This Day in Unitarian Universalist History March 21

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1861 – Thomas Whittemore, a Universalist minister and historian, died at 61. He studied theology with Hosea Ballou, the “father of American Universalism,” and later wrote a biography of him. Whittemore edited Trumpet and Universalist Magazine (1828-1861), and wrote books on Universalsm, notably Plain Guide to Universalism (1840). Whittemore also served in the Massachusetts legislature (1831-1836) and was president of a bank in Cambridge. Read more about Thomas Whittemore at: www.HarvardSquareLibrary.org – the digital library of Unitarian Universalism.

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This Day in Unitarian Universalist History March 19

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1899 – Margaret Barr was born in England. She devoted her life to working with the Unitarians in the Khasi Hills in northeast India. She opened her first school in Shillong in the 1930s, and in 1977 the Barr Memorial Hospital opened in Kharang. Margaret Barr was greatly inspired by Mohandas Gandhi, whom she met many times.

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Read more at: www.HarvardSquareLibrary.org – the digital library of Unitarian Universalism.

This Day in Unitarian Universalist History March 18

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1568 The Act of Religious Freedom and Conscience (Edict of Torda) was issued by Prince John Sigismund of Transylvania, assuring religious freedom in his principality. He ruled from 1556 to 1570, and Geroge Blandata and Francis Dávid were members of his court. His conversion to Unitarianism occured at the Diet of Torda, where Unitarians won a debate on religion. Read more about the Diet of Torda at: www.HarvardSquareLibrary.org – the digital library of Unitarian Universalism.

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This Day in Unitarian Universalist History March 17

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1958 – Moncure Conway was born in Stafford County, Virginia. Ordained a Unitarian minister in 1855, he became a minister in Cincinnati, Ohio. Conway’s house was a station on the Underground Railroad, and in 1862 he resigned the minstry to devote himself to the cause of abolition. He became minister of South Place Chapel (Unitarian) in London and wrote numerous books about religion and slavery, including his two volume Autobiography: Memories and Experiences. Read more about Moncure Conway at: www.HarvardSquareLibrary.org – the digital library of Unitarian Universalism.

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This Day in Unitarian Universalist History March 16

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Parliament of World Religions, 1893

1847 – Edwin Sweetser was born in Wakefield, Masachusetts. He was president of the Universalist General Convention from 1886 to 1887 and trustee from 1887 to 1903. He ordained the first African-American to the Universalist ministry in 1889. He was also a speaker at the World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago. He died in 1929.

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Read more at: www.HarvardSquareLibrary.org – the digital library of Unitarian Universalism.

This Day in Unitarian Universalist History March 15

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1719 – Following the Great Ejection from the Church of England James Pierce and 300 supporters and friends in Exeter formed the first congregation in England avowedly devoted to anti-Trinitarian worship. The only designation they assigned themselves was Christian.

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Read more at: www.HarvardSquareLibrary.org – the digital library of Unitarian Universalism.

This Day in Unitarian Universalist History March 14

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1583 – Faustus Socinus debated former Jesuit Christian Francken on the honor due Christ. Socinus debated in so scholarly and thorough a manner that Francken conceded defeat and withdrew.

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Read more at: www.HarvardSquareLibrary.org – the digital library of Unitarian Universalism.

This Day in Unitarian Universalist History March 13

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1733 – Joseph Priestley was born in Fieldhead, Yorkshire, England. He wrote the influential History of the Corruptions of Christianity, which Thomas Jefferson credited with his conversion to Unitarianism. However, Priestley is best known for chemistry, in which he made a number of discoveries, including oxygen. Priestley made his inventions available to the public and received no money for any of them. Read more about Joseph Priestley at: www.HarvardSquareLibrary.org – the digital library of Unitarian Universalism.

 

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This Day in Unitarian Universalist History March 12

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Church in Rakow on site of former Socinian Church

1572 – Valentine Smalcius was born in Gotha, Thuringia (now Germany). A Unitarian leader, he was active in the Socinian church through his friendship with Faustus Socinus and became pastor of the Socinian Church in Rakow, Poland. Smalcius fought for tolerance of other Protestant groups such as the Lutherans and Mennonites in Poland. Read more about the church in Poland here at: www.HarvardSquareLibrary.org – the digital library of Unitarian Universalism.

 

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This Day in Unitarian Universalist History March 11

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1965 – James Reeb, a Unitarian minister, died in Selma, Alabama. Two days earlier, he was attacked by segregationists during a civil rights march. He was one of more than 125 Unitarian Universalist ministers who answered Martin Luther King’s call to march in support of voting rights for black Americans. Read more about James Reeb at: www.HarvardSquareLibrary.org – the digital library of Unitarian Universalism.

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