Smith gives annual MLK address to the House: ‘Precious Lord Take My Hand’

Today, Jan. 15, State Rep. Vernon G. Smith (D-Gary) gave his annual address to the Indiana House of Representatives in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. As his day of remembrance nears, Smith reminds his fellow Hoosiers of MLK’s lasting legacy of humble service, determination and peaceful resistance.

“Even before he established himself in history, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. suffered a great deal of adversity,” Smith said. “He suffered from childhood depression. He endured regular whippings from his father until he was a teen. At 12, when his grandmother passed, he jumped from a second-story window.

“He continued to face adversity as a grown man. His home in Montgomery, Alabama, was bombed in 1956. He was stabbed at a book signing and almost lost his life in 1958. His plane was evacuated for a bomb threat in 1968.

“In the throes of adversity, I imagine Dr. King whispered softly to God, ‘Precious Lord, take my hand. Lead me on, let me stand.’ He often requested that soloists and choirs sing this hymn when he spoke in churches. As a child, I watched him request the hymn when he spoke in Gary.

“His dark times continued on his walk for equality. By the late 1960s, Dr. King had been abandoned by politicians, the media, the public and even his fellow clergyman. Abandoned and alone, he penned his famous Letter from the Birmingham Jail. 

“Like the Son of God who cried out on the cross, I’m certain Dr. King felt forsaken. But he continued to sing, ‘At the river I stand, guide my feet, hold my hand. Take my hand, precious Lord.’ He did not quit. He did not give up. Amidst challenges and obstacles, he kept his eyes on his goal of freedom and justice for all. 

“They thought killing the dreamer would kill the dream. However, I can firmly say that the dream lives. Dr. King’s tragic assassination ended his season of suffering but ushered in an era of freedom and elevation. His journey is a reminder that rejection is redirection. As we commemorate Dr. King on Monday, we must remember that it’s where we stand in challenges, not in comfort and security, that is most important.”