THE SEPARATION OF THE JEWISH TRIBES, AFTER THE DEATH OF SOLOMON, ACCOUNTED FOR, AND APPLIED TO THE PRESENT DAY, IN A SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE GENERAL COURT, ON FRIDAY, JULY THE 4TH, 1777. BEING THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCY. BY...PASTOR OF THE THIRD CHURCH IN ROXBURY

Boston: Printed by J. Gill, Printer to the General Assembly, 1777. 37, [1 blank] pp, but lacking the half title and final blank. Stitched. Inscription on verso of final blank, : "the gift of Dr. W. Gordon / to g. Woods march 17th 1786." Several text corrections in ink, probably by Gordon himself. Light foxing and wear. Good+.

This is the first July 4 Oration commemorating the Declaration of Independence. Gordon "was a vigorous partisan of independence and in 1775 was made chaplain to both houses of the Provincial Congress assembled at Watertown. Congress possessed great confidence in him and voted him a good horse and access to the prisoners of war...He delivered the first independence anniversary sermon on July 4, 1777" [DAB]. Later he would write the "first full-scale history of this war by an American" [Howes].
Likening Americans to the Hebrews of biblical times, he emphasizes that "the king hearkened not unto the people, for the cause was from the Lord. And it is upon that principle alone that we can rationally account for the seperation [sic] that hath taken place between the united States of America and Great-Britain." Gordon stresses the justice of the American cause, and "recollects that we were without an army, without money and without ammunition, we are amazed, that instead of being galled to the bone with the yoke of slavery, we are keeping the anniversary of our independency!"
FIRST EDITION. Evans 15317. Rosenbach 69. Singerman 0053.