Significant Figures: Public Universal Friend

Women played an important role in the First Great Awakening. They were the primary audiences of religious meetings and were sometimes invited to preach. But the Friend’s refusal to adhere to traditional gender roles made them an outsider with both men and women religious leaders. Their story attracted a lot of attention. Large crowds would come out to hear the Friend’s sermons. Some attendees were supporters who sought religious salvation. Others simply wanted to see the so-called spiritual being who was neither male nor female. And others were critics who accused the Friend of being a dangerous fanatic who threatened the world with their lies, unholy thoughts, and sexual immorality.

Many of the Universal Friends believed that the Friend was a savior like Jesus Christ, which led to tension with other religious groups. In the 1790s, the Friend and the Universal Friends established the town of Jerusalem in New York. They hoped the town would be a safe place to practice their faith and fulfill God’s will, away from the curiosity and critique of the general population. But this plan ultimately failed. Few new followers moved there, and many chose to leave the community because of disputes over land ownership and religious beliefs.

Source: NYHistory.org