Rocky Nimmons/Courier

Members of American Legion Post No. 11 lead the Pledge of Allegiance during a celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday at the Pickens County Courthouse.

By Ben Robinson
Staff Reporter

brobinson@thepccourier.com

PICKENS — “Let freedom ring,” proclaimed Rev. Alphonso Houston as he gave the keynote speech at Monday’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration at the Pickens County Courthouse.

Dozens showed up for the ceremony, officiated by Pickens city councilman Carlton Holley.

[cointent_lockedcontent]”On Martin Luther King Day, we praise You most for the dreamer,” Houston said in a prayer. “All of us are here because of the dreamer. I am so grateful to be part of this.”

Rocky Nimmons/Courier
New Foundation Missionary Baptist Church pastor Alphonso Houston speaks at Monday’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration in Pickens.

“We thank you for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We come together regardless of our culture, regardless of our race and our creeds, regardless of our denominations, that we could come together on a day like this, united in love in Christian love. We pray, Lord that you will continue to not only bless Pickens County, but bless this world, bless this America. We pray that you will find every hatred, find every terrorist act.”

Houston remembered lessons he learned while in college studying American history. It was more than 400 yars ago that Africans came on slave ships to the colonies, he said, and 153 years ago that President Abraham Lincoln issued the emancipation proclamation, making slaves citizens of the United States. It was more than 61 years ago when Rosa Parks refused to stand up on a bus, triggering an 11-year war against prejudice, Houston said, and 53 years have passed since Dr. King declared he had a dream of justice and loyalty.

“But my question,” Houston told those in attendance Monday, “is what good is heritage unless it is used to educate the next

Rocky Nimmons/Courier
Two children hold signs at a Martin Luther King Jr. Day ceremony in Pickens on Monday.

generation? What good is the culture unless it is taught to our children or the next generation’s children? You and I should remember our freedom as human beings. But most importantly, we should teach an entire generation that freedom comes with a price — freedom comes with suffering, freedom comes with struggling, freedom comes with sacrifices.

“Freedom is neither automatic nor inevitable,” Houston proclaimed, quoting King.

“I believe even Abraham Lincoln stated that America will never be destroyed from the outside,” he said. “If we lose our freedom, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.”

Houston noted that God is responsible for our fortunes.

“God is the one who loses, God is the one who breaks — in fact he broke another kind of chain in our lives,” Houston said. “The chain of sin.

“All of us at one time in our lives were bound to sin. If you were saved, and you are a Christian, you know that had you bound.”

Houston spoke of the Bible, where Israelites had been bound in slavery for many generations.

“They had experienced many trials and tribulations,” Houston said. “But the God they served delivered them from their chains.

“Our sin had nothing to do with our denomination. Our sins have nothing to do with our races. But because sin had us bound, we are here today because God has freed from our sins. Even though we were saved, we still are sinners. You’ve got something to rejoice for.”

Houston, who leads New Foundation Missionary Baptist Church, said many times we might not understand what God wants us to do, but we must trust Him.

“He will always lead us the right way,” Houston said. “Jesus is not a way — He is the only way. And if youfind yourself in a high location, in the right direction, if you want to make sure that you’ve got real freedom and liberation from the sin of your life, the only way is Jesus’ way.

“That’s why it’s important to remember our sins. Because each of us has been at one time a slave to them.”

Rev. Carl Allmond then read Dr. King’s famous “I Have A Dream” speech. The Rev. Kathy Harris of Faith Lutheran Church closed the ceremony in prayer.

The program began with comments from Pickens Mayor David Owens, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by American Legion Post No. 11.

Following a chorus of “Swing Low Sweet Chariot,” the Rev. Bryan Holder, pastor of Pickens Mill Church, followed with a prayer, followed by comments by Pickens County Sheriff Rick Clark and Pickens Police Chief Travis Riggs.

Mary Webb of Giffin-Ebeneezer Baptist Church shared the purpose of the celebration, followed by Ann Foster of Easley Union Missionary Baptist Church singing, “Got To Have You.”

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