The Christian Messenger - Volume V (1869)
Illustrated religious periodical with engravings and music scores
 
The Christian Messenger - Volume V (1869) was a religious periodical associated with the Primitive Methodist Church, a movement that emerged in the early 19th century within Methodism, particularly strong in working-class communities in England.
 
Publishing Details

• Date: 1869
• Publisher: W. Lister, Conference Offices, Sutton Street, Commercial Road East, London
• Printer: F. H. Hurd, Office of The Primitive Methodist, 81 Fleet Street, London
 
Binding

Half bound in black calf leather over decorative marbled paper boards. The spine is panelled with gilt tooling. All edges are sprinkled. Original coloured pastedowns and endpapers.
 
Illustrations

Numerous engraved illustrations and printed music scores throughout.
 
Features and Condition
 
Over 150 years old with solid structure.
Leather and marbled boards show rubbing, light corner bumps, and small holes in leather at the spine edge.
Gilt decoration on the spine remains clear and attractive.
Pages lightly tanned; sprinkles have faded.
Pen and pencil inscriptions on front pastedown and free endpaper, on front free endpaper is written Jane S. Reed, Moulton Common. No other writing.
A couple of small ink blost on the title page and page 357. On page 357 the ink blot goes through the word grains.
A few pages contain other small or light marks, none obscure text.
Pages are generally very clean and mostly uncreased.
A few small edge tears appear, not affecting the text; a longer one on page 361 and overleaf, though legibility remains intact.
Instances of misprinted page numbers (e.g., page 317 printed as 3); all text present and complete.
Pages are tightly bound; a very light crack is present in the gutter between pages 368 and 369, but all leaves are secure.
 
Pagination

iv + 380 pages (complete)
 
Measurements
 
Approx. 21.3 × 14.2 × 2.2 cm; weight 434 g
 
Why It’s Culturally Significant
 
The Christian Messenger represents the voice of grassroots 19th-century British Methodism, often reflecting the concerns, language, and aspirations of ordinary believers. It provides insight into:
Victorian-era faith and morality
Working-class religious life
Religious publishing and communication
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This specific 1869 edition, with illustrations and music, offers a richly textured view of the devotional and communal life of Primitive Methodists just prior to their eventual merging with other Methodist groups in the early 20th century.