Washington Gladden
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Washington Gladden (February 11, 1836July 2, 1918) was a leading American Congregational
pastor A pastor (abbreviated as "Pr" or "Ptr" , or "Ps" ) is the leader of a Christian congregation who also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation. In Lutheranism, Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy and ...
and early leader in the
Social Gospel The Social Gospel is a social movement within Protestantism that aims to apply Christian ethics to social problems, especially issues of social justice such as economic inequality, poverty, alcoholism, crime, racial tensions, slums, unclean envir ...
movement. He was a leading member of the Progressive Movement, serving for two years as a member of the
Columbus, Ohio Columbus () is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, and t ...
city council and campaigning against
Boss Tweed William Magear Tweed (April 3, 1823 – April 12, 1878), often erroneously referred to as William "Marcy" Tweed (see below), and widely known as "Boss" Tweed, was an American politician most notable for being the political boss of Tammany ...
as religious editor of the ''New York Independent''. Gladden was probably the first leading U.S. religious figure to support
unionization The organizing model, as the term refers to trade unions (and sometimes other social-movement organizations), is a broad conception of how those organizations should recruit, operate, and advance the interests of their members, though the specific ...
of the workforce; he also opposed
racial segregation Racial segregation is the systematic separation of people into race (human classification), racial or other Ethnicity, ethnic groups in daily life. Racial segregation can amount to the international crime of apartheid and a crimes against hum ...
. He was a prolific writer who wrote hundreds of poems, hymns, articles, editorials, and books.


Early life

Gladden was born February 11, 1836, in Pottsgrove, Pennsylvania, the son of Solomon and Amanda (Daniels) Gladden. He was given the name Solomon Washington Gladden. When Gladden was six, his father died. After that, he lived with his uncle on a farm near Owego, New York. There, he learned and practiced a farmer's "
manual arts Industrial arts is an educational program that features the fabrication of objects in wood or metal using a variety of hand, power, or machine tools. Industrial Arts are commonly referred to as Technology Education. It may include small engine rep ...
" and used any free time for serious reading that included the Bible. During Gladden's formative years, western New York State was known as the
Burned-Over District The term "burned-over district" refers to the western and central regions of New York State in the early 19th century, where religious revivals and the formation of new religious movements of the Second Great Awakening took place, to such a ...
because it had been the center of a number of religious revivals. Gladden heard many preachers in a fruitless search for "assurance of divine favor" until, in his 18th year, a "clear-headed minister" helped him "trust the Heavenly Father's love" for him. From then on, Gladden believed that religion is "summed up in the word Friendship... with the Father above and the brother by our side." At 16, Gladden left his uncle's farm to become an
apprentice Apprenticeship is a system for training a new generation of practitioners of a trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study (classroom work and reading). Apprenticeships can also enable practitioners to gain a ...
at the ''Owego Gazette''. Two years later (1854) at age 18, he became part of the
temperance movement The temperance movement is a social movement promoting temperance or complete abstinence from consumption of alcoholic beverages. Participants in the movement typically criticize alcohol intoxication or promote teetotalism, and its leaders emph ...
by joining the order of the
Good Templars The International Organisation of Good Templars (IOGT; founded as the Independent Order of Good Templars), whose international body is known as Movendi International, is a fraternal organization which is part of the temperance movement, promotin ...
. During his newspaper apprenticeship, Gladden made his "choice of a calling:" to become an ordained minister in the Congregational Church. Since the calling required further study, he enrolled in the Owego Free Academy and later enrolled in and graduated from
Williams College Williams College is a Private college, private liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It was established as a men's college in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams, a col ...
in the class of 1859. At Williams, Gladden wrote its alma mater song, "The Mountains."


Early career

During his early career, Gladden held five positions in pastorates and journalism. In 1860, a pivotal year for Gladden, he received his first call to a pastorate, which was followed by ordination, marriage, the secession of southern states, and the impending Civil War. His first call was to State Street Congregational Church in
Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
. He began his pastorate in June 1860 and was ordained in November. On December 5, 1860, Gladden and Jennie O. Cohoon, a schoolmate at the Owego Free Academy, were married. The couple had two daughters, two sons, and one granddaughter. Those events in Gladden's life came during what he recalled as "ominous and exciting events" in the nation's life.
South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...
seceded from the Union and was followed within two months by six other states. In June 1861, he resigned and accepted a call to the Congregational Church at
Morrisania, New York Morrisania ( ) is a residential neighborhood in the southwestern Bronx, New York City, New York (state), New York. Its boundaries are the Cross-Bronx Expressway to the north, Crotona-Prospect Avenue to the east, East 161st Street to the south, an ...
, where he served until 1866. In 1863, he took leave to serve in the Christian Chaplaincy Corps. However, he contracted malaria, which forced him to return home for recovery and to resume his pastoral duties. Gladden's third pastorate was in North Adams, Massachusetts, where he served from 1866 to 1871. His next position was the religious editor of the ''
New York Independent ''The Independent'' was a weekly magazine published in New York City between 1848 and 1928. It was founded in order to promote Congregationalism and was also an important voice in support of abolitionism and women's suffrage. In 1924 it moved to Bo ...
'' from 1871 and 1875. The weekly newspaper had a nationwide circulation of one million. His role was to write news articles and editorials on
practical theology Practical theology is an academic discipline that examines and reflects on religious practices in order to understand the theology enacted in those practices and in order to consider how theological theory and theological practices can be more full ...
and the day's social issues. From that position, Gladden attained national fame, especially for his aid in exposing the corrupt organization of
Boss Tweed William Magear Tweed (April 3, 1823 – April 12, 1878), often erroneously referred to as William "Marcy" Tweed (see below), and widely known as "Boss" Tweed, was an American politician most notable for being the political boss of Tammany ...
. In 1875, Gladden became pastor of the North Congregational Church in
Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield is a city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States, and the seat of Hampden County. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, the ...
, for seven years. During that pastorate, he also worked as editor of ''Sunday Afternoon'' (1878–1880). ''Sunday Afternoon'' described itself as "A Monthly Magazine for the Household." Besides editing, he also contributed articles. Gladden's active support for workers and their right to organize began during his years in North Adams and Springfield. His position aroused the opposition of mill and factory owners, but he was not deterred and continued his work for justice the rest of his life. Although he was deeply concerned for the well-being of workers, scholars have noted that his early lectures in 1875 and 1876 lacked the understanding of the industrial system that was characteristic of his later writings. In that era, Gladden acknowledged that the economic problems were also moral but "contributed little that the most conservative of industrial leaders would not have admitted to be the case." He published ''Working People and their Employers'' in 1876, which advocated the unionization of employees, and was the first notable US clergyman to approve of unions. Gladden did not support socialism or laissez-faire but advocated instead the application of "Christian law" to issues. His 1877 book ''The Christian Way: Whither it Leads and How to Go On'' was his first national call for "the extension of Christian values into everyday life" and began his leadership in the
Social Gospel The Social Gospel is a social movement within Protestantism that aims to apply Christian ethics to social problems, especially issues of social justice such as economic inequality, poverty, alcoholism, crime, racial tensions, slums, unclean envir ...
movement.


At Columbus

Gladden became the pastor of the First Congregational Church in Columbus, Ohio, in 1882 and served in that position for thirty-six years. During that time, he furthered his national reputation as a religious leader and as a community leader by his preaching, lecturing, writing, and active involvement. Its congregation included legislators and other persons with the power to address the social injustices about which Gladden preached. He preached two 45-minute sermons each Sunday. In the morning, he preached on living the Christian life. In the evening, he preached on social problems. The evening sermon was printed in ''The Ohio State Journal'' the next day on page one. During First Church's 1902 Golden Jubilee Celebration, Gladden said on his preaching that "you have not always agreed with me; you could not; but when my words, and sometimes my conduct were opposed to your thoughts and interests, you never tried to muzzle me." By the mid-1880s, he drew audiences across the nation to hear him speak for "bargaining rights for labor, a shorter work week, factory inspections, inheritance taxation, and regulation of natural monopolies." His goal was for "a gradual evolution toward a cooperative social order." Theologically, Gladden is classified an "evangelical liberal." As such, he was biblically grounded and centered, but always seeking to "adjust Christianity to modern times" He helped to promote his evangelical liberalism in books such as ''Burning Questions'' (1890) and ''Who Wrote the Bible'' (1891). In ''Who Wrote the Bible'', Gladden stated: "it is idle to try to force the narrative of Genesis into an exact correspondence with geological science." In 1885, he took part in forming the
American Economic Association The American Economic Association (AEA) is a learned society in the field of economics. It publishes several peer-reviewed journals acknowledged in business and academia. There are some 23,000 members. History and Constitution The AEA was esta ...
and served on its council. The stated purpose of the association was "to support independent economic inquiry and to disseminate economic knowledge." In 1886, he traveled to Cleveland during a streetcar strike, spoke at a public meeting on "Is it Peace or War," and supported the rights of the workers to form a union to protect their interests. He also advocated public ownership of streetcars and public utilities.Geoffrey Parker, Richard Sisson, William Russell Coil, eds, ''Ohio and the World, 1753-2053: Essays Toward a New History of Ohio'' (Ohio State University, 2005), 107. The more Gladden addressed social issues, the more his church grew: from 500 in 1883 to 1,200 in 1914. When members disagreed with him, rather than trying to bring them to agree with him, he sought to find common ground on which they could they stand together. In 1893, former US President Rutherford B. Hayes presented Gladden for the position of president of Ohio State University, but the board rejected him as "too pro-Catholic" because of his opposition to the anti-Catholic American Protective Association. However, the
University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac, known simply as Notre Dame ( ) or ND, is a private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, outside the city of South Bend. French priest Edward Sorin founded the school in 1842. The main campu ...
awarded Gladden an honorary doctorate for his stance. Gladden made several lecture tours to Great Britain. During the one in 1898, he defended the United States for entering the
Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (clock ...
as "humane." He exerted an international influence as the "father" of the
Social Gospel The Social Gospel is a social movement within Protestantism that aims to apply Christian ethics to social problems, especially issues of social justice such as economic inequality, poverty, alcoholism, crime, racial tensions, slums, unclean envir ...
movement. His concern about social issues was grounded on his liberal theology that viewed the Church's mission as applying Christian values to secular institutions. Gladden served a term on the Columbus City Council between 1900 and 1902 and became an advocate of municipal ownership of public works. He also led a movement to change the elections in Ohio from October to November. He was one of his nation's "most progressive leaders" in efforts to resolve what he called "The Negro Problem," both economically and politically. He was Vice President of the
American Missionary Association The American Missionary Association (AMA) was a Protestant-based abolitionist group founded on in Albany, New York. The main purpose of the organization was abolition of slavery, education of African Americans, promotion of racial equality, and ...
between 1894 and 1901 and served as its president between 1901 and 1904. In that capacity, he traveled to Atlanta, Georgia to visit Atlanta University and meet
W. E. B. Du Bois William Edward Burghardt Du Bois ( ; February 23, 1868 – August 27, 1963) was an American-Ghanaian sociologist, socialist, historian, and Pan-Africanist civil rights activist. Born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, Du Bois grew up in ...
. He was shocked at the condition of Southern blacks and started speaking out against racism. Gladden's famous 1903 sermon "Murder as an Epidemic" condemned
lynching Lynching is an extrajudicial killing by a group. It is most often used to characterize informal public executions by a mob in order to punish an alleged transgressor, punish a convicted transgressor, or intimidate people. It can also be an ex ...
. He resigned as President of the American Missionary Association to take up a position as the Moderator of the National Council of the Congregational Churches of the United States in 1904. In 1905, he made national news by denouncing a $100,000 gift to the Congregationalists from
John D. Rockefeller John Davison Rockefeller Sr. (July 8, 1839 – May 23, 1937) was an American business magnate and philanthropist. He has been widely considered the wealthiest American of all time and the richest person in modern history. Rockefeller was ...
as "tainted."


Later life

In 1914, Gladden retired and became "minister emeritus" of the First Congregational Church. He remained active in other ways until he died of a stroke on July 2, 1918. The ''New York Times'' carried the news that "Gladden, nationally known Congregational minister" had died. Gladden was predeceased by Jennie, his wife of 49 years, who died May 8, 1909. The last four years of her life she suffered arteriosclerosis that brought her to a state of bed-ridden dementia. Never in the limelight, Jennie was "quietly supportive of her husband's very public career." The Gladdens had two daughters (one of whom died at 24) and two sons. Alcohol and personal problems beset the sons and they both died young. The difficulties with the Gladdens' sons occurred within a larger similar context. Post-Civil War America was marked by "inward trouble in middle-class family life." Youth felt "great uncertainty" about their identity and their life's work. This made it difficult for them to "settle on careers." Large numbers suffered "nervous collapses." Historians assessing Gladden's career emphasize the importance of his role in the Social Gospel movement. He became the social gospel's "most revered and respected spokesman" Gladden not only promoted a "Social Gospel of practical action" by his writing and speaking, he engaged in practical action by working for solutions. He supported workers' right to unionize, and he opposed racial segregation. These assessments by historians correlate with the goal Gladden held up for his ministry. In his 1909 autobiography ''Recollections'', he wrote that, as a minister, he wanted to practice "a religion that laid hold upon life, and proposed first and foremost, to realize the Kingdom of God in this world."


Honors

Gladden never earned a theological degree, but he received 35 honorary doctorates.


Bibliography

Gladden wrote hundreds of poems, hymns, articles, editorials, and books. Gladden's hymn ''O Master, Let Me Walk With Thee'' has been published in 470 hymnals. His books follow:
''Plain Thoughts on the Art of Living'', 1868

''From the Hub to the Hudson'', 1869

''Being a Christian and How to Begin'', 1876

''Working People and their Employers'', 1876

''The Christian Way: Whither it Leads and how to Go On'', 1877

''The Lord's Prayer: Seven Homilies'', 1880

''The Christian League of Connecticut'', 1883

''Things New and Old: Discourses in Christian Truth and Life'', 1884

''The Young Men and the Churches: Why Some of Them are Outside and Why They should Come In'', 1885

''Applied Christianity: Moral Aspects of Social Questions'', 1887

''Parish Problems: Hints and Helps for the People of the Churches'', 1887

''Burning Questions of the Life That Now Is and of That Which Is to Come'', 1891

''Who Wrote the Bible?: A Book for the People'', 1891

''The Cosmopolis City Club'', 1893

''Santa Claus on a Lark: and Other Christmas Stories'', 1894

''Tools and the Man: Property and Industry Under the Christian Law'', 1894

''The Church and The Kingdom'', 1894

''Ruling Ideas of the Present Age'', 1895

''Seven Puzzling Bible Books: a Supplement to Who Wrote the Bible'', 1897

''The Relations of Art and Morality'', 1897

''Social Facts and Forces'' (Factory, Labor Union, Corporation, Railway, City, Church), 1897

''Our Nation and Her Neighbors'', 1898

''The Christian Pastor and the Working Church'', 1898

''How Much is Left of the Old Doctrines?'', 1899

''Who Wrote the Bible?'', 1900

''Social Salvation'', 1902

''Organized labor and capital; the William L. Bull lectures for the year 1904''
with
Talcott Williams Talcott Williams (July 20, 1849 – January 24, 1928) was an American journalist, author and educator. Williams worked as a journalist and editor for nearly four decades, including thirty years with ''The Philadelphia Press.'' Williams authored n ...
, George Hodges, and
Francis Greenwood Peabody Francis Greenwood Peabody (1847–1936) was an American Unitarian minister and theology professor at Harvard University. Peabody was born on December 4, 1847, in Boston, Massachusetts. He graduated from Harvard University in 1869. When a junior, ...

''Christianity & Socialism'', 1905

''The Church and Modern Life'', 1908

''Recollections'', 1909

''The Labor Question'', 1911

''Present Day Theology'', 1913

">''Commencement Day: A Book for Graduates'' 1916

''The Forks of the Road'', 1917
* ''Calendar Verses'', 1918, Published by McClelland Co., Columbus, Ohio
''The Interpreter'', 1918


Footnotes


Further reading

* Boyer, Paul. "An Ohio Leader of the Social Gospel Movement: Reassessing Washington Gladden," ''Ohio History'' Volume 116#1, 2009 pp. 88–10

* Dorn, Jacob H
"The Social Gospel and Socialism: A Comparison of the Thought of Francis Greenwood Peabody, Washington Gladden, and Walter Rauschenbusch,"
''Church History,'' vol. 62, no. 1 (1993), pp. 82–100. * Dorn, Jacob. ''Washington Gladden: Prophet of the Social Gospel.'' 1968. * Engs, Ruth C. ''Progressive Era's Health Reform Movement: A Historic Dictionary.'' Westport, CT: Praeger, 2003. * Handy, Robert T. ''The Social Gospel in America 1870-1920'' 1966 * Hopkins, Charles H. ''The Rise of the Social Gospel in American Protestantism 1865-1915'' (1940)


Primary sources

*Washington Gladden, ''Recollections'', 1909 *Washington Gladden, "Tainted Money", 1895, ''The Outlook Magazine'', 30 Nov. 1895


External links

* *

* ttp://www.bartleby.com/65/gl/Gladden.html Columbia University 2004 entry
CyberHymnal article for Washington Gladden



Book Rags biography



Ohio History Central article on Washington Gladden
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gladden, Washington 1836 births 1918 deaths People from Montgomery County, Pennsylvania American Congregationalist ministers American Christian socialists Christian hymnwriters American hymnwriters Congregationalist writers 19th-century Congregationalist ministers 20th-century Congregationalist ministers Columbus City Council members 19th-century American writers Race in the United States Congregationalist socialists 19th-century American politicians Burials at Green Lawn Cemetery (Columbus, Ohio) Songwriters from Pennsylvania 20th-century American clergy 19th-century American clergy