Very rare first edition of the initial series of reprints of original documents and important addresses related to the development of the American Bible Union. This was the first of three volumes, with all contents in the volume being complete in and of themselves.

The focus almost exclusively on the defects of the King James Translation and the need for a specific Baptistic tradition of interpretation that addresses issues of modality and sequencing for baptism, i.e. full immersion on meaningful profession of faith. Interesting in light of the fertile soil King James only teaching has found in the Baptist tradition of the last 100 years. 

The contents include: An Account of the Preliminary Meeting for the Founding of the A.B.U.; Addresses Delivered at the Opening of the A.B.U.; The Constitution of the A.B.U.; Extensive Discussion throughout Surrounding the "Immerse" Translation of Baptizen; Address of the Rev. Thomas Armitage on the Defects of the King James Version; Letters in Favor of the Revision of the English Version from Various Baptist Divines; Annual Reports for 1850 through 1856; On the Progress of Various Baptist Translations for the Missionary Field; Address of Rev. Stephen Remmington on the Objections and Satanic Attacks against the A.B.U.; Address of Rev. George W. Eaton on the Spirit of Good Translation Work; An Address by Alexander Campbell on the Translation of Scripture; Rev. C. Stovel on the Dipping vs. Immersing; Catalogue of Important Errors in the King James Translation; Reasons for a Corrected Version of the English New Testament; Movement in Opposition to Revision; A Plea for Truthful Prescriptions by Archibald Maclay before the A.B.U.; A Plan Adopted for the Revision of English Scriptures; A Pure Bible for All Lands by S. Adlam; etc. etc. 

American Bible Union was formed in 1850 by the Baptist members of the American Bible Society, believing that translation disagreements had become too important to ignore. The disagreements centered largely around the mode of baptism [immersion] and the role of baptism as rite offered only to moral agents, of age, upon a well-grounded profession of faith, etc. 

Wyckoff, WM. H. [Ed.]., Buckbee, C. A. Documentary History of the American Bible Union, Consisting of the Reprint of Its Constitution, Annual Reports, Quarterly Papers, Select Addresses, Tracts, Etc., Etc., In the Form of the Bible Union Quarterly. Edited by WM. H. Wyckoff, Corresponding Secretary. C. A. Buckbee, Assistant Treasurer. Volume First. New York. American Bible Union. 1857. 543pp.

A very good copy, bound in half leather, generally solid, with generally bright pages, light foxing, and a stain towards the gutter on first few signatures as shown.