Universal Friends

The Universal Friends were a religious sect founded by Jemima Wilkinson in the late 18th century. Wilkinson, who grew up Quaker, experienced a vision after an illness, believing she had died and returned as a spirit to preach to the world. She adopted the name Publick Universal Friend and presented as neither male nor female, often using male pronouns and adopting more masculine attire. Her followers, who believed her to be a messiah, were known as Universal Friends. The sect attracted followers throughout New England and eventually established settlements in western New York. While orthodox churches opposed their beliefs, the Universalists' core tenet was the salvation of all souls, believing that any afterlife punishment was temporary for purification rather than eternal damnation. The movement eventually declined after Wilkinson's death in 1819.12