By its own definition, “The Society for Ethical Culture is a religious fellowship which seeks through education, service, and community action to increase man's knowledge, practice, and love of right living, and to deepen man's sense of a consecrating influence in his life,” without reference to any theological system or traditional school of religious thought. It was founded by Felix Adler in 1876.
General material on the nature of the organization is contained in its booklet, “The Ethical Culture Church: Its Principles and Methods” (1929). Its legal basis as a religious institution is set forth in the “Brief of Amicus Curiae” (1957), which further explains the nature of the society. Both are included in the collection.
Several Ethical Culture Schools have been established, both for working adults and for children, as part of the society's effort to promote its nontheological humanistic philosophy. The collection includes several issues of Teaching and Learning (an annual journal published by the Ethical Culture schools of New York) and other literature expressing the society's views on education, as well as a few school bulletins, some historical sketches, the records from 1916 and 1926, and a few other publications.
The society records have been published as The Ethical Record three times between 1876 and 1962. The first edition (1888-1890) and the third (1904-1962) are included in the collection. They differ considerably in their concept, but in general they attempt to express the thought of the society, and information about its membership and its programs.
In place of clergymen or officers, the Ethical Church has leaders and assistant leaders who present Addresses (lectures) to those who attend the Sunday meetings. The addresses have customarily been printed, either in regularly issued periodicals or as separate tracts. While most of the addresses are dated, many are not. The collection contains many individually printed addresses by the society's founder, Felix Adler, and a number of other leaders, dating from 1876 to the early 1960s. In addition, the monthly publication, Ethical Addresses, is included, beginning with issue number six of the first volume (1894) and continuing through 1914; some of the earlier issues are missing.
Other Publications in the collection include a few leaflets published by the Moral Instruction League (established in 1897). The leaflets date from about the first seven years of the 20th century. The Standard, commemorating the 75th anniversary of the ethical movement (1951) is included; it contains some articles pertaining to the society's past, and others dealing with contemporary topics. The Ethical Outlook is a regular magazine of contemporary ethical thought published six times per year. Beginning with volume XLIII, number 1 (1957) and continuing through 1964, most of the issues of this periodical are in the collection.
The Ethical Church has branches in various parts of the United States. The New York Branch has printed its Sunday addresses for distribution. A few of these from 1958 and 1959, and nearly all of those from 1960 through June 16, 1963, are included in the collection. The Sunday address constitutes the sole content of The Ethical Platform.
The final folder of the collection is Miscellaneous material. It includes the preliminary brochure for the Second International Congress held in 1912 and a mimeographed copy of the official Ethical Church marriage ceremony (1964). These reflect the views of the society to some extent.
