Metro-east pastor, speaking at MLK Jr. Day event, calls on people to be a positive force

The Rev. Darius T. Miller, speaking Monday at an East St. Louis community celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, said people must spread more love, hope, courage and unity.

Miller was the keynote speaker at the 57th annual commemorative observance celebration, held this year at Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church.

The pastor built his talk around a parable in the Gospel of Luke, the same parable King used in one of his speeches, “A Knock at Midnight.”

Miller said people must be willing to answer the door at midnight to help someone in need.

“What would you do with a knock that comes at midnight? Do you act as if you do not hear the knocking? Do you say they must have the wrong address? Do you call the police saying ‘There is someone at my door troubling my rest. Can you swing by the house to deal with it.?

“ Do you not hear the knocking because you are so engrossed in your own dreaming that you fail to hear the knock at the door? Or do you delay knowing who it is, hoping they will simply go away? What do you do with a knock at midnight?,” Miller asked.

He went on to point out some conditions that make it midnight in our society. “In many corners of our community, it’s midnight. It’s midnight within the family structure. Our homes are fragmented. The family structure is hanging on by a mere thread.

“It is midnight due to the violence in our communities. The family of young Jaimarcus McDaniel, the teenager, 17 years old, shot and killed a week ago, can attest to that,” Miller said.

McDaniel, who lived in East St. Louis, was found shot to death in a field in Jennings in St. Louis County on Tuesday, Jan 9.

Miller said McDaniel “should have been on his way to a university or learning to manufacture solar panels in a local trade school, or proudly anticipating service in the Army, Navy or Coast Guard, instead shot and left lifeless in a field.”

He noted that Jaimarcus’ mother and father both were victims of gun violence, and Jaimarcus witnessed the slayings.

“This was somebody’s grand baby. This was a boy that held in his countenance our future. In the words of Ossie Davis, mourning the death of the late brother Malcolm X ‘This was our manhood, our living black manhood, shot down in the very spring of life,”’ Miller said.

Miller told the crowd “you know it’s midnight when we are no longer moved by episodes like this. It’s midnight when no tears flow and no public outcry is heard. Instead we flip the news page or turn to the next channel. It’s midnight in our communities.”

Miller said ``it’s midnight” when it comes to the economy, healthcare disparity, educational disparity, criminal justice disparity, political gridlock and racial injustice.”As Dr. King rightly noted, at midnight things lose their distinctiveness. Colors that were bright like red, orange, pink, bright green, purple and blue, “ he said. “Truth isn’t truth anymore and values aren’t shared anymore. There is no bright line between right and wrong anymore.”

He said “it’s midnight” in many churches too. “The church has too often tickled the ears of our listeners, instead of preaching a gospel of truth, love and service. We have offered a world hungry for the word of God, the peace of God and the grace of God, a gospel of self-actualization,” Miller said.

Miller said people must open their doors. Nobody comes knocking at midnight unless they are in need, he said.

Also featured at the event was 10-year-old Myles Lacey, who captivated the crowd as he sang two songs, ``Georgia On My Mind” and “Total Praise.”

His grandmother, Jeannette Strong, said Myles’ voice is bigger than his body. He’s been singing since he was a small child.

“...At 2, we noticed he could hear, sing and follow. He had the gift to sing and to hear. He had an ear. His parents Kenya and Keion decided to let him sing,” Strong said.

Myles told a BND reporter he also Iikes to sing birthday songs, the little Mermaid song and Michael Jackson songs.

Asked what King means to him he replied, “Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr. means freedom to me. I think all people should be free ,” he said.

Strong said the King holiday ``means everything to me. I am a product of the sixties. We do not have that many black schools in St. Louis anymore. We have to instill in them the values of Dr. Martin Luther King,” she said.

She said she was excited to share her grandson’s gifts with the East St. Louis audience at such an important event.

Lillian Parks, general chairperson of the commemorative committee, said the event was founded by her sister, the late Vivian Adams, and the late Homer G. Adams. Parks felt it important enough to continue it.

“I am very ,very concerned about what our children know about Dr.Martin Luther King. What will they remember? He epitomized things that were good, skills and dedication, diligence,” she said.

“I look forward to this every year. Although we have better civil rights, everything hasn’t changed completely. We have to continue to think about what he stood for.”