Unitarians first met in San Diego 150 years ago. They held a Sunday School on June 22, 1873 at Alonzo Horton’s Hall, 6th and F, that marks the beginning of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego. The church is now located at 4190 Front St.
This 1911 of the church’s beginnings was written by one of the founders, Lydia Horton, widow of Alonzo Horton.
From the Evening Tribune, Saturday, April 15, 1911:
Unitarian Church and San Diego Grew and Prospered Side By Side
INTERESTING HISTORY
Feature of Recent conference, Sketch, Read by “Mother” Horton, who with “Father” Horton founded That Denomination in This City
Feature of Recent conference, Sketch, Read by “Mother” Horton, who with “Father” Horton founded That Denomination in This City
THE pioneer history of San Diego is so closely interwoven with the establishment and growth of the local Unitarian church, that it would be practically an impossibility to give a true and accurate historical sketch of one without dilating at length upon the other.
That dual condition of affairs was strikingly brought by Mrs. Lydia M. Horton in a paper which she read before the Unitarian conference which recently met in this city. Mrs. Horton, who, to many is more familiarly known as “Mother” Horton, is the widow of “Father” Horton. They founded the Unitarian church in San Diego. And its pretensions of today are largely due to their efforts, more especially in the pioneer time
The article prepared and read by Mrs. Horton, which is a good sketch of the growth and development of San Diego as well as the prospering of the Unitarian church in this city, is as follows:
Tells Her Own Story
Ladies and Gentlemen:—When an occasion like the present arises—a forward step—a casting off an old shell, we are prone to turn back and think of our original starting point
While an enterprise is taking shape our thoughts and energies are directed to the present moment. We do our work with no thought of the fact that we are making history. After a few years have ed and a new generation comes on the stage we find we have almost lost sight of that small first beginning—and in trying to recall it we sometimes find the key in memory’s wards has grown rusty and we need a little help in turning it. That help has been kindly given me by some the the earlier of our society to whom my thanks are due.
The story of the beginning of our society represents to each one of the older generation a part of our own life history, intermingled with the history of our city which we have been fortunate enough to see grow up from a wilderness to a place of forty thousand people, and our society from the weekly gathering of a few devoted people in a public hall to this well established society in our beautiful new building.
In the beginning of the year 1873 San Diego had a population of about 300 people—the new town was then six years old.
There were five religious societies holding services here. These were the roman catholic, Episcopal, Baptist, Presbyterian, and Methodist. At that time it would not have been considered possible to have held a congress of religions such as was held in Chicago during the World’s fair in 1893—just twenty years later.
Congress Acts as Leaven
This congress acted a a leaven, bringing about changes in evangelical churches hardly to be realized by the present generation, neither can they realize the narrowness of some of the churches of that day and the doctrines taught in their Sunday schools.
There were people here, reared in a more liberal faith who felt the need of the same training for their children. the matter was talked over privately until it culminated in a meeting held in Mr. E.W. Morse’s office, on the 8th of June, 1873. There were present at this meeting Mrs. S.S. Sanborn, Mrs. E.G. Haight, Mr. C.S. Hamilton, and Mrs. L.M. Knapp. Committees were appointed to secure a place of meeting, to call upon people who might be interested and to raise some money.
On the 17th of June the same people met to hear the report of committees: the committee on place of meeting reported that Mr. A.E. Horton would give the use of Horton’s hall and provide an organ. The finance committee reported a collection of $45.00 made during the week.
On June 22 the Unitarian Sunday school met for the first time in Horton’s hall. There were ten children present. There is no record of the number of adults. At this meeting the time was occupied in choosing officers, discussing plans for future work and singing. Mr. Hamilton was chosen superintendent, Mrs. Knapp, secretary and treasurer; Mrs Haight, musical director, and Miss Carrie Hills, organist. Classes were formed the second Sunday, when there were more children present, forming three classes, the infant, the intermediate, and the adult class; teachers were secured for the younger classes, and a leader was appointed for the older class, who read extracts from Unitarian sermons, from our best men in the eastern pulpits and from our own Starr king. The reading was followed by a discussion which was always interesting. Our attendance soon increased to about fifty, giving us several classes of children. Mrs. Sandborn was our second superintendent.
Buy Small Library
During the first year we collected enough money to buy a small library. Although small, it was well chosen, containing valuable works on history, science and literature. We had numerous applications for books from people outside our school. We had a number of contributions for our library from people not connected with any church, but who were pleased to see a more liberal spirit in religious affairs.
Early in the movement we had the interest of Rev. Joseph May, a son of Samuel J. May. they were among the men who stood for all that was best in the Unitarian denomination in the East at that time.
Mr. May was pastor of the first religious society in Newburyport, Mass., and through his influence that society became much interested in this new Unitarian movement in the far Southwest. They presented us with our first service and hymn books, and the American Unitarian association paid the postage on them. Mr. May also wrote us frequent letters of encouragement and cheer. We also had a donation of books from the first Unitarian society in San Francisco, through the kindly influences of Mr. Charles Murdock.
First Picnic Is Held
During this year we had our first picnic. It was held at the Old Mission, and we were treated with great hospitality by the family occupying the Mission grounds and buildings.
Easter Sunday, 1874, we had our first public service. A traveler making a tour of the world (which was rare in that day) was in San Diego and offered to deliver a sermon for our society. We accepted the offer and made special preparations for celebrating the day. The hall was decorated with vines and lilies. As we had no reading desk, (only a table), we made one of a large box, draped it with dark cloth, festooned it with ion vines flanked with large bunches of lilies. Our music was suitable for the occasion and well given. The sermon was a good one, prepared by a minister in Salem Massachusetts.
We had a large audience. Horton’s hall was full. We had thought, in making our arrangements, that we would take up a collection, as is the custom on such occasions. We had never don this before, as one of our was opposed to the idea of a contribution box. On this occasion we thought best to do so. Be we were all so pleased at the success of our meeting in point of numbers and our interesting services, and so bent on hospitable thoughts that we did not think of our collection. The last hymn had been sung (there was no benediction, as the speaker was not an ordained minister) yet the audience stood as if they expected something more: when suddenly some one thought of the collection. Two of our made their way to the door and stood with their hats in hand for contribution boxes. One of these men always wore a tall silk hat, and the silver coins dropping into this stiff receptacle made so much noise that the contributors seemed actually to have an added enjoyment in giving the money.
Thought Little of Money
This incident was in a certain way a keynote to which the scale of our society was pitched. San Diego was a remote place then: we knew each other very well, for in our isolation, we were rather dependent upon each other. We thought very little about money. We had no great need for it. Our gladly contributed all we really needed. We looked forward to the time when we should have a pastor and a church, but we were quite content with our first year’s work, and were a very harmonious society.
Early in our organization Mr. Charles Hamilton, Mr. E.W. Morse, Judge Luce, Mrs. E.G. Haight, Mrs.J.F. Hills, Mrs. L.M. Knapp, Mr. Hubon, Mr. J.H. Simpson, Mr. A.E. Horton, and Mr. Overbaugh, with their families, ed the society. I think all of them ave remained interested and a faithfull few of these have been among the greatest working forces we have ever had.
