Unitarianism in America: A History of its Origin and DevelopmentCooke, George Willis
History
Unitarianism in America: A History of its Origin and Development
Cooke, George Willis
Unitarianism -- United States
In May, 1859, a young business man of Boston, James P. Walker, established
the firm of Walker, Wise & Co., for the publication of Unitarian books. In
1863 Horace B. Fuller joined the firm, and it became Walker, Fuller & Co.
This firm took charge of all the publishing interests of the Association,
and the head of the house was ambitious of bringing out all the liberal
books issued in this country. Among the works published were: The New
Discussion of the Trinity, a series of articles and sermons by Hedge,
Clarke, Sears, Dewey, and Starr King; Lamson's Church of the First Three
Centuries; Farley's Unitarianism Defined; Recent Inquiries in Theology,
essays by Jowett, Mark Pattison, Baden Powell, and other English Broad
Churchmen, edited by Dr. F.H. Hedge; Alien's Hebrew Men and Times; Dall's
Woman's Right to Labor; Muzzey's Christ in the Will, the Heart, and the
Life; Ichabod Nichols's Sermons; Martineau's Common Prayer for Christian
Worship; Cobbe's Religious Demands of the Age; Ware's Silent Pastor;
Frothingham's Stories from the Patriarchs; Clarke's Hour which Cometh and
Now Is; Parker's Prayers; a second series The Altar at Home; Hedge's Reason
in Religion; Life of Horace Mann by his wife, as well as certain novels,
historical works, and books for the young. The demand for liberal books was
not large enough, however, even with the aid of the Association, to make
such a business successful; and in the autumn of 1866 the publishing firm
of Walker, Fuller & Co. failed. In part the business was carried on for a
time by Horace B. Fuller.
[Sidenote: The Brooks Fund.]
An important work in the distribution of books was inaugurated in 1859 in
connection with the Meadville Theological School, by means of the Fund for
Liberal Christianity established at that time by Joshua Brooks of New York.
He appointed as trustee of the fund Professor Frederick Huidekoper, who
gave his services gratuitously to its care, and to the direction of the
distribution of books for which it provided. The sum given to this purpose
was $20,000, which was increased by favorable investments to $23,000. The
original purpose was to aid in any way that seemed desirable the cause of
liberal Christianity, and a part of the income was devoted to helping
struggling societies. In time the whole income, with the approval of the
donor, was centred upon the distribution of books to settled ministers,
irrespective of denomination. In 1877 the whole number of books that had
been distributed was 40,000. At the present time about $1,000 yearly are
devoted to this work, the recipients being graduates of the Meadville
Theological School, and the ministers of any denomination who may ask for
them, provided they are settled west of the Hudson River. The demands upon
the funds have increased so rapidly that it has become necessary to reduce
the amount of each gift.
[Sidenote: Missionary Efforts.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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