Friday, September 28, 2007

Charleston SC Universalist

I last wrote about the Charleston Universalists in January 2007.

since then, I now have the Charleston Universalists still around in 1860 (looking to hire a new minister). This is close enough, that we can basically say that the Church lasted until the war.

As for the No Hell cemetery - I have a possible cite of a "Elizabeth Roberts" who died on September 12, 1838 and buried in September 13, 1838 in the "Universalist Yard". that would suggest on the lot on what was Anson and Laurens. I have no idea if they were removed after the war, or remain there. Anybody here with a good source of Charleston cemetery books?

Rev John Gregory (1810-1881) was minister and editor of the "Southern Evangelist" for a year around 1838.

Governor J. L. Wilson (1784 -1849), I see the Methodists slam him as an Universalist in a Methodist history book in the late 1800s, with an amusing story where he discovered his pastor in a local bar and had a drink with him. Good thing Wilson wasn't upstate with the teetotaler Universalists. The teetotaling Methodists weren't amused. I see in a mason book a letter from Wilson to Rev Albert Case. I suspect that all the Charleston Universalists were masons.

and the 1827-1829 Charleston Trinitarian Universalist book, "the Evangelists Manual" is on google books now.

Monday, September 24, 2007

Dec 2, 2007 "Father D.B.Clayton, southern Universalist missionary"

Just a real early note that on December 2, 2007, I will be talking to Outlaw's Bridge Universalist Church in the Outlaw's Bridge community near Seven Springs NC, about Southern Universalist Missionary Father D. B. Clayton.
Whether this ends up as a lecture or sermon or preaching; I'm not yet sure. The topic should be inspiring - we will see if the presenter is as good as the subject matter.

Friday, September 14, 2007

Universalists 222 birhday

222 years ago on September 14, 1785, a group of New England Universalist Churches joined together to form the New England Convention of Universalists. this eventually became the Universalist Church of America. I didn't see the UUA celebrating their birthday (or is it their parents birthday?)

In honor, I had a cup of ice cream (the fact that it's still in the 80s at 9:30 PM might have something to do with that too....)

and what did you do to celebrate?

marking time....

So what do I do when I get a semi-plug in a national magazine? Do I put up something every few days to keep the folks who dont use a RSS feed? No, I dont even put up a "best of"....

two things being going on: research for others and allergy season.

The research for others has confirmed somethings, opened my eyes to others, but been even more fragmented. The allergy season has been draining. And we have to put in some work and family issues in the time thing too....

i have found -thanks to the book DEFEND THIS OLD TOWN; WILLIAMSBURG DURING THE CIVIL WAR (2002) - that J. L. C. Griffin's diary is in an archives - although now i can find ouyt where. this would help confirm his Universalist school in Magnolia, and would tell us more about him.

I have read a little bit on Inman Chapel, J.C. Burruss, and on Virginia - not much going on in Virginia, but it's still more than I thought.....

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Quillen Hamilton Shinn, DD

Quillen Hamilton Shinn, DD (January 6, 1845 - September 6, 1907)

you can read the biography of Shinn at Google Books (search for "Faith With Power" Shinn)
and you can read an article in the current UU World

Once when I visited an UU Church (on a homecoming Sunday), one of the things that was shared was a picture of a child standing with Quillen Shinn. This child became the parent of the person sharing (if I have the story right), but the big thing in this, is that having your parent meet Q. H. Shinn was indeed a big thing.

Taken from the above mentioned biography, comes this:

Morning: a Prayer
"Our father: every morning is a fresh return of Thy loving kindness. When we sleep, the vigils of Thy love are 'round about us. At the threshold of this new day, may it please Thee to inspire us with lofty aims, so that we may rise out of our selfish selves into conscious kinship with Thee. Help us to know the mystery of Thy love, how limitless and all comforting it is and, animated by its sweet law, may we go out into this great and needy world with hearts to sympthaize, with words to cheer and with hands to minister. Then shall we know the Divine Nature of our faith, the joy of Christlike living and fully realize that love is the fulfilling of the law.
Amen."

First printed in the anthology "The Optimist's Good Morning". Somewhere around here, I have a book with a picture of Shinn preaching at the grove at Ferry Beach - with the altar big and clear with "God is Love" engraved boldly on it. This is what Universalism was in 1907 - Optimism, Love, and the joy of Christlike living. No matter what one's theological views, we sure could use more of those three things in 2007.