On this day in 1825 the disparate liberal congregationalists and few random others reluctantly but finally formed an official denomination, the American Unitarian Association. The Federal Street (now Arlington Street Church) minister and most famous theological liberal of his day, William Ellery Channing was offered the presidency, but declined. The minister of the Worcester Unitarian congregation, Second Church, Aaron Bancroft was elected the first president of the Association. As a sign of mysterious karma the British denomination, the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches formed on the very same day.
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