Onward, Christian Soldiers.

BARING-GOULD, Sabine.

$6,000.00

Item Number: 147736

Rare original autograph manuscript of the famous hymn. Quarto, bound in full morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling and detailing to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, marbled endpapers. Tipped onto a leaf along left margin of a larger sheet and bound with blank leaves, written in black ink on 40 lines in 5 stanzas, on a sheet of ruled paper, titled at head and signed at bottom. From the library of noted collector William A. Strutz with his small bookplate to the pastedown. In very good condition with rubbing to the front panel.

Sabine Baring-Gould was a multifaceted figure in Victorian England, celebrated as a novelist, folklorist, antiquarian, and Anglican priest. He is perhaps best known for writing the hymn 'Onward, Christian Soldiers,' though his contributions extended far beyond hymnody. A prolific author, Baring-Gould published over 1,200 works, including novels such as 'Mehalah' and comprehensive collections of English folklore, which were pivotal in preserving traditional stories, songs, and customs. His scholarly pursuits reflected his wide-ranging intellectual curiosity, spanning theology, history, and local heritage. As a clergyman, Baring-Gould balanced his academic and literary interests with pastoral duties, demonstrating a deep commitment to community engagement and education.