I pray they will carry on in spite of that dreadful monster

The words of Major Taylor — “I pray they will carry on in spite of that dreadful monster prejudice, and with patience, courage, fortitude and perseverance achieve success for themselves.” — resound like a trumpet call across the ages. In these words, spoken with the quiet fire of a man who suffered deeply yet triumphed nobly, we hear the eternal voice of endurance. Major Taylor, born Marshall Walter Taylor in 1878, was not only one of the greatest cyclists the world has ever known, but one of the first Black athletes to achieve international fame in a time when the world’s heart was still chained by hatred. His plea was not only for his generation but for all who would come after — a call to patience, courage, fortitude, and perseverance in the face of the monstrous power of prejudice.

Taylor’s life was a battle against that monster. In an era when the color of his skin was seen as a barrier to greatness, he raced with dignity and thundered across finish lines that others said he could never reach. Crowds booed him; rivals tried to harm him on the track; hotels refused him shelter. Yet, he did not yield. In his humility and in his greatness, he found strength not in rage, but in resolve. When he prayed that others might “carry on,” he was offering the wisdom of a soul that had learned through pain that victory is not measured by applause, but by perseverance. His prayer was a torch, lit from his own suffering, passed into the hands of all who walk against the wind of injustice.

The “dreadful monster prejudice” he named was not only a social force but a spiritual one — the shadow that arises when fear rules over understanding, when hatred disguises itself as truth. Taylor saw that to conquer such a monster, one must wield not the weapons of bitterness, but the virtues of the spirit: patience, that endures when justice is delayed; courage, that stands tall when the world tries to bend you; fortitude, that keeps the heart steady amid humiliation; and perseverance, that continues onward when strength itself seems spent. These, he knew, are the pillars upon which all true success is built.

Consider how his life mirrors that of another giant of endurance — Nelson Mandela, who, decades later, would also stand before the monster of prejudice. Mandela’s prison walls were meant to break him, just as the racism of Taylor’s world sought to silence him. Yet both men turned suffering into power. They understood that the battle against hatred is not fought in the streets alone, but in the soul’s refusal to surrender its dignity. Taylor’s wheels turned like Mandela’s long walk — steady, patient, purposeful — each revolution a defiance of the world’s cruelty, each victory a step toward the liberation of others.

Major Taylor’s words also reveal a profound spiritual insight: that one must fight not only against oppression, but for something higher — for integrity, for excellence, for self-respect. He did not ask for vengeance or pity, but for perseverance — for the courage to continue even when the world refuses to recognize your worth. For he knew that success earned through struggle burns brighter than success given freely. The soul that endures injustice without surrendering to hate emerges not only victorious but purified — tempered like steel, unbreakable and radiant.

The lesson of his quote is eternal: life will confront every seeker with monsters — prejudice, fear, doubt, despair. Yet these monsters are not signs of defeat, but invitations to rise. The one who keeps faith amid adversity, who meets cruelty with patience and persistence, becomes a light to others. In this way, Taylor’s prayer is not a lament but a prophecy — that those who carry on with courage will build a world where the monsters of prejudice and hatred no longer thrive.

So, dear listener, take these words as both a challenge and a blessing. When the world turns cold, carry on. When the path is steep and lonely, walk still. When others tell you that you cannot, prove them wrong by your endurance. Let patience be your shield, courage your spear, fortitude your armor, and perseverance your chariot. For these are the gifts of the strong, and through them, no monster can prevail.

And when at last you reach your victory — whether great or humble — remember Major Taylor’s prayer. Pass it onward. Let your triumph become the hope of others who still struggle in the dark. For in doing so, you honor not only his legacy, but the divine truth at the heart of all endurance: that every soul who carries on in the face of prejudice becomes a beacon of human greatness, and every act of perseverance brings the dawn of a more just and radiant world.