An absolutely superb biography of one of the founders of the Haystack Prayer Revival, and signed inscribed by another founder, Ezra Fiske [1785-1833], who would die later that year. Fisk had been converted during a prayer revival in the Second Great Awakening, and was one of the five young men, along with the book's subject, Samuel J. Mills, who started the prayer meetings that led to the Haystack Prayer Revival! See here: Haystack: Samuel J. Mills - Global Ministries

A nicely preserved example of a now rather scarce biography of Samuel John Mills [1783-1818]. Even as a College student at Williams, Mills is remembered today as being the organizer of the prayer movement that led to the  Haystack Prayer Revival. After graduation, he was initially a minister in Connecticut, but his true passion was missions. He helped form the ABCFM and, importantly, the American Colonization Society, which was intended to form a new colony in African where freed slaves could be returned to. His first position with the ABCFM was in Mississippi, from which he traveled to the Southwest as a missionary.

From his time in the south, his passion for the slaves was ignited. In 1817, he was sent by the newly minted American Colonization Society to Africa to make a purchase of land for the new colony. He died at sea. By 35 years of age, he had led a significant revival, pastored, been a missionary to the Southwest, formed several important missionary agencies, and begun the work to see slaves liberated from the south. 

Spring, Gardiner. Memoirs of the Rev. Samuel J. Mills, Late Missionary to the South Western Section of the United States, and, Agent of the American Colonization Society, Deputed to Explore the Coast of Africa. New York. New York Evangelical Missionary Society. 1820. 247pp.

Good, crisp copy with worn original paper over board binding, split at hinges but solid. Some foxing, but quite good. 

A very rare item related to the important revival!