Laurentine Hamilton
Encyclopedia
Laurentine Hamilton was a Presbyterian minister accused of heresy
, and founder of the First Unitarian Church of Oakland
.
Hamilton was born in Catlin, New York
, near Seneca Lake. He graduated from Hamilton College in Clinton, New York
in 1850. He went on to attend Auburn Theological Seminary
, from which he graduated in 1853. In 1854, Hamilton became an ordained minister of the Presbyterian church in Ovid, New York
.
In 1855 he was assigned the pastor
age of Columbia, California
, a small mining camp established during the California Gold Rush
. He built the Presbyterian church that still stands there. In 1859, Hamilton came to San Jose, California
to preach at the First Presbyterian Church of San Jose. He became Superintendent
of San Jose Schools
, and in 1861 he travelled with William H. Brewer and Charles F. Hoffmann
to the summit of a nearby mountain, as part of the initial California Geological Survey
. That mountain, Mount Hamilton
, is named after him.
In 1864 Hamilton became pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Oakland, his sermons appearing in the Oakland Daily Tribune. He served on the Oakland Board of Education
from 1866 to 1872. In 1869, Hamilton came under scrutiny for teaching the doctrine
of "a second probation after death" (stating one has a second, posthumous chance of salvation
). He was charged with heresey and forced to leave his pastorate and resign from his ordination in the Presbyterian church. Most of his parishioners joined him in forming the First Independent Presbyterian Church, later to become the Independent Church of Oakland. In 1879 the church joined the American Unitarian Association
and became the First Unitarian Church of Oakland
.
While preaching on Easter Sunday, 1882, Hamilton spoke "We know not what matter is..." and then collapsed onto the ground, dead.
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
, and founder of the First Unitarian Church of Oakland
First Unitarian Church of Oakland
The First Unitarian Church of Oakland, in Oakland, California, was designed in 1889 by Walter J. Mathews. This solid masonry Romanesque church departed radically from California's traditional Gothic wood frame construction...
.
Hamilton was born in Catlin, New York
Catlin, New York
Catlin is a town in Chemung County, New York, United States. The population was 2,649 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Phineas Catlin, a surveyor and public official....
, near Seneca Lake. He graduated from Hamilton College in Clinton, New York
Clinton, Oneida County, New York
Clinton is a village in Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 1,952 at the 2000 census. It was named for George Clinton, a royal governor of the colony of New York....
in 1850. He went on to attend Auburn Theological Seminary
Auburn Theological Seminary
Auburn Theological Seminary was founded in 1818. Auburn Theological Seminary focuses on religious leadership development, movement-building, and research. Auburn is based in New York City and exists in covenant with the Presbyterian Church ....
, from which he graduated in 1853. In 1854, Hamilton became an ordained minister of the Presbyterian church in Ovid, New York
Ovid (town), New York
Ovid is a town in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 2,757 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the Roman poet Ovid, a name assigned by a clerk interested in the classics....
.
In 1855 he was assigned the pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
age of Columbia, California
Columbia, California
Columbia is a former California Gold Rush boomtown located in the Sierra Nevada foothills. The central portion of the town is preserved as a California state historic park and a National Historic Landmark that preserves the original, gold-rush-town flavor of the town, once dubbed the "Gem of the...
, a small mining camp established during the California Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
. He built the Presbyterian church that still stands there. In 1859, Hamilton came to San Jose, California
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
to preach at the First Presbyterian Church of San Jose. He became Superintendent
Superintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
of San Jose Schools
San Jose Unified School District
San Jose Unified School District is a K-12 school district in Santa Clara County, California. It serves a large portion of the city of San Jose, California with a student population of approximately 32,000.-List of schools:...
, and in 1861 he travelled with William H. Brewer and Charles F. Hoffmann
Charles F. Hoffmann
Charles Frederick Hoffmann was a German-American topographer working in California U.S. from 1860 to 1880.-Life:Hoffmann was born in Frankfurt, Germany, 1838. After receiving an education in engineering, he emigrated to America. In 1857 he was topographer for Frederick Lander’s survey to the Rocky...
to the summit of a nearby mountain, as part of the initial California Geological Survey
California Geological Survey
Although it was not until 1880 that the California State Mining Bureau, predecessor to the California Geological Survey, was established, the "roots" of California's state geological survey date to an earlier time...
. That mountain, Mount Hamilton
Mount Hamilton (California)
Mount Hamilton is a mountain in California's Diablo Range, in Santa Clara County, California. Mount Hamilton, at is the tallest mountain overlooking Silicon Valley, and is the site of Lick Observatory, the first permanently occupied mountain-top observatory. The various summits along its...
, is named after him.
In 1864 Hamilton became pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Oakland, his sermons appearing in the Oakland Daily Tribune. He served on the Oakland Board of Education
Board of education
A board of education or a school board or school committee is the title of the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or higher administrative level....
from 1866 to 1872. In 1869, Hamilton came under scrutiny for teaching the doctrine
Doctrine
Doctrine is a codification of beliefs or a body of teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions, as the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge or belief system...
of "a second probation after death" (stating one has a second, posthumous chance of salvation
Salvation
Within religion salvation is the phenomenon of being saved from the undesirable condition of bondage or suffering experienced by the psyche or soul that has arisen as a result of unskillful or immoral actions generically referred to as sins. Salvation may also be called "deliverance" or...
). He was charged with heresey and forced to leave his pastorate and resign from his ordination in the Presbyterian church. Most of his parishioners joined him in forming the First Independent Presbyterian Church, later to become the Independent Church of Oakland. In 1879 the church joined the American Unitarian Association
American Unitarian Association
The American Unitarian Association was a religious denomination in the United States and Canada, formed by associated Unitarian congregations in 1825. In 1961, it merged with the Universalist Church of America to form the Unitarian Universalist Association.According to Mortimer Rowe, the Secretary...
and became the First Unitarian Church of Oakland
First Unitarian Church of Oakland
The First Unitarian Church of Oakland, in Oakland, California, was designed in 1889 by Walter J. Mathews. This solid masonry Romanesque church departed radically from California's traditional Gothic wood frame construction...
.
While preaching on Easter Sunday, 1882, Hamilton spoke "We know not what matter is..." and then collapsed onto the ground, dead.