Curiosmith Blog

Miniature devotional books were very popular in the nineteenth century. These widespread books numbered in the hundreds and they often were extended to many editions and publishers, which included The Religious Tract Society and The American Tract Society.Handy because of their pocket size, these meditation books were used by missionaries, servicemen and other Christians for guidance and inspiration. They were small in size, many were just over 2 by 3 inches. Some even smaller at just over 1 by 1 inch. They are described as having a 64mo size (2 X 3). The higher the number the smaller the book...

Bedford, the town where John Bunyan preached, is a town 50 miles north of London. Elstoy, where John Bunyan was born, is a neighboring town.      The Bunyan Museum in Bedford.   The Bunyan Meeting House is the church of John Bunyan but this is a newer building.    The Bunyan Meeting house sign.  The site of John Bunyan's cottage.  Sign where John Bunyan lived.    John Bunyan statue in St. Peter's Green Park. The Pilgrim going on his journey.    The Pilgrim releasing his burden at the cross.    The Pilgrim fighting with Apollyon.  On this site stood the Bedford County...

Olney is a small town in Buckinghamshire, England. Located about 60 miles north of London. William Cowper's Olney Hymns. John Newton's Olney Hymns. A welcome sign is in the town square area. The William Cowper side - a pancake race. The John Newton side - a lace maker, a cobbler, and a flash-stool (focused candlelight on a work area).  Cowper & Newton Museum. The house where Cowper wrote his hymns. Pictures of William Cowper and John Newton.    Cowper and Newton Museum Sign.    The Cowper Gardens in the backyard.  The Cowper summer house. Located midway between the Newton vicarage and...

The Eclectic Society was instituted in 1783 by London Clergy. They met fortnightly (every other week) "for mutual religious intercourse and improvement, and for the investigation of religious truth." They also founded the Church Missionary Society (initially called The Society for Missions to Africa and the East). Meeting places: Initially, Castle and Falcon Inn, Aldersgate Street, first floor room. St. John's Chapel, Bedford Row in the chapel room. The Eclectic Society members and visitors: Abdy, W. J. – Curate of St. John's, Horsely-down. Atkinson, M. – Leeds. Bacon, John – A celebrated sculptor. Bates, Eli Esq. Budd, H. – Bridewell...

A group William Cowper joined at the Middle Temple. Seven Westminster men who dined together every Thursday and talked of literary subjects: William Cowper George Colman the Elder Robert Lloyd Joseph Hill Wilkes Churchill Bonnell Thornton.