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History > Our Pastors > Allan Knight Chalmers

Allan Knight Chalmers
The Sixth Pastor, 1930-1947

Like his predecessor, Allan Chalmers espoused an ardent pacifist position. Throughout his ministry at the Tabernacle he never relented from this position. Leading New York City newspapers gave frequent coverage to his anti-war views. He played a leading role in a coalition of New York area clergymen who shared his anti-war sentiments.

Chalmers was also a strong advocate of racial justice. His advocacy of this position led the NAACP to call upon him to take on the leadership of the Scottsboro Defense Committee when efforts on behalf of the Scottsboro group had stalled. The Committee had been established to win the release of nine young black men who had been falsely accused of raping two white women while stealing a ride on a freight train in Alabama. The nine had been found guilty and were sentenced to death by a Montgomery court. After years of intense negotiations, repeated court appeals and countless visits to Alabama's governor, eight of the defendants were finally released thanks, in good part, to Chalmers' efforts. (The ninth defendant, who was still incarcerated pending a disposition of an appeal, escaped in 1948, fled to Michigan and was involved in the murder of another man. He was subsequently convicted of manslaughter.)

The early years of Chalmers' ministry coincided with the Depression years. The church offered its auditorium facilities to the WPA, the federal agency charged at the time with developing job opportunities for the unemployed. The church's lower auditorium, which had a fully equipped stage and seating capacity for several hundred, was made available to a WPA theatrical troupe, staffed by unemployed actors, for the purpose of presenting popular dramas at no charge. For several seasons plays such as the classic One-Third of a Nation and others were performed as a community service.

During Chalmers' era, the church encouraged the development of many special interest groups. An active drama club was initiated. Special groups for teenagers, young men, businesswomen and others flourished. One of the most exceptional was a fellowship for young adults known as the Tower League, which provided a vitally significant social ministry to young adults who had come to New York City in search of meaningful job opportunities and social relationships. During his 35 years the Tower League attracted several thousand young adults, many of whom became closely involved in the life of the Tabernacle. Out of this fellowship nearly 300 marriages were consummated.

In 1947, Dr. Chalmers resigned to become professor of homiletics at Boston University Divinity School.

Albert J. Penner, Our Seventh Pastor