"The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice" said The Rev. Gracher Selby, pastor of St. John A. M. E. Zion Church, in ceremonies honoring Martin Luther King Jr.

Selby was quoting King's speech made in 1964 King when he delivered the baccalaureate sermon at the commencement exercises for Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn.

It was King's restatement of a metaphor with a long history of being used by other leaders, beginning with Theodore Parker, a Unitarian minister who called for the abolition of slavery.

Selby spoke to a crowd of adults and children at Moravian College Jan. 19 in the Haupert Union Building.

Tomacene Nickens, vice president of the Bethlehem NAACP, presided over the event. Nickens is a retired Bethlehem Area School District teacher.

Rita Johnson attended, bringing her Sunday School Class from St. John's A. M. E. Zion Church. Children from the church's youth choir sang for the occasion, accompanied by pianist and artist Jessica L. Lee.

"It's not enough to have a day off," Selby continued. "We need to do something!"

Selby recalled important dates from the history of slavery and the struggle for civil rights.

"2013 was a year of significant anniversaries in which we put our hands on that arc," said Selby in her sonorous voice that held even the children's attention.

Jan. 1, 1863-the Emancipation Proclamation; March 1963-the March on Washington; Jan. 21, 2013-the second inauguration of the first African-American President-all dates that stand "as milestone moments in the grand sweep of American history," Selby said.

She said the Civil Rights Movement began 400 years ago "when the first slave said, 'I ain't do'n this.'"

She drew a parallel between the Israelites' fears of entering the Promised Land with modern believer's hesitation to "keep trusting God to bring us through."

"If we want to make a difference and get where Dr. King was trying to lead us, we as a people are going to have to stay focused and keep thrusting God to bring us through. We've got to help this new generation to be focused."

Everyone has a part to play, she said.

"We have got to be focused on the main thing which is the liberation of all people."

Selby urge her listeners to deal with issues like racism, poverty and unemployment.

"We have come a long ways, but we have a ways to go yet," she said. "Each generation hold a responsibility to uphold their fight for freedom and peace in society."

The service concluded with a film, "Backyard Philly Project," presented by Stacie Bell, YMCA chairwoman of the Coalition on Racism and Race Relations.