A Concise View Of The Principal Religious Denominations In The United States Of America, Comprehending A General Account Of Their Doctrines, Ceremonies, And Modes Of Worship; The Whole Intended As A Blessing And Benefit To The Rising Generation By Exhibiting The Beauty And Excellency Of Christian Moderation; Contrasted With The Deformity And Destructive Consequences Of A Spirit Of Bigotry And Intolerance, With Notes, Political And Philosophical; Adapted To The Capacities And Principles Of The Youth As Well As The Adults Of The American Republic - 1811

John Cline, Fourth near Arch Street, Philadelphia, 1811; First Edition; 12mo (4" x 5 7/8"); original mottled calf; red morocco spine label; [blank (2)]; i-viii; 9-324; [blank (2)]. Thomas Branagan’s thoughtful and unbiased synopses of the beliefs and practices of over forty Christian denominations active in America at the time, plus more than twenty-five non-Christian schools of thought. A compendium of overviews not only of the mainstream sects, but the small and the obscure as well, most now forgotten, such as the Rogereens, Separatists, Sublapsarians, Supralapsarians, Hutchinsonians, Glassites, Seceders. Nicolaitarians, Quietists, etc. The section on Methodism includes a table showing lay and clergy membership totals in America for each year from 1771-1809, and a lengthy section on Paganism provides a scholarly analysis of the philosophies and theologies of Classical Antiquity compared with those of Christianity. In the preface Branagan reveals how its writing was spurred by his outrage at a recent New York ordinance banning the preaching of the gospel out of doors, for which preacher John Edwards was arrested. A large concluding chapter contains the full text of the law and Edwards’ open letter to the City Council objecting to his arrest, plus Branagan’s own searing condemnation of the ordinance. Thomas Branagan (1774-1843) went to sea at an early age and after a time was appointed overseer of a sugar plantation in Antigua. However the ill treatment of workers there prompted his religious conversion, and he turned to writing and a life of political and social activism, eventually producing some 25 influential social and religiously themed works of prose and poetry. Very Good Plus, leather supple, binding especially tight, square, contemporary ownership signature dated 1811 on second front flyleaf and top blank margin of the title page, scattered moderate to light foxing, chips in the bottom blank margin of four leaves, not intruding upon the text, spine label darkened. A scarce first edition of this singular work from the period of the Second Great Awakening. Sabin 7378.