1840-1915 AUTOGRAPH MISSIONARY ALBUM. China Inland Mission, Robert Moffat, Katharine Bushnell, etc.

A simply superb, untouched missionary album compiled in person by an influential Quaker / Evangelical family in Leeds, England from the 1840's through to the earliest years of the 20th century. It reads like a who's who of missions of the period . . . and is un-ransacked, as these volumes often were. And perhaps the most aesthetically pleasing example we have ever handled. 

A not complete, but fairly thorough inventory notes the below:

*An original 2pp MSs of The Infidel's Pilgrimage by hymnist John Eustace Giles [1805-1875] on a pilgrimage to the tomb of atheist-humanist philosopher, David Hume. Entirely in the hand Giles, and signed by him.

Giles was a prominent Baptist hymnist, minister at Leeds, and composer of the hymn of Jubilee at the Emancipation of Slaves in England. His best-remembered [and still used] hymn is Has Thou Said, Exalted Jesus . . . often sung at baptisms.

*Cheok Hong Cheong. An inscription in Chinese in the hand of Cheok Hong Cheong, a beautifully preserved broadsheet in Chinese presumably from Cheong, and an 1892 letter entirely in the hand of Cheok Hong Cheong in English written while in Leeds. 

Cheong [1851-1928] was an important native-born Chinese missionary and pro-Chinese activist. He vigorously defended the Chinese against discrimination abroad, especially as immigrants to Australia and England; he opposed the British Opium trade, and was a rather persistent moralizing influence toward foreign presence in China. 

*A fine, autographed sentiment by important pro-female theologian, Katharine Bushnell, "God nothing does, nor suffers to be done | But thou wouldst do thyself couldst thou but see | The end of all **** as well as He."

Bushnell [1855-1946] is considered an important forerunner in women's theology. Born in Illinois, she published one of the most important pro-female theological works, entitled God's Word to Women, in which she corrects scores of translation issues in Scripture that detract from women's place in the text. She studied under Frances Willard, was active in women's suffrage, a very early female medical doctor, and went to the foreign missionary field in China in 1879. She fell seriously ill and returned to the United States. She worked against sex trafficking, railed against the feminization of virtue [which she felt put all the moral pressure on women and relieved men of the responsibility of self-governance], and exposed the "white slave trade" in young girls in perhaps the first work ever published on the subject in America.

*Fine signed quotation of Mark's Great Commission" in Malagasy and English by John Joseph Freeman [1774-1851]. Freeman began his work in Madagascar with the London Missionary Society in 1827 and served there for decades during a time of fierce persecution among Malagasy Christians. 

*Signed quotation by important African missionary and missionary author, John Henry Hutton, "Be merciful unto me, O Lord, be merciful unto me, for my soul trusteth in thee; yea in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge until calamities be all past."

*Signed quotation by prominent Congregational divine [and editor of many of the Nichols' Series of Puritan Reprints], James Sherman, "Continuing instant in prayer." 

*Extensive extracted hymn on the resurrection notated as being in the hand of wealthy Christian philanthropist, Robert Arthington [1823-1900]. His wealth was extreme, though he himself lived like a tramp and a pauper. A first premillennialist, he believed the return of Christ was eminent, and leveraged his vast family wealth in both the Baptist Missionary Society and the London Missionary Society. His wealth, however, continued to grow faster than he could spend it because of some rather savvy investments. It is not an exaggeration to say that significant missions of both agencies would not have existed without his personal generosity. Fascinating character.

*Wonderful signed French hymn by Jean-Joel Audebez [1790-1881], one of the leaders of the French revival from the period of the Haldane Awakening at Geneva, etc. 

*Autographs of John and Lillie Sheldon Parker, pioneer missionaries of the London Missionary Society at Chao Yang, Mongolia. 

*Nice autographed sentiment by abolitionist, Elihu Burritt, "God is Love. Love to our human brethren is the earth-ward reflection of the heart filled with the life and light of the love of God: and if the heart emit no love lighting beams towards man, we may rest assured that the side it turns toward God is cold and dark." Dated to Leeds, while visiting from America, 1845. 

*An absolutely beautifully executed watercolor entitled, "Front View of Chapel and Dwelling House at Sligo Villa, Jamaica." Signed S. D. [Susan Dove] Culverwell, April 1844." The house likely named after Lord Sligo of Ireland, known as the Irish Wilberforce. 

*Non-authorial holograph of "Hymn of a Hindoo Convert" from an account by Eustace Carey [son of William Carey]

*Wonderful insertion in the hand of and signed by Robert Moffat, "My album is the savage breast | where tempests brood & darkness rest | Without one rag of light. | To write the name of Jesus there | And point to worlds all bright & fair | And see the savage bow in prayer | Is my supreme delight." Then with a short biblical text in both Bechuana and English. 

*Quote and autograph of Ralph Wardlaw Thompson, Foreign Secretary of the London Missionary Society and author of many both primary and popular works on missions of the period.

*Fine translation of an Ira Sankey hymn into Bechuana by J. Tom Brown of the Kuruman Mission in Africa, and successor to Robert Moffat.

*English and Bechuana quotation of "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these, my brethren, ye have done it unto me" by A. J. Gould of Kuruman, South Africa. 

*Autograph sentiments of both John and Sophia Pease, both Quaker activists, abolitionists, etc., their daughter, also Sophia Pease [later Fry] was an important worker for women's rights.

*Raratongan Idioms [Rendered into English] by Richard Perkins of the British and Foreign Bible Society.

*Charming little ink landscape, inscription in Hebrew, and then signed by Samuel H. Wilkinson; son of John Wilkinson, both pioneer missionaries to the Jews. 

*Italian text of Romans 1.15 in the hand of radical Italian Christian, Alessandro Gavazzi [1809-1889]. His rhetoric against the Roman Catholic church was such that protests erupted after his preaching in 1853, leading to riots in which led to the death of some participants. 

*Page of 7 signatures from the prominent Quaker Jowitt family of Leeds. Elizabeth married Isaac Crewdson, who was at the epicenter of the famous Beaconite controversy among the Quakers, contra the Hicksites, etc. Signatures include Robert Jowitt, Rachel Jowitt, S. Jowitt, E. Jowitt, R. Reed, M. A. Shitwell, and E. M. Jowitt.

*Quotation of John 15.1, 2 by evangelical M.P. Edward Baines [1800-1890]. He was one of the delegates to teh 1840 World's Anti-Slavery Convention and is featured in the famous painting of the same.

*Fine half page inscription [original] by abolitionist, Thomas Harvey of Leeds [1812-1884]. He accompanied abolitionist Joseph Sturge to the West Indies in 1836 to report on the condition of the slaves, etc. The inscription is on "love as the keystone" of the Christian system. 

*Original, apparently unpublished poem, by American temperance orator, John B. Gough, "Slacken no sail yet | At inlet or island | Straight for the beacon steer | Straight for the Highland | Crowd all your canvas on | Cut through the foam | Then we'll cast anchor there | Heaven is our home." Also an inscription from his wife, Mary E. Gough.

*Two quotations by John Carvell Williams [1821-1907] an Evangelical MP who labored against the privileged status of the Anglican church.

*Scriptural quotation by prominent author, pastor, and evangelist Newman Hall

*Signed quotation by English missionary to India, John Barton.

*Signed quotation in Aermenian, Turksih, and English by Reverend Garabed Thoumaian, exiled from Turkey and important advocate for Advocates for the Armenians during the Armenian Massacre.

*Signed quotation of Michael Nachim [1836-1926], whose father was a Rabbi in Odessa. He was converted to Jesus and became a missionary to the Jews. 

*Signed quotation in a South African dialect by W. A. Elliott of the London Missionary Society [author of Gold from the Quartz, the Manual of Missions in South Africa for the LMS, etc.]

*Signed quotation by William Govan Robertson [b.1869], missionary to the Bemba people of Africa.

*Very scarce autograph of Arthur Polhill of the Cambridge Seven, still at this time with the China Inland Mission. He inscribes in Mandarin, English, and includes the quotation, "Come Ye - Pray Ye - Go Ye - Send Me." 

*Signed excerpt from James Russell Lowell in the hand of George William Conder [1821-1874]; divine and hymnist, edited the Leeds Hymn Book, etc.

*Signed quotation in Tamil and English from 1860 by John Abbs, Missionary to India with the London Missionary Society.

*Lengthy poetic extract in the hand of and signed by R. Heber Newton, prominent Episcopalian author and divine.

*Two stanza original hymn by Edward Pearse of the China Inland Mission. Seemingly not published elsewhere. 

*Full five stanza authorial holograph of the hymn, "When morning climbs the Eastern Skies" by W. H. Groser [1834-1925]. Longtime secretary of the London Sunday School Union.

*Original 7 stanza hymn by Jane Pyncent West

*Superb inscription from William Sykes, co-worker with Robert Moffat, presenting to the volume's recipient a tiger skin rug given by Lubengula, Chief of the Amantebele, etc. 

*Inscription of Mrs. Elizabeth Thomson, missionary to the Matabele people of Ujiji.

*Inscription from Gertrude M. Kinnaird [1853-1931], whose mother had founded the YWCA and of which she was an active missionary and promoter.

Plus signatures and inscriptions by Thomas Raffles; pioneer missionary William Knibb [Baptist Missionary and Abolitionist to Jamaica]; George Turner of Samoa [inscription in Samoan and English]; Samuel G. Green of Rawdon College; hymn [including musical register and tune] by H. Walford Davies; S. A. Edge of the London Missionary Society in China; Lillie S Ashburner of the London Missionary Society; Annie Sibree, Missionary to Madagascar; etc. etc.