Contributions to the Ecclesiastical History of the United States of America. Two volumes by HAWKS, FRANCIS L - 1839

New York: Harper and Brothers and John S. Taylor, 1839. First Edition. Hardcover. Minor foxing and spotting to the text, still near fine in 3/4 red morocco over marbled boards, marbled endpapers, extra gilt spines, teg.. Octavo. xvi - 332 + [ii] pp; xvi - 523 [i] pp. Volume 1 deals with the rise and early history of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Virginia, volume 2 in Maryland. Howes H-323. Born in New Bern, North Carolina Hawks followed a stint in state politics with a life in the clergy at one point becoming the highest paid minister in the United States.His sermons were highly praised as here by Bishop Thomas M. Clark of Rhode Island: "To hear him preach was like listening to the harmonies of a grand organ with its various stops and solemn sub-bass and tremulous pathetic reeds. The rector of one of the Washington churches, where Daniel Webster was an attendant, told me that after Dr. Hawks had preached for him on a Sunday morning, Mr. Webster said that it was the greatest sermon he had ever heard." (Wiki).