Womens March Lafayette - Quote/Prayer

I have a quote for you . . . then a prayer

The quote belongs to the abolitionist Unitarian minister Theodore Parker  . . . it has been used in part by Martin Luther King . . . Barack Obama . . .

I used it once in the Elliot Hall of Music when Bishop Gene Robinson was at Purdue several years ago . . .

It is from a speech entitled: 
THE PRESENT ASPECT OF SLAVERY IN AMERICA AND THE IMMEDIATE DUTY OF THE NORTH 
The date was January 29^th 1858. The place was the hall of the Massachusetts State House.

I DO NOT PRETEND TO UNDERSTAND THE MORAL UNIVERSE –
THE ARC IS A LONG ONE AND MY EYE REACHES BUT A LITTLE WAY.
I CANNOT CALCULATE THE CURVE OR COMPLETE THE FIGURE BY SIGHT.
I CAN DIVINE IT BY CONSCIENCE.
AND FROM WHAT I SEE, I AM SURE IT BENDS TOWARDS JUSTICE.
                                           I AM SURE IT BENDS TOWARDS JUSTICE.


THE PRAYER . . . . 

GOD ALMIGHTY . . . . GOD ALMIGHTY

THIS DAY BELONGS TO THE RICH MEN – BUT THE ARC BENDS TOWARDS JUSTICE

THIS DAY BELONGS TO THE WHITE MEN – BUT THE ARC BENDS TOWARDS JUSTICE

THIS DAY BELONGS TO THE OLD MEN – BUT THE ARC BENDS TOWARDS JUSTICE.

THIS DAY BELONGS TO THE VULGAR MEN – BUT THE ARC BENDS TOWARDS JUSTICE.

THIS DAY BELONGS TO THE POWERFUL MEN – BUT THE ARC BENDS TOWARD JUSTICE.

THIS DAY BELONGS TO THE BULLIES, THE HATERS, THE LIARS, THE SNEERERS, THE WALL-BUILDERS . . . . .

THIS DAY BELONGS TO THE ANGRY AND THE FRIGHTENED MEN – BUT THE ARC BENDS TOWARD JUSTICE

THE PROPHET SAYS THE ARC BENDS TOWARDS JUSTICE,
AND THE VOICE OF THE PROPHET IS A TERRIBLE VOICE.
BECAUSE, GOD ALMIGHTY,  THE PROPHET HAS A HEART – AND THE PROPHET KNOWS THE ARC BENDS TOWARDS JUSTICE.

AMEN