Harold J. Benjamin, 71, bishop in West Phila.

Bishop Harold J. Benjamin, 71, of East Mount Airy, a prelate of the Church of God in Christ, died of complications from a stroke in the Atlanta home of a church official on Monday, Sept. 6.

Most recently, his home church was the Cathedral of Faith Church of God in Christ at 56th Street and Baltimore Avenue in West Philadelphia.

Born in Valdosta, Ga., he graduated in 1957 from Cardoza High School in Washington, where in his senior year he was lieutenant colonel of the school's Reserve Officer Training Corps.

His wife, Alyce, said Bishop Benjamin graduated from Zion Bible College in East Providence, R.I., in 1960 and headed the evangelistic department of the Deliverance Evangelistic Centers in Brooklyn and Newark, N.J.

In 1964, he founded the Pennsylvania Deliverance Center at 59th Street and Lansdowne Avenue in West Philadelphia.

In that year, his wife said, he was honored by the Chapel of the Four Chaplains.

In 1970, he founded the Cathedral of Faith Full Gospel Church on Market Street near 57th Street and, in 1973, he opened an Aid to Working Mothers program next door.

In that year, the Church of God in Christ named him its auxiliary bishop for Southeastern Pennsylvania.

A year before, The Inquirer reported that he had teamed with the Rev. Isaac Patrick to host and produce a half-hour religious television program on Sunday mornings.

But after three weeks, Channel 29 canceled the program and replaced it with a cartoon show because the ministers had been unable to find a sponsor.

Despite that setback, in 1975 the Black National Religious Broadcasters organization elected Bishop Benjamin secretary-treasurer.

Bishop Benjamin's wife said that the Church of God in Christ has five bishops in Pennsylvania and that since 1983 her husband had been presiding bishop for one of its jurisdictions.

In 1989, she said, the denomination named Bishop Benjamin its chief inspector and head of security. In 2000, Mayor Street named him to the Welcome America board of directors.

In addition to his wife of 47 years, Bishop Benjamin is survived by a brother and seven sisters. The Benjamins' daughter, Doris, died in 1996.

A viewing will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 13, at the True Gospel Tabernacle Family Church of God in Christ, 1606 Mifflin St. in South Philadelphia. The funeral will be conducted there at 7 p.m.

A second viewing is scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Sept. 14, at Mount Airy Church of God in Christ, 6401 Ogontz Ave., Philadelphia, before a noon funeral there.

Burial is to be in Chelten Hills Cemetery.