The Unitarian Faith
(Continued)

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Religion, however, is more than faith. It is also moral purpose. And for Unitarians this cannot be mere piety. It must be useful righteousness. I think it often has been. Two Unitarians - Thomas Jefferson and John Adams - wanted the abolition of slavery written into the Declaration of Independence; and Unitarians worked continuously against slavery until it was abolished. Horace Mann, a Unitarian, founded the American public school system. Dorothea Dix was a pioneer in prison reform and in care of the insane. Henry Bellows was the chief founder of the American Red Cross. Levi Leonard founded the free public libraries. Henry Bergh inaugurated the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Margaret Fuller, Susan B. Anthony, Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Julia Ward Howe were foremost leaders in the struggle to obtain equal rights for women*This is our tradition of social vision and moral purpose.

But, we must now remind ourselves, before concluding, that the one great task of religion today is to save the world from oppression and tyranny - and from the threat of catastrophe - and to turn it towards peace and freedom. What kind of religion is sufficient to this task?

Certainly not the religions of worn-out creeds; or religions that are themselves tyrannical and make exclusive claims to empire over the souls of men. Only the religion of freedom can do it, the religion with the circle that takes men in, not the religions that shut men out - the religion of the Universal Church from which no man is excluded who yearns for truth and righteousness and love.

And the Unitarian faith - although it has its Unitarian institutions - belongs not to them but to this Universal Church: this church which, as yet, is largely vision and hope but which, some day, will draw the world together and all mankind will bow before one altar.

1. In a letter to Dr. Benjamin Waterhouse, June 26, 1822.
2. "The Faith Behind Freedom." A Declaration of Faith and Purpose, first presented at the United Unitarian Advance Meeting, Boston, Massachusetts, May 27, 1943.

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