Life & Letters

Correspondence

About this Item

Title: Alex H. Smith to Walt Whitman, 1 September 1887

Date: September 1, 1887

Whitman Archive ID: loc.03670

Source: The Charles E. Feinberg Collection of the Papers of Walt Whitman, 1839–1919, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. Transcribed from digital images or a microfilm reproduction of the original item. For a description of the editorial rationale behind our treatment of the correspondence, see our statement of editorial policy.

Contributors to digital file: Alex Kinnaman, Stefan Schöberlein, Ian Faith, and Stephanie Blalock



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340 Harrow Road
London W—
Sept 1st

Dear Sir,

I desire to bring under your notice the Christian Kingdom Society in the hope that you will sympathise with it—It is formed for the purpose of banding together people of different creeds, parties and countries, on the broad lines of loyalty to the Christian spirit. We do not enter into theological or ecclesiastical discussions, and we discourage all foolish disputations. We aim at bringing about those feelings of sympathy and goodwill among all people, for which you are also striving. It would be such a great pleasure to many of us to feel that although separated in many camps and living in many countries, we all belong to one great union—Should you feel that you can honestly accept our basis, it would be a great joy to some of us who have read your writings to have you also in our assocn The idea of a great brotherhood—a kingdom, not confined by [rivers,?] or mountains, or seas, but extending over all the earth, and embracing men of all nationalities, languages, & colors, comes like an inspiration to many—I shall be thankful for a card from you if you are interested in the Socy & wish to join1

faithfully yrs
Alex H. Smith


Correspondent:
Rev. Alexander H. Smith was the founder of the "Christian Kingdom Society," a society that apparently strove to unite members of various Christian denominations and understood itself as undogmatic and hence held neither meetings nor services. In the late 1880s, it had around 730 members.

Notes:

1. Not surprisingly, Whitman did not respond. [back]


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