Pocket history about "Dr. Chapin's Church"

The New York Times ran a story — on June 15, 1874 — about the history of Universalism in that city, which can be read as a PDF in the newspaper’s archives. Interesting stuff, including the intersection of radical Universalist minister Abner Kneeland with Tammany Hall — the building, at least. Indeed, in the telling of the fortunes of the various Universalist congregations, the interplay of who-had-what-building-when suggests a story as yet untold. Lacunae for a history scholar, no doubt. Hint, hint.

The Dr. Chapin mentioned in the title is Edwin Hubble Chapin, whose most famous pastorate was with the Fourth Universalist Society, the last surviving Universalist church in Manhattan.

3 Replies to “Pocket history about "Dr. Chapin's Church"”

  1. I will look up the Times PDF forthwith. Meanwhile, thanks for the shout-out to 4th Universalist, of which I have fond memories from my attendance while in graduate school in 1982-83, when I was still a fledgling UU.

  2. I’m glad they held out against the developers and stayed in the Church. Having been on the board of an Historic church, I know there is a big price to be paid for that. The temptation to sell and move to a modern and maintainalbe building is awfully strong.

  3. I’ve always found the American habit of numbering churches rather strange (and I belonged to First and Second Church). Increasingly strange to be called Fourth Universalist Church, when you’re the only Universalist church.

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