Correspondence of Gerrit Smith with Albert Barnes 1868 Radical vs Presbyterian

Smith, Gerrit; Barnes, Albert. Correspondence of Gerrit Smith with Albert Barnes. 1868. New York, &c.: American News Company, &c., 1968. First Edition. [10960] Black cloth with blind borders and gilt title to front, 9 x 6 inches, tight. Private bookplate, 132 pages, dampstain in the bottom margin throughout. Good. Hardcover. Gerrit Smith has both the first and last letters in this book, as well his essays The Theologies and Nature the Basis of a True Theology as the Appendix. Smith is antagonistic towards Biblical or creedal Christianity, and although Barnes's letters are included, the book is clearly intended to promote the views of Gerrit Smith. Gerrit Smith (1797-1874), b. Utica, NY; d. NYC. Born to wealth, he used his means to finance radical causes, including abolitionism and teetotalism. He was renowned for his philanthropy, helping many persons and causes. His home in Peterboro, NY, was a station on the underground railroad, and he financed John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry. He was nominated by two smaller political parties for US President, and served one term in Congress as a representative from New York as an independent, and advocated for the abolition of slavery, against war, for free trade, for women's right to vote, for direct democracy, and for liquor prohibition. He was also a radical in religion, separating from the Presbyterian Church in 1843, and helped found the non-sectarian Church at Peterboro. Albert Barnes (1798-1870), b. at Rome, N.Y., “one of the most prominent theologians of the Presbyterian Church…He studied at Hamilton College with the view to becoming a lawyer, but the Christian experiences he had there induced him to give up his fondly cherished plan for the work of the ministry; and upon graduating in 1820 he pursued a four years’ course of theological study at Princeton, N.J.” – M’Clintock & Strong.  Barnes was the pastor of two churches in New Jersey before accepting the call in 1830 to the First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, where he remained until his death. He was a strong advocate of the abolition of slavery, a friend to the poor, and a popular preacher and commentator. Some of his views alarmed the more conservative Presbyterians, and Barnes was a key figure in the “New Light” controversies. His commentary on the Bible remains popular to this day.