“The Drum Major Instinct” — a sermon by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
On 4 February 1968, Martin Luther King, Jr., preached “The Drum Major Instinct” from the pulpit of Ebenezer Baptist Church. Ironically, two months before his assassination on 4 April 1968.
“The drum major instinct” means a desire to be out front, a desire for attention, and a desire to lead the parade. The drum major is the leader of the marching band during rehearsals and in performances.
Martin Luther King Jr. is one of the greatest to have ever graced this world with his presence, passion, and piety. The act of defiance — being a rebel, bohemian, maverick, freethinker, revolutionary, freedom fighter, and non-conformist resonates strongly with me. MLK’s act of defiance isn’t through anger or hate, and not by inflicting violence and suffering upon others. He harnessed the power of defiance out of love, grace, and wisdom to protest for what’s right.
The powerful juxtaposition of character makes MLK an even more dangerous and I dare opine an even greater man than Malcolm X. This comparison is not intended to be pompous or done in vain because that kind of comparison leads to envy and conflict, which is aligned with the fallacious side of the drum major instinct that Dr. King speaks on and despises. The comparison is to show the difference between two great men with very different methods of attaining justice for what’s right. Despite his early and unfortunate death by assassination, Dr. King’s spirit and dream live through many of us.
A similar act of defiance against the dismal or the worst drum major instinct occurred in European history nearly five hundred years ago, when a German priest by the name of Martin Luther questioned and strongly criticized the Church and its teachings. It was a time when the Pope and not the Bible became the ultimate spiritual authority. It was a time when the Church indulged in selling self-indulgences, which was the practice of purchasing forgiveness for one’s sins by giving money to the church. Should someone be allowed to pay their way into heaven? This obviously didn’t sit well with Martin Luther. The churches’ practices like self-indulgence disgusted and enraged him so much that he wrote and literally nailed his ninety-five theses on the church’s door, and metaphorically opened the doors to the Protestant Reformation. Luther sought to reform the Church but ultimately broke away from it completely. This split Christianity into two denominations: Catholicism and Protestant. Protestant is derived from the word ‘Protest.’ Lutheranism became the first Protestant faith, and other denominations of Protestants followed like the Calvinists, Avantists, Anglicans, Baptists, Methodists, etc.
The Church in 16th century England, with its power upon the State, being as or more powerful than the Monarchy, was clearly involved in the fallacious, perverted, and the worst kind of the drum major instinct that MLK despised and Luther found abhorrent. It led to the dilution in the church’s status, meaning the church lost some of its reputation and thus eroded its influence and dominion over the populace. But that same gracious and righteous drum major instinct of Martin Luther King Jr., of Martin Luther before him, and of Jesus from long ago is still drummed into others, and is still drilled into and beats within me.
Sources: https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/encyclopedia/drum-major-instinct https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/martin-luther-posts-95-theses
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IATyzSAjC1w — (Martin Luther Self Indulgence)
https://slideplayer.com/slide/9275757/ — (Martin Luther Protestant Reformation)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mefbog-b4-4 — (MLK’s “The Drum Major Instinct” Speech)
A truth seeker first and foremost. I’m not afraid to plunge down the rabbit hole and I’m curious about everything. Knowledge gives you power, and with that power, you must use it wisely. Reading, thinking, and writing are how I exercise my mind. “Keep your heart warm, eyes sharp, brain keen, and mind open.”
Originally published at http://thephilosopherinme.wordpress.com on October 1, 2022.
Social Scholarly 