Spam and Eggs

I havent forgotten this blog - how could I? I get between 5-7 spam messages a day for it....!!
And can anybody explain exactly how "Thanks for sharing this link, but unfortunately it seems to be offline... " is effective spam? Do they search for blogs and forums that post it? Do I need to scrub stuff like that off the blog?

There will be doing some southern historical stuff at the Universalist Convocations at
Newberry SC this upcoming May 2011. So it's not like I'm ignoring history completely.

Recommended books on the Universalists

The Boston Unitarian asks "I am trying to remedy my somewhat woeful knowledge of Universalism and (as you know) just picked up an e-reader. I was wondering if you could suggest maybe 5 books that I should read this summer to bring me to a baseline knowledge? If they were free and downloadable to my nook, that would be great.'

i would say that the five should be a history of the denomination, a biography of one of the greats, a theology book, a debate book, and something miscellaneous - either theology for laymen or a memoir.

The best history is likely Ann Bressler's the Universalist Movement in America.
I bought a copy when it was $35 or so, it is now $85 and the ebook $67. I would recommend interlibrary loan. The free choice is porbably
The American Church History Series : A history of the Unitarians and the Universalists, by J.H. Allen and R. Eddy. To be honest, I read eddy's two volume set, but not this one. I have F. A., Bisbee's "From Good Luck to Gloucester" in my to read pile - I see that it's available for free on the Nook, try that one.

Theology, Ballou's "Thesis on Atonement" is hard going, so maybe one of J. W. Hanson's books. like "Bible Threatings Explained" or "Biblical Proofs of Universal Salvation". The Nook also has various volumes of the "Manual of Faith and Duty" (but without that subtitle!) - not sure which of those I would recommend. Or even a sermon book.

Biography, either Ballou or Murray, I believe you have one on Hosea Ballou, so that made that easy.

Debate; to understand Universalism of the 19th century, you have to understand debates. Ii'd go with Manford and Sweeney, because Manford and Sweeney both kept it im print for decades (both thought they won).

Misc., I was going to suggest something like Bisbee's "A California Pilgrimage", to get a sense of Universalists - but its not on the Nook yet. Maybe Emma Bailey's memoir "Happy Day". Wow, the ultra-rare "A Key to Universalism" is on the Nook, I have an original - and it is both rare, and hard to figure out what in the world Shehane is saying (not recommended)."Love that Never Failed" is not available,

Reasonable start, I'm sure that Scott and others can make other suggestions.
You note nothing for the past 110 years - the good books haven't been written yet , But check (not on the Nook) books by Clarence Skinner, and the history of the Charles Street Meeting House (to see how modern UU-ism was created).

Experiences in Making Uuiversalists "MRS. MYSTIC" Rev. Q. H. Shlnn, D. D.

Experiences in Making Uuiversalists
"MRS. MYSTIC"
Rev. Q. H. Shlnn, D. D.

(taken from ONWARD 3 July 1906)

It was in 1895, if my memory is correct, that I was conducting a series of meetings in Columbia, South Carolina. The hall was barren, unattractive, Dr. D. B. Clayton's family had put in some chairs, about the only furniture.
One evening there sat before me a very responsive hearer. 1 could tell that while she listened eagerly, her receptive mind would occasionally shrink from taking in the whole Universalist message. Fear and misgiving seemed to mingle with impulses newly stirred and all aglow with hope. I had never seen this face before but soon was made intensely conscious that a hungry soul was yearning for something I had to give, and well 1 knew her cultured mind was weighing every word I spoke.
Either that night or the next she brought questions for me to answer. Desiring more time to answer them I secured her name and city address and called next day at her home. During the conversation it seemed at times difficult te make the essential points of our interpretation sufficiently clear for her to grasp. But I had no fear but she would see because willing to put prejudice aside and think. When people want to see they'll see.
Not long after this, the Sunday issue of a Columbia Daily began publishing articles signed by "Mrs. Mystic." So optismistic were they, so full of comfort and sunny hope, that many delighted readers began to ask, "Who is this Mrs. Mystic?" For many weeks these appeared, growing mere clearly Universalist in tone and spirit. I think it became noised about at length that "Mrs. Mystic" was teaching Universalism. At all events patrons of the paper sent in their protests and the Editor soon reached the conclusion that it would be best to discontinue the Sunday Department.
About this time I had sent some of "Mrs. Mystic's" articles to the Universalist herald, Edited by Rev. J. M. Bowers in Canon, Ga. They were gladly published and in a short time the writer was requested to engage as regular correspondent.
She did so and under her own name — Athalia L. J. Irwin. Now my readers knew that "Mrs. Mystic" is not a myth, but the missionary of the Young People's Christian Union in Little Rock, Arkansas.
For a long time after she fully espoused eur faith, it seemed impossible for her to sever her connection with the Baptist Church of which for so many years her father had been a faithful minister. Her brothers, sisters and friends were there, and the associations were sweet and sacred. No, she must stay. But she found out her mistake in time. Some never do. She could be a Universalist but she could not enjoy Universalism there. The Universalist Church is the only one in which a soul can knew the priceless value and sweetness of Universalism. To enjoy the faith one must be its witness. Its richness is never experienced by a silent believer.
Mrs. Irwin remained something over two years a faithful worker in her Baptist Church, a teacher in the Sunday School and an instructor of teachers, also a leading worker in the Ladies' Society. Meanwhile she was glad to contribute her labor to encourage the little band of Universalists and attend meetings when held. At last she clearly saw that the Baptist church could be no longer her religious home, and with her little daughter united with the Universalist Sunday Scheol.
In 1898, I believe it was—in that same humble hall—she stood beside her husband, Mr. George W. Irwin, to receive the fellowship of the Universalist Church. Dr. D. B. Clayton, I think was present assisting me in this service. Two years later their little daughter, Mabel, joined at twelve years of age.
On the thirtieth day of November, 1902, Mrs. Irwin was ordained as a Universalist minister and installed the Pastor of the Universaltst Church in Pensacola, Florida. The noble work she did and how greatly she was loved by all is well known to our people in the North.
Less than two years age she was called by the Executive Board of the National Y. P. C. U. to take the Mission in Little Rock. Under her leadership a beautiful Chapel has been built, and a fine corner lot secured for a future church. Back of this fronting on 13th Street, stands the attractive "Cottage Chapel."
Last week the Arkansas Conference met in it, and on Sunday, April 22, 1906, the new house of worship was dedicated, five ministers taking part, Revs. Rachel Billings, Athalia Irwin, B. F. Griffin, W. M. Edrington and the writer. A fine intelligent audience listened to these services, and at night the attendance was increased. Having been the founder of the church, it fell on me to preach the dedicatory sermon. Our property in the capital City of Arkansas is worth $4,000. Indebtedness $550- A great achievement for the friend whom I trust you will all go on encouraging until she gains still greater.

UU Salon - Universalism

in a history blog, you talk about history. And what better way to talk about history that to cite the leaders of southern Universalism. I hope my brief excerpts give a bit of the joy that these ministers felt about their beliefs.



Father Clayton in his autobiography talks about his conversion to Universalism. He had been spending much time in religious contemplation in the years up to 1837.

"To say that God created a part of the human race purposely to render them endlessly miserable would, to his [Clayton's] mind, transform that great and good Being into a MONSTER OF CRUELTY. To say that God had created all men for a destiny of endless felicity would be, as his religious training assured him, to embrace a soul-destroying heresy ..."
"In what direction to turn for relief, he did not know. He could not reconcile the doctrine of endless misery with his ideas of the principle of justice; which principle his religious teachers seemed to regard as the overshadowing attribute of the all-wise Creator. Against that dogma every attribute of his own soul was in open rebellion; and this fact he could not conceal from himself."
...
"but fortunately - as the writer now believes - there occurred, just at this, to him, critical period, and event quite trivial in its nature, as viewed from an ordinary stand-point, but an event designed, through the train of circumstances to which it gave rise, to exercise a controlling influence over at least fifty years of his earthy destiny. This was the placing in his hands .... of a copy of the EVANGELICAL MAGAZINE AND GOSPEL ADVOCATE, a Universalist weekly paper -- of which the [modern UU WORLD] is the lineal descendant ...
To one who had been occupying the benighted position that had proved so perplexing to the writer, that copy of the MAGAZINE AND ADVOCATE appeared as the glimmer of a light shinning in a dark place. he became not long thereafter a subscriber to that paper, and also a deeply interested reader. it opened up to him a new world....
"The shackles of religious error, by which he had been bound down to a servitude more grinding and oppressive that that of the galley-slave, fell from his limbs, and he stood forth, 'redeemed regenerated, disinthralled.' Then, as never before in his religious experience, he felt that a burden indeed had been lifted, not simply from his shoulders, but from his heart."

Athalia J. Irwin
from "A Bouquet of Verses", 1905

HOPE
What matters it if the darkest night wears on, like a sunless life,
And weary hours coax not the sleep that would cover up your strife?
oh, know ye not, ye weary soul, that a day far faier still
Must break for thee in the eastern skies, and they hungering spirt fill?
Oh, know ye not that a day of light must surely dawn at last,
When darkness drear hast taught thy soul its burden where to cast.
Despair ye not, O weary soul, if the night be long and drear,
For a day of hope will surely come and bring they share of cheer.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Southern U and Us during the Civil War

Last updated on June 14, 2010


"Radar J" asks "...my Mom's ... been wondering what happened with Universalist churches in the South during the Civil War."
"I haven't found anything on-line yet that gives me even a clue what to tell her. Can you point me to any resources, or even tell us what you know? Did they go underground, or close up shop for the duration, or just keep meeting as usual in spite of the pro-slavery opinions of their immediate neighbors and the war going on around them?"

Ok, an honest question deserves an honest answer.

On the Unitarian side, as far as I can tell the three churches in the South with Unitarian doctrine (the AUA was for individuals and not churches up to around 1870), had weekly Sunday services. Most of the Universalist Churches didnt meet weekly (not unusual for rural churches)- but the lack of ministers during the war and reconstruction (and lack of money to pay ministers with) did lead to a disruption of services. Massive amounts of missionary work by locals Clayton, Burrus, Strain, and Bowers after the war led to resumption of churches and services. Some of these churches continued during the war with occasional services, most did not.

It would be nice to end here.
But honesty insists I don't. The Unitarian and Universalist Churches in the south were not as a group anti-slavery, pre-war. There were a few individuals and ministers who were pro-union (and possibly anti-slavery), but most of the other members reflected their local community on that issue, however their local community felt.

It's been said that Unitarians and Universalists were the two denominations that didnt split over the question of slavery, pre-war. With Unitarians not being a denomination or even association of churches prior to the 1870s, it was kind of hard for them to split. I don't know the thinking of the church in Louisville Kentucky or New Orleans, Louisiana; but the Unitarian church in Charleston, SC was pro-slavery.

The Universalist Church did not split, although Henry Summer of Newberry, South Carolina, (see a previous article) is supposed to have highly pushed for it, wanting an independent southern Universalist Church - to be headquarted in Plains, Georgia. But then South Carolina was full of fire-eaters. Indeed, the one believed Universalist governor of SC led a raid on a federal post office to destroy abolitionist pamphlets (this around 1840s). It was of course, illegal to own abolitionist writings in SC and illegal to advocate anti-slavery views. The Quakers and German Baptist Brethren (Church of Brethren) left SC in the early 1800s, both being strongly anti-slavery. But as noted, SC was a fireeater state, what of the others?
The majority of southern Universalist congregations seem to be in non-plantation areas. Which makes sense, putting aside the issue of slavery, plantation owners didnt think much of anyone outside their social class status. Universalists in the south were more inclined to be middle class. While some of the churches are in areas that were more contempeous of the war (there was a reason SC and the south started drafting conscripts for their "Rich Man's War and a Poor Man's Fight"); I dont see any known Universalists in the rebels against the rebels.
It would be difficult at this date to determine the views on slavery of those Universalists in the south. What little information we have seems to put them in the same category as their neighbors in their own individual communities.
The national convention did condemn slavery. A Southern convention did start a few years prewar, but stated they were not independent of the national convention. We don't know if the lack of independence was because they agreed with anti-slavery in the abstract or some other reason. Again it should be noted that (almost?) all of the other denomination did split.

Henry Summer survived his hanging by northern soldiers, circa 1865, an event intended to extort money from him. This did not improve his feelings toward the North. Did he leave the Universalist Church to go with those who were more anti-north?
Where did Universalist stand during the early reconstruction? Early reconstruction was when there was hope for reconciliation... before the old regime returned and "redeemed" the south. I do see some Universalists there....
We also know that A.C. Bowers of East Tennessee served in the Union army, and that Rev S. M. Simons of South Carolina was pro-Union.

Obviously more research needs to be done.
may 26, 2010

June 14, 2010
Peggy Rawheiser (Author of Universalism in North Carolina) tells me that "In Hope Bain's diary in my book, he recounts his travels to different speaking engagements during the Civil War including being chaplain to Sherman's troops when they were camped near Goldsboro."

Univeralist Convocation in Rochester, NY May 14-16, 2010

while the Universalist Convocation is not a history meet, there is some history discussed - which this year includes a tour of Albion and the Pullman Memorial Universalist Church, and it meets at the historic 1st Universalist Society of Rochester. I will be there.

UNIVERSALIST CONVOCATION 2010
May 14-16, 2010
First Universalist Society of Rochester , NY
Keynote: The Rev. Mark Morrison-Reed, “Dragged Kicking and Screaming to Heaven”
For more information please go to nmuc.org/Convo

White-Ward Memorial Universalist Church, Pine Park, Georgia

The first Universalist Church in southwest Georgia, and about 50 miles from the nearest other Universalist Church (in Florida).

Church founded in 1898
building dedicated in 1907

Daniel Patterson Ward (1869-1938) charter member
gave the land and lumber for the church building
1906/7 16 families, 12 members;
Rev. Stanley Manning, circuit minister; G. A. White, clerk;
1907, Feb 24; building dedicated - built next to school
1920s monthly services, attended by other church's membership - as Pine Park was a circuit route for other denominations as well.
1942 services held
1943/1944 Rev. Roger D. Bosworth of the Atlanta Church was temporary providing services.
1948 no services in a couple of years, most members therefore having transferred their membership (to Hamburg, Florida?)

at some point the building became the 4-H Hut (1950s or 1960s)
in the 1990s, it was apparently the Pine Park Community Center.
by 2002, vandals had knocked the doors in.
In 2006, the building was acquired by Baptist college of Florida in Graceville, Florida.
given to them by Janice Ward, daughter-in-law of D. P. Ward
May 2006 Building was restored and in their Heritage Circle, now being used for teaching Southern Baptist ministers.
http://www.baptistcollege.edu/news_events/press/2007/pine_park.asp
contains before and after pictures.

former location: 6 miles west of Cario on US 84. On left, Just before the convenience store. A monument for the church was placed there in 2006.