David Rhys Williams papers

Collection

Identifier: A.W695

Staff Only

Biographical / Historical note

During his long and active ministry David Rhys Williams helped in the founding and administration of Forums in Cleveland and Chicago; he acted as Labor Arbitrator in wage disputes between International Structural Steel and Iron Workers Union and the Contractors Association of Cleveland, Ohio (1919); he was registered as a conscientious objector during the height of World War I patriotic fervour and never failed to support young men with similar views; in 1917 he made it publicly known that he supported the single tax, internationalism, birth control, woman suffrage and socialism; during the 1920's and 30's he was a member of the League for Industrial Democracy and was on the Planning Committee of the local Rochester branch in 1936; perhaps influenced by the work of his brother, Albert Rhys Williams, he continually supported Soviet-American co-operation and in 1929 and 1931 led parties for the "Open Road to Russia". As early as the 1930's he was speaking on racial toleration and it was early in this decade that he began his ardent support of planned parenthood: he delivered a sermon on "Voluntary Motherhood" which led to the establishment of a birth control clinic in Gannett House where it operated from 1934 until 1937 when it had to move to larger quarters; he was a member of the National Clergyman's Advisory Council of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and had Margaret Sanger in his pulpit just a few weeks after she was arrested; in 1934 he was on the Executive Committee of Monroe County Birth Control League. In 1933-34 he was Vice President of the Rochester Torch Club and in 1935-36 he became its President while in 1936-37 he served as President of the Unitarian Fellowship for Social Justice. During many phases of his career he was charged as being a communist: one such incident occurred in 1938 when he was so charged by the Rochester Social Justice Club for his opposition to the pro-racist and anti-Semitic sentiments of Father Charles Coughlin, but, ever faithful to his belief in free speech, David Rhys Williams defended Father Coughlin's right to say these things despite disagreeing with him. He was a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (Rochester Branch) and early in the 1950's he opposed the Feinberg Law requiring loyalty oaths and investigations for school teachers and at the same time he also opposed the whole career of Senator Joseph McCarthy. In 1952 he was given the award as "Champion of the Oppressed" by the Unitarian Fellowship for Social Justice, among those individuals he supported were: Sacco and Vanzetti, Ethel and Julius Rosenberg, Tom Mooney (who had been convicted for bombing a 1916 San Francisco Preparedness Day march), Paul List (an ex-fighter in the Spanish Republican forces who would have been killed on deportation to his native Germany), Earl Broader (who received heavy sentences for passport violations), William J. Pomeroy (who sympathized with the Communist-linked Huk rebellion in the Philippines in the 1950's) and Mrs. Vashti McCollum (who won a landmark case in the Supreme Court about religious education in public schools). Other causes he supported were: the Irish Republic, freedom for India, independence for the Philippines and a homeland for the Jews in Palestine; he signed the Humanist Manifesto, was a delegate to the World Parliament of Religions, constantly supported the American Civil Liberties Union and was chairman of the Rochester Committee to Aid Spanish Democracy. He was a sponsor of the Emergency Committee for Disaster Relief to Cuba, the Mental Hygiene Society of Monroe County, the Committee to Abolish the House Un-American Committee, the "Call" for the "Protestantism answers Hate" dinner-forum and avidly supported the claim for Susan B. Anthony to be placed in the National Women's Hall of FameHall of Fame. He remained concerned with social causes and world affairs all his life, and even in 1968 had a major role in supporting the funding of a Black Affairs Council within the Unitarian Universalist Association. His enthusiasm and integrity never failed, nor did he ever hesitate to take the path of conscience and conviction.

CHRONOLOGY

1890: Born in Keene Valley, NY, February 25 (Son of David Thomas and Esther Rees Williams; brother of Howard Rees Williams and Albert Rhys Williams.

1910: Marietta College, A.B. (Phi Beta Kappa)

1912: Married Lucy Adams Pease, September 27. (children: George Hunston Williams, Esther Rhys Williams (wife of Homer Jack), and David Cator Williams.

1913: Harvard Divinity School, S.T.B.

1941: Meadville Theological Seminary, D.D.

1970: Died in Rochester, NY, March 28.

CHURCHES SERVED

1912-1914: First Congregational Church, Norfolk, MA

1914-1916: Congregational Church, Edgartown, MA

1916-1924: North Congregational Church, Cleveland, OH

1924-1928: Third Unitarian Church, Chicago, IL

1928-1958: First Unitarian Church, Rochester, NY

1958-1970 Minister Emeritus, First Unitarian Church, Rochester, NY

PUBLICATIONS

World Religions and the Hope for Peace. Boston, Beacon Press, 1951.

Faith Beyond Humanism. New York, Philosophical Library, [c. 1963].

Shakespeare, Thy name is Marlow. New York, Philosophical Library, [1966].

Articles in: Advance, The Christian Register , The Christian Leader, The Churchman, The Journal of Liberal Religion, The Pulpit, Unity

Scope and Contents

The papers of David Rhys Williams contain correspondence, manuscript sermon notes, speeches, prayers, meditations and tributes, newspaper clippings, church bulletins, church membership and mailing lists, Forum material, church publications, articles by David Rhys Williams appearing in journals such as The Christian Register, Unity, The Churchman, Advance, The Christian Leader etc., printed and manuscript material on his three published books, a few books from his personal library and a composite list of books contained in his library (since dispersed), a few portraits, photographs and sketches, documents and memorabilia, a tape recording of his tribute to Albert Einstein and over fifteen hundred numbered sermons with cross references to other related sermons - all relating to his career as a Congregational and Unitarian Minister. Some of his correspondents were John Haynes Holmes, Frederick May Eliot, Steven Fritchman, Frank Gannett, the Beacon Press, Corlias Lamont, Kenneth B. Keating and Justin Wroe Nixon, and Philip S. Bernstein.

Creator

Williams, David Rhys, 1890-1970 (Person)

Dates

Creation: 1912-1970

Language of Materials

English

Extent

47 box(es) (47 Hollinger boxes, 36 transfer boxes, 4 packages)

Access

The David Rhys Williams Papers is open for research use. Researchers are advised to contact the Rare Books Special Collections & Preservation Department prior to visiting. Upon arrival, researchers will also be asked to fill out a registration form and provide photo identification.

Use

In consultation with a curator, reproductions may be made upon request. Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from a curator. Researchers are responsible for determining any copyright questions.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The David Rhys Williams papers were given in two parts to Rush Rhees Library, the University of Rochester. The numbered sermons were received from the Rev. Williams in October 1969 and most of the material in boxes 1-43a was received in March and April 1970 from his estate. The scrapbook in Package 4 which covers the years 1923-1936 was received in January 1971 from Dr. George H. Williams.

Preferred Citation

[Item title, item date], David Rhys Williams Papers, A.W695, Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester

Arrangement

Description of Main Divisions in Papers

There are fourteen main divisions in the David Rhys Williams papers. A brief outline of each appears below:

I. CORRESPONDENCE (Boxes 1-15a). Arranged in chronological order covering the years 1912-1970.

II. MANUSCRIPT MATERIAL (Boxes 16-25). Contains sermon notes, prayers, meditations, tributes, college papers, a commonplace book, his son's first sermon and David Rhys Williams' own notebook with details of his numbered sermons. Also a family history of the years in Chicago, 1923/4-28 by George H. Williams.

III. CHURCH MATERIAL (Boxes 26-30). Contains material directly related to his pastorate in Edgartown, Mass.; Cleveland, Ohio; and Rochester, N.Y.; such as church membership and mailing lists, bulletins, business, calendars, publications etc. Also North Church Forum material, Cleveland.

IV. ELECTION MATERIAL (Box 30). Contains material relating to the Cleveland City Council Election of 1923 when David Rhys Williams ran for office.

V. PRINTED MATERIAL (Boxes 31 & 32). Contains journal articles by David Rhys Williams, also pamphlets etc. in which he has been mentioned.

VI. PUBLISHED BOOKS (Boxes 33-34a, Package 1). Contains both manuscript, typewritten and printed material relating to his three books - includes rough drafts, reviews, clippings, etc.

VII. SCRAPBOOKS (Boxes 35 & 36, Package 4). Contains miscellaneous clippings.

VIII. CLIPPINGS (Boxes 37-39). Mostly newspaper clippings on David Rhys Williams' career and the Unitarian church in Rochester. Also clippings on people connected with the Rochester church.

IX. BOOKS FROM PERSONAL LIBRARY (Boxes 40 & 41). Contains several books from his personal library and a list of its contents (1970).

X. PHOTOGRAPHS, PORTRAITS, SKETCHES (Box 42, Package 2). Contains transparencies, framed and unframed photographs of David Rhys Williams, his wife, the Rochester church and people connected with it.

XI. DOCUMENTS AND MEMORABILIA (Box 43, Package 5). Contains licenses, leases, contracts etc.

XII. TAPE RECORDINGS (Box 43a). Contains one tape and a list of sermons recorded 1954-1955.

XIII.NUMBERED SERMONS (Boxes 44-79). Manuscript sermons as numbered by David Rhys Williams with his cross references to other related sermons. Also some related material enclosed.

XIV. PACKAGES (4).

Package 1: Material relating to published books

Package 2: Photographs, portraits and sketches

Package 3: Documents and memorabilia 1910-1918

Package 4: Scrapbook 1923-1936