# Maryland's PHA Masons Perform Funeral Service for Elijah Cummings



## My Freemasonry (Nov 7, 2019)

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CSPAN viewers Wednesday saw something rarely televised. The Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Maryland conducted a Masonic funeral service for their fallen Brother, the late Elijah E. Cummings, Congressman for Maryland's 7th Congressional District. 

Brother Cummings passed to the Celestial Lodge on October 17th at the age of 68. He was a member of Baltimore's Corinthian Lodge No. 62.

Grand Lecturer Randolph S. Smith performed the solemn funeral ritual, followed by a tribute by Grand Master Emmanuel J. Stanley.





_Grand Master Emmanuel J. Stanley (far right)_​Cummings' body was laying in repose on Thursday at historically black Morgan State University in Baltimore. He was a Prince Hall Mason in Baltimore, and his casket was flanked by an honor guard of Prince Hall Masonic Knights Templar for the duration of the memorial service. 




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In addition to the many members of the MWPHGL of Maryland, Prince Hall Brethren came from West Virginia, Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia, and Hawaii to take part in this ceremony.

*If you have a Facebook account, a video excerpt from the broadcast showing the Prince Hall ceremony can be seen HERE.*

Elijah Cummings served on Morgan University's Board of Regents for 19 years, and it was one of his final wishes to lie in repose there. On Thursday, his casket was moved to Washington D.C. where he lay in state at the U.S. Capitol.


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Born in 1951, Brother Cummings served twelve terms in Congress for Maryland’s 7th Congressional District beginning in 1996 and most recently in the 2018 election. He represented portions of Baltimore and Baltimore County, and was popular with his constituents, typically receiving more than 70 percent of the vote and once running entirely unopposed. In Congress, he served as chair of the Committee of Oversight and Government Reform. Prior to his service in Congress, Cummings was a member of the Maryland House of Delegates for 14 years, where he was the first African American in the state’s history to serve as Speaker Pro Tempore. He is survived by his widow, Maya Rockeymoore Cummings.

His column is broken, and his brethren mourn.
_
Requiescat in pace._

*(The Youtube of the Live Stream begins after the Masonic service had started, and can be seen below.)*









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## Thomas Stright (Nov 8, 2019)

His public life and career was very un-masonic IMHO.


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## jermy Bell (Nov 9, 2019)

If he really was a mason, I'm guessing he forgot all his obligations.


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## Bro. David F. Hill (Nov 9, 2019)

I really do not appreciate the comments that are being made regarding the passing of a Prince Hall Mason. I have watched as this forum has turned nasty.  Both of you call yourself masons but talk bad about a deceased brother. Just a thought, what do you think people will say about you when your time comes. 

Brother David Hill


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## goomba (Nov 9, 2019)

All over social media I have seen brothers put down Brother Cummings.  No matter if your politics differ from him, he was elected repeatedly by the citizenry, and more importantly in the Masonic context he was our brother.  Shame on members of the Craft who are using his death as a political statement.  If you can't say something nice in matters like this and specifically on a Masonic forum it speaks volumes.  We are quick to look to the past to name famous figures in American History who were Freemasons.  Yet we have the same caliber of man today in the Craft.  I find it amazing that in today's age Brother Cummings status as a Freemason was completely separate from his political profession.  To me this shows our brother was able to separate these two worlds in an extremely professional manner.

Rest in peace Brother Cummings.


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## AndreAshlar (Nov 11, 2019)

These negative comments towards Brother Cummings are truly disheartening coming from men within the Craft. Sad.

Sent from my SM-G970U using My Freemasonry mobile app


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