I HAVE A DREAM

On August 28th 1963, Dr Martin Luther King, a humble church pastor, turned the steps of Washington’s Lincoln Memorial into a pulpit as he addressed thousands taking part in the, ‘March for Jobs and Freedom.’  Soon the hearts of millions across America were electrified as he kept repeating these now famous words, “I have a dream!”  With prophetic voice he cried, “I’m happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration in our nation’s history.  Let us not wallow in the valley of despair; we hold this truth to be self-evident that all men are equal.”  He confirmed this by quoting this Bible text, “God has made from one blood all nations of men to dwell on the face of the earth.”  [ Acts 17:26 ] 

In his, “I have dream” speech, Dr King quoted as usual from Scripture saying, “I have a dream that one day, ‘Every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill shall be made low.  The crooked places shall be made straight, and the rough places plain.  And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed.’ [ Isaiah 40:4-5 ]”  Although these words take us ultimately to the second coming of Christ and the creation of a new world, Dr King was right in following a long line of Christian reformers who, through the teachings of Christ did bring about great social and moral reforms on the earth.  A notable victory was in 1965 when blacks in the south were granted voting rights.

Dr King drew no salary.  Aged 35 he was the youngest to receive the $54,000 Nobel Peace Prize but he gave this away.  40 years ago on April 4th 1968, whilst on his Memphis hotel balcony he was assassinated by a single shot.