▁the ▁first ▁centuries ▁as ▁Universal ists . ▁▁ ▁Massachusetts ▁Legisl ature ▁From ▁ 1 8 3 1 - 1 8 3 6 , ▁Wh itt em ore ▁served ▁as ▁Cambridge ' s ▁representative ▁in ▁the ▁Massachusetts ▁legisl ature , ▁serving ▁as ▁chair ▁of ▁the ▁committee ▁that ▁o vers aw ▁the ▁dis est ab lish ment ▁of ▁the ▁Cong reg ational ▁Church ▁and ▁Un itar ian ▁Church , ▁to ▁whose ▁special ▁status ▁Wh itt em ore ▁was ▁opposed , ▁from ▁the ▁privile ged ▁position ▁they ▁had ▁been ▁accord ed ▁in ▁the ▁Massachusetts ▁Constitution . ▁Wh itt more ▁held ▁that ▁" no ▁civil ▁government ▁has ▁a ▁right ▁to ▁comp el ▁the ▁citizens ▁to ▁support ▁any ▁system ▁of ▁religion ▁what so ever " ▁and ▁supported ▁calls ▁for ▁a ▁popular ▁refer endum ▁on ▁the ▁separation ▁of ▁church ▁and ▁state ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 4 . ▁The ▁results ▁of ▁that ▁refer endum ▁brought ▁Massachusetts ▁into ▁accord ▁with ▁the ▁First ▁Am end ment ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Constitution . The ▁Pr inc eton ▁Encyclopedia ▁of ▁American ▁Political ▁History ▁Vol . ▁ 1 , ▁ed . ▁Michael ▁Kaz in , ▁Reb e cca ▁Edwards , ▁Adam ▁Roth man ▁( 2 0 0 9 ), ▁" Dis est ab lish ment ▁of ▁the ▁Cong reg ational ist ▁churches ▁in ▁Massachusetts " ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁buried ▁in ▁Mount ▁A ub urn ▁C emetery . ▁ ▁His ▁papers ▁are ▁in ▁the ▁And over - Har vard ▁The ological ▁Library ▁at ▁Harvard ▁Div inity ▁School ▁in ▁Cambridge , ▁Massachusetts ; ▁the ▁Thomas ▁Wh