1919:
A Peace Forum at the Meetinghouse
After World War One
National Federation of Religious Liberals:

Speakers at the Longwood Peace Forum
Additional Details:

Rev. Frederick A. Bisbee, D.D.

Above: Rev. Frederick A. Bisbee, D.D. Image source: Handicapped…, Hall, 1925, Internet Archive
From: Arlington Heights, Massachusetts
His Work: Editor of the Universalist Leader, Universalist minister
Subjects at Longwood: cooperation among denominations; religion as service.

Rev. Bisbee conducted the opening religious service of the Longwood meeting. On the second day he argued that religious unity should preserve the integrity of individual denominations while bringing them together for education, fellowship, and service.
He opposed treating church union principally as a way to reduce expenses and presented a statement affirming fellowship grounded in shared moral purposes.

Rev. Frederick H. Lynch, D.D.

Above: Rev. Frederick H. Lynch, D.D. Image source: Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs
From: New York City
His Work: Congregational minister, editor-in-chief of The Christian Work, educational secretary of the World Alliance for International Friendship.
Subjects at Longwood: Reasons for supporting the proposed League of Nations; disarmament; international cooperation; the responsibilities of religious people.

At Longwood, Rev. Lynch urged support for the proposed League of Nations, which was formally established the next year in 1920. The League was the first worldwide intergovernmental organization created to maintain world peace. Drawing on his experience in Paris, he criticized inadequate democratic representation and insufficient disarmament. He called on religious people to prevent the League from becoming an instrument of domination and to work toward equal participation.

Dr. Leslie Pinckney Hill

Above: Dr. Leslie Pinckney Hill. Image source: Vintage Art Times
From: Cheyney, Pennsylvania
His Work: Principal and later president of the school now known as Cheyney University, the nation’s oldest Historically Black college or university.
Subjects at Longwood: Loyalty to ideals; African American idealism; truth, justice, and humanity.

The principal of the Cheyney School for Teachers (later Cheyney University) spoke under the program heading “To Ideals.” His address advocated for African Americans, emphasizing their commitment to truth, justice, and humanity despite the injustices they had experienced. Dr. Hill was associated with Quaker and Bahá’í reform movements.

Rev. Anna Garlin Spencer

Above: Rev. Anna Garlin Spencer. Image source: Harvard Divinity School
From: White Plains, New York
Her Work: Unitarian minister, chair of the U.S. national board of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom.
Subjects at Longwood: Support for the League of Nations, Memorial tribute to Frederick A. Hinckley.

Rev. Spencer's address upheld the ideals of family life under the program heading “To Family and Home.” She also offered the resolution supporting the League of Nations Covenant as a step toward replacing war with law and international cooperation. She presided over the Hinckley memorial service and delivered a tribute.

Rev. Samuel A. Eliot, D.D.

Above: Rev. Samuel A. Eliot, D.D. Image source: Harvard Square Library
From: Boston, Massachusetts
His Work: Unitarian minister, President of the American Unitarian Association
Subject at Longwood: Loyalty to the nation.
The president of the American Unitarian Association spoke on loyalty to country and nationality. The program placed his address within “The Supreme Loyalties.” The Universalist Leader report associated his afternoon appearance with the broader discussion of national and international relations.

Prof. Jesse Herman Holmes, Ph.D.

Above: Prof. Jesse Herman Holmes, Ph.D. Image source: Swarthmore College Bulletin, Feb. 1980, TriCollege Libraries.
From: Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
His Work: Professor of philosophy and religion at Swarthmore College. President of the National Federation of Religious Liberals. He was one of the founders of the American Friends Service Committee, Socialist Party candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1932 and for governor of Pennsylvania in 1934 and 1938.
Subject at Longwood: Human brotherhood; racial equality; fellowship among world religions.
Prof. Holmes’ address was “To the Brotherhood of Man.” He offered a resolution condemning race prejudice and affirming equal rights without distinction of race, color, or other circumstances of birth. He also spoke on “The Sympathy of World Religions.”

Above: Prof. Paul M. Pearson. Image source: Library of Congress.
From: Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
His Work: Professor, editor, author, later was governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Subject at Longwood: Loyalty to one's own conscience
Quaker Professor Pearson spoke on the supremacy of individual conscience. He used Abraham Lincoln as an example of achieving change one step at a time. He founded the Swarthmore Chautauqua Association and served as a speaker for the American Red Cross.

Rev. John Clarence Lee, D.D.

Above: Rev. John Clarence Lee, D.D. Image source: St. Lawrence University
From: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
His Work: Universalist minister, former president of St. Lawrence University and Lombard University.
Subject at Longwood: Rev. Lee addressed the religious renewal demanded by the aftermath of World War I. The meeting report characterizes his contribution as a thoughtful discussion of religion's needed rebirth.

Prof. Morris Jastrow Jr., Ph.D.

Above: Prof. Morris Jastrow Jr., Ph.D. Image source: Wikipedia / UPenn
From: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
His Work: Professor at the University of Pennsylvania.
Subject at Longwood: Dr. Jastrow examined whether the postwar settlement would advance democracy and international responsibility. He criticized narrow national interests and the danger of a League dominated by powerful governments, while supporting the League as an imperfect beginning that could be improved. He defended continued work toward international cooperation and discussed President Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points.

Rev. Franklin C. Southworth, D.D.

Above: Rev. Franklin C. Southworth, D.D. Image source: Harvard Square Library
From: Meadville, Pennsylvania
His Work: Unitarian minister, President of Meadville Theological School
Subject at Longwood: Interdenominational Fellowship
Rev. Southworth’s address was “The True Basis of Interdenominational Fellowship.” He explained that religious fellowship should rest on shared moral purpose, service, and mutual respect, with churches cooperating without surrendering their beliefs or identities.

Rev. Charles W. Wendte, D.D.

Above: Rev. Charles W. Wendte, D.D. Image source: Wikipedia
From: Boston, Massachusetts
His Work: Unitarian minister, General Secretary of the International Council of Unitarian and Other Liberal Religious Thinkers and Workers, Secretary of the National Federation of Religious Liberals
Subject at Longwood: The Possibility of a Universal Religion
Rev. Wendte’s address emphasized that religious unity need not mean creating a single creed or church, but could arise through cooperation among people of different faiths. This reflected his lifelong work promoting international religious fellowship among religious liberals.

Elizabeth Powell Bond

Above: Elizabeth Powell Bond. Image source: Wikipedia
From: Germantown, Pennsylvania
Her Work: Quaker educator and reformer, former Dean of Women at Swarthmore College
Subject at Longwood: Memorial tribute to Frederick A. Hinckley
Elizabeth Bond joined Anna Garlin Spencer and other Friends in a commemoration of Frederick A. Hinckley, who had served for 29 years as chair of the Society of Progressive Friends at Longwood. She was active in peace, women’s rights, and racial justice causes.

Henry Berkowitz

Above: Rabbi Henry Berkowitz, D.D. Image source: American Jewish Archives
From: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
His Work: Reform rabbi of Congregation Rodeph Shalom; founder and chancellor of the Jewish Chautauqua Society
Subject at Longwood: A World League of Religions
Rabbi Berkowitz called for cooperation among the world’s religions and for freedom of worship regardless of creed. He also supported resolutions condemning religious persecution and urging protection for oppressed religious and ethnic groups, including a guarantee of religious liberty within the emerging international order after World War I.

Rev. Gilbert Reid, D.D.

Above: Rev. Gilbert Reid, D.D. Image source: The Open Court, December 1929.
From: Shanghai, China
His Work: Presbyterian missionary, founder and Director of the International Institute of China
Subject at Longwood: The Shanghai Conference of World-Religions
Rev. Reid described efforts in Shanghai to encourage understanding and cooperation among the world’s religions. Through the International Institute of China, he worked to promote better relations between Chinese and Westerners and between Christians and followers of other faiths.