The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-11-06
A SERMON ON LYNCHING.
Rev. E. K. Love On Lynch Law and
the Crime Which PTOTOkoS 1t.

rupted Sway of Lynch Rule-The
Position Of the Church and the
Great Body OF Intelligent Negroes.
The First African Baptist church was
crowded last night to hear the pastor
Rev. Z. x. Love, preach on the subject OF
''Lynch Law and Raping." There were
fully ], 800 people present, about thirty OF
whom were whites.
The sermon was an effort which would
have been appreciated by any cultured
audience, and better still, one that would
have been approved by any intelligent
congregation in any section of the
country. DR.. Loves position is
thoroughly sound and in line with the
best sentiment upon the subject of lynch
law and the crime which prOvokes 1t.
The delivery Of the sermon occupied an
hour and a half, but the congregation
showed no evidence of WEAKNESS.
"There is a demand, " said DIR. Love in
announcing his subject, that the negro
say something on this question. His
friends everywhere are asking his posi-
ton on the subject of rape and lynch law
and it is time that he should announce
his position. What 1 propose to
do, is to state the position of
the First African Baptist church
of Savannah, and what believe to be the
the position of the best element of the
colored race everywhere.
THE Preachers TEXT.
DIR. Love read from the nineteenth
chapter Of Acts the account of the com
motion raised in Ephesus by the silver
smiths Of the city, who believed that the
apostles, Paul and Barnabas, were about
10 destroy their profitable business by the
Of thni1s III doctrine hriDcr
ing together great multitude, who cried
aloud for two hours, "Great is Diana Of
the Ephesians"
The words of the town clerk, who quoted
the tumult, were taken as the text of
the discourse.
wherefore If Demetrius, and the
craftmen which are with him, have a
matter against any man, the law is open
and there are deputies; let them implead
one another" "But If We enquire any
thing concerning other matters, it shall
be determined in a lawful assembly,"
''For we are in danger to be called in
question for this days uproar, there be
ing no cause whereby we may give an &C
count of this concourse."
LINE OF THE DISCOURSE.
Each of the three verses of the text
furnished a separate head for the dis
course, as follows:
The law is open for the trial of these
cases.
Let all such matters be settled by law.
The consequences which will follow the
uninterrupted sway of lynch law.
DR.. Love first discussed the crime of
rape, the chief provocauion of lynch
ings. He said: Il appear before
you tonight to discuss a subject
which. is of vital Importance to
the American people, and especially
TO my race. 1t is time that the negroes
themselves should say something about
this matter which is attracting the at
tention of the civilized world. 1t is high
time that we should take position, and
let the world know what it is. We have
held our peace too long already. Every
negro pulpit should speak out on this
subject. To begin with, state most pos
sitively that l have no sympathy
for the ravishers, nor do l weep
at their death Every guilty
man of them ought to have died
l object TO the manner, however, by
which they were put to death. In this |
do, as every civilized man should, stand
forth for law and order. l would say to
my race, especially, that our only hope
and safety lay in our strictest obedience
to law and our unqualified support of the
officers of the law. 1t is only then we
rise to the sublimity of citizenship. Let
US not seek to defend our criminals
They do us more injury than they do to
others. We will be measured by them,
and we cannot reasonably object as long
as we defend them, for then we will be
come accessories after the fact and thus
become partakers OF other mems sins.
LYECHINGs MOSTLY N THE SOUTH.
81 regret that most of the lynching is
done in the south and that most of the
victims are negroes. I regret most of all
hot fvrI t,,,,. IL,
against US which provoke these lynchings
II is unfortunate that these crimes are
laid at our door, even if the accusers are
mistaken.
The south is our home and all talk
about the negroes leaving The south to
any very great extent, is the sheerest
folly Even those who have left the
south have not bettered their condition.
Since the negroes must remain in the
south, it is good sense, iaaeed, it is their
highest duty TO do all in their
power to make the south the
glory of all the world.
The fact that most Of these lynchings
are done in the south and that most Of the
victims are negroes, lends, at least, the
suspicion that there is foul play, affords
material for political capital, forms an
excuse for ambitious, wicked, designing
politicians to keep the fire of dissensiOn
and race hatred in an everlasting blaze,
and to continue the waving of the bloody
shirt, and thus causing eternal unrest,
and the most intense anxiety among our
people.
The sensible, conservative negroes are
disgustingly tired of this sort Of stuff and
painfully regret any and every occasion
that conserves its perpetuation. These
things do the south no good, and whatever
Injuries the south Injuries US. 1t is non
sense to suppose that a mans home can
be injured without injuring him. To
lnjure the home Of a people, the weakest
and poorest of them are injured most.
THE UPROAR AT EPHEsUs.
The uproar at Ephesus would have
ended in a lynching but for the timely
intervention of the town clerk The sound
argument which he used then may be
still used in this advanced age of Chris
tian civilization to suppress the mad, bar
barous, bloodthirty mobs that are dis
grazing our country, and especially oul
southland, and which are rapidly forcing
good people to the conclusion that we are
unciyilized, ana that il is unsafe TO live
among US As horrible as raping is
lynching is infinitely worse. In the case
OF rape woman is ruined. a family is dis
grdced, and a community is outraged
but lynching is not only the iuhumanl
taking OF mans life, but il disgrace,
our civilization and destroys our govern
ment. The rayishers can be punished fan
more enectuallv by law and be killed JUS