teaching me what love and leadership are by your example. I will miss your smile, your great big smile that would light up a room. I will miss your booming voice that would firmly sound, jennifer, when i knew i was in trouble. I will also miss the voice that was quiet and plain saying, can you plug in my phone . I will miss calling you after seeing you on tv to tell you what a great job you did. And maybe sharing a couple of pieces of constructive feedback. For your consideration, because you always strive to be better than the day before. You encouraged me to have a point of view and a thoughtful critique. I will make you calling me before dawn on my birthday and hearing your renditions of happy birthday, complete with a lot of soul, but perhaps not a steady tune. Ofill miss our exchanges christmas presents and you immediately try and whatever tee or fleece was part of the gift. I will miss opening presents from you and you saying, i saw it and it looks like you. I will miss us having brunch, just less, or you me and mom, and ordering dessert and you eating more than half of it. Every time it reminded of us going to the harbor and getting ice cream when i was a kid. Secretly, i started getting bubblegum ice cream because i thought that finally when you asked for just a bite i might get the cone back intact. [laughter] what i would give for just an afternoon at the harbor with you. You could have all of the ice cream, dad. I will miss the way that you squeezed so much catchup onto pretty much everything, but especially the fries that ended up soggy at the bottom. I will miss your wise words, i will miss the brief conversations, and i will miss the longer ones. I one miss our month or so along a recent saturday night sleepovers, when we hung out and discussed at just about everything in our lives. Sometimes we would stay silent and watch the latest murder mystery. I would look over to you to see your face and catch you catching a glimpse of mine. That is love, enduring love. We were not just dad and a daughter, we were confidants and friends. I will miss that the most. So on this day come after so much has been said and a weak filled of celebrations of your life, to steal a praise from you, i stopped by today to tell you how much i love you. How much i thank you. And how much i will be indebted and forever connected to you. That does not change as you transition from this life to the next. Our love endures. Rest well and rest easy. You deserve it. I know our conversations and connections it will not be in person anymore, but they will be just as they have always been, filled with heart, spirit and soul. I love you, dad. Thank you. [applause] good morning, everyone. Iu will have to forgive me, am reading off of my phone. I am a millennial, after all. So i want to thank everyone for being here. It means the world to my family to know what our father, brother, uncle, son meant to his community and colleagues. His staff,to say to can you please stand up if you are here . [applause] [cheers] they deserve it. I want to personally thank all of you. The way that you loved my father makes us family forever. I am so sorry that you lost someone who was so much more than a boss to you. So im confident that everybody in this room today knows exactly the type of man my father was. If you didnt, you wouldnt be here. He was a passionate leader, a dependable friend, an unrelenting voice for change. His passion for his city, state and country was evident in his practices and his policies. Many of his colleagues have spoken over the past week and today, about what an honor and privilege it was to serve with him. But my sister and i were fortunate enough to hold the highest honor, which was being able to call him dad. If did not be remiss share a glimpse of what it was like to be his daughter. My dad would text me, sometimes at 3 00 a. M. , just to tell me he was proud of me or give me words of encouragement. Whenever i would call, he would always answer, hey, beautiful. And i could tell that he was happy to hear from me. He was never hesitant to give his opinions, whether asked for or not, and was quick to remind me at any given moment that i would him some money i owed him some money. He was not a father known for patients, but rather for persistence. When i was getting ready to take my driving test, he made me Parallel Park what felt like 50 times in a row until i got it down to a science and i could not do it wrong. And i was a very and that was a very long day, but i passed my test on the first try. He always held me accountable and major if i said i was going to do something, that i did it. And always encouraged me to be more giving. He instilled in me the same for the same credibles at my grandparents instilled in him, integrity, service and humility. I could come to him with anything, ask him for anything, even cardi b tickets. He did not know who she was, but he went out of his way to make sure that i could go see her. He believed in me, believed in my dreams as if they were already reality. He was never afraid to invest time, knowledge, wisdom and money into anything that i aspired to be. Andas genuinely invested committed to my happiness and wellbeing at all times. Last year, i gave him a card for fathers day that said, a parents job is to see their child the way that god sees them, and you do that for me. And i would encourage all the parents here and watching to see their children the way my dad saw me, the way that god sees me, without limitations, not bound by obstacles or circumstances, and with the power to determine my own destiny. [applause] my dad not only encouraged me, he empowered me. He equipped me with the tools that have prepared me to stand here with you today. And he made it his lifes mission to ensure that every child in the country was equally equipped. It to it to him, i owe him to not let his lifes work going vein. Go in vane. In his fms a for speech on the house floor, he recited his favorite poem, just a minute. Words i mulled over which to say today, i heard a song on the radio that embodied that same spirit. Thee words of eminem, moment you own it, you better never let it go. You only get one chance only get one shot to not miss your chance. The opportunity comes only once in a lifetime. My father seized his moment and because of it we are all gathered here today. [applause] when the timeyou, comes, i hope that you sees sieze yours as well. Thank you. I love you, guys. [applause] god is good. Ii come before you this morning with a very heavy heart. Elijah was my older brother by three years. And i can tell you now that at times it was easy, other times it wasnt. I followed him into middle school and the teachers expected so much of me. Teacher, first thing he said was, you are the brother of Elijah Cummings . I expect great things from you. When it came time to pick our high schools, elijah went to Baltimore City college. By the way, the family calls him bobby. People have asked me over the last week why we call him that, it is because his godmother did not like his name, elijah. So if you do not mind i will refer to him as bobby from now on. That is what i have called him for the last 64 years. Had to came when i choose a haskell and he wanted me to go to city. Let me, al, ok explain that one. My name is james, my middle name is offered. He called me al for short. He said, you should go to city. It is an all boys school so you will have no distractions. I love bobby, distractions. [laughter] he said saii said, i cannot concentrate without distractions. That is when i learned the definition of ironic. But he was a great brother. We are going to miss him dearly. I want to thank the city of baltimore, i want to think Speaker Pelosi thank Speaker Pelosi for the service yesterday. It was a beautiful service. I am going to miss him dearly. And the last thing i want to say is when i was leaving his home yesterday, after returning back from washington, i was getting in my car and there was a gentleman on the steps. And he asked, where you coming from . I told him from my brothers house, Elijah Cummings. He was so apologetic. He said, i am so sorry. He just felt really bad, he wanted to give me a hug. Know, i will do anything you need me to do. I will cut your grass. Where do you live . I said virginia. [laughter] yeah. He said, well that might be a problem. But he did tell me he would meet me out there again, he had something for me. I am not sure i will be able to meet with him or not, but i thought that was the nicest thing. Because he was the type of person that elijah loved. Not the type of person who would look at people and want to be so high, he wanted to help people who couldnt help themselves. And so [applause] again, i want to thank everybody. My niece already thanked the staff. I was going to thank them because during my last meeting with elijah i spent an entire sunday with him, it was about four weeks ago. I had seen him since then, but i spent sunday with him watching the chiefs play the ravens and the ravens lost. Me. He had a question for the question was, for those of you who do not know, my son was killed about eight years ago. He was a student down at old dominion. For most of elijah his life, for the rest of his life. He asked me, why did christopher go to old dominion . Friendsid, because his wanted to go there. He wanted to go with his friends. He said, man, i wish he had not gone to old dominion. That broke me to my heart when he was killed. He has told me that many times. The only thing that he took to his grave that was unresolved was who took my sons life. Hopefully that will turn around here sometime soon. Again, i want to thank everyone of you, because you can give somebody your car, let them borrow your home, clothes, whatever the case may be, but the one thing you cannot get back his time. And each and everyone one of you has given up hours of your time just to honor my brother, and for that i am eternally grateful. Thank you. [applause] good morning, everybody. My name is john alexander. We have lost a giant and an incredible friend. And i am honored to be here to say a few words about my friend, congressman Elijah Cummings. We have already a lot of beautiful eulogies about this great man, but i will try to tell you some things that maybe you did not know. He used to tease me relentlessly. Like you my president clinton, he called me an honorary brother. Clinton, heident called me an honorary brother. I met congressman cummings in 1996. I was lucky enough to be on his first legislative staff. And for the next 23 years we developed a close, personal relationship. We met almost weekly for lunch to discuss family, politics, books, even the ravens and orioles. One day, mr. Cummings was late for votes. And this is in the infancy of cell phones. I could not reach him. Later in the day, when my colleagues came up and said, hey, i just saw your boss changing a tire on route 95. [laughter] excuse me . Your boss is on 90 changing somebodys tire, i saw him on the side of the road. He never said a word why he was late. That was the way he was. Mr. Cummings always said 80 of life is showing up. Else toou had somewhere be today, but you are here. Eckstein is try to treat that to my son, who is here today. He is 16. I am going to treat that as an excused absence. [applause] and i see many of my colleagues and friends here today, and i hope i convey a bit of my feelings in my talk as well. We all had a very special relationship with this great man. I see a lot of friends from his early political days, those that saw his potential, those that urged him to run for congress. An icy friends who served him during this journey. And i am truly, truly grateful for this opportunity to speak. Always said he was an ordinary man doing a next ordinary job. Was doing and asked ordinary doing an extraordinary job. However, he was not an ordinary man. He was born to lead, and he served for all the right reasons. [applause] orator. Gifted he could make audiences shout with enthusiasm, and cry at the same time. He was a voice of moral leadership. He had a wonderful sense of humor. He had an infectious laugh. He could not help but laugh with him once he started laughing. He was a humble man. To know itofessed all. He was always learning, always studying, always asking questions. He genuinely cared about people and his staff. Ago, i wasars unhappy in a job. I was almost between jobs and i called congers when cummings and i was about to advise him i was about to quit my job. I will never forget the words he said to me today i wont let you fall. I wont let you fall. [applause] he spoke of the kitchen crowd. He met people during parties, gatherings, who would hang out in the kitchen and complain. He was not a kitchen crowd guy. He was generally not concerned or motivated by money or titles. He was a man who straddled two worlds. Maybe i helped him bridge the gap from inner baltimore and state legislature to the halls of congress. Maybe he leaned on me that way in the beginning. But he helped me, too. He helped me understand the world through the eyes of an africanamerican man. He taught me lifelong lessons on love,sion, humility, family, and god. I will miss his fatherly advice. I will miss his brotherly love. Wisdom and his compassion. When my father died, he attended the funeral. He took the time to call my mother. When i was struggling with the death of my father, he spoke to , oneout a musical he loved which i saw with him for the first time, the lion king. Remember these words . He lives in you. He lives in me. He watches over everything we see. Truth,e water, into the and your reflection, he lives in you. I have a message for everyone today when you leave this beautiful church, when we face the challenges and temptations of everyday life, say, do i want to be part of the kitchen crowd . What would congressman cummings do in this situation . Please honor the memory of this good man. Open the door for someone. Carry someones groceries. Shovel your neighbors walk. Be a mentor to a young person. Maybe stop and change somebodys tire. Thank you. [applause] good morning. The first time i met congressman cummings, we stood together not far from here, to call attention to the 20year difference in life expectancies across our city. He called on us to do the work that is so much bigger than us, that is about our children and the generations yet unborn. Finished, he wrote down his number, and he leaned close and said, call me. You hear me . I will help you with whatever you need to help our city. And he did. Whenever we needed funding for mental health, dental health, child health, violence prevention any program to help our residents congressman cummings thought for us, and he got us the resources. [applause] he told everyone how we in baltimore are effective and efficient. [applause] how what we do is about saving lives. And he came to countless advents to speak on the opioid epidemic, because we needed his moral authority to overcome stigma and treat addiction as the disease that it is. [applause] and every time, he would speak to every member of my team, to say thank you. He would say, thank you for turning your pain into your passion. That is your purpose. And he told them, as i heard him tell his staff, who he loved so much, and the young people who he mentor he would say, i want you to replace me someday, and he would look right at each person. We knowis presence, that we are seen. We are heard. And we matter. [applause] when i suffered a personal tragedy, miscarriage, he wrote to me to say that he and maia were here for me. When i went to other challenging times, he would remind me that for every season, there is a reason. And we may not know that reason. There is a lot we cannot control. What what is in our control is how we choose to live the life that we have, and how we must always let our conscience guide our conduct. When i eventually had my baby, he quoted the poet Carl Sandberg , that a baby is gods opinion that life should go on and he thanked me for helping god to deliver this powerful message. And i told congressman cummings that my husband and i decided to name that baby, our son, after him. [applause] when i told him, he cried. Little eli is now two. [applause] day expecting his baby sister, in a few months. Monthsre have been few in his life when i have not gotten some message or call asking about him. , he would say. How is my little eli doing . And what would be my last conversation with him, i told him how blessed i have been to have his mentor and ship mentorship. And he said, i am the one who is blessed, because you are part of my destiny as i am a part of yours. Are forevers here part of congressman cummingss destiny, as he is forever part of ours. All of us were fortunate to call him our mentor, friend, colleague. All of us were fortunate to love him and be loved by him. He challenged us to be better, and we are all better for knowing him. [applause] today, we feel the deep pain over his loss. We feel the deep pain for his one and only beloved maya, for his daughters that he always called the gift that keeps on giving, for his entire family that he loved so deeply. We feel the deep pain for the loss of this great man who has touched every part of our city and everyone in our city. [applause] i believe congressman cummings would ask us to turn that pain into our passion. That is our purpose. I believe he would ask us to honor his life legacy i carrying on his lifes work and making it our own. I believe he would ask us to call upon our better angels and think about the work that is bigger than us so much bigger than us that is about our children and the generations yet unborn. And share our destiny to fight for the world as it should be. The congressman Elijah Eugene cummings we love you. We thank you. May we be worthy of you. And may you rest in peace. [applause] first, giving all to god, to the family, respected dignitaries, and extended friends, i sincerely appreciate the honor and privilege to express my deep appreciation for my friend, congressman Elijah Cummings. Todaymarks i will give are entitled the final letter. When i think of the congressman, i am reminded of a quote from bruce lee. The key toce said, immortality is living a life. Theremembering congressman asked me one day to go out into d. C. To meet some voters. At first i thought this would be a temporary assignment that would last a few days. Know that it would turn into two and a half years of working with angel. Suddenly, my life transformed from district director to bodyguard, mechanic, advisor, choosing what we would eat for lunch, and most importantly, friend. I worked with the congressman for 15 years, and he always took the time to teach me and the staff valuable life lessons. However, the last two and a half hours were different two and a half years were different. Me, spikes, if you give me five minutes, i can teach you something it took me 20 years to learn. But me marinate for a second. Let that marinate for a second. Most of the lessons you might think were verbal, but i learned more from watching the congressman than i did in conversation. Lesson number 1 compassion and kindness. Thatongressman believes empathy resided in all of us. He thought that compassion and kindness brought us closer to god. He believed that those attributes were the key to uniting the human spirit. Lesson number two the congressman believed in bridges. He knew that an opportunity, no matter how big or small, meant the difference between life or persons a matriculation in this world. I always met someone who was grateful the congressman took interest in their life. And had he not, they would not have had the blessings and opportunities that they had today. [applause] number three, value your friendships. He said he would always be obedient to god, because he knew that god works through us in a spiritual capacity. What does this mean . And i enjoyedn talking about carpentry. It was through our conversations that i learned an important lesson. Always check on your friends. Be the foundation for your friends when their house collapses. And be the roof for your friends when the rain comes. [applause] number four pass the ball. The congressman once told me that a true leader shares leadership. To get the ball down the court to women, share the ball. Give others the opportunity to lead. [applause] he emphasized this lesson by looking to the youth for answers, and choosing people to join him on his mission to help all americans. We saw this in his committee assignments. Lesson number five, which is hard for me work through your pain. The congressman was one of the hardest workers i ever knew. And we traveled through the country in his mission to fight for the soul of our democracy. When he spoke on the house floor or travel to a Community Center to talk to children, he was always in pain. However, when it was time to address his audience, the congressman transformed into a spiritual warrior. It was as if he had received the cure to his pain. O armor no sword. No shield. But gods weapon of unconditional love for people. [applause] however, when he was on stage, his cure was that he knew he would be truly speaking to a generation he would never see. For days, i have been trying to lesson, buthe fifth i finally got it. If he were here, the congressman would tell me, harry, a member to be greater than your pain. Transcend darkness, and become the light to lead to better days. When all hopeght is lost. And when one leg does not work, use a walker. Standing. U will be [applause] in my spirit, the congressman to say one last thing to the staff. Thank you for everything you gave me. I could not have been the leader without you. Vernon, thank you for being the general of my army. [applause] to family, thank you for letting me be bobby. To my wife, thank you for your love and support. To my children, when you get ,onely and you need me there watch the lion king, and remember my favorite part, when they say he lives in you. I will always live in you. [applause] to all in attendance, remember this final lesson. Life may change. You may change. Will,. Oices will come, but the congressman proves to us all that courage and will are timeless. Thank you. [applause] [cheers and applause] to god be the glory to god be the glory this man lived for god, and he is of god i have come here today to say two simple words thank you. Thank you. Thanks to everyone. The seventh Congressional District he loved Baltimore City. Baltimore, thank you for everything you did to pour into him to make him who he was, to allow him to be and to rise to greatness. Howard county, he once and always said whenever he spoke to you, it it is my honor and privilege to serve you, and he meant every word of it. Two baltimore county, he enjoyed serving you as well, so thank you so much for supporting and working with him. All of his Congressional Colleagues it was a distinct honor and privilege to walk beside you, to fight the good fight. The congressional black caucus, he was a proud member of, and once led. To all the leadership of the senate and certainly the house mansi pelosi, thank you. He considered you his mentor. Obama, he was so proud. [applause] maya he was so proud. To stand with you and for you early, to be your cochair here in the state of maryland, to serve as your chief defense attorney on the House Oversight committee [applause] that you to make sure and your administration were all right. But you did not have any challenges like we got going on now. So his job became harder over time. That being said, president clinton, he was absolutely honored to be your friend. He counted you amongst his friends. [applause] he invited you, you showed up. One of the proudest moments of his life when you came right here to this Baptist Church and worshipedth us with us. We thank you so much. Secretary clinton, oh my goodness he spent many an hour defending you. Against spurious claims on tow he had to go actually work to fight for the soul of our democracy against very real corruption. [applause] maya i want you all to know that it was not easy, but congressman what chairman cummings did was not easy. And it got infinitely more difficult in the last month of his life, when he sustained personal attacks and attacks on his beloved city. And while he carried himself with grace and dignity in all public forums, it hurt him, because one thing you do not know about congressman cummings he was a man of soul and spirit. He felt very deeply. He was very empathetic. It was one of his greatest gifts. And it was one of the sources of his ability to be a Public Servant and a man of the people. , to have the weeks activities basically be laid out in such a glorious way, to be a tribute to the great man that he was, to the great legacy that he left to be the first africanamerican congressman to ever lie in state in the u. S. Capitol [applause] maya now, it is true that he dictated every aspect of his service today, and he would have told me, my, i dont want a service at the u. S. Capitol, but i felt very strongly that they were trying to tear him down, and we needed to make sure that he went out with the respect and the dignity that he deserved. [applause] maya this was a man of the utmost integrity do you hear me . He had integrity and he cared about our democracy he cared about our planet he cared about our community he wanted to make sure that we left a society worthy of our children so i just want to tell you that it also was not easy in the last months of his life, because he absolutely was in payment. But get this he was a walking miracle. Do you know that he was diagnosed with a lifethreatening illness more than 25 years ago . He was given six months to live more than 25 years ago. And he kept going. He kept fighting. He kept standing. He kept working honor and my distinct privilege to be his spouse. [applause] nyack just maya just two days before he died, he was in a lot of pain. He could no longer walk. Tired. Saying, i am im ready to go. And so the wonderful, worldclass staff at the Johns Hopkins hospital at the Johns Hopkins university they came in and they said that we wanted to give him sunshine therapy. And so they rolled his entire medical bed out of the room, into the 14th floor, the rooftop of Johns Hopkins hospital, where they land the helicopters for lifethreatening situations, and we rolled out, and it was glorious, and it was a beautiful day, with light everywhere. Wassun was shining and it absolutely glorious. It was gods day. And he looked out over the inner harbor, harbor east. He looked toward self baltimore, his beloved self baltimore, where he grew up in his early years. He looked toward the downtown and he looked toward the west side, and he said, boy have i come a long way. [applause] and he absolutely came along way. And so with that i want to say thank you for pouring into him, thank you for supporting him, thank you for allowing him to serve you because it was his greatest honor and privilege to work on behalf of all of you. The family has been heartened. Our pain has been lessened by all the love we have received from everyone here in this city, the state, the region, and the world. And so i want to say thank you. God is good. Take care. [applause] elijahs life touched many. And we gather here today not for, as maya said, a sprint to the finish line, what we gather here to pay homage to a man who meant so much to all of us. Individuals fought in our driveway to make this morning a morning spent not in morning mourning, but sharing with the friends and family of this congressman. I speak of the one and only honorable William Jefferson , 42nd president of the honorabletes, and the president ma, the 44th of these United States. They are going to come in that order and share their thoughts now. Will you greet president William Clinton . [applause] [organ music] pres. Clinton thank you bishop. Maya, all the members of the bishop, honorees i thank you for many things, but especially for the decades of guidance and genuine friendship you gave to elijah. Exactlyue that almost toyears ago, he invited me new psalms on the sunday before the election. [laughter] and i remember, love that you introduced the staff, because we would all be dead without the people that are helping us. Yourf you are a president , staff is always trying to tell you why you should not do something, or you should not go somewhere. I remember this very well. It is the sunday before the election. I get whatgo you want to go to an africanamerican church, but why would you go to baltimore . Come on. They were so good to you. It always vote for you. They always vote for you. And why would you go for Elijah Cummings . He has been in the house 15 minutes. He literally had not finished one term yet. I said, i have just got a feeling this is something we ought to do, and if we do it, we will know whether it was right or not. And so the bishop rolls out the red carpet. Thousands of people were there. And you may remember we got in some trouble, didnt we . We got in some trouble. People criticized us for having vote event in a church, said it was inappropriate. As i remember, elijah reminded people that are constitutional rights, including the freedom of assembly, the freedom of speech, depended on people giving voice to them in elections. In the debate. Then, i got to listen to elijah talk that day. Deal ibout a lousy had to follow both the bishop and Elijah Cummings. At least i am getting in ahead of you and president obama today. [laughter] [applause] in my old age, i am glad to do it. Anyway, elijah was great. And he ended with his quiet and and rhythmicsoned voice growing into his booming voice, quoting that wonderful verse from the 40th chapter of isaiah, saying wait upon the lord. They will have their strength new. They will wind up with wings of eagles. They will walk and faint not. He kept going more and more. The crowd was going crazy. Over the course of these last few days, i have had the chance to think a lot about elijahs life. So did sort of mirror isaiah. He had one of the greatest oneliners in the history of human affairs. When the lord asked who shall i send and who will go for me, isaiah said, here i am, lord. Send me. Elijah cummings spent a whole life saying send me, an entire lifetime. [applause] aes. Clinton he was not even teenager when he hauled down to the Swimming Pool to integrate it, and for his trouble gets banged on the head with a glass bottle, leaving him a lifetime scar, which he bore with honor. Baltimorehe people of sent him to annapolis, and then you sent him to washington. On behalf of the rest of the nation, i would like to thank you. You did a good thing. Over all theking things that he worked on, just in the four years we were together. He was elected the year i was reelected, 1996. He had this amazing array of interests. But we all know now that at least until certain things , his legacy is how toently he honored his oath protect and defend the constitution of the United States. I think he did it for a lot of reasons. He loved the fact that his lives made his a Great American story, and he loved that it confirmed his faith. He knew without the laws of the constitution, the rights guaranteed by it, and the abuses it was designed to prevent without that constitution, he would not have been in congress. I so he said to himself, day, i willery not let this promise be sullied. And he did his best. [applause] and while doing his best, fighting his heart out, sticking up for hillary and lots of other people, many of whom were voiceless and weak and whiler be known doing all that, he actually made, in one of the most turbulent periods of our countrys history, a lot of republican friends. Why did he do that . How did he do that . It becausedid everybody could see he was the real deal. Believed. His heart was in it. And i think he did it because no matter how hard he fought and how passionately he argued, he tried to treat everybody the way he wanted to be treated, the way he thought americans should be treated. You cant run a free society if you have to hate everybody you disagree with. I mean, sooner or later, if you have been married 45 years and both of you are thinking, you are going to have a disagreement or two. If you are in a business or a team, or in a campaign, and you are thinking, you are going to have disagreements. Believed that he should treat people the way he wanted to be treated, and he believed if broad,dy accepted his enduring, and inclusive definition of one america, where we respect our differences and think what we have in common matters more, and we all live under the same set of rules, and we all believe that under those rules, those of us who have more than we need should do more to help those who do not have enough, then everything would work out ok. Now, thats what he believed. He was soends proud that he could help resolve the personal spat between his republican congressional friend and a new member of the democratic caucus. Believed. So here is what i want to leave you with. Elijah spent his working life in the tradition of isaiah. He went again and again and. Gain but i think in his lasting , we should think elijahbout the prophet for this reason. Be killed foro his ardent promotion of his faith. He hid in a cave. Either within or next to mount sinai. He received a message from god to go up and stand on top of the mountain, and wait for the voice of god to speak to him. He had already had a pretty hard time. Just like at the end of elijahs life, he has already had a pretty hard time. You have to go through this too . So there is elijah standing on the mountain, and a huge wind came, so strong it broke the rocks of the mountain, but the lord was not in the wind. Then an earthquake came, shaking everything, but the lord was not in the earthquake. , but the lordcame was not in the fire. And then, what does the scripture say . Voice. , small [scattered applause] this clinton elijah by point had gotten rid of all the pomp, all the circumstance, all the glory. Ut still, small voice i love this man. I loved every minute i ever spent with him, every conversation we ever had. I loved his booming voice. But we should hear him now in the quiet times at night and in the morning, when we need courage, when we get discouraged and we dont know if we can believe anymore. Should hear him. We should hear him. [applause] let our elijah be us what he himself heard that keepsall voice us going, keeps us grateful, keeps us happy, and keeps us moving. Hank you and god bless you [applause] [organ music] [cheers and applause] pres. Obama two the president bishop,t lady, and the and the family, to the cummings mr. President , madam secretary, madam speaker, governor, friends, colleagues, ff soil. Eds on good [applause] pres. Obama the parable of the stand up fors those with a noble and good word, retainar the and by persevering, produce a crop. Soil. Ed on good Elijah Cummings came from good soil. [applause] and in this sturdy frame, goodness took root. His parents were sharecroppers from the south. And picked tobacco , and then sought ,omething better in this city south baltimore. Shifts at a plant, and ruth cleaned other peoples homes. ,hey became parents of seven preachers to a small flock. I remember i had the pleasure of ruth,g elijahs mother, and she told me she prayed for , and i knew it was true, and i felt better for it. Sometimes, people say they are praying for you, and you dont know. [applause] they might be praying about you. [laughter] but you dont know if they are praying for you. Miss ruth was telling the truth. So they were the proverbial salt of the earth, and they passed on and that grit, but also that kindness and that their son. Made him elijahs dad shine his shoes and tie his tie, and they would go to the airport not to board the airplanes, but to watch others do it. I remember elijah telling me this story. Robert would say, i have not flied. I may not fly. But you will fly one day. We cant afford it right now, but you will fly. His grandmother, as a leisure , asted as elijah related grandmothers do, was a little more impatient with her advice. Beendaddy, she said, he waiting and waiting for a better day. Dont you wait. And elijah did not wait. Elijah earnedds, his degrees. He learned about the rights of all people in this country that all people in this country are supposed to possess, a little help, apparently, from peer and mason. Elijah from perry mason. Elisha became a lawyer to make , and hisrs had rights people had their godgiven rights, and from the statehouse to the house of representatives. His commitment to justice and the rights of others would never, ever waiver. Waver. Example, a son of parents who rose from nothing to , ave out a Little Something Public Servant who toiled to guarantee the least of us have the same opportunities that he who onced, a leader said he would die for his people , even as he lived every minute his life validates the things we tell ourselves about what is possible in this country. , but possible. That ourbility preordained. Not works,her, through our with our dedication, and our willingness to open our hearts to gods message of love for all live purposeful life. Harvest. Ap a bountiful we are neither sentenced to weather among the rocks nor assured a bounty, but we have a , ascity, a chance individuals and as a nation, to root ourselves in good soil. Elisha elijah understood that. Thats why he fought for justice. Hiss why he embraced beloved community of baltimore. Thats why he went on to fight for the rights and opportunities for gods people all across america. Not just in his district. [applause] pres. Obama he was never complacent, for he knew that without clarity of purpose and a steadfast faith, and the dogged determination demanded by our , the promise of this nation can wither. , was notcy, he knew only corrosive for our collective lives, but for our individual lives. Elijahbeen remarked that was a kind man. I tell my daughters and i have to say, listening to elijah s daughters speak, that got me choked up. I am sure those of you who have sons feel the same way, that there is something about daughters and their fathers but there is something about daughters and their fathers. [applause] pres. Obama and i was thinking i would want my daughters to know how much i love them, but i would also want them to know that being a strongman includes mang kind a strong includes being kind. [applause] pres. Obama that there is nothing weak about kindness and compassion. There is nothing weak about looking out for others. There ishing nothing weak about being honorable. You are not a sucker to have integrity and to treat others with respect. [applause] pres. Obama i was sitting here and i was just noticing the cummings ijah e elijah e. Cummings. Title thathis is a we confer on all kinds of people who get elected to Public Office. [laughter] [applause] we are supposed to introduce them as honorable. [laughter] pres. Obama but cummings was honorable before he was elected to office. Theres a difference. [applause] pres. Obama there is a difference if you were honorable and treated others honorably. Outside the limelight. On the side of a road. Moment, counseling somebody you work with. Letting your daughters know you love them. [applause] pres. Obama you know, as president , i knew i could always count on elijah being honorable and doing the right thing. And people have talked about his voice. There is something about his voice. It just made you feel better. You know, there is some people that have that deep baritone, a prophetic voice. And when it was good times and we achieved victories together, that voice and that laugh was a gift. But you needed it more during the tough times, when the path ahead looked crooked, when obstacles abounded. N i entertain doubts doubts, or i saw those who were in the fight start to waiver, that is when elijahs voice mattered most. Once during my presidency, when the economy still looked like it might plunge into depression, when the healthcare bill was pronounced dead in congress, i would watch elijah rally his colleagues. The cost of doing nothing isnt say, and folksld would remember why they entered into public service. Livingldren are the messengers we send to a future we will never see, he would say, and he would remind all of us that our time is too short not to fight for whats good and what is true, and what is best in america. [applause] to 300bama 200 years years from now, he would say, people will look back at this moment and they will ask questions. What did you do . And hearing him, we would be reminded that it falls upon each of us to give voice to the voiceless and comfort to the sick, and opportunity to those not born to it, and to preserve. Nd nurture our democracy was a man ofgs noble and good heart. Faithrents and his planted the seeds of hope and and and compassion righteousness in that good soil of his. He has harvested all the crops that he could, for the lord has now called Elisha Elijah home, to give his humble, faithful servant rest. And it now falls on us to continue his work, so that as other young boys and girls from baltimore, across maryland, across the United States, and around the world might too have a chance to grow and to flourish. Him. S how we will honor thats how we will remember him. Thats what he would hope for. Memory of thethe very honorable Elijah Cummings. And may god bless this city and the state in this nation that he loved. God bless you. Thank you. [applause] music] years,just about 40 Elijah Cummings was an active member of the new psalmist back Baptist Church. His faith was strengthened and enriched through the Preaching Ministry of Walter Scott Thomas senior whom he not only called pastor, he called him friend. Well the next voice we shall hear is that of congressman Elijah Cummings pastor. Presidingtor and the of the Kingdom Association of covenant pastors. I asked we might stand in honored reference to the office he holds as bishop. Bloodnd hath shed his own for my soul. It is well. It is well. With my soul. With my soul. Well, it is well with my soul. My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought. Part but then whole, and iled to the cross, bear it no more, lord, praise the lord, o my soul. Well. Is it is well. With my soul. With my soul. Well, it is well with. Y soul shall be found as the lord shall ascend. It is well, it is well with my soul. It is well. It is well. It is well. With my soul. With my soul. With, it is well my soul. [applause] bishop. Thomas what a day. Tellover to someone and them i dont mind being here. We come to honor one who has meant so much to all of us. We have listened and we have blessedd we have been by many who have come to speak about the congressman. There is a word that i want to share, my role is slightly slightly, my role is different from all of those who had the privilege to speak, ive come with a different task. Friend for almost 40 years, he sat right over there and for a while he sat right over there and at the other church he sat on the second or third row. At our other church right up front. Every 7 16here service. On one occasion he brought friends to a later service, a service they did not normally and found that that service was altogether different. [laughter] bishop. Thomas from the one to which they were accustomed. But he and she in church every elijahs last, wascial congressional act to sign some subpoenas. [applause] i saw him that morning, i did not know he was still working, but he was. But that was not his last official act for god. God,ast official act for and let me preface it by saying this. So many times preachers will talk about speaking truth to power, it is a common statement known by many, we speak truth to power. The real problem is power is not often there. Elijahs last official act for the kingdom of god was to bring power to church. [applause] bishop. Thomas i did not get a big a man on that. Act did not real take place last wednesday in the hospital room with pen in hand and paper before him, his last act took place or takes place today when men and women [applause] bishop. Thomas from every whoct of life, from those run corporations, those who thosehallowed halls who sit with rows behind benches. Legislation in cities, counties, states and governments have all made their cameo the place that he every sunday morning because his last act i believe with all my heart. Is that he wanted you to know why he came to church. [applause] somebody better hear me today. Why hewanted us to know came to church. There is a word in psalm 73 , ise 15, if i had not spoken would have trade, i would have betrayed your children, when i tried to understand all of this, it troubles me deeply till i entered into the sanctuary of god and then i understood. Church,s he sat in this but all his life he was a servant of almighty god. [applause] bishop. Thomas oh yes. Regular talk on the aboutfter week, we met the seventhl was Congressional District congressman and was having a banquet downtown and i had accepted a responsibility i never wouldve normally expect to do the invocation and benediction. I planned to do the invocation because i was going to sneak out. [laughter] bishop. Thomas but i had made the commitment to do both and so that meant i had to stay and i was seated beside this young lawyer and i sat with him and we talked the whole while. The speaker was bad and boring. [laughter] bishop. Thomas so we chatted all the way through it. I found out he was from south baltimore like i was, he was right over the hanover street bridge, i was on the others, ponderosa, the garden spot of american living. [applause] bishop. Thomas and he was from south baltimore proper and so we talked about that and then we change the conversation after we realized we had that in common and traveled on to where we were in school because in maryland and baltimore, where you went to high school is critical. Toinformed me he had gone this castle on the hill, this place with a black night commonly called city college. [applause] bishop. Thomas i informed him i had gone to the only high school in the city, the baltimore polytechnic institute. [applause] laughedthomas and we over the salad as we talked about that. We found out we had so much in common and we became friends and little by little i saw him coming into the church and then he joined, family joined, and elijah became a permanent fixture here, for a time our legal counsel, always my counselor. We became fast friends and every sunday morning Elijah Cummings is in church and god is moving him higher and higher and higher. Dont tell me serving god wont lift you up. [applause] bishop. Thomas dont tell me the steps of a good man. A good man are not ordered by the lord. God raised him one step after another. Kappa from Howard University, graduating university of maryland lawyer. He could have been in any 500 company, a major lawyer downtown with any of the major law firms, but instead he decided to open his practice to help people who could not find help for themselves. Attorneybrilliant running a shop and god is elevating him with no political machine behind him whatsoever. None. From the times he ran for his first office to the time he ran for his last seat in congress, Elijah Eugene cummings never had a political machine behind him. Never. [applause] bishop. Thomas he had no clubs. He just had people. He had people from here and there and everywhere who would come out and support him. God raising him up every sunday in church. God raising him up higher and higher. He runs for state delegate, wins that seat. Heyday had in their planted a seed in him and it had begun to grow and he wanted to step into Public Office and so he climbs in. God is still lifting him. Gods god puts him in congress. And as the president said, he hadnt been there 15 minutes when he invited William Jefferson clinton, president of the United States to come to his home church and worship. Congress, he was in for every year he was in the state house, for every year he was a lawyer, he was in church. And the question comes on the last thing that he can do, because the request came to have his service at the basilica, to have his service downtown, to have his service in various other large places in town, but the decision was made by his wife that his service would be psalmist, the new Baptist Church. Power tos bringing church. [applause] bishop. Thomas somebody better hear what im saying. Elijah has brought power to church. Somebody better hear me. People coming from everywhere. The only thing we dont have as a couple in the ceiling. They are everywhere. We have security, we have got secret service and public service, we have everything everywhere. They all have come to church. We had folks calling up saying i want 20 seats, i want five seats and you know what we did, we said we will get you every seed you want because elijah wants you in church. On the day he goes home. [applause] bishop. Thomas somebody says who are you inviting, we are inviting everybody. Somebody said youve got too many vips, i told the Team Everybody is a vip. Bring everybody and treat them like a vip. Our fraternity is here, the sororities are here, you name it, every place of power elijah has called them in. [applause] why did elijah think you ought to be in church . [cheering] bishop. Thomas why did elijah think you ought to be in church . Help me somebody. Somebody say auto. Uh oh. He found something in church. I feel like preaching right now. I feel like doing a dance for my friend elijah. Elijah wanted you in church because he wanted you to know what he found in church. Elijah found in gods house and with god that god will help you butgnize your own frailties cling to your own possibilities. That is what he came to church for. He would be the first want to tell you he wasnt perfect. He would be the first want to tell you that he struggled and wrestled like everybody else. That he had to climb the rough side of the mountain. You dont come to church to know the obvious, you come to church to find out is there a way to still be somebody when ive got baggage hanging off me. Is there a way to do something with my life so messed up. I wish some of us in this room could quit acting as if our lives were all tied together with a nice bow on top, some of yall are wondering how are you going to make it and how will you get through and how you are going to climb the mountain. Elijah said i come to church because in church he looks beyond my faults and god sees my needs. God looks at looks past my shortcomings, and says i dont always do right, some of us say i know some of yall did not nudge. You know you have problems like every body else, elijah said i come to church because in church i can recognize my failures and i can claim my possibilities so that when i leave church, i can go out of here and help somebody else it is no secret what god can do in your life. What he has done. [applause] bishop. Thomas he will surely do, that is why i want you here. [applause] bishop. Thomas you only see peoples frailties, you dont see their possibility. Thats why i want you here. ,ou only see how they messed up i want you to see what they can become. I wish i had some folks here who could remember that because some of us didnt always come from living high. No meal,s came from missed meal and skipped meal. Some of us came from mama doing your hair in the kitchen. Some of us came from walking to school, help us god. Some of us came from those brown bags you cut up and put over your boots and call them boot covers. Some of us came from starting out First Business in the basement. Somebody better hear me. God will show you all things are possible if you believe. [applause] im not going to be long, that is what he wanted you here. He wanted you to come with your brokenness and understand that every week he brought his brokenness and god gave him and showed him his possibilities. I remember when he ran for office, for congress no machine, people he thought would be with him warrant. Were not. Hello. Come on now. [applause] bishop. Thomas folks he thought had his back left his back. Others put a dagger in his back. And folks were saying he aint going to win. He doesnt have a chance. I remember talking on the phone with him and i could hear him crying on the other end, hear him crying and i said elijah, you are going to win this. He said how do you know and i said my daddy said so. [applause] [cheering] bishop. Thomas and on that night he won. Political heads were turned. I got in my car and wrote down there as a proud pastor of the Eugene Cummings and said look at god. Take you from south baltimore and put you in congress. Dont you tell me what god cant do. Thats the first thing. You know why you wanted to come to church. He wanted you to come to church because he knew that he came to us,ch because all of especially those in this room need a regrounding of your grounding. [applause] need a thomas regrounding of your grounding. Some of us have forgotten what we were brought up on. We forgot when somebody died in my neighborhood you had a buffet. Somebody came in with a ham, somebody brought greens. Somebody brought a pie. Somebody was around the neighborhood collecting money, i remember when there were only a few cars in the neighborhood and so everybody would pile into a car like a National Almanac trying to set a new record going to the beach. I remember when we had barbecues in the backyard and when a sprinkler was just Swimming Pool what the Swimming Pool. [applause] bishop. Thomas but we grew up with integrity, we grew up caring for each other. We grew up with a sense of selflessness. Help me somebody. Weekh came to church every because he knew how easy it is to forget where you come from. [applause] bishop. Thomas as a friend of mine once said, a person speaking trying to let people know how impressive they were and they were telling them that the church was having a dinner after church and they were having chitter lings and collards. [laughter] bishop. Thomas somebody said whats that. But sometimes we have forgotten where we come from and sometimes we have to make sure our nation does not forget the very things that have been planted in our spirit. Elijah brought you to church today so that that moral compass can be reset so your grounding can get back. So we can remember we hold these truths to be selfevident that all men are created equal and are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights of which are life, liberty and the pursuit of happyness. Cheers and applause] bishop. Thomas he brought you to church to be regrounded. Forget it. Can we can get so caught up in the new place where we are. That we forget the old place that brought us there. Some of us grew up on amazing grace. Some of us grew up on the lord is my light and we forgot that in the end, we will not stand before president s or kings, we will stand before he who is the judge of the ages. And when i see him i want to stand shoulder to shoulder with all of those who have stood before me and not be ashamed because im grounded in where i came from. [applause] bishop. Thomas mom and dad were preachers, they were pentecostal preachers, you will miss that. Dont you equate. In a pentecostal home, you are going to learn how to pray. Sisters am i right, brothers and sisters . And in a pentecostal church, you or i promisechurch you they will cast out the devil. Am i right . [applause] bishop. Thomas elijah could never want to forget that. He didnt want to be driven around and forget when he had to scrape money together. Somebody better hear me in here. He didnt want to be flashy and forget what it was like to have folks say i will pay you later and be able to live with that and accept it. He never wanted to lose what was grounded in him. Church he brought you to because too many in our country are forgetting where they came from. [applause] bishop. Thomas and what was instilled in them. We were not taught to be divided. [applause] mama would back slap you if you talk out of turn. Somebody out here remember this line. I didnt beat you for what you did, i would beat you for how you said it. Help me somebody. Elijah said i never want to lose that ability to talk to folks and get along. We may disagree on the issue, but you are still a person and im still a person and we are still trying to get somewhere. My mama taught me that, my mama taught me im not worse than anybody but she also taught me im not better than anybody and she taught me that the god i serve will make a way for everybody, she taught me how to take care of the least, the left out, the lonely, those that cannot lift themselves. Do you know why our elijah was so articulate . He never forgot his grounding. I heard people mentioning that elijah was a was like the prophet elijah. Elijahe talking about the prophet, but elijah was a prophet. A prophet according to an Old Testament scholar and says a prophet does three things, a prophet critiques the dominant ideology. A prophet articulates the public offers up prophet Creative Solutions for those who cannot find their way. Ive got news for you, because he stayed grounded in who he was, elijah would always critique the dominant ideology. He did not care whether you liked it or not, his voice would rise, his lips would quiver, he would say come on now, we can do better than this. His hand would sometimes start shaking. He would see that on the others of his hand moving. Critiqued what was not right in america. Not only did he critique, he spoke for folks who had no voice. Noause he grew up having voice. He grew up in a community and a world where we were not allowed to do what we can now do and elijah said as god gives me breath i will speak for those who cannot. I will articulate for those who cannot articulate. I need you to grab somebody and tell them dont forget where you came from. [applause] bishop. Thomas theres the last reason he came to church. He came to church and then im done and we take him to his final rest. I hope im telling them why. Hope im telling you then why you took them to church. Knownday to friday he is as the honorable congressman Elijah Cummings. Washington and other places know him as the congressman Elijah Cummings. If you travel to the city of baltimore in the streets of ,altimore and someone meets him rarely will they say elijah. It is too much respect for this man who lives in the heart of the city, too much respect and they will say mr. Cummings. You go around town baltimore, mr. Cummings. People on the street, mr. Cummings, because he is spoken of with great reverence. At new saul missed, he is at , he is brother elijah. Monday through friday he is solving the problems of the world. In the streets and neighborhoods he is trying to show possibility but when he comes here on entourage fanfare, no , no nothing. Come marching right down the side and sit down. No smile for the camera, just come in and take their seat. Amongst every body else in the here forause he comes , to get reason they do to go back to the assignment that god has given them to do. Some of you are weary in well doing. Some of you are weary because of all you have to face in these turbulent times. Some of you are wary and dealing with the state of the union and how things are going to happen, but week after week, Elijah Cummings came to church so that that kind of pessimism could never take root in his soul. So that that kind of hopelessness and despair could never be the tenor of his conversation. Because gody week was telling him i will give you the strength to go back and make a difference one more week. All i need you to do is have faith and believe that i will make a way somehow. You dont know how sick he has been over these years, there were times i did not expect to see him come into church and she would say he is coming today and he would roll right on in because elijah would say as long as god gives me strength i am going to be able to go back and fight another day. Never fighting with despair, never fighting with pessimism, fighting with the one weapon jesus christ made sure he had and that weapon was an unshakable faith. A faith that god did not bring me this far to leave me now. That god did not bring our nation this far to leave us now. , you arentefore us hearing what im saying. He is more than the world against us. I can goe up back to my district, i can go back to my committee because the strong hand of the lord is on me. His wish for you is that you will have a place. A faith that will not shrink. Tremble from the quake of any earthly well. Sleep on,ah elijah. It took me a while to get here, but i can stand before my god and i can hear him say well done done, may theve work ive done speak for me. [applause] bishop. Thomas i want us all to stand. Bishop. Thomas its the last moments. I need you to hold somebodys hand, this service is nearing , but this isent his gift, this is his gift to you. Why he wanted you to come to church. Some folk didnt get here today. Some folk did not make it. Some folks said no. But you came. You came. Dont ever forget. And maintain your faith in the right fullness of god sitting on the throne. Though pressed by many a foe. That will not tremble on the brink woe. Y earthly not murmur nor complain rod,tning hour of grief or pain. Upon its god faith that shines more clear and tempests rage without, when in danger, knows no fear. Feels no doubt. D, give me such a faith as this, come,er make now the hallowed bliss eternal home. Faithfaith o for a that will not shrink pressed by many a foe, tremble on the brink worthy woe. For a faith that will not shrink many a foe,d by that will not tremble on the brink earthly woe. O for a faith faitha faith. Bishop. Thomas praise god praise god. Heads for theyour closing prayer. Father, thank you for the ,ittle boy in south baltimore teenager and city college, the law and thein seasoned man in congress. Father whoor the spoke to his girls and made them for the husband who loved his wife till the very end. For the Family Member who knew the wide expanse of family love, thank you for the , the sanctified servant of the Lord Jesus Christ , whose weapons of warfare were mighty through god for the pulling down the strongholds. Now god we pray, thank you for letting us know him and now may eternity you have prepared for him. In the name of the one he served and to whom we surrender, jesus christ, are living, eternal and eternal, and soon coming king, we all say amen. Flowers will be taken out and we will begin the final departure. We ask all persons to remain in their place and in their space exited. Mily has pallbearers are asked to assemble at the rear of the. Hurch and the new psalmist associates and we shall depart this place singing the anthem of our people that he enjoyed so ,uch and has spoken so much lift every voice and saying. Saying thisrson melody. Lift every voice and saying till earth and heaven ring ring with the harmonies of liberty; let our rejoicing rise, hi is the listening skies, let it resound loud as the rolling sea lift every voice and saying sing singevery voice and of our newrising sun. Ay begun, let us march on one won. Is trod the road we bidder the chastening rod, felt in the day that hope unborn had died. Yet with the steady beat have not our weary feet come to the place on which our fathers side . Ed . Sigh way thatome over a with tears have been watered, till now gloomy past we stand at last gleam of ourte star is cast. If you look on the back of your programs you will see when they will be receiving friends, the invite you to go to that place and will be more than happy. Thanks to the funeral home for the fine way they have successfully god of our weary years, silent tears, brought us on the way has o path, weorever in the pray lest our feet stray from the where we metod, the. Hearts, drunk with the wine of the world, we forget thee, shadowed beneath our hand, stand,forever ,rue to our god native land. Present arms. Forward march. Conversations] [inaudible conversations] finishing up our live coverage of the Funeral Service for maryland congressman Elijah Cummings. You can watch it again right now at our website, cspan. Org. Intotype Elijah Cummings the video search box at the top of our homepage. We will show you todays service at 8 00 p. M. Eastern on our companion network, cspan2. Thats today. Live tonight, two candidates challenging President Trump for the republican nomination. Cspan hosts a conversation with former Massachusetts Governor bill weld and former South Carolina governor and congressman mark sanford. They talk about their plans, strategies, and why they are running against the president. They will also be taking your calls, tweets, and facebook comments. Andh anytime on cspan. Org listen wherever you are using the free cspan radio app. Politicon, the unconventional political convention, is live from music city in nashville on cspan. Speakers include political undit and culture, james comey, and nicole wallace. Commentators james khan bill and sean and former minnesota senator alan franken alanch him luck franken. Watch live on cspan and wherever you are using the free cspan radio app. Shortly, President Trump will deliver remarks at the criminal Justice Reform gathering in columbia, South Carolina. The live coverage event starts eastern, we will have it for you on cspan. F the white house today, the president answered a few questions from reporters. Here is what he had to say. Mr. President. [crowd cheering lightly] hi everybody,p hi. How are you . So the stock market is doing very well, the economy is booming. We have a new record in si