Religious Freedom Symposium

This three-part program was created for Gloucester’s 400th Anniversary Celebration to share the remarkable story of Rev. John Murray, his Gloucester Universalists followers, and how they influenced the guarantee of religious liberty in First Amendment to the US Constitution.

This three-part program was created for Gloucester’s 400th Anniversary Celebration to share the remarkable story of Rev. John Murray, his Gloucester Universalists followers, and how they influenced the guarantee of religious liberty in First Amendment to the US Constitution.

The first segment video: In 1782 Murray's followers refused to pay Gloucester taxes used to support the Congregational Church. Their valuable household goods, such as a solid silver pitcher belonging to Epes Sargent, were seized by the authorities. They had to sue the state to get them back. It took three years, but eventually they won. In 1786 the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled in their favor, stating that "a free populace cannot be taxed to support a state church." Rev. Murray had been the Chaplain to the Rhode Island Regiment, chosen by General George Washington, and he was a close friend of John Adams, so news of his victory traveled fast and far, notably to the Constitutional Convention in 1787. Along with the Virginia Compact, the Gloucester case provided a key precedent for James Madison to write a guarantee into the First Amendment for the separation of church and state in the US Constitution. The video created by Heather Atwood illuminates for the first time with beautiful photography and narration what actually happened in Gloucester.

The second segment features a monologue by Charles Nazarian acting as the Rev. John Murray. He magically returns to the Meetinghouse built by his congregation, sharing his thoughts and feelings about what happened in Gloucester and especially about the famous court case that he won. He will also fill in some details about a second case that he initially lost to the Congregationalists, but eventually won in 1788. This ruling finally compelled changes in Massachusetts law in 1792 that legally recognized diverse Christian denominations as well as Jewish synagogues in the Commonwealth, and acknowledged that these religious organizations had the right to ordain their own clergy. Revived Rev. Murray will share how this happened, including many humorous vignettes, and why it was so important.

The third segment will feature a conversation with Heather Atwood, creator of the video, Rev. Janet Parsons, minister of the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church, and Jeremy Melvin, President of the Sargent House Museum Board of Directors. The two institutions share this important Gloucester story, and Parsons and Melvin will expand the discussion and respond to audience questions about why this story matters so much in present-day America.

A reception with light refreshments will follow at the Sargent House Museum, a short walk down Middle Street. The museum is the elegant and beautifully-preserved home of Judith Sargent Murray and her husband the Rev. John Murray, featuring many exquisite family portraits, furnishings and possessions.

This event is free and open to the public. The Meetinghouse, which is the home of the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church, is located on the green at the corner of Middle and Church Streets, GPS: 50 Middle Street. An accessible side entrance with an elevator is located at 10 Church Street. The Sargent House Museum is located at 49 Middle Street.

MORE INFORMATION: This event was jointly produced by the Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation, the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church and the Sargent House Museum. The video was created by Heather Atwood of 1623 Studios with Jon Brysh of New Leaf Productions. Screening and projection is being provided by the Cape Ann Community Cinema. This presentation for the Gloucester 400th Celebration will be live-streamed on Channel 6 and will also be later available on YouTube.