Sadness, Pride Fill Mourners of Bishop

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Ceremony for Bishop Loud and Lively

Scene from the lively celebration for Bishop S.C. "Daddy" Madison Sunday at God's White House of the United House of Prayer for All People in Washington, D.C.

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Young men sporting sharp suits and carrying tubas and trombones started arriving at God's White House early yesterday. D.C. police closed the street to accommodate the crowd.

Madison's coffin entered the church to "God Bless America" and the wails of his followers.

Seated in a wheelchair in a hallway waiting for her chance to view Madison's body -- draped in white and gold and under a glass cover -- Michelle Washington, 52, said she had been in the church all her life. She now lives in one of the church's apartment complexes in Northwest. "He provided us with homes," she said. "He provided jobs to individuals, and he also provided us hope where we could wake up each day and see Jesus."

Apostle H.L. Whitner, pastor of God's White House and Madison's longtime lieutenant, spent most of his time in his study as he prepared to eulogize his spiritual leader and friend.

"This is our headquarters and where he pastored for more than 22 years, and for 16 years, I was his assistant."

After today's funeral and burial, the church will have a 30-day mourning period.

The names of several candidates to succeed Bishop Madison have already emerged, but each has agreed that the intense politicking likely to emerge must wait for another day.

Madison, himself, rose to power in the affluent church in 1992 in a hotly disputed election.

Yesterday, Huff said she isn't worried about the future of her church.

"We all have the same feelings of sadness, but we have a sense of pride that regardless of who becomes the next bishop, the House of Prayer will continue to grow and remain strong."