[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 9 (Thursday, January 15, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E104]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HONORING THE FIRST PARISH UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SCITUATE, MA

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. WILLIAM D. DELAHUNT

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 15, 2009

  Mr. DELAHUNT. Madam Speaker, I rise today so that my colleagues in 
the House of Representatives can join me in recognizing the First 
Parish Unitarian Universalist Church of Scituate, MA on its 375th 
Anniversary.
  The rich spiritual tradition of the First Parish Church dates all the 
way back to seventeenth-century London, when the Puritan separatist, 
the Rev. Henry Jacob, joined with others to establish the first non-
Anglican church in England. In 1624, Jacob was succeeded by the Rev. 
John Lothrop, who led a small congregation in worshiping secretly in 
taverns, homes and fields. When the Bishop of London learned of their 
activities, Rev. Lothrop and his followers were arrested and imprisoned 
in the notorious jail, the Clink.
  Upon his release two years later in 1634, Rev. Lothrop and a number 
of his congregation left England bound for Boston, thirsting for the 
freedom to worship that the New World promised. On January 8, 1634, 
Lothrop came together with 11 other men and women to officially form 
the First Church of Scituate. Rev. Lothrop's distinguished lineage has 
included U.S. Presidents, Supreme Court justices, diplomats and 
prominent businessmen and women.
  It is fitting that the anniversary of the Church's founding falls so 
close to the day we honor Martin Luther King, Jr., the greatest 
champion of civil rights and equality our Nation has known. Under 
strong ministerial and lay leadership, the Church has maintained a 
steadfast commitment to worship, provided spiritual guidance to 
parishioners, and sounded a clarion call for justice and human dignity.
  In colonial times, the Church's ministers and laity fought for 
religious tolerance on behalf of Quakers and Baptists. They spoke out 
against the shackles of slavery, and provided care for Union soldiers 
during the Civil War. During the 19th century, Church leaders advocated 
vociferously for the economic rights of workers. As an integral part of 
our community and the global public square, the First Parish Church of 
Scituate has left an indelible mark for generations to come.
  On this momentous occasion, I congratulate the Church's current 
leader, Rev. Richard M. Stower, and its entire congregation. I wish 
them all the best for continued success in the years ahead.

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