Forty years ago -- 3 April 1968 -- on the last night of his life -- the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., looked from the mountaintop and he saw this night -- 4 November 2008 -- he saw it -- yes, he did.
From Dr. Kings "I Have Been to the Mountaintop" speech, 3 April 1968, Memhis, TN:
Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it really 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!
Tonight we are not yet in the Promised Land - - - but we're a lot closer that we've ever been. All of us.