Autobiography and Personal Recollections of John Lemley, Editor of the Golden Censer, with Seven Years' Experience as Editor and Public Speaker.
Rockford, IL: N.p., 1875. Hardcover. Small 8vo. Black blind-embossed cloth, gilt. 400pp. Frontispiece. Very good. A bit edgeworn, but quite tight and overall attractive; foxing to preliminary pages only. First edition of this rags-to-riches memoir by the founder and editor of the Rockford 8-page weekly religious newspaper, "The Golden Censer," the "fearless exponent of the principles of our Holy Christianity." Printed stick of "Abraham E. Smith, Printer and Book Binder" at upper left of front pastedown. This memoir appears to have met some success, with a third printing by 1878. Some 1875 editions in burgundy cloth list Blakely & Brown of Chicago as publishers and some don't, with no clear priority. In 1885 a new edition appeared, with the title changed to read "Zion's Watchman" instead of "Golden Censer" and "Eighteen Years' Experience" in lieu of "Seven Years' Experience." This edition too appears to have sold well, with a fifth printing published in 1890. Item #32859
Price: $45.00