In a scathing sermon, Reverend Quincy Ewing of St. James Episcopal Church in Greenville, Mississippi, publicly denounced the heinous crime of lynching in the deep south. Delivered on September 2, 1901, at a time when the practice was rampant, Reverend Ewing’s words were a clarion call for justice and righteousness in a region plagued by moral savagery.
‘It is no pleasure to me to speak upon this subject today,’ Reverend Ewing began, ‘but the evil of lynching must be addressed. The Methodists of Mississippi, in conference assembled, have denounced lynching in strong resolutions. The Baptists of Mississippi, in state associations, have reprobated lynchings in equally forceful resolutions.’
His words were a powerful rebuke to the entrenched culture of violence that had taken hold in the state. Governor Longino, in his inaugural address, had also taken aim at the ‘moral sapping evil’ of lynching, and it seemed that the moral forces of the state were finally beginning to coalesce against the crime.
‘The press of Mississippi, with a few exceptions, have powerfully inveighed against lynchings,’ Reverend Ewing noted, highlighting the growing public outcry against this barbaric practice. ‘It begins to look as if all the moral forces of the state were about to fuse under the solar heat of righteousness and inaugurate a telling crusade against the crime of lynching.’
Reverend Ewing’s sermon was a powerful call to action, one that echoed across the state and beyond. It was a testament to the power of moral leadership and the indomitable human spirit. As the people of Mississippi and beyond looked to the future, they knew that the fight against lynching was far from over – but with voices like Reverend Ewing’s guiding the way, there was hope for a brighter, more just tomorrow.
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Key Facts
- State: Mississippi
- Category: Violent Crime
- Era: Historical
- Source: Library of Congress — Chronicling America ↗
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