The Worship of the Body: A Ceremonial for the Laity, compiled from the Best Anglican Authorities, and Adapted to Use in the American Church

New York: Charles H. Clayton & Co., 1869. First Edition. 18mo, 16 pages, publisher's original gilt-lettered red wraps. First published in 1869, The Worship of the Body is a scarce Episcopal devotional and ceremonial pamphlet intended to guide lay worshippers in the proper bodily expressions of reverence during church services. Emerging from the nineteenth-century Anglo-Catholic and Ritualist movement, the work reflects renewed interest in traditional Anglican ceremonial practices, including kneeling, bowing, standing, and other gestures associated with public worship and the celebration of Holy Communion. Its provocative title refers not to the physical body as an object of worship, but to the disciplined use of the body in devotion and to the Church as the Body of Christ. The pamphlet offers an interesting glimpse into the controversies surrounding ritual practice within the American Episcopal Church during the period. Torn along spine, crease to the upper right corner of top wrap, a few small losses, some discoloration and soiling, else in good + condition. Item #478

Price: $200.00