Christ's Spirit, a Christian's Strength, or, A Plain Discovery of the Mighty and Invincible Power, that all Believers Receive through the Gift of the Spirit. First held forth in Two Sermons . . . Anno MDCXLV

8vo. 180 x 120 mm., [7 ¼ x 4 ¾ inches].  [Pp. 73]- 168.  Modern calf backed marbled paper boards.  Textblock a bit toned, a few leaves slightly brittle at extremities else a very good copy in a sympathetic modern binding; probably bound by Fred Shihadeh, master binder of Philadelphia.

First Sower edition of Dell's Christ's Spirit and his essay The Stumbling Stone originally published with Thomas Hartley's Discourses printed in 1759.  William Dell (1607-1669), was a 17th century dissenter and radical parliamentarian whose publications and influence continued in America until the 1830's.  He railed against the established religion, preached against Parliament's legislation seeking to control religious dissent, and was a thorn in the side of those attempting to stabilize English society during the tumultuous years of the mid-17th century.  He was often quoted during the revolutionary period in America and for a time became an icon for dissenters in the early years of the 19th century.

Christopher Sower (1721-1784) was a member of the German Baptist Brethren (a.k.a. a 'Dunkard').  He first entered the print trade through his father's printshop and was placed in charge of the bindery and English-language publications.  Upon the death of his father in 1758 he expanded the operation, opening a paper mill on the Schulkill River in 1773, quickly making him one of the wealthiest men in pre-Revolutionary America.  Sower, like Dell, had enemies of his own, picked up through the practice of printing pamphlets critical of, among other things, slavery.  His most famous rival was fellow printer Benjamin Franklin, who tried and failed to sink Sower by issuing his own German-language newspaper.  However, where Franklin failed, the Revolutionary War succeeded.  Sower, a staunch pacifist, felt compelled to oppose the Revolutionaries and handed the printing business over to his son, himself a Loyalist who absconded for England with the British troops in 1778.  His father meanwhile, remained in Pennsylvania after the War, occupying himself with a small bindery before his death in 1784. (Thanks to Helene Golay for help with this description).

Evans, Charles. American Bibliography, 8576 & 8577.  Sabin Dictionary of Books Relating to America, 19437. DSC* (1074)