1796 – Horace Mann was born in Franklin, Massachusetts. A Unitarian, he served in the Massachusetts House and Senate, advocating state hospitals for the insane, restriction of slavery, regulation of liquor sales, and educational reforms. Mann served as president of Antioch College from 1853 until his death on August 2, 1859. Read more about Horace … Continue reading This Day in Unitarian Universalist History May 4

1912 – May Sarton was born in Belgium. She was introduced to Unitarianism in Cambridge, Massachusetts, under the ministry of Samuel McChord Crothers. She published 50 works of poetry, prose, and nonfiction. In 1982, she delivered the Ware Lecture at the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association, and the Unitarian Universalist Women’s Federation gave … Continue reading This Day in Unitarian Universalist History May 3

1648- The English Parliament passed the Blasphemy Act: “For the preventing of the growth and spreading of Heresie and Blasphemy . . . That all such persons as shall . . . publish that there is no God . . . shall suffer the paines of death, without benefit of Clergie.” The post May 2 … Continue reading This Day in Unitarian Universalist History May 2

1888- Ezra Ripley was born in Woodstock, Connecticut. He studied at Harvard and was known as “holy Ripley.” He succeeded William Emerson as minister of First Parish in Concord and married Phebe Bliss Emerson, William’s widow. He also helped to found the Concord Lyceum and wrote History of the Fight at Concord. Read more about … Continue reading This Day in Unitarian Universalist History May 1

1936 – Henry Montfort Cary, a Catholic priest turned Universalist missionary, died at age 58. Cary was attracted to Universalism while studying at Union Theological Seminary. Along with his wife, Maud Simonton, also a Universalist minister, Cary traveled to Japan to spread the faith. The post April 30 first appeared on Harvard Square Library. Read … Continue reading This Day in Unitarian Universalist History April 30

1733 – Simeon Howard was born. He was Jonathan Mayhew’s successor as minister of West Church (Unitarian) in Boston in 1767. West Church was prosperous and known for its liberal views. During the Revolutionary War, the British tore the steeple off the church and housed soldiers inside, and forced Howard out of the city. He … Continue reading This Day in Unitarian Universalist History April 29

1579 – Faustus Socinus went to reside at Krakow, Poland, where he eventually became the leader of the Unitarian movement. Born in Sienna, Italy, his preaching incited the ire of the Catholics. A mob dragged him from his bed half naked, forced him to march through the streets, and plundered his library and furniture. This … Continue reading This Day in Unitarian Universalist History April 28

1791 Samuel Finley Breese Morse was born in Charlestown, Massachusetts, the son of orthodox minister Jedediah Morse. He was an artist, creating well-known portraits of the Marquis de Lafayette. Morse also invented the finger-key transmitter for the telegraph and created the Morse code (1836). The first transmission was “What hath God wrought!” on May 24, … Continue reading This Day in Unitarian Universalist History April 27

1866 – Historian Earl Morse Wilbur was born in Jericho, Vermont. He served as a Unitarian minister in Portland, Oregon, and was organizer, dean, professor of practical theology, and later president of Pacific Unitarian School for the Ministry (later named Starr King). He wrote Our Unitarian Heritage (1925) and the two-volume A History of Unitarianism (1945-1952). … Continue reading This Day in Unitarian Universalist History April 26

1778 – James Relly died. A prominent Methodist preacher in London, Relly fell into disfavor with his church in the 1730s because he preached universal salvation. John Murray attended Relly’s worship reluctantly. Murray converted to Universalist belief and left England in 1770 to become the first Universalist preacher in America. The post April 25 first … Continue reading This Day in Unitarian Universalist History April 25