Evangelist Edward Earl Cleveland died yesterday at Huntsville Hospital in Huntsville, Alabama. He was 88.

31 Aug 2009, Huntsville, Alabama, United States...Megan Brauner/ANN

Former Ministerial associate secretary for the Seventh-day Adventist Church and renowned evangelist Edward Earl Cleveland died yesterday at Huntsville Hospital in Huntsville, Alabama. He was 88.

Cleveland served the Adventist Church for more than 60 years as a pastor, evangelist, church leader, teacher, civil rights leader, and mentor to thousands of preachers.

"His genius was that he modeled and taught mass evangelism in large cities on nearly every continent," said James Cress, secretary for the Ministerial Association.

Cress recalled memories shared by former Ministerial Association Secretary Bob Spangler. Spangler believed Cleveland "probably did more than anyone to help us understand racial diversity and cooperative ventures."

"He taught us as a church to help break the racial barrier of exclusion," Cress said.

During his lifetime Cleveland published 15 books, including his autobiography "Let the Church Roll On." In it, Cleveland recounts working for racial equality within world church leadership.

When elected associate secretary for the Ministerial Association in 1954, Cleveland became the first black man to integrate a department of the Adventist world church headquarters. He remained in the position for 23 years.

Cleveland officially became a pastor at age 21 when he went to work for the Carolina Conference. His ministerial work, however, began many years before when he preached his first sermon at age 9. By age 13 he was serving as Sabbath school superintendent for his church in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Before his election to world church leadership, Cleveland worked as an evangelist in the South Atlantic and Southern Union Conferences. In 1977, Cleveland joined the faculty of Oakwood University -- then Oakwood College -- where he served as director for the department of church missions and as an instructor in the department of religion.

Cleveland received honorary doctorate degrees from Daniel Payne College in Birmingham, Alabama and from Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan.

Cleveland's wife Celia Marie Abney Cleveland died May 29, 2003.

Visitation will be Tuesday, Sept. 8, 6 to 8 p.m. at Oakwood University Church. The funeral will be held Wednesday, Sept. 9, 11 a.m. at Oakwood University Church. Pastor Craig Newborn will officiate, with a eulogy by Walter Pearson from Breath of Life Ministry. Internment will be in Oakwood Memorial Gardens beside his wife, Celia.