by Mike Roberts, Church Historian

As we hunker down and self-quarantine, some will still be looking forward to the celebration this fall of the 250th anniversary of Universalism in America. Therefore, let us delve into the life of the man responsible for that initial Universalist church service in America, John Murray.

John Murray was of English heritage. He was born on December 10, 1742, 40 miles southwest of London, and was reared in a seemingly well-to-do family as the oldest of 10 children. He was raised strictly in the Anglican faith by a stern father who never believed in sparing the rod. During Murray’s childhood, the family relocated to Ireland near Cork. While there, John first heard the preachings of Methodism and was attracted to that belief although that denomination was still considered a part of the dominant Anglican Church. As a teenager in Ireland, and despite his youth, Murray saw himself as one of the “elected,” those who were chosen by God to preach and interpret the scriptures. His father saw otherwise and forced John to give up any thought of college and enter into a business career.

John found that he could earn a living and be successful in business but he also found that he hated the profession. He longed to pursue the ministry but his father blocked that path by again denying him pursuit of a college education

Family matters intervened when his father became ill and died. As the oldest child, he was now expected to take hold of the family. He was less than successful as he adopted his father’s stern parenting which was met with formidable resistance by his siblings. After a few months of frustration, he packed his meager belongings, said goodbye to the family and moved to London.

Murray continued his pursuit of a career in preaching but was stymied by his lack of education. Entrance into the field was tightly regulated by the church and formal training in the scriptures was a requirement. Nonetheless, he continued to impress listeners with his oratory and knowledge of the scriptures when he spoke at informal religious gatherings which were quite common at that time. Unfortunately, he earned little money in these activities and had to pursue occasional work in business to stay out of Newgate debtors prison.

While in London, Murray became aware of another religious speaker by the name of James Relly. Relly was espousing the belief that all souls will eventually receive redemption from God and that there was no such thing as Hell. At first, Murray flatly rejected this concept but as he examined scripture and read Relly’s works, he came to see some merit in the argument. As he continued his speaking engagements, the concept of universal salvation began to creep into his belief system. This brought him bitter castigation from many around him and from some in his audiences.

During this interlude, Murray married. Life seemed to be coming together for him at least as far as his private life was concerned. However, a series of financial setbacks forced him to reduce his speaking and find work. Then, in short order, his wife and one-year-old child died. He also received word that a brother and three sisters had also passed away. As he more and more embraced universal salvation as a part of his theology, rejection and threats of bodily harm became a regular part of his life. Added to that were financial woes and Murray felt as if life in London had become too much to bear. He decided his only option was to give up on England and travel to the English colonies in America.

He put together sufficient funds in 1770 to buy passage to America. The next phase of his life had begun.

by Mike Roberts, Church Historian.

In the January archive article, it was discussed that this year we will be celebrating the 250th anniversary of Universalism in America. What exact event are we really recognizing? Before a discussion of that, it might be beneficial to newer members of our congregation to examine our own origins.

Today, we at Heritage are a part of the Unitarian Universalist Association. That church is a marriage of the Unitarian and Universalist faiths which occurred in 1961. The sharp-eyed will note that we at Heritage are a Universalist Unitarian Church and not Unitarian Universalist. Only a few churches in America carry that name. Our birth as a church was in 1827 when we opened our doors as a Universalist Church. When the proposed merger of the two faiths occurred, our church voted overwhelmingly against the linking of the two faiths. However, when it was approved nationally, we joined the new UU church and later stipulated that Universalist would come first in our name. This was to honor our heritage and our origins as a Universalist congregation.

So, what are we celebrating? In September of 1770, an English refugee named John Murray landed on the shores of New Jersey in a small boat looking for food and friendship. He had been a preacher in England but had been vilified for the message he was delivering. That message was that God was a loving God who would eventually grant universal salvation to everyone. There was no Hell, only a kingdom of acceptance and love in the afterlife. Trying to preach this message in England had brought scathing criticism and threats of bodily harm.

For nearly 1700 years, the bedrock of Christian faith has been a judgment day when the righteous will go on to a paradise called Heaven and the damned will suffer through eternity in a burning Hell. One need only examine the art of Renaissance and Reformation Europe to see that theme repeated endlessly in churches across Europe, whether they be Catholic or Protestant.

Below is Michelangelo’s “The Last Judgment,” which covers the entire back wall of the Sistine Chapel. It is a never-ending reminder of the rewards of a good life and the suffering that awaits sinners. Below that work is Hieronymus Bosch’s triptych “The Garden of Earthly Delights,” which as an altarpiece draws the eyes of the worshiper to the same reminder of the afterlife.

Murray’s belief that there was no Hell drew scorn and ridicule, and he fled to the shores of the American colonies. Landing in New Jersey, he soon met a local farmer named John Potter. Potter welcomed Murray and quickly took him to a church which he himself had constructed in the hopes of starting a congregation in the neighborhood. When he heard that Murray was a preacher, he invited him to deliver a sermon. On September 30, 1770, Murray delivered the first sermon in America with a Universalist theme and it is that sermon that we will be celebrating this year.

We will explore John Murray’s life in America more in a later archive article. Be aware that the national UU organization plans a celebration of this sermon at Murray Grove in New Jersey on the weekend of October 2-4.

by Mike Roberts, Church Historian

Beginning in February 2015, Reverend Bill Gupton left on a six-month sabbatical. We now soon will see Rev. Bill head off for another six-month recess in his service to Heritage Church. During his last leave, the church leadership undertook to maintain an active program to make up for his absence. Here are just a few of those special events.

Guest speakers honored our sanctuary through Bill’s leave. These included many of our own membership in addition to local ministers and a few others from far away.

Reverend Mark Belletini served as a guest pastor. Eric Meter, Mitra Jafargadeh, Dawn Cooley, Brent Smith and Sharon Dittmar also graced our pulpit.

Peter Boylan entertained by juggling plastic grocery bags at a variety show which allowed many in the congregation to show off a wide array of talents. The affair raised over $900 for the church funds.

A group of Heritage Church regulars who were very tired of winter organized a Thaw Party. The reception of the participants was anything but cool.

Rae Jane Araujo and Louise Lawarre presented a three-part series on racial injustice titled “The New Jim Crow.” These were held after regular church services.

The Senior Religious Education students organized a food drive under the leadership of Heidi Stickney. Two van loads of food for Inter Parish Ministry were collected through this effort.

Regular annual events were continued, of course, including the Flower Ceremony.

The events mentioned here were just a sampling of the many events that occurred during Bill’s absence. A Take Apart Party honoring the man who started the World Wide Web fascinated our younger membership. Cooking classes were offered by Tracy Jo Small. The annual auction was held in April. All of these activities, along with many others too numerous to mention, occupied our attention during the six-month sabbatical.

On February 2, our church leadership will present their plans for the next six months of Reverend Gupton’s 2020 sabbatical. Don’t miss finding out what is in store from February through July!

Updated January 27, 2020.

by Mike Roberts, Church Historian.

The year 2020 will mark a special anniversary in the history of our church. In September of 1770, John Murray found his way to the shores of New England and preached his first Universalist sermon in America. That was 250 years ago and we will be celebrating that event in the coming year.

For those of you who are new to our church, we at Heritage trace our roots back to Universalism. Our church was founded in the early 1800’s in downtown Cincinnati as a Universalist Church. We maintained that religious base throughout our history even to the point of insisting that our church be designated a Universalist Unitarian Church when the merger with that other liberal faith took place in 1961. Nearly all of our fellow churches are designated as Unitarian Universalist churches.

In 1970, the national Unitarian Universalist leadership honored the 200th anniversary in a number of ways. Perhaps the most important was commissioning the writing of a history of Universalism. Dr. Russell Miller, a professor at Tufts University, was selected to research and produce the book. When completed, it was a work of two volumes entitled “The Larger Hope”. Both volumes are available in our Heritage Room library. Also, the national organization set aside time at the 1971 general assembly to celebrate the founding of Universalism in America. The assembly was scheduled to be held in Philadelphia, a city rich in Universalist tradition. Also, local congregations, especially those with strong Universalist roots, were encouraged to conduct programs to celebrate the bicentennial of Murray’s sermon.

Efforts to that end for our church were perhaps thwarted by the resignation of our minister, Karl Bach, on June 30, 1970. At that point in time, the church had relocated to Salem Acres and it became obvious that the church could no longer support a full-time minister. Bach offered his resignation. Guest speakers filled the pulpit for the remainder of the year with the Reverend L. H. Mayfield conducting many of the services.

However, Reverend Bach posted a letter thanking the trustees for easing his separation. Filed with the October 1970 Board of Trustees minutes, his letter makes reference to a sermon delivered at Salem Acres on June 7, 1970 by Dave Johnson entitled “200th Anniversary Sermon on Universalism”. Bach offered to provide a copy of the sermon to the church but no copy of it has been found in our archives. Johnson was the author of the book, To Preach and Fight, a history of Universalism in Cincinnati, which was published in 1973.

Article posted December 24, 2020.

by Mike Roberts, Church Historian

In February 2015, our church was presented a slice of history when Al Gerhardstein, famed Cincinnati civil rights attorney, addressed the Sunday service. Gerhardstein was the lead attorney in the case of Obergefell vs. Hodges, which was scheduled to be heard in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in April. In his presentation to our congregation, the attorney detailed the case of James Obergefell, who had originally brought suit against the State of Ohio in Obergefell vs. Kasich because the state would not recognize his marriage to John Arthur.

Obergefell and his partner had been married in the State of Maryland but Ohio had refused to recognize the union, and one of the results of this action was to deny Obergefell being listed as the surviving spouse on Arthur’s death certificate. In Federal District Court, Obergefell’s suit was upheld and during the eventual appeals process the decision was again upheld. Several other cases had also seen similar resolutions as four different District Appeals Courts found for the plaintiffs. But a fifth court in Tennessee found for the respondents, stating that the marriage ban on same sex couples was not depriving those couples of their constitutional rights. At that point, all of the cases were rolled into one and presented to the U.S. Supreme Court as Obergefell vs. Hodges. Arguments were scheduled for April.

Speaking to our congregation, Mr. Gerhardstein reviewed the history of the case and the particulars of the plaintiff’s complaint. He then opened the floor for questions from the congregation. As questions were posed, he answered as the attorneys for the respondents might answer. He later explained that it gave him practice in countering the arguments of the defense, who believed that government agencies were within their rights to ban same sex marriage. While these explanations might have been troubling to our congregation, it gave insight into the reasoning of those entities who had held steadfastly to denying marriage rights to same sex couples. Gerhardstein then summarized his case and laid out what he and his team faced in presenting to the highest court in the land. The opportunity to get a preview of what would prove to be a landmark court decision was an astounding experience for the Heritage Universalist Unitarian congregation.

On April 28, 2015, oral arguments were heard in front of the Supreme Court. Two months later, on June 26, the court announced its decision to uphold the plaintiff’s case and require legal recognition of same sex marriage in all 50 states. The decision was 5-4, with Justices Kennedy, Bader-Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor and Kagan in the majority and Justices Roberts, Alito, Thomas and Scalia dissenting. That night the Obama White House was bathed in rainbow lighting in celebration of the decision.

December 2019.

by Mike Roberts, Church Historian

Most Heritage UU Church worshipers are aware that our congregation has been in existence in Cincinnati for almost 200 years. Universalism spread to the Queen City from its roots in New England and the First Universalist Church of Cincinnati was founded in 1827. Nearly all of our early ministers traveled from New England to serve the congregation. Our first minister was Josiah Waldo who was born in New Hampshire and married the daughter of Hosea Ballou, one of the forefathers of Universalism. However, the challenges of coming to Cincinnati proved to go far beyond the duties of a frontier minister.

Traveling to Cincinnati during those early years and surviving here were daunting tasks. Roads were muddy and at times impassable. The Ohio River provided barge and raft transport, which could be dangerous during flood times and impossible during drought. But, the most formidable challenge was the climate of the city, which seemed to foster all sorts of life-threatening disease and chronic illness. Waldo retreated to New England after four years in the city. Death and sickness seemed to follow many successive ministers after Waldo. His replacement, George Rogers, was a tireless preacher who traveled thousands of miles on horseback throughout the South and Midwest as a circuit rider while still serving as our minister. The grind took a toll on his health and he died in Cincinnati at age 41.

Ireland-born William West followed Rogers and served energetically for three years, until the death of his young wife. He grieved so for her passing that he felt unable to continue his pastoral duties and he resigned. Little is known of him after that resignation. West was followed by John Gurley who left the ministry to enter politics. He enjoyed great success until he was felled by a burst appendix at the age of 50 here in Cincinnati.

Our fifth minister, Abel Thomas, was one of the most famous Universalist ministers of his time. He was the author of many books and treatises and was a speaker in high demand across the country. He came to Cincinnati in 1844 as a healthy 37-year-old. Respiratory disease quickly overtook him, and after a year and a half he took a lengthy leave of absence to recuperate in the East. Upon his return, the illness quickly set in again and he was offered a second leave but he refused. He resigned from our pulpit and returned East where he lived a long and very productive existence, though he suffered from the respiratory problems for the rest of his life.

Henry Jewell replaced Thomas. He settled into his new position at age 35 only to lose his wife, Elizabeth, to illness during his three-year tenure in Cincinnati. Jewell was replaced by George Quinby. Quinby and his wife, Lucy, spent nine years in Cincinnati. He served only three as minister but stayed on as a member of the Board of Trustees of the church for another six years. He and his wife had nine children, of whom six died prior to the age of four. Several of these children died in Cincinnati. He took his ill wife back to New England in 1860, only to lose her to death later that year.

Isaac Williamson came to Cincinnati with severe asthma, but found that the conditions of the city made it even worse. He persevered, however, and remained an active force in national Universalism while based in the Queen City. However, he was forced to take numerous trips to the South to escape the city and was only able to serve as a full-time minister with the First Universalists for a short time. Forty-year-old George Flanders replaced Williamson and served for four years. However, during his tenure, his wife Harriet passed away in 1859. Flanders also lost a child who was killed in the Civil War.

It is known that several severe outbreaks of cholera and typhoid plagued Cincinnati during these years prior to the Civil War. Ministers were on the front lines, committing themselves to the ill and dying. To have also been forced to deal with those issues in their own immediate family lives had to be a trial only the strongest could withstand.

November 2019.

by Mike Roberts, Church Historian

In 1975, the Unitarian Universalist Council of Cincinnati sponsored the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the American Unitarian Association. The event was held over two days at the William Howard Taft house in Mt. Auburn. The Council had been formed in 1961 by representatives of the five UU churches of Cincinnati who met to discuss issues of liberal faith. The group was originally called BOGSAT or Bunch of Guys Sitting Around a Table. Its main goal was to promote cooperation and communication between the five societies. They also supported an ecumenical campus ministry and a city-wide interfaith coalition. In keeping with the goal of communication, they published the “Cincinnati Interliberal Newsletter.”

The five societies represented at the first meeting were First Unitarian, First Universalist and St. John’s Unitarian along with Eastern Hills and Northern Hills fellowships. First Unitarian was founded in 1830 and had to survive a split during the Civil War over the slavery question. The church merged again in the 1870’s to wage a successful opposition to public school Bible reading. The congregation settled in its present location in 1889.

Our congregation, of course, dates back to 1827. At the founding of BOGSAT, we were still worshiping at the Essex Street location but by 1975 had relocated to Salem Acres.

St. John’s Unitarian emerged in the early 1800’s from a coalition of Lutheran churches. There was much disagreement within the German Lutheran faith and the St. John’s congregation was formed from the most liberal of the dissenting voices. Services at St. John’s were conducted entirely in German until 1912 when English was used on the first and third Sundays of each month. By 1918, English became the sole language spoken in church though much of the written liturgy was still in German. It was shortly after this that the church joined the Unitarian association. The church was located at 12th and Elm for 80 years and moved to its present location in 1951.

Eastern Hills Fellowship was founded in 1959 and contained some members from our own Essex Street congregation. Worship was conducted for 13 years in a school house until a permanent location was found in Madeira.

Northern Hills was founded in 1961 by members of First Unitarian. Its members constructed a new facility in 1967 and the first service there was held on Christmas Eve of that year.

While Unitarian thought had long existed, the American Unitarian Association was formed in Boston in 1825. It was created as a response to a split between Unitarians and the Congregational Churches. Forty-four Unitarians gathered in Boston to debate the wisdom of declaring themselves and their beliefs publicly in a time still filled with religious intolerance.

by Mike Roberts, Church Historian

We are nearing the end of another decade. Twenty years ago, the world was preparing for the end of a millennium. Much was being written about the Y2K bug, which threatened to bring the global information system crashing down around us because few computer systems had been programmed to handle the year 2000. Chaos was imminent. Some people were looking forward to gargantuan celebrations. The London Eye, a giant Ferris wheel, was to open on New Year’s Eve on the Thames River. Concerts featuring some of the world’s greatest pop music groups were being held in both hemispheres. ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd were to perform in Dallas and Barbra Streisand was to wow an audience in Las Vegas. Where were you in 1999 and what was happening at Heritage Universalist Unitarian Church?

A search of the archives reveals that life at our church was marching ahead at a fast pace. During July of 1999, the church leaders created a scavenger hunt which took the participants room to room and around the grounds seeking out the answers to about 40 questions concerning our facility. That same month, Grant and Frank Lyon, sons of Barb and Bill Lyon, were dedicated.

Heritage paired with St. John Fisher Catholic Church, just up Newtown Road, to support a refugee family from Kosovo. The family included a mother, father and a total of seven family members. Activities of support included helping the adults learn how to use the post office, write checks, get a driver’s license and look for work. Tutoring was provided for the children who spoke no English and the family was taken on a Halloween fun night. When they left their home in Kosovo it had been reduced to ashes in the war, and they were able to take with them only a paring knife and a demitasse cup and the clothes they were wearing. Terry O’Donnell-Parsons coordinated the program for Heritage.

Dan Mathey, son of Dean and Becky Mathey, had neared completion of the labyrinth as part of his Eagle Scout project. Members were asked to bring a small stone or brick on October 31 to complete the construction. Twenty years later, the labyrinth still occupies a sacred place in our religious community.

As the year came near to a close, Reverend Elinor Artman offered a sermon entitled “Fin du Siècle” (sometimes written as “Fin de Siècle”  and meaning “End of the Century”). Her status as an interim minister was being questioned by some. She was beloved by all but some felt that a full-time minister was needed for the congregation to thrive. Sam Gamble, president of the Board of Trustees, was sponsoring discussions and planning regarding this issue. Nancy Howard and Jill Frank both reflected on the future of the church in Heirloom articles.

On the eve of the new millennium, several ways of ushering in 2000 were offered. From 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. on December 31st, an interfaith gathering was held at the Peace Bell in Newport. Singing and children’s activities focused on supporting peace initiatives in the years to come. At 8:00 p.m., Heritage Universalist Unitarian Church offered a family friendly New Millennium party. The organizers promised good company, fun games and a roaring fire as well as a stroll through the labyrinth. Melissa Rockenfield supervised the event.

So much has happened in the intervening 20 years. The Y2K bug seems almost insignificant in comparison to the events that followed that night of ringing in a new millennium.

September 2019.

By Mike Roberts, Church Historian

In the pictures immediately below, the upper left and right pictures and the lower left are icons of Cincinnati architecture. In order, they are Cincinnati Music Hall, City Hall and Elsinore Arch. Many of our church members will recognize the lower right picture as the Essex Street church that our congregation occupied for 70 years. What do they have in common?

All were designed by the architectural firm headed by Samuel Hannaford. His firm was, without doubt, the most highly acclaimed architectural firm in the city in the late 19th century, when so much building was occurring in a growing metropolis. In all, he and his firm designed over 300 structures throughout the Midwest and South. In Cincinnati, some of his other designs included the Cincinnati Observatory, the Cincinnatian Hotel, the Phoenix Club, the H & S Pogue Department Store, the Times-Star Building and St. George’s Cathedral (the twin spired church on the edge of the University of Cincinnati).

Hannaford was born in England and came to Cincinnati with his family at age 9. As a young adult he graduated from Farmers College and was hired into an architectural firm. He learned the trade and then opened his own firm. In 1887 that firm became Samuel Hannaford and Sons. At his death in 1911 he was President of the Cincinnati Mechanics Institute.

With the urging of Reverend Ulysses Milburn, The First Universalist Society of Cincinnati embarked on a building program that resulted in the Essex Street facility. Since leaving the Plum Street Church in 1884, the First Universalists had been worshiping in a rented church near Peebles Corners. In February 1898, they obtained land via a perpetual lease from Mr. and Mrs. William Rendig. Next, they hired the Hannaford firm to do the architectural plans. Finally, they employed the Michael Marcus firm to build the church. The price of construction was set at $12,660 with options to use a higher grade stone if the church so chose thus increasing the cost. The building committee was headed by George Utter. Edgar Wooley served as the secretary of the committee.

The church was completed in time for Christmas 1898, at a final cost of just over $17,000. Several additions were made to the original plan which accounted for the cost overrun. The church had set aside $15,000 for the entire project and pledges from church members covered the remainder. Thus, our spiritual ancestors opened a church that joined the ranks of Cincinnati’s finest architectural wonders.

August 2019.

by Mike Roberts, Church Historian

The Heritage Room of our church is dedicated to the thousands of people who have worked many long and hard hours to maintain Universalist traditions for Cincinnatians who have been drawn to our belief system. It houses many archives that tell the story of our religious community.

That history dates back to the formation of our church in a house in downtown Cincinnati in 1827. While our congregation has worshiped at times in temporary quarters, our church has enjoyed lengthy residence at five different locations. The first was in a church constructed on Walnut Street between 3rd and 4th Streets. That site is currently occupied by Key Bank in the old Dixie Terminal Building. The second was on Plum Street half a block from the present Duke Energy Center. It is now a surface parking lot. The church building was sold by our congregation in 1884 and the business that occupied it burned to the ground in the 1920’s. Like many Cincinnatians in the late 19th century, our congregation headed out of downtown to settle into the hills that surround the city. They built a church in Walnut Hills on Essex Street and it was occupied by our religious ancestors for nearly 60 years. A dwindling membership next moved to a house in Salem Acres in Anderson Township in the mid 1960’s and maintained UU worship there until our present church was constructed in 1985.

Needless to say, in the 192 years of our existence, many archival materials have survived. These include a nearly complete set of Board of Trustees minutes that date back to 1844; church newsletters nearly all of which are from the last fifty years; some orders of service, the oldest dating to the early 1940’s; legal documents and hundreds of odds and ends, a few of which date back to the early years of our church. This archival material is contained in the old filing cabinet located next to the far entrance door to the Heritage Room. Most of the files are placed in folders and are organized chronologically from the middle years of the 18th century to the present. A few of these records are still maintained in bound volumes, especially the early Board of Trustees minutes.

In addition to the archives, a small library exists and is open to all church members for use. The books contained in the library are divided by category. These are the subject categories as well as the number of titles available in each category:

• Music and Readings (21)
• Religious Education for Children (60)
• Universalism/Unitarianism (85)
• World Religions (110)
• Self Help (42)
• Social Justice (35)
• Church Management (27)
• Gender Issues (21)
• Spirituality and Meditation (42)
• Miscellaneous (19)

That are a total of 462 titles. Books are numbered in each category and are available for use. A checkout system is explained in the basket atop the archive filing cabinet. A bibliography of our titles is also included. Some of the books, especially those in the Universalism/Unitarianism category, are quite old. Nearly all of them are in good shape and some, I am sure, would qualify as rare books. Several are authored by former ministers of our church.

Around the room are tributes and items contributed to the church over the years by members and friends. Take a minute in your free time to look around and enjoy this living record of our past. You might take note of a plaque that indicates the name of the room is the Cora Littell room, named after the last member of the Littell family who was a member of our church.

July 2019.