1893 ALEXANDER WHYTE - Autographed Appreciation of William Law - John Wesley Influence

A really wonderful item. I've always had a soft spot for Alexander Whyte; he was a bit of a spiritual renegade. A Scottish Presbyterian who was Moderator of the Assembly in 1898, he operated in the main stream, but consistently exerted pressure on the Presbyterian church to return to its experiential and mystical roots. Rationalism, in his mind, had poisoned the movement and made them almost entirely cerebral.

In his efforts to push the movement toward a deeper and more pietist strain [which historically was a hallmark of Scottish Christianity], he began publishing a series of appreciations on people like Samuel Rutherford. He was safe; a Scottish Presbyterian of the 17th century. John Bunyan. Okay. A Baptist, but sure. But then we start seeing names like Jacob Boehme, Cathering of Norwich, Teresa of Liseaux, and even John Henry Newman. Whyte was apparently able to spit out the "Catholic Bones" in order to receive the pressure of a more experienced faith. In light of the history of the Presbyterian and Catholic churches, the push back was understandable. 

The present volume involves William Law. Law was an early influence on John Wesley while at Oxford and his Serious Call for a Devout and Holy Life was formative on him. 

The present work contains both Alexander Whyte's personal card and a short letter, in his distinctive hand, gifting the work to its original recipient. 

Whyte, Alexaner. Characters and Characteristics of William Law, Nonjuror and Mystic. Selected and Arranged with an Introduction by Alexander Whyte. London. Hodder and Stoughton. 1893. 

Original cloth, very attractive with some rubbing; light foxing and toning. Very solid and clean.