Series 4: John H. Lathrop Files., 1849-1960, inclusive

The John H. Lathrop Files series contains the working and reference files of John H. Lathrop who served as minister to the First Unitarian Congregation of Brooklyn from 1911 to 1967. The series covers Lathrop's varied interests and prolific work. Lathrop's work within the Church and community can be seen through his sermons, correspondence, parishioners' files, and work with organizations like the Brooklyn Urban League which he helped found and managed as president for many years. As minister for the Church during both world wars, Lathrop was interested in the international peace movement. Lathrop was involved with various organizations which mobilized for peace like the War Resisters League, the Emergency Peace Campaign, and the National Peace Conference, which he headed. Lathrop was similarly interested in international aid and outreach and had files pertaining to humanitarian efforts in Germany, Spain, Hungary and other nations.

There are some records within this series regarding the First Church's connection to Unitarians in Transylvania and their church there. Several files also address Czechoslovakia and the Unitarian Service Committee trip there which Lathrop was a part of. The First Unitarian Congregation of Brooklyn had a special connection to Czechoslovakia as a former member of the Church, Charlotte Garrigue, had married the first president of Czechoslovakia, Tomas Garrigue Masaryk. Lathrop kept up correspondence with their daughter, Alice Garrigue Masaryk, one of the founders of the Czechoslovak Red Cross, and their son, Jan Masaryk, the Foreign Minister of Czechoslovakia.

The series also contains a collection of reference material on various topics of interest to Lathrop including marriage, peace, labor and unemployment, religious freedom, liberal Christianity, and other related issues. These reference files consist of articles, pamphlets, and various materials from organizations Lathrop was interested in or with which he was tangentially involved. Lathrop's sermons deal with this broad range of topics as well, particularly ideas of liberal Christianity and its application in the world. Lathrop's work with like-minded organizations like the International Association for Liberal Christianity and Religious Freedom and the American Committee on Religious Rights and Minorities can be found in this series.

Some files on Lathrop and documents created by him can be found in many other series within the collection, but particularly within the Ministers series which contains documents on his installation, organizations he served on the board of, and memorial services for his death.