by Mike Roberts, Church Historian.

When we left our Universalist founder, John Murray, he had taken a new wife in 1788 and was well into his settled pastorate at the original Universalist Church of America in Gloucester, Massachusetts. In 1789, he composed a letter of congratulations to George Washington on his election to the Presidency of the new United States of America. It was well received by the president and a return letter of thanks to Murray came from Mr. and Mrs. Washington.

However, John Murray was a wanderer, a vagabond, a man who needed to see as much of the world as the limits of 18th century transportation would permit. He made a number of trips in and around Philadelphia and saw it as fertile ground for Universalist ministry. He preached in houses and churches and was invited to move permanently to Philadelphia to start a new church. He was offered over a 1,000 dollars a year in salary and free housing. But, his loyalty to Gloucester caused him to turn it down.

His next venture took him to Boston, a city where he had preached during his early days in America and had met enormous resistance and even physical attacks. He saw Boston as the potential center of Universalist thought. Eventually the offer came to start a church there and he felt he could not turn it down. The people in Gloucester were greatly disheartened by his leaving, but Murray felt that Boston was the epicenter of the liberal religious movements taking root in the Northeast. To honor his old supporters, Murray made occasional trips back to Gloucester to preach, an honor he accorded to no other church outside Boston. Even before their employment of Murray, the Universalists in Boston had purchased a wooden church structure from the Congregationalists and it became the home of Universalism in Boston until it was replaced by a larger structure in 1838.

Murray spent the next 15 years developing a cadre of ministers who would follow in his footsteps, the most prominent being Hosea Ballou. It is important to trace our own church’s direct connection to Ballou and thus to Murray. When the First Universalist Society of Cincinnati was created in 1827, its first minister was Josiah Waldo. Waldo was trained by Ballou and married Elmina Ballou, the daughter of Hosea.

Murray’s beliefs and practices as a minister included several major deviations from typical Christian religious observance beyond the belief in universal salvation. He did not believe in transubstantiation and thus, would not conduct communion services. When requested to do so, he would perform memorial services in place of the eucharist. He also did not believe in infant baptism. To replace it, he would conduct dedication services, a practice followed by many of his immediate successors and still in use today in UU churches including our own. He also attached himself to his congregations in a much more committed fashion than most traditional ministers of his day. He saw his church members as a part of his family and he served them like his own family, tending to many needs outside the realm of the religious sphere.

Murray continued to serve the people of Boston until October of 1809, when he suffered a debilitating stroke. While he attempted to continue his activities as a minister, the effects of the stroke severely limited his strength and abilities. Murray passed away on September 3, 1815, as he neared his 74th birthday. He was interred in the famous Old Granary Cemetery in downtown Boston in the Sargent family vault. However, 20 years later it was decided to build a monument to him and he was reinterred in Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge where he rests today.

It is now 2020 and our society is facing a host of challenging trials. As we prepare to celebrate 250 years of Universalism, perhaps we can reflect on one of Murray’s greatest strengths. He often disagreed strongly with people but he conducted himself in such a manner that he frequently won over as friends his most ardent critics. He counted among those friends a collection of some of the most influential and famous people from the formative years of our nation. Many of those friends did not adopt Universalism as a religion but they greatly respected the man who planted its roots on American soil. They admired his abilities to fight for his cause yet remain on cordial terms with his adversaries. In today’s atmosphere of confrontational politics, perhaps we could use a strong dose of Murray’s love of humanity.

While this completes the story of John Murray, there is an important person in his life who also deserves recognition. That person would be his remarkable wife, Judith Sargent. We will look at her story next month.

(You can also read Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 of this series.)

by Mike Roberts, Church Historian

In 1776, revolution was swirling around the English colonies in America, especially in New England where the founding father of Universalism was now living. However, another revolution was sweeping him up in a way that had a more profound effect on him than the Spirit of ’76. John Murray had recently settled in the town of Gloucester, Massachusetts. The city rests northeast of Boston and was an important fishing center during the time of the American Revolution. Murray had developed a loyal following and preached his Universalist message to whomever would listen. Usually, these sermons were conducted in private homes, as he was barred from preaching in any of the town’s churches. Unsuccessful attempts had been made by his opponents to remove him from the city, labeling him as a dangerous malcontent.

A group of rebels who had been members of the First Church of Christ but who had begun to follow Murray decided to absent themselves from First Church services. The Sargent family was at the forefront of this rebellion. The rebels were forced to answer to church authorities as to why they no longer were committed to the ideals of the church. They answered these charges in a series of letters and also stopped paying taxes to the church. At this time in American history, local churches were partially supported by tax money. The assumption was that maintenance of order in the community could exist only through the support of a strong religious base. Christian religion, with its belief in punishment in the hereafter, was the strongest force to ensure moral behavior. Our Universalist rebels saw this taxation as an infringement on their natural rights and took the next step of constructing their own church building to hold their own services. They invited John Murray to be their first minister. Murray accepted but asked for no remuneration. The initial service in the simple structure containing thirty pews was conducted on December 25, 1780.

The First Church was quick to retaliate. Between 1780 and 1783, property of the dissident members was confiscated to account for their missed tax payments. One revolutionary was jailed for a short time. Murray tried to stay above the fray. He continued to preach regularly but continued to accept no payment for his services. After three years of harassment, the dissidents saw no recourse but to sue First Church and the parish. Murray reluctantly agreed to join the suit and it was led by the rebels, particularly the Sargent family. As Murray had anticipated, the case dragged on for three more years and during this period, broadsides, pamphlets, case filings and newspaper articles abounded on both sides.

The heart of the defense from First Parish was that the Universalist concept of salvation for all was a corrupting influence on the morals of the community. With the threat of eternal damnation removed from the life of its residents, there was no restraint on immoral behavior. In 1786, the courts agreed with the Universalist right to form their own church and not be required to pay taxes to the town’s major church. The landmark decision opened the doors of many dissident churches, not just the Universalists.

Meanwhile, Murray and his insurgents saw their ideas spread outside Gloucester to other cities, towns and villages in New England. Much like the early days of Christianity, sects with slightly different views and opinions were found in all these new locations. Conferences were called in the late 1780’s for the purpose of discussing the new faith. Murray typically stayed above these frays and preferred to simply preach the gospel. However, with no ordained ministers, no training schools and little but the writings and preaching of Murray and other Universalists, the new sect was at an embryonic stage.

It was also decided that the new churches required incorporation to protect themselves from continued lawsuits. This was done in Massachusetts and later in other states to which Universalism spread. Part of the agreement to incorporate included paying Murray a salary of 100 pounds per year. The newly incorporated church called itself “The Independent Christian Church in Gloucester”.

By 1788, Murray was well-respected among the membership as well as the political leadership of the new country. He could count among his friends, George and Martha Washington and John and Abigail Adams, who met Murray on board ship on a return trip from London where Murray had visited his aging mother. Nathaniel Greene, a Revolutionary War hero and declared Universalist, was a close friend. Benjamin Rush, a noted doctor, signer of the Declaration of Independence and avowed Universalist, stated that no one would have dreamed of the revolution in the religious world brought on by this unknown immigrant from England.

One more major event took place during this period. On October 6, 1788, Murray took as his wife, Mrs. Judith Sargent Stevens, a widow. Much could be said about this remarkable woman, but that will be saved for a later article dedicated solely to her singular accomplishments. In the meantime, we will let John Murray enjoy the fruits of his labor and the bliss of marital life before we finish his story.

(You can also read Part 1, Part 2 and Part 4 of this series.)

by Mike Roberts, Church Historian

We left our hero, John Murray, the founding father of our Universalist faith, aboard a ship bound for the American colonies. He had suffered the loss of his wife, child, four siblings and his father to death. He had been scorned, ridiculed and threatened for his belief in universal salvation. Heading for a new life in America offered hope for a brighter future.

A series of fortunate minor mishaps caused Murray’s ship to make an emergency land fall in New Jersey. Murray was sent out on a small boat to look for help. When he landed on the shore, he tied up the boat and looked for assistance. Eventually, he came upon John Potter, an eccentric New Jersey farmer who took Murray in with welcome arms. Potter lived in his own farm house but also had built a small church on the property, hoping to begin a local congregation. On finding that Murray had done extensive preaching in England, Potter invited him to address a gathering of friends and neighbors at his church. Thus, on September 30, 1770, the first Universalist sermon was delivered in America.

Word spread that a new preacher was in town and invitations to speak at first trickled in then became more plentiful. Initially, Murray spoke in the general vicinity of Potter’s home but then speaking requests began coming from as far away as New York.

While Murray’s original sermon was the first of its kind in America, the concept of universal salvation was not a brand new idea to the colonies. In parlor conversation, across tea rooms and even in pubs, the idea had been discussed and there was interest. James Relly’s book had already found its way to America and was at the root of this talk. Now a preacher lived in their midst who could intelligently explain the concept and this preacher had actually heard Relly speak and conversed with him in England. However, one of the biggest obstacles that Murray had to face was his not being an ordained minister. He had not been sanctioned by any religious body to preach the gospel and he had scant formal training in the message of the Bible. To the solidly based religions of the day who demanded extensive training for their ministers, rabbis and priests, he was a quack. He was likeable and obviously intelligent but they still regarded him as a dangerous influence.

Nonetheless, requests to speak came from up and down the Mid-Atlantic coast. Eventually, over the next few years, Murray made addresses as far north as New Hampshire and as far south as Maryland. At times, friendly ministers would allow him the use of their churches but many times the sermons were delivered in public buildings, as churches were closed to him. Resistance was as mild as a few short rebukes and cold shoulders and as harsh as rocks and eggs being thrown at him as he spoke. However, he often expressed that there was true freedom of religion in the Americas and he felt much more at ease presenting his view of Christian theology in his new home than he ever did in his old homeland.

While Murray’s views were rejected by most religious leaders, he was considered a friend by many. He was likeable, he rarely attacked those who disagreed with him and he was eager to be a source of help for his new homeland. Strife with the mother country was nearing revolution and two honors paid to him are indicative of his acceptance. When George Washington journeyed to Cambridge, Massachusetts on July 3, 1775 to take command of the Continental Army, Murray was part of the delegation selected to greet Washington upon his arrival. Also, the Rhode Island Brigade of the new army asked him to serve as their chaplain, a role which Murray gratefully assumed and of which Washington approved.

It would have been easy for Murray to have started his own church. Everywhere he traveled and spoke, he was offered a pulpit in which to settle. Murray steadfastly clung to the belief that his message could be spread much more effectively and quickly if he remained an itinerant preacher and traveled far and wide to spread the word.

We must leave John Murray until next month. He is actively spreading the story of Universalism but war clouds loom on the horizon. Revolution is near.

(You can also read Part 1, Part 3, and Part 4 of this series.)

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.

(You can also read Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4 of this series.)

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.