[Dana, Daniel]; [Morss, James]. The Controversy between the "Inquirer" and "Philo," on Christmas; as published in the Newburyport Herald. Newburyport: Printed by William B. Allen & Co., 1816. First Edition. [12114]
"A. Holmes, from Rev. Dr. D. Dana, 1816," in brown ink at the top of the title page. Removed, no wrapper, 8 1/2 x 5 1/4 inches, 43 pages. Good. Pamphlet.
The controversy is stated by "The Inquirer" in the first letter: 1. Is the observance of Christmas enjoined, either expressly, or by implication, in Scripture? If so, in what chapter and verse? and 2. If no such injunction is found in Scripture, is not the setting apart of Christmas, as holy time, by any portion of the Christian Church, an exercise of legislative authority - an authority generally admitted among Protestants, to Christ alone?
The questions elicit a response from "Philo," who defends the practice of observing Christmas.
An exchange of six letters is printed in this pamphlet, all first published in the Newburyport Herald.
Caption title: Christmas controversy.
"Philo" is identified by Sprague, Annals of the American Pulpit, v. 5 as James Morss, Rector of St. Paul's Church, Newburyport.
The "Inquirer" is identified by the Presbyterian Historical Society as Daniel Dana, pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Newburyport.
The former owner whose note is on the title page is the Rev. Dr. Abiel Holmes (1763-1837). He was the pastor of the First Church in Cambridge for 40 years, and the author of Annals of America.
Rev. Daniel Dana, D.D. (1771-1859), born at Ipswich, Massachusetts; educated at Dartmouth College, graduating in 1798. Dana was ordained in 1794 as pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Newburyport where he ministered for twenty-six years. He was briefly President of Dartmouth College but he soon expressed his preference for pastoral ministry. He returned to Newburyport as pastor of the Second Presbyterian Church, retiring in 1845 at the age of seventy-five. “Dr. Dana was regarded as ‘one of the most able, devoted, and useful ministers of the period in which he lived.’” – Allibone.
James Morss (1779-1842), an honors graduate of Harvard College (1800), rector of St. Paul's Church [Episcopal] in Newburyport, Massachusetts, for 39 years.
