1861 CHARLES WADSWORTH. Important Sammelband of Sermons by Emily Dickinson's Creative Muse.

An excessively rare sammelband of the sermons of Presbyterian minister, Rev. Charles Wadsworth. This assemblage of separately issued works, any one of which is rare on the market, are largely from the important period of Wadsworth's association with the Emily Dickinson.

Emily first heard Wadsworth preach in 1855. From then, through to his reception of a call to San Francisco late in 1861, the two carried on an extensive correspondent relationship. She calls him her Master in the extant letters and he is believed to be the muse behind Dickinson's "The Master Letters." Scholars debate whether the relationship was platonic or romantic, the majority view seemingly being that her love for him was romantic, but unrequited. 

Either way, their intensely emotional and religious correspondence coincided with what was the most productive period of Dickinson's literary life. And his departure seems to have coincided with her emotional breakdown. His public ministry provides important insight into Dickinson's literary world and influences.

For a fine discussion of their relationship, see here. 

As both a prominent divine in his own right and as a primary influence on the literary output and life of Emily Dickinson, Wadsworth's works are scarce on the market. The present large 8vo sammelband, likely bound around the period of the latest imprint, c.1860's, represents a unique opportunity to acquire 32 of his works, spanning decades.

The volume includes, in generally Chronological order, nearly all with tinted sheet half titles:

[1] Wadsworth, Charles. Sermon, on the Occasion of the Death of Charles Lyman, Esq. Troy, New York. J. C. Kneeland and Co's Steam Press. 1849. 20pp.

[2] Wadsworth, Charles. A Sermon Preached in the Arch Street Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, on Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1852. Philadelphia. Moran & Sickels. 1852. 28pp.

[3] Wadsworth, Charles. Religion in Politics: A Sermon Preached in the Arch Street Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 24, 1853. Philadelphia. Wm. S. Marten. 1853. 36pp.

[4] Wadsworth, Charles. Politics in Religion: A Thanksgiving Sermon. Delivered in the Arch Street Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, on Thursday Morning, November 23, 1854. Philadelphia. T. B. Peterson. 1854. 32pp.

[5] Wadsworth, Charles. America's Mission. A Sermon Preached in the Arch Street Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22, 1855. Philadelphia. T. B. Peterson. 1855. 48pp.

[6] Wadsworth, Charles. Religious Glorying. A Sermon Preached in the Arch Street Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26th, 1857. Philadelphia. J. W. Bradley. 1857. 28pp.

[7 & 8]. Wadsworth, Charles. Christian Influence, and Grace and Works United: Two Sermons Preached in the Arch Street Presbyterian Church. Philadelphia. Published by Request for Gratuitous Distribution. 1858. 31 + 30pp.

[9] Wadsworth, Charles. A Feast of Harvest. A Thanksgiving Sermon; Preached in Arch Street Presbyterian Church, on Thursday, November 18, 1858. Philadelphia. J. W. Bradley. 1858. 35pp.

[10] Wadsworth, Charles. The Indispensableness of Early Religious Culture to the Permanency and Prosperity of American Institutions. The Annual Sermon on Behalf of the American Sunday School Union. April 5, 1859. Philadelphia. American Sunday School Union. 1859. 40pp.

[11] Wadsworth, Charles. The Joy in Harvest. A Thanksgiving Sermon; Preached in Arch Street Presbyterian Church, on Thursday, November 24, 1859. Philadelphia. J. W. Bradley. 1859. 32pp.

[12] Wadsworth, Charles. Eben-Ezer. A Sermon Delivered in the Arch Street Presbyterian Church, on the Tenth Anniversary of its Organization, February 5th, 1860. Philadelphia. J. W. Helfenstein. 1860. 27pp.

[13] Wadsworth, Charles. Self-Knowledge. A Sermon; Preached in Arch St. Presbyterian Church, Sabbath Morning, March 25th, 1860. Philadelphia. J. W. Helfenstein. 1860. 26pp.

[14] Wadsworth, Charles. God's Culture. A Thanksgiving Sermon, Preached in the Arch Street Church, on Thursday, November 29, 1860. Philadelphia. J. W. Bradley. 1860. 32pp.

[15] Wadsworth, Charles. Our Own Sins. A Sermon Preached in the Arch Street Church, on the Day of Humiliation and Prayer, Appointed by the President of the United States, Friday, January 4th, 1861. Philadelphia. King & Baird. 1861. 24pp. 

Now confessedly our national trouble this day, has arisen in one way or another, out of this simple thing - SLAVERY! But for this, we should be at this moment the most prosperous and happy of all nations under heaven. And the strange fact, that at the close of a year almost unexampled in its material prosperity, we find ourselves in a crisis of pecuniary distress and political convulsion, unparalleled in our history, we all perceive to have resulted from our acts and attitudes in reference to SLAVERY. For these God is manifestly distressing us, and our present duty is, if possible, to discern wherein slavery has been to us an occasion of sin. 

Now, on this point there is a class of moralists among us who dispose of the whole question quite summarily, and, to themselves, satisfactorily, by regarding SLAVERY ITSELF as the sin with which God is angry, and for which he is distressing us. They tell us, that in permitting this involuntary servitude we are showing ourselves a nation of oppressors, and therefore, God is rising up to dash us in pieces as a potter's vessel! And if this explanation be the true one, then our present duty is plain. And as we would escape the threatened national destruction, we must, in all events, and at any cost, get rid of this national iniquity. For we have not assembled this day as statesmen, seeking to perpetuate forms of national life by political expedients, but as Christian men, striving by tearful and practical repentance to turn away from our imperiled land the threatened judgment of God. Therefore, if slave-holding be a grand national iniquity, whose protection under our Constitution exposes us to divine anger, then it is our duty - a duty on which our future destiny depends, and which God will bless us in performing, to rise up and declare that we will abide by no constitution which recognizes and protects it.

. . . he then goes on to argue that Scripture does not in fact prohibit slavery . . . and afterward continues . . . 

Wherein then, have we sinned in this matter? And in answering this question, we are to consider our own sins, and not those of other men and communities. Were we observing fast to-day in a Southern sanctuary, and were the speaker addressing a congregation of slave-holders, he would regard it as his duty, and as God gave him grace would fearlessly perform it - to discourse upon the iniquities then and there abounding. He would not waste precious moments in enlightening their consciences upon any aspects of Northern fanaticism. But if he knew win those communities of abuses of power and prerogative; of slave-holding characterized by cruelty, or oppression, or impurity, or any flagrant unrighteousness - of State laws which forbid the instruction of slaves, or protect no the marriage contract, or authorize the forcible separation of families, or, denying them their relative rights as men, dare to treat immortal beings simply as cattle - of acts and attitudes in regard of this institution, inconsistent with godliness, and justly exciting the indignation of the Christian and civilized world. etc.

[16]. Wadsworth, Charles. American Patriotism [preached just two weeks into the Civil War]. A Sermon Preached in the Arch Street Church, Sabbath Morning, April 28th, 1861. Philadelphia. J. W. Bradley. 22pp. 

[17] Wadsworth, Charles. The Christian Soldier. A Sermon Delivered in the Arch Street Presbyterian Church, Sunday, May 12th, 1861. Philadelphia. Lindsay & Blakiston. 1861. 24pp. 

[18] Wadsworth, Charles. Thanksgiving. A Sermon Preached in the Arch Street Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia. On Thursday, November 28, 1861. Philadelphia. T. B. Peterson & Brothers. 1861. 32pp.

[19] Wadsworth, Charles. A Mother's Sorrow. A Sermon Preached before the Young Men's Christian Association of San Francisco, in Calvary Church, Sabbath Evening, September 25, 1864. San Francisco. Rooms of the Association. 1864. 21pp.

[20] Wadsworth, Charles. War a Discipline. A Sermon Preached in Calvary Church, San Francisco, on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 1864. San Francisco. H. H. Bancroft. 24pp.

[21] Wadsworth, Charles. An Address Delivered in Calvary Church, San Francisco, On the Occasion of the Funeral Services of General George Wright. San Francisco. H. H. Bancroft & Company. 1865. 12pp.

[22] Wadsworth, Charles. The Division of Labor a Law of the Church. A Sermon Preached in Calvary Church, San Francisco, on Sunday Evening, June 17, 1866. San Francisco. Turnbull & Smith. 1866. 15pp.

[23] Wadsworth, Charles. A Young Man's Mission. a Sermon Preached before the Young Men's Christian Association, of San Francisco, Calvary Church, Sabbath Evening, Feb. 17, 1867. San Francisco. Rooms of the Association. 1867. 21pp.

[24] Wadsworth, Charles. A Sermon Preached in the First Presbyterian Church, on the Occasion of the Installation of Rev. James Eells. San Francisco. Sterett & Cubery. 1867 20pp.

[25] Wadsworth, Charles, et al. Proceedings of the First Annual California State Sunday School Convention: Embracing Addresses, Resolutions, &c. Held at San Francisco, in Calvary Presbyterian Church. San Francisco. S. B. Stoddard & co. 1868. 14pp.

[26] Wadsworth, Charles. A Call to Praise. A Sermon Delivered on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 1868. San Francisco. Printed by John H. Carmany & Co. 1868. 19pp.

[27] Wadsworth, Charles. Historical Sketch of Calvary Presbyterian Church, Together with a Full Report of the Dedicatory Services at the New Church, Sunday Morning, May 16th, 1869. San Francisco. John H. Carmany & Co. 1869. 39pp.

[28] Wadsworth, Charles. Our Homes. A Thanksgiving Sermon Preached in the Third Reformed Church of Philadelphia, November 24, 1870. Philadelphia. Collins. 1870. 20pp.

[29] Wadsworth, Charles. Christless Travel. Sermon Preached in Immanual Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, June 20th, 1875. Philadelphia. Grant, Faires & Rodgers. 1875. 10pp.

[30] Wadsworth, Charles. Sermon on Fools. From the American Pulpit Publishing Company. 1878. 37-48pp

[31] Young America. A Sermon for the Times in Which we Live. From the American Pulpit Publishing Company. 1881. 12pp.

[32] A Clergyman. Impressions of Dr. Wadsworth as a Preacher. San Francisco. Towne & Bacon. 1863. 24pp. 

Half leather, lightly to moderately rubbed as shown. Very clean and solid. Likely the assemblage belonging to Wadsworth himself, and from thence to his son; one sermon in sepia ink, "Charlie."