Facsimiles of Church Documents: Papers issued by the Church Historical Club of the American Church 1874-1879

New York: [The Historical Club of the American Protestant Episcopal Church], n.d. [c. 1879]. First edition. Pamphlet. Very Good. 6 1/4 x 10 3/8 inches. 8 pages. Pages uncut. This pamphlet was privately printed in very small numbers for members of this elite club. The pamphlet describes the endeavor as follows: During the session of the General Convention in New York, October, 1874, a few clergymen and laymen associated together to form the Historical Club, for the purpose of putting in print, by photolithographic process, important documents associated with the early history of the American Church. This is the first "catalogue" of the results of these efforts, and is essentially a list of the most important private documents for the American Protestant Episcopal Church, prepared by those who were in a position to know, and consists of some 56 rare and unique items, including private correspondence with Bishops White and Seabury, Charles and John Wesley and other luminaries. Bound in original blue paper wrapper which is lightly soiled. From the library of Samuel Hart. A very rare first edition pamphlet from the library of Samuel Hart, which experienced a fire that damaged a number of books. As a result, items from Hart's library are extremely rare. Samuel Hart (1845-1917) was dean of the Berkeley Divinity School, the (un)official "middle way" seminary of the Episcopal Church at Middletown, Connecticut. In 1886, he became the third custodian of the Standard Book of Common Prayer. In 1892, he became secretary of the House of Bishops. In 1898, he became the fourth historiographer of the Episcopal Church. He served in all three of these offices until his death. (In 1893, he was elected Bishop of Vermont, but he declined the office.) A unique association copy.