THE BAPTIST ENCYCLOPAEDIA. A DICTIONARY OF THE DOCTRINES, ORDINANCES, USAGES, CONFESSIONS OF FAITH, SUFFERINGS, LABORS, AND SUCCESSES, AND OF THE GENERAL HISTORY OF THE BAPTIST DENOMINATION IN ALL LANDS. WITH NUMEROUS BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF DISTINGUISHED AMERICAN AND FOREIGN BAPTISTS ... [Two volumes] by Cathcart, William, ed - 1881

Philadelphia: Louis H. Everts, 1881. Two volumes. Continuously paginated: 1328 pages, plus frontispiece engraving. Numerous portraits in the text. Original publisher's half black morocco over maroon cloth covered boards, decorated and lettered in gold on spines and front covers. All edges gilt; marbled endpapers. [28 cm.] Very good or better. Light rubbing to spine ends and hinges, light wear and a few scuffs to corners. Although paper covering hinges internally are split, hinges themselves remain quite sound. Name on front flyleaves. Tiny stamp stating "special collections" on a preliminary page in each volume, but absolutely no other signs of institutional use. A solid and attractive set. FIRST EDITION. Frontispiece engraving and numerous portraits in the text. William Cathcart (1826-1908), whose biography is included in the work, was born in northern Ireland, and emigrated to America in 1853. He preached in Mystic River, Conn. and Philadelphia, before becoming president of the American Baptist Historical Society from 1876. Most of the work pertains to the United States, with articles on a multitude of ministers and congregations. An extensive resource for American biography and religious history, with considerable Southern content.