Bishop C.M. Grace (Sweet Daddy Grace)
Bishop C.M. Grace, known to his followers as Sweet Daddy Grace, was born in Cape Verde Islands,Portugal in 1884. He came to America in 1903, and settled in New Bedford, Massachusetts. He was the founder, builder and organizer of the United House Of Prayer For All People. To his followers he was a spiritual leader, counselor, and father and was affectionately called by them, " Daddy." Later in 1919, he built the first House of Prayer by hand in West Wareham, Massachusetts. He left us with his words stating that another would be chosen from his regular ministers, who would be the spiritual advisory and master of this kingdom.
The flamboyant Bishop C.M. Grace, known as "Sweet Daddy Grace," was an effective evangelist who preached revival in a Pentecostal tradition that included brass "shout bands" and public baptisms.
But his first big success came five years later when he opened a church in Charlotte. The United House of Prayer for All People prided itself on an ecstatic worship style that included speaking in tongues. Grace claimed great powers and developed a line of products including "Daddy Grace" coffee, tea, soaps, and hand creams reputed to have healing properties. By the time of his death in 1960, the church he founded had become a denom- ination and Grace himself a rich man. Today, the denomination, with about 3.5 million members, has headquarters in Washington, D.C.
The Charlotte church is still successful, with about 10,000 members. It performs mass baptisms once a year with the help of fire hoses. Charlotte firefighters volunteer, using fog nozzles to spray a fine mist.
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