Letter From John Payak to Mrs. King & Family

Transcript

April 16, 1968 Dear Mrs. King and family, Personally I don't think this message of mine will reach you; but still I consider it my duty as a christian and american to offer to you Mrs. King and your family and to all those deeply associated in your husband's work my heartfelt sympathy. Before your husband's tragic death I had thought little or nothing about the work he was involved in. Now only in death do I realize what a great man your husband was and what a tragic loss his death was not only to you Mrs. King and your family, but to all America and the world. I am a Catholic, Mrs. King but I can say in all sincerity that your husband was a living example of what it means to live a [thourhly] Christian life, to return love for hate, to forgive [our] and to bear no malice toward any man. To sum it up your husband was a living example of St. Paul's dictum: "I live now not I, but Christ lives in me." My current calling in life demands that I embody that statement something by St. Paul to the best of my ability, nervertheless when I read or hear something about you and your husband's life I become painfully aware of just how negligent I have been to this calling. One of my favorite motts is "action speaks louder than words" to me your husband's life spoke even more eloquently than the words which came from his mouth. And I hope and pray that his inspiring example has told America that a spirituial rebirth between the white man and black man is actually our most serious problem, that until we truly recognize and blot out pejudice in our minds we will never truly be at peace with each other. God bless you and your children Mrs. King in whaterthe Lord's will will bring you. John Payak