Joshua Evans (Quaker minister)

Joshua Evans (1731-1798) was a prominent American Quaker minister and abolitionist. Born in Burlington County, New Jersey, he dedicated much of his life to traveling and preaching within the Religious Society of Friends, advocating for a stricter adherence to Quaker testimonies, particularly against slavery.

Evans's ministry was characterized by his fervent and uncompromising stance against the practice of enslaving people. He believed that slaveholding was a fundamental violation of Christian principles and a sin against humanity. He traveled extensively, visiting Quaker meetings and families throughout the American colonies and later the newly formed United States, urging Friends to disown slaveholders.

His efforts contributed significantly to the growing anti-slavery sentiment within the Society of Friends. He was instrumental in persuading many Quakers to free their slaves and advocated for the complete exclusion of slaveholders from membership in the Society. While his uncompromising approach sometimes led to conflict within the Quaker community, his unwavering commitment to abolition helped to solidify the Society of Friends as a leading voice in the anti-slavery movement.

Joshua Evans left behind a journal that provides valuable insight into his life, travels, and ministry, as well as the social and religious landscape of the 18th-century Quaker world. His work influenced later generations of Quaker abolitionists and contributed to the broader struggle for the abolition of slavery in the United States.