GORDON, William (1728-1807). A Sermon Preached before the Honorable House of Representatives On the Day intended for the Choice of Counsellors, Agreeable to the Advice of the Continental Congress. Watertown: Benjamin Edes, 1775.

The Reverend Gordon's election sermon delivered before the Massachusetts Provincial Congress a month following the Battle of Bunker Hill. His sermon reflects on Jeremiah 20:21 and concludes with a stirring call for selflessness in the face of adversity and for all social classes to bear their burden: "Nothing can be more faulty than for the rich to decline hazarding their cash, while exempted from hazarding their persons; nor more simple, than for them, through fear of losing some of their riches to endanger the losing them all, together with their liberties. Could the state be secured, a person would be provoked by such preposterous conduct to say to each of them, confining the words to the body only, thy money perish with thee. May heaven influence every one of us to contribute our best abilities, according to our several stations and relations, to the defence and support of the commonweal! Amen." Evans 14073; Sabin 28010.

12mo (192 x 120mm). Occasional contemporary ink highlights in margins (occasional light scattered foxing, minor losses to page 23-24 not affecting text). Formerly bound (with remnants at left margin).