May, Hiram. The Harp: being a collection of Hymns and Spiritual Songs, adapted to all purposes of Social and Religious Worship. Perry, [NY]: American Citizen Office, 1840. [9852]
Full leather binding with gilt border, designs to spine with title, "Miss C. May" in gilt to front. Green endpapers; 13.5 x 8.5 cm (5 1/4 x 3 1/4 inches). (i)-xii, (13)-354, 357-360. Lacking one leaf, pp. 355-366; by appearances it was likely never bound in. Very good. Full leather.
272 selections, words only; table of contents at front.
Hiram May (1797-1876), b. Cherry Valley, NY; d. Lancaster, NY. May was a Methodist minister who rode the circuit in far northern New York in the Malone area, beginning in the 1820's. His ministry eventually extended over portions of northern and western New York State, and he is credited as the spark for many revivals in those areas.
"Brother May had one remarkable gift that gave him access to men's hearts, whether they would or not - his power of song. He gathered together a large number of uncommon hymns, not so much noted for their poetry as for their directness of appeal to the conscience and sensibilities; (these were published in 1828 in a volume entitled 'The Harp,') which he sung as simple solos, and so doing he sang the gospel with such effect as to break down the hardest hearts." - Genesee Conference Journal, 1877.
With a signed provenance card from the music collection of A. Merril Smoak, Jr., DWS.