Many of the sermons of the great African American civil rights leader
Martin Luther King (1929-68) illustrate-contra Marx—how the theme of
the Christian hope can be linked with a call to direct political
action. King’s final sermon was delivered on April 3, 1968, the day
before his assassination, at the Mason Temple in Memphis, Tennessee
(the headquarters of the largest African American Pentecostal
denomination in the United States). The sermon is saturated with calls
to action, coupled with a strong affirmation of the importance of the
hope of heaven in the future, linked with the imagery of the promised
land. The sermon ends as follows:
We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn’t matter with me now. Because I’ve been to the mountaintop. And I don’t mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we, as a people will get to the promised land. And I’m happy, tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.
We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn’t matter with me now. Because I’ve been to the mountaintop. And I don’t mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we, as a people will get to the promised land. And I’m happy, tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.