The Doctrines of Friends: Or Principles of the Christian Religion as Held By The Society of Friends Commonly Called Quakers

Montpleasant, Ohio: Elisha Bates, 1825. The author was a prominent Friend or Quaker in Ohio during the 1820s and 1830s. Bates became the publisher of The Philanthropist, from 1818 to 1822. The Philanthropist was the first anti-slavery newspaper in the United States and also supported temperance and the fair treatment of Native Americans. Bates began publishing another periodical, The Moral Advocate, in March 1821. Bates also became the leader of the Mount Pleasant Meeting of the Society of Friends (Quakers.) Bates' only book, this volume, was self-published in 1825. Author Donald Good in his 1969 article "Elisha Bates and Social Reform" states that Bates' Doctrine of Friends was "judged to be one of the best brief accounts of Friends' view in existence." After the publication of his book, dramatic changes began to foment within the Quakers religion with what became known as the Hicksite - Orthodox Schism. Bates, who favored Orthodoxy, was a staunch opponent of Elias Hicks (the Hicks in Hicksite) who favored liberalism. Bates became a controversial figure. He was disowned, converted to Methodist and became a Methodist minister. He late returned to Quakerism. There are three signatures and a personal library stamp on flyleaf - this book has a historical provenance: the first signature is that of Wyman Chamberlain (1772-1838) followed by "his book." Chamberlain was the son of a Revolutionary war soldier and a prominent member of the Friends congregation of Grand Isle, Vermont. The next signer (in pencil) was Mary Chamberlain (1808-1887). Genealogy research suggests that Mary was likely Wyman's daughter-in-law, the wife of his only son William. The last signer (in ink) was Reba B. Hoag. Reba was the sister of Mary, the sister-in-law of William and the step-daughter of Wyman. She lived with her sister and brother-in-law. Lastly, there is also a personal library stamp of Jed P. Clark. Mr. Clark (1825-1906) was the son of Joseph Clark, a very prominent man in Milton, Vermont who is still revered today as one of its founding fathers. Jed P. Clark succeeded his father as the owner of the largest town industry - a saw mill and grist mill in Milton Falls, Vermont and a director of the Vermont & Canada and Central Vermont railroads. Items related to Jed P. Clark's mercantile store, such as its script, are still collectible today. Clark was also briefly one of Milton's postmasters. We contacted one of the Quaker libraries and were told that it was "interesting that someone at Grand Isle had Bates' book, because Bates was not in agreement with the kind of Quakerism that was practiced there." This is a very interesting and culturally important book, particularly for the history of the author and owners. Full leather binding, 320 pages. The book has wear commensurate with age: the leather is worn; binding is split at outside back seam with the hinge held on by one stitch. Bumped corners. Dark tanning and foxing to pages. A leaf or flower was pressed into the back of the book and has left its imprint on the last several (blank) pages. Penciled price notes on inside cover and fep. Number penciled at top of Preface page. Thanks for shopping with us! 100% of your purchase benefits charity and supports literacy and lifelong learning.. First Edition. Full-Leather. Fair/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Privately Printed.