John Henry Barrows, A Memoir. By His Daughter.
signed first edition
1904 · Chicago
by Barrows, Mary Eleanor.
Chicago: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1904. First edition. Presentation copy, inscribed and signed by the author: “For Clara E. Laughlin, to whom / the ‘Light of Asia’s’ heart went out / from the first time he met her / till the end of his life; with / the admiring love of // Mary Eleanor Barrows / Christmas 1904.” Clara E. Laughlin (1873-1941) was the author of more than 35 books, headed a Travel Service with offices in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Paris, and published a monthly magazine with a circulation of more than 80,000. The subject of the biography, John Henry Barrows, was the senior pastor at First Presbyterian Church, Chicago, at the time of the Exposition of 1893. Because of his proximity to the organizers of the Fair, he was asked to organize and chair a concurrent religious event. In preparation for what became known as the World Parliament of REligions, Barrows and his committee sent out some ten thousand personal letters (not to mention forty thousand documents) to the far corners of the world. “We affectionately invite the representatives of all faiths,” the letter said, “to aid us in presenting to the world, at the Exposition of 1893, the religious harmonies and unities of humanity, and also in showing forth the moral and spiritual agencies which are the root of human progress.” Beginning Spetember 11th, 1893, and for the following seventeen days, more than 4,000 representatives of the world’s religions -- Protestantism, Hinduism, Jainism, Islam, Judaism, Catholicism, Greek and Russian ORthodoxy, Confucianism, Taoism, Shintoism, Ethical Culture, and others -- met to “bring forth the truths the various religions teach in common,” and to “promote the brotherhood among religious men of diverse faith.” The Parliament was a landmark event bringing, for the first time in history, so diverse an audience.Octavo, bound by Sickles in purple levant & marbled boards, with the gilt-stamped monogram of Charles Edward Ballard (hotelier and circus owner) on the upper panel of the front cover, gilt-decorated spine, top edge gilt, uncut, [x], [11]-480 pp. Frontis. portrait. Near-Fine; spine somewhat faded, mostly unopened. (Inventory #: 71258bd)