30% at the Old Second

No church is more illustriously associated with the traditions of U.S. freedom than Boston's Unitarian Second (Old North) Church. Founded in 1649, used by Silversmith Paul Revere for his famed "one if by land, two if by sea" signal, stripped for firewood by the British troops in 1776, it was the only church Ralph Waldo Emerson ever served as pastor. The Rev. Clayton Brooks Hale, its 20th, was proud to be called there in 1950. But last week New Hampshire-born, 36-year-old Unitarian Hale, a graduate of Tufts College and Andover-Newton Theological Seminary, sorrowfully found his congregation riven by a controversy for which many Northerners have been self-righteously reproaching the South.

A Frightening Sum. Hale has long been troubled by the problem the U.S. Negro puts before the church. He preached about it and talked about it, and as president of the Boston Council of Churches and Back Bay Ministers Association he conferred about it.

"Sincere response to the will of God literally makes it impossible for us to be 'holier than thou' reformers when we look at the South," he told his congregation last February, "and at the same time overlook social irresponsibility and stark prejudice right under our very noses . . . What does your experience of God say? Shall we continue to segregate ourselves into white churches in Boston? If we do, can we still call ourselves Christians and followers of Jesus ?" Pastor Hale announced his intention to hire a Negro minister to replace the minister to students, who was leaving to take a parish of his own.

Objections began rolling in. About 30% of the congregation was vociferously opposed: many threatened to withdraw or to cancel their church pledges. "The so-called Old Guard Bostonians," said Hale, "are not objecting. Most of the protests are from successful businessmen from 40 to 55 years old. It's strange. None of them objected to my requests for financial support of the boycott in Montgomery, Ala. We had almost 100% response in contributions. They're against segregation until it comes right down to themselves."

An Advance Resignation. Pastor Hale retired to his summer place in Freedom, Me. and thought it over. Then he composed a letter, which was published in his church's Sunday bulletin.

Hale announced that he would not go through with the appointment of a Negro minister. "I could never conscientiously subject him to the heart-breaking experience which has been mine," he explained. "As your minister I have failed to help you generate the kind of spiritual energy which is a prerequisite for significant community leadership." He added that he was submitting his resignation as minister, effective July 1957. "This advance date will give us opportunity for another year of thinking and working together and, if either minister or people have unjustifiably wronged each other, then there will be time to make amends and to seek a deeper understanding of the personal demands of our Unitarian religion."

"A Negro minister could probably have been hired in a Unitarian church in another part of the country," said Pastor Hale sorrowfully. "It appears that Boston just isn't ready yet."

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