Octavius Frothingham facts for kids
Octavius Brooks Frothingham (born November 26, 1822 – died November 27, 1895) was an American minister and writer. He was known for his strong beliefs and for leading new ways of thinking in religion during his time.
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About Octavius Frothingham
Early Life and Education
Octavius Frothingham was born in Boston, Massachusetts. His father, Nathaniel Langdon Frothingham, was a well-known Unitarian preacher. The Unitarian faith is a type of Christianity that focuses on one God and emphasizes reason and individual belief.
Octavius went to Harvard College, graduating in 1843. He then studied at the Divinity School, finishing in 1846. On March 23, 1847, he married Caroline Martha Curtis.
His Work as a Pastor
Frothingham started his career as a pastor at the North Unitarian church in Salem, Massachusetts, from 1847 to 1855. He left this church because he strongly disagreed with their views on slavery. At that time, many people in America were debating whether slavery should be allowed.
From 1855 to 1860, he served as a pastor for a new Unitarian group in Jersey City, New Jersey. Here, he began to change some traditional church practices.
In 1860, he became a pastor in New York City for a church that was initially called the Third Unitarian Congregational Church. Frothingham was known as a "radical" Unitarian. This meant he had very new and bold ideas about religion, often challenging old ways of thinking. He believed in looking at religion through reason and personal experience, rather than just following old rules.
In 1865, his church building was sold. His congregation then started meeting in a new place called Lyric Hall. They changed their name to the Independent Liberal Church. This showed they were moving even further away from traditional Unitarian ideas. In 1875, they moved again to the Masonic Temple. However, in 1879, Frothingham had to resign due to poor health. The church then closed. He never fully recovered his health. In 1881, he moved back to Boston and focused on writing until he passed away.
Later Life and Influence
Even though he was not well, Frothingham did some of his best writing later in his life. While in New York, he also worked as an art critic for a newspaper called the Tribune.
Frothingham was always brave enough to stand up for unpopular ideas. He was an early leader against slavery, even when it was not widely accepted. He was also a "rationalist," meaning he believed in using reason and logic to understand the world. This made it hard for him to stay in the traditional Unitarian Church.
He became the first president of the Free Religious Association in 1867. This group promoted religious freedom and open-mindedness. He was also an early supporter of the ideas of Charles Darwin (who developed the theory of evolution) and Herbert Spencer (a philosopher who applied evolution to society).
Frothingham was a better speaker than a writer. His sermons in New York were very popular, often attracting large crowds. He was known for his powerful and charming way of speaking. He passed away at his home in Boston on November 27, 1895. His ashes were buried at Mount Auburn Cemetery.
Books by Octavius Frothingham
Octavius Frothingham wrote many books, including:
- Stories from the Life of the Teacher (1863)
- A Child's Book of Religion (1866) – a book about religious teachings for children.
- Beliefs of Unbelievers (1876)
- The Cradle of the Christ: a Study in Primitive Christianity (1877)
- Life of Theodore Parker (1874) – a biography of another important figure.
- Transcendentalism in New England (1876) – this book included many stories about people.
- Gerrit Smith, a Biography (1878)
- George Ripley (1882) – a biography of George Ripley.
- Memoir of William Henry Channing (1886)
- Boston Unitarianism: Study of the life and work of Nathaniel Langdon Frothingham, 1820-1850 (1890) – this was actually a biography of his own father.
