Very scarce regional Methodist / Holiness periodical originating in Xenia, Ohio and edited by important Methodist abolitionist, Mansfield French. Extremely rare on the market.

Mansfield French [1810-1876] was the founder of Marietta College, Granville female seminary, and principal of Circleville female College, Ohio. In 1845 he united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, and became a circuit rider in the North Ohio conference. During the next three years he was president of the Xenia, Ohio, female College, and agent for Wesleyan University. He was afterward agent for Wilberforce University, the first College opened to the Negro race in America.

During his time as editor of The Beauty of Holiness, he became a strong antislavery agitator, and after the capture of Port Royal, at the earnest solicitation of Lewis Tappan and other abolitionists, he went to Washington and laid before President Lincoln his views of the nation's duty toward "contraband" slaves. In June 1862, he visited Port Royal, inspected the condition of the Negroes, and resolved to return to the north and induce teachers to go back with him.

On 10 February 1862, he organized a large meeting at Cooper Institute, New York City, where his account of the need of instruction among the colored people excited such interest and sympathy that at once the "National freedman's relief association" was formed, and he was elected general agent. In March 1863, he again sailed for Port Royal, this time accompanied by a large corps of teachers. He next attempted to have the Negroes placed on the abandoned plantations, and taught methodical farming under white superintendents. In this plan he met with much military and civil opposition, but finally met with partial success. Mr. French was the personal friend of President Lincoln, of See. Stanton, and Sahnon P. Chase. At one period during the civil war Mr. French organized an expedition to intercept telegraphic communications between the Confederate forces, and delivered their messages at Washington. He was popularly known as "Chaplain French."

French, Mansfield. Beauty of Holiness. January through December, 1856. Xenia, Ohio. 1856. 364pp.

Contents include: John Wesley on Christian Perfection, Confessions of Holiness, The Possibility of Living without Sin, The Waldensian Bible Peddlar, The Necessity of Divine Aid to Understand the Bible, Earnest Prayer Answered, Charles Finney's Letters to Ministers [series], The Point of Power, Music the Dialect of Heaven, Guide to Holiness [Phoebe Palmer], Whaling and Fishing, Entire Consecration Experimentally Verified, A Revival of Practical Godliness, African Christian Eloquence, For Another Pentecost, General Conference of the African M. E. Church [wonderful little account], Mrs. Phoebe Palmer and Her Writings, Camp-Meetings, Address to Perfect Christians, The Praying Preacher, Be Ye Holy, Dr. Duff's Rebuke to the Free Church, Wesley's Faithful Letter to a Member, On the Witness of the Spirit, Ancient Methodist Doctrine, A Striking Providence, The Baptism on the Day of Pentecost, The Ohio Conference, African Christian Liberality, Revivals to Convert the World, Pulpit Earnestness, etc., etc. etc. 

Original half leather, rubbed, some stains, loss on front board to cloth as shown, through at extremities. No general title [though one does not seem lacking]. Textually complete with some minor foxing.