JOSHUA FAHLER HISTORY “HOLDING UP THE LIGHT OF HEAVEN”: PRESBYTERIAN AND CONGREGATIONAL REFORM MOVEMENTS IN LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO, 1824- 1859 (202 pp.) Advisors: David Odell-Scott and Guy Wells During the uneasy years predating the American Civil War, self-proclaimed prophets and messengers of God traveled the frontier proclaiming their interpretations of truth as revealed through Protestant Christianity. As they attempted to convert the nation, they conceived American utopias which, constructed within a sacred history of Christianity, played an important role in redefining the religion in North America. As part of the process of establishing these utopias, individuals interested in the conversion of society utilized and revised the “New Haven” theology of Yale College, from which would emerge a reconstructed concept of “sanctification” in Oberlin, Ohio. These individuals would use this theology to form the basis for their attempts to reform society, applying religious meaning to social action. In Lorain County, Ohio, we can observe these changes in religious thought and practice as numerous “religious virtuosi” carried out social action which they considered to be bound to a sacred history. In tandem with social action would come ecclesiastical conflict, tearing the New England Plan of Union asunder. This thesis is interested in how reformers’ attempts to create heaven on earth would result in conflict highlighted by a series of events which would ultimately change the religious landscape of the county as it contributed to and reflected the changing face of religion in America. “HOLDING UP THE LIGHT OF HEAVEN”: PRESBYTERIAN AND CONGREGATIONAL REFORM MOVEMENTS IN LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO, 1824-1859 A thesis submitted to the Kent State University Honors College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for Departmental Honors by Joshua D. Fahler May, 2008 Thesis written by Joshua D. Fahler Approved by ______________________________________________________________, Co-advisor ______________________________________________________________, Co-advisor _______________________________________________, Chair, Department of History Accepted by _____________________________________________________, Dean, Honors College ii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ........................................................................................ iv LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................ v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................ vi CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION: AMERICAN “RELIGIOUS INSANITY” AND SOCIAL REFORM ................................................................................ 1 II. “THE REDEEMER’S NEW EMPIRE”: CHRISTIANITY IN AMERICA AND THE CITY OF GOD ............... 22 III. “FOR THE BETTER ATAINMENT OF THIS GREAT OBJECT”: RELIGIOUS TRANSFORMATION IN LORAIN COUNTY AND THE ROOTS OF REFORM ......................................................................... 51 IV. “THE STORY OF THOUSANDS”: TEMPERANCE REFORM IN LORAIN COUNTY ............................. 88 V. “CRUELTIES THAT MAKE ANGELS WEEP”: ANTISLAVERY IN LORAIN COUNTY .......................................... 108 VI. “HARNESSED TO THE CHARIOT OF CHRIST”: REFORM AND AMERICAN RELIGIOUS HISTORY ..................... 144 APPENDICES .......................................................................................................... 162 BIBLIOGRAPHY ..................................................................................................... 179 iii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Illustration 1. Archibald Willard, “The Village of Wellington,” 1857 ...................... 176 Illustration 2. Pew Rental Diagram, First Congregational Church, Wellington, Ohio, Hamlin Papers, Edward Wells Collection .............. 177 Illustration 3. Grave of Eli Boies, Wellington, Ohio ................................................. 178 iv LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Population of Lorain County, 1830-1880 ............................................ 165 v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am greatly indebted to a number of people who have assisted and encouraged me to undertake and finish this thesis. Dean Larry Andrews, Dean Donald Williams, my honors advisor Victoria Bocchicchio, and the staff of the Kent State University Honors College have allowed me to exercise my intellectual curiosity through their support and encouragement. The Honors College supported me with the Hy Kritzer Memorial Thesis Fellowship, the Honors Academic Achievement Scholarship, and facilitated a generous donation from Patricia Sorce for the printing and binding of this manuscript, whom I must also thank for her great kindness. Further, the College financially supported my attendance at two conferences where I was able to present parts of this work, the April, 2007 Mid-East Honors Association Conference in Cleveland, Ohio and the November, 2007 National Collegiate Honors Council Student Interdisciplinary Research Panel titled “Forces of Cultural Change and Social Reform” in Denver, Colorado; and provided me with a valuable opportunity to present my work at the Forum for Undergraduate Scholars and Artists in April of 2007 at Kent State University. My thesis advisors, Drs. David Odell-Scott and Guy Wells, were dedicated to challenging me to fulfill this thesis with nothing less than my best effort as they selflessly contributed vast amounts of time to personal meetings, e-mails, phone calls, and critical and very constructive manuscript readings replete with relentless copyediting; all while they neither ignored nor overpowered my work. Encouraging me always to see “what else” I could accomplish with this effort, they both deserve credit as the driving force vi behind this work. The knowledge I reaped from long discussions over the Philosophy Department’s coffee about theology, philosophy, and history will not be forgotten, as they showed me what it means to work with colleagues rather than for grades. Further, their encouragement to seek out and meet leading scholars in my field added another dimension of meaning to this project, and I thank R. Laurence Moore of Cornell University, Robert Abzug of The University of Texas at Austin, Debby Applegate, and Glenn Harden for their time and patience in answering my questions both in person and through e-mail correspondence. Leslie Heaphy and Leonne Hudson were kind enough to give their time and resources to my thesis as members of my oral defense committee. I hope that the process of defending my thesis in which they participated was nearly as rewarding for them as it was for me, as I was able to observe the culmination, for the first time, of a year and a half of research, writing, and copyediting. While Shirley Waijda was not an official participant, she prompted my first forays into this subject in the spring of 2006 after I was referred to her by John Jameson. I also am indebted to Dr. Jameson in helping broadening acquaintance with the History Department at Kent State University, since I had transferred to the university in the fall of 2005 as an Integrated Social Studies, rather than a History Major. Drs. Elizabeth Brooks and Alicia Crowe, my advisors in the College of Education, Health, and Human Services’ Adolescence to Young Adult (ADED) Program, acted as constant sources of encouragement, understanding the added stress placed upon my final student teaching year. I hope I can thank them most by using the methods learned as a student at Kent State to translate the fruits of this scholarship vii into pedagogically-sound instruction practices applicable to a history classroom at any level. Before the thesis had even entered thought, I had waited to transfer from Lorain County Community College in Elyria, Ohio. While at LCCC, two professors guided me in important ways. Cheryl Piper’s Religion in America course at LCCC provided me with the foundations for this thesis as well as the first real research project for me to “dive into” during my college experience. Her comments and positive remarks at the end of the course’s semester gave me new insight on how to look at my education in general. Likewise, George Vourlojianis provided me with a long-lasting mentorship consisting of strong guidance and an overall love for the discipline of American history. Research time for this project was divided among the Oberlin College Archives, the Lorain County Historical Society, Elyria First United Congregational Church of Christ, the Wellington Spirit of ‘76 Museum, the Kent State University Special Collections and Archives, and the Kent State University Library. In all of these places, I experienced a helpful and energetic staff allowing me with not only the best possible resources but the gift of their insight and their respective facilities. Specifically, I would like to thank Roland Baumann of the Oberlin College Archives for reviewing my work in progress, while providing helpful insight and suggestions. Karis Lyon of the Lorain County Historical Society provided me with not only excellent resources, but a means of networking with churches in the Lorain County area. I would also like to extend my thanks to Judy Wurtz of the Wellington First Congregational United Church of Christ and Jane Coven of First Congregational, United Church of Christ, Elyria for their openness to my needs. The time Ms. Coven spent with me as I contemplated the Elyria records was viii invaluable, as was her broad knowledge of the church’s history. Without the backbone of