Decades and guidance and genuine friendship that you gave to elijah. It is true that a most exactly 21 years ago he invited me on the sunday before the election. [applause] and i remember i love that you introduce the staff because wed all be dead without the people helping us. But if your president your staff is always trying to tell you why you shouldnt do something. Why you shouldnt go somewhere. I remember this very well. Its tuesday, the sunday before the election, why would you g go i get what you want to go to an africanamerican church, but why would you go to baltimore, we were so good to you. They always vote for you. Why would you go for elijah cummings, hes been in the house for 15 minutes. I said i just got a feeling this is something we ought to do. And if we do it will know whether it was right or not. And so the bishop rolls out the red carpet, thousands of people come. And you may remember, we got into trouble didnt we. We got in trouble. People were having get up the vote event in a church that was inappropriate. And as i remember elijah reminded people that are constitutional right including the freedom of religion, the freedom of the summary, the freedom of speech depended on people giving voice to them in elections. [applause] and debate. Then, talk about a lousy deal. I had to follow both the bishop and elijah cummings. [applause] and at least in getting ahead of you and president obama today. [applause] in my old days im glad to do it. Anyway, elijah was great. And he ended with his client and reasoned voice going into his booming voice by quoting the wonderful verse in the 40th chapter of isaiah they upon the lord will have the strength renewed in with wings as eagles and run and worthy. He kept doing 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. He really did follow isaiah he was greatest oneliners in Human Affairs when the lord asked whom should i send and who shall go for me, isaiah said here i am lord send me. Elijah cummings spent a whole life saying, send me. His entire lifetime. [applause] its not even a teenager when he holds onto the Swimming Pool to groups integrated and they get banged on the head with a glass bottle living wil leaving a lifr which you were with honor. And then the people of baltimore sent him to washington. On the behalf of the resignation i like to thank you. He did a good thing. [applause] i was looking over all the things that he worked on just in the four years we were together. He was elected the year i was reelected in 1996. He had an amazing array of interest that we all know now at least until certain things happen his legacy is how he honored his oath to protect and defend the constitution of the united states. [applause] i think he did it for a lot of reasons. He loved the fact that his parents humbled lives had a Great American story. And he loved that it confirmed his faith but he knew without the constitution and the laws were not guaranteed and the abuses were designed were about the constitution. He would not have been in congress and so he said to himself, i am certain everyday i will not let this promise be selling. [applause] and he did his best. And while doing his best in fighting his heart out, sticking up for hillary and lots of other people, many of whom were voiceless and weak and will never be known, without doing all that he actually made one of the most partisan periods in our countrys history, a lot of republicans friends. Why did he do that, how did he do that. I think he did it because everybody could see he was the real deal and doing what he believed and his heart was a wat it. [applause] no matter how hard he fought and how passionately hard he argued he tried to treat everybody he wanted to be treated. The way he thought america should be treated. [applause] you cant run a free society if you have to hate everybody disagree with. [applause] sooner or later if you been married 45 years and both of you are thinking youre going to have a disagreement or two. Sooner or later if youre in a business or a team or on a campaign in your thinking youre gonna have disagreements, he believed that he should treat people the way he wanted to be treated. And he believed if everybody accepted his endearing inclusive definition of one america were really respect our differences and think what we have in common and we all live under the same set of rules and we all believe under those rules those of us who have more than we need to do more to those who dont have enough, then everything would work out okay. [applause] now thats what he believes. And he was so proud that he could help resolve the personal spospat between his republican congressional friend in new member of the Democratic Caucus but he believed. Heres what i want to leave you with, elijah spent his working life in the tradition of isaiah. He went again and again, and again. But i think in his Lasting Legacy to us we should think again about the prophet elijah. For this reason. He was about to be killed for his promotion of his faith. He hid in a cave 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. So he had a pretty hard time just like at the end of elijahs life. He had a pretty hard time to stand on a mountain and it broke the rocks of the mon mountain. Then an earthquake came and shook everything. But the lord was not the earthquake. But the lord was on the fire. And then what did the scriptures say, elijah heard a small voice. Elijah by that point had gotten rid of all the wrong and all the circumstance and all the glory for the small voice. I love this man i loved every minute i overspent with him in every conversation we ever had i love his voice, but we should hear him no and 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. We should hear him. [applause] but are elijah before us with he himself heard the still small voice that keeps us going and keeps us grateful and keeps us happy and keeps us moving. Thank you. God blushing. [applause] bishop and first lady in the