AN APPEAL TO THE CHRISTIAN PUBLIC.
by (Hooker, Herman)
Listed in Sabin no. 32818 with twenty entries on OCLC. A pamphlet protesting charity publication societies, such as the American Tract Society, which published religious works at or below cost. Hooker was a retired Episcopalian minister and bookseller who thought that the church "engaging in merchandise" would taint its divinity and have a secularizing influence, while at the same time, producing books at or below cost and running off charity took those charitable contributions away from other "needful objects". Hooker encouraged people to withhold their contributions to the societies to "force them to live by the economical management of their business" through cost-saving measures, such as removing illustrations and only producing expository texts for the betterment of the Christian readers. Despite these protests, The American Tract Society, which was established in 1825, is still active today. Signed by previous owner with his address on front wrapper, wrappers uniformly darkened except on front where another text used to sit, stitching on spine gone so leaves loose, some staining and wear on wrappers.
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