Autobiography of Rev. Abel C. Thomas: Including Recollections of Persons, Incidents, and Places

Autobiography Of Rev. Abel C. Thomas: Including Recollections Of Persons, Incidents, And Places by Abel Charles Thomas. This memoir recounts the life of Abel C. Thomas, a prominent 19th-century clergyman who began as a Quaker minister and became a Universalist preacher. Compiled by his son Abel Charles Thomas, the work blends personal recollections, doctrinal debates, and vivid travel narratives across seventeen states and major cities from Philadelphia to Lowell, Brooklyn, Cincinnati, and Reading. It interweaves family history, early schooling, the Quaker crisis, printer's craft, missionary journeys, and encounters with key figures such as Elias Hicks, Hosea Ballou, and Aaron Grosh. The book emphasizes the author’s evolution toward Universalism, his experiences with religious reform, and the personal trials, including bereavements and the toll of long-distance ministry. It also includes prefatory reflections on religious liberty, church organization, and the author’s hope for eventual universal reconciliation.