1986 – Dana McLean Greeley, the first president of the Unitarian Universalist Association, died at age 78. He trained for the Unitarian ministry at Harvard Divinity School and became associate minister to Samuel Atkins Eliot at the Arlington Street Church in Boston before succeeding him as minister. Greeley was a leader in the International Association … Continue reading This Day in Unitarian Universalist History July 13

1817 – The Transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau was born in Concord, Massachusetts. Thoreau attended Harvard College. Only two of his books were published during his lifetime, A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers and Walden. He was reared Unitarian and resigned his membership because he did not want to belong to any organization. He … Continue reading This Day in Unitarian Universalist History July 12

1767 – John Quincy Adams was born in Braintree (now Quincy), Massachusetts, the son of U.S. president John Adams. After graduating from Harvard College, he became a lawyer. His offices included U.S. senator, minister to Russia, chairman of the U.S. Peace Commission to Ghent in England, and U.S. minister to England. He was also secretary … Continue reading This Day in Unitarian Universalist History July 11

1850 – Millard Fillmore, a member of the Unitarian Church in Buffalo, New York, became president of the United States when Zachary Taylor died. Read more about Millard Fillmore at: www.HarvardSquareLibrary.org – the digital library of Unitarian Universalism. The post July 9 first appeared on Harvard Square Library.

1741 – Jonathan Edwards preached the sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” at Enfield, Connecticut, beginning the Great Awakening revival movement. Edwards spoke of the endless torments awaiting sinners and depicted God as wreaking terrible vengeance with everlasting punishment for the non-elect. Universalists countered that teaching with a belief in universal salvation. … Continue reading This Day in Unitarian Universalist History July 8

1540 – Prince John Sigismund of Transylvania was born. He ruled from 1556 to 1570. George Blandrata and Francis Dávid were members of his court. Unitarianism was under attack, and Prince John held a Diet at Torda in 1568 to debate religion. The victory went to the Unitarians and Prince John, converting to Unitarianism, thereby … Continue reading This Day in Unitarian Universalist History July 7

1874 – Paul Revere Frothingham, with forebears going back to the Mayflower, was born in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. The grandson of a Unitarian minister, he was called to the Arlington Street Church in Boston in 1900 and served there until his death in 1926. He served on the board of the American Unitarian Association. Frothingham … Continue reading This Day in Unitarian Universalist History July 6

1810 – Phineas Taylor Barnum was born in Bethel, Connecticut. He was reared a stern Puritan but became a devoted Universalist. The museum he opened in New York City featured natural history exhibits and curiosities. Barnum is best known for operating “The Greatest Show on Earth,” his circus. Barnum called himself the “prince of Humbugs” … Continue reading This Day in Unitarian Universalist History July 5

1804 – Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts. He was an enormously influential early American writer. His works include Twice Told Tales, The Scarlet Letter, House of the Seven Gables, and Mosses from an Old Manse. Hawthorne married Sophia Peabody, sister of Elizabeth, and belonged to Transcendentalist circles. He worked at a variety of … Continue reading This Day in Unitarian Universalist History July 4

1816 – John Cordner was born near Belfast in Ireland. With aid from the American Unitarian Association a church was built in Montreal in May 1845 for the Unitarian Society, and Cordner was appointed minister. He preached there for nearly 50 years, both morning and evening every Sunday, and refused calls to other churches. Read … Continue reading This Day in Unitarian Universalist History July 3