Being Born Again (Conclusion)

"Grandmommas an' Granddaddys...Mommas an' Daddys...Chil'ren...Brothers an' Sisters in Christ...You kindly gave 'lots o' "amens" durin' this sermon. An' "amen" means "let it be so". Fo' some time now I've axed you to look into yo' hearts an' b'lieve de right tings. An right b'lief is impo'tant. But now, in dese times, I'm a' axin' you to look into yo' hearts an' do de right ting, too. Right action is impo'tant jus' as right b'lief is impo'tant. Right b'lief is de root an' right action is de plant. De root sits safely in de ground an' de plant comes out into de world an' is exposed to de harsh wind an' de hard rain, to de burnin' sun an' de 'ccasional freezin' night, to de hungry insects and to an unseein' foot. Fo' much time now we have been rooted in dis church, a' sittin' safely in our pews, b'lievin' de right tings. An fo' much time now black folks been rooted in deir churches all 'cross de Jim Crow South, a' sittin' safely in deir pews, b'lievin' de right tings. But now, at dis time, I'm a' callin' you to come out into de world. I'm a' callin' someone to come out and tell our school board, "Let our chil'ren have buses like white chil'ren have to get 'em to school and back home again. Let our schools be equal. We are human be'ins and we are a' standin' up for our human rights now!" Moses came out into de world, Jesus came out into de world, and God is callin' us to come out into de world. I'm a callin' you to expose yo' heart, yo' life, to de harsh, hard, burnin', freezin', starvin', unseein' world o' Jim Crow an' wit' right action call out to de white folks 'round us, "I am yo' equal, I am a human be'in". I need to speak plain to you. Dis right action will bring white retaliation. Folks wit' power, wit' social, economic, an' political power, won't share it without fightin'. Pharoh an' de 'gyptians didn't treat de Hebrew people as equals an' didn't treat dem as human be'ins without retaliation an' without a fight. De Romans an' de people wit' power didn't treat Jesus as an equal and didn't treat him as a human be'in. De Pharohs an' de Romans an de people wit' power an de Jim Crow laws o' de future won't treat people as equals an' as human be'ins without retaliation an' without a fight. But God led de Hebrew people into de promised land and God raised Jesus from de dead. An' right now, if we expose ourselves to de retaliation, if we stand tall durin' de fight, if we keep on sayin' an' livin' dat we are equal to de white folks in Clarendon County, in South Carolina, in de South, in de United States, in de world an' if we keep on sayin' an' livin' dat we are human be'ins', den dere is hope dat God's heart can use our hearts to bring white folks' hearts to life an' we will see a world full o' wonder fo' ourselves, fo' our chil'ren, fo' our chil'rens chil'ren an' dat world will be a more human world fo' us all. Amen. Let it be so."