Lot 837: MEN OF LIBERTY, Ten Unitarian Pioneers - author signed

Description

[UNITARIAN PIONEERS] MEN OF LIBERTY, Ten Unitarian Pioneers, by Stephen Hole Fritchman. Boston, The Beacon Press, 1944, First Edition, 180pp. 8vo. Signed by the Author. Illustrations by Hendrik Willem Van Loon. Rev. Stephen Hole Fritchman served as the Minister of the First Unitarian Church, Los Angeles from 1948 to 1969. Born to Quaker parents in Cleveland, Ohio May 12, 1902, he spent his early life as a Methodist, including preaching in Methodist pulpits in New York State. He first served a Unitarian church in Petersham, Massachusetts (1930_1932) and then the Bangor Unitarian Church in Maine (1932_1938). From 1938 to 1947 he worked with the denominational headquarters of the American Unitarian Association in Boston as the Youth Director. In 1942 he also became editor of the journal of the AUA, The Christian Register. His work as editor proved controversial and ultimately resulted in his removal as editor in 1947. The following year he was called to the First Unitarian Church of Los Angeles, where he served until his retirement. Under his leadership the church became a center of liberal politics in the Los Angeles area. The church supported Hollywood writers and actors black-listed during the McCarthy era. The church took strong stands against the Korean and Vietnam Wars. He was personally active in many organizations concerned with peace and civil liberties. In 1952 he was invited to Australia, to speak at the centenary of the Melbourne Unitarian Church in November. He applied for a passport in July of that year and on 17 September was notified by the Department of State that his application had been rejected. No reason was given, though it was assumed it was connected with their minister, Victor James', recent attendance at a peace conference in Beijing. In 1976, he received the Annual Award of the UUA for Distinguished Service to the Cause of Liberal Religion. The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, which he supported all his life, named its annual award after him in his honor. He died in Los Angeles in 1981. His published works include Men of Liberty (a book of short biographies of historical Unitarians intended for young readers), and Heretic: A Partisan Autobiography (Beacon Press, Boston 1977). Also signed & inscribed by Arthur Schoenfeldt and Julia C. Schoenfeldt. This was probably Arthur Sr. No dust jacket; cover is sun-timed along edges. Very uncommon, if not rare for signed copies..