Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) Imprint Abel Morgan, Jr. (1713-1785), Anti - Paedo - Rantism Defended: A Reply to Mr. Samuel Finley's Vindication of the Charitable Plea for the Speechless Wherein His Repeated Objections Against the Baptism of Believers Only, and the Mode of It by Immersion, Are Again Examined and Refuted, Philadelphia: Benjamin Franklin and David Hall, 1750, large 16mo, in full tan calf, the boards with tooled fillet, the spine with raised bands, 6-5/8" x 4-1/2". [Miller 508; Curtis 106; Hildeburn 1186] Provenance: The Collection of William Pfaff, New Orleans, Louisiana. William Campbell notes, in his Collection of Franklin Imprints in the Museum of the Curtis Publishing Company that this "was the last of four pamphlets of the controversy of Baptism between Samuel Finley of Nottingham, Md., and Rev. Abel Morgan of Middletown, N.J. Finley wrote in 1746 on infant baptism by sprinkling. Morgan, in 1747, wrote a reply maintaining baptism of believers by immersion. Finley wrote a Vindication in 1748, and Morgan replied with this Defence. Finley's pamphlets were published by William Bradford, and Morgan's by Franklin and Hall."

Cracking to joints. Corners bumped with scattered losses to the leather on the edges, most notably on the lower front board. Flaking on the spine; extremes well-worn. Text complete, corresponding to Miller collation. Foxing throughout, with the first and last few pages with transfer staining around the edges from the binding glue. Pencil marks on the inside of both boards and flyleaves. Faded owner's signature and date on the title page. A fragile but intact and generally clean copy.