Religion: Unitarian Unity

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For the first time in history the President of the U. S. is the nominal head of a religious denomination—for Calvin Coolidge is Honorary Moderator of the Congregational Church (TIME, Oct. 29, 1923). But it must not be forgotten that the head of another Church is an ex-President of the U. S.—William Howard Taft. Since 1915 Mr. Taft has been President of the General Conference of the Unitarian Church.

Last week Mr. Taft issued an announcement of the 31st biennial session of the General Unitarian Conference, to be held in Cleveland, Oct. 13 to 15. In 1865 the American Unitarian Association gave birth to the National Unitarian Conference, and this year these two bodies are to be reunited in a general reorganization of the Church.

Said Mr. Taft last week:

"One of the principal features which the Association is taking over from the Conference is the biennial fall session held at points distant from Boston and devoted to discussion of the spiritual aims of our denominational effort. The biennial conference is increased in importance by the merging of the two bodies. The gathering retains the completely free representative character that has marked its history of more than 60 years and its self-direction by the right to appoint its own committees of arrangements. Its actions, however, have a greater significance than before, in that they are binding in everything except appropriation of funds, on the recognized American Unitarian Association, of which it now becomes an official part.

"I call upon Unitarians of the United States and Canada to make the first biennial conference of the new and wider fellowship of free churches notable in their history, and to give a demonstration of the devotion of the liberal forces of Christianity to their great cause."