First Parish Church

The “Alternate Program” chairman asked what I recall from attending this church 50 years ago:--- I remember a comforting sense of elitism & emancipation, (--Not a smug, “smarter-than-thou”- and certainly unexpressed in the pulpit.)  That sense of freedom was taken for granted, if one was born Unitarian; and was a relief if one had discovered Unitarianism and escaped from the rigidities and accretions of other denominations.

I also recall some compact phrases that expressed something of what we stood for, and that could be quoted if people enquired about Unitarianism.

One of these phrases is: “The Fatherhood of God, the Brotherhood of Man, and the Leadership of Jesus.”---Yes, Jesus.* NOT the sacrifice –figure, offering “salvation” in exchange for ‘faith’, but the Jesus of the Golden Rule—“Do unto others whatsoever you would have them do unto you.” The key word was “Leadership”:--his example, the spiritual helping-hand. We heard about other spiritual leaders, too: Buddha, Mohammed, Ghandi.

We also had a “salvation”- phrase: --compatible with our resolute refusal to accept salvation as a gift. That phrase was “Salvation By Character”. Of course, this didn’t mean “salvation from ‘Hell-fire’!” But “salvation” does mean “saving”. What did we need to be “saved” from? ---From very much the same situation that we recognize now:--from a life that has no meaning to us, or any use to other people; from the built-in hell-fires of regrets, selfishness, personal tragedies. THAT kind of “salvation” is hard work.

"Reverence is a little plant deep in the heart, and it needs to be watered every Sunday in church.”

Whose “character” is strong enough to take on those hells solo? That’s where a structured religion helped—housed in a church, offered every Sunday, and in many guises during the week. Emerson said…*” want of self-reliance is infirmity of will..” [* Actual Quote: “Discontent is want of self-reliance; it is infirmity of will”] One must strengthen one’s character, you see. But he also said “Reverence is a little plant deep in the heart, and it needs to be watered every Sunday in church.” [Actual: Oliver Wendell Holmes said that in his heart was "a little plant called reverence, which needs watering about once a week."] Maybe for “reverence” one might read “spirituality”---what makes human—which is “deep in the heart”; as the wheat-germ is at the heart of the wheat; take it out, and the wheat is sterile.

Spiritual needs differ for individuals. But I recall another old phrase that takes us ALL in---“EVER MORE NEW LIGHT”---Searching for it, exploring it, that “Light” is why we’re here… today.

Aunt Lois – This is an obviously –amended first-copy – but I thought you’d like to see what I came up with, at last, as an “old timer!”
hall read in church, among 85% MOD contributors, March 12.

* not very often quoted in church these days! “Editor’s” note:  [ brackets indicate 2010 edits or additions]