immediately after its conception, the society's unorthodox class composition was allegedly challenged by other literary groups at yale college. according to its catalogue, brothers in unity only became an independent institution after persevering "an incessant war" waged by multiple traditional societies who did not support the concept of a four-year debating community. it is speculated that this struggle initiated the brothers' near 250-year rivalry with linonia, which previously did not initiate freshman members. within a year, however, brothers in unity became fully independent, its popularity influencing other societies to reconsider their exclusion of first year students. the yale college freshman class of 1771 yielded 15 members of brothers in unity, while linonia accepted four; the first noted point in which underclassmen were publicly accepted into a yale society. the brothers adopted the motto between 1768 and 1769.