BOOKS & SERMON SHEETS PRODUCED BY THE AGAPEMONITE CHURCH, CLAPTON & BY THE AGAPEMONITE...

The collection consists of sermon newsletters, correspondence, religious tracks and a single photograph.

<p>Besides the above cited works there is a file in the Department on the Ark of the Covenant, which includes copies of newspaper articles on the church, and on Smyth-Pigott, who is presumed to be the author of the sermon sheets.</p>

Acc 1983/27

Deposited by: Miss M.N. Wood, April 1983.

The Agapemonite Church was founded by Henry James Prince in 1849 in Spaxton, Somerset. An account of the early years of the movement can be found in 'The Reverend Prince and His Abode of Love' by Charles Mander (1976), and in 'Abodes of Love' by John Montgomery (1962), copies of which works are in the Local Book Collection.

The Clapton Ark of the Covenant church was built in 1892 and was opened in 1896. The preacher at the opening ceremony was the Revd J.H. Smyth-Pigott, who succeeded Prince as the Beloved (leader of the movement) after the latters death in 1899.

This collection formerly belonged to the donor's father, Mr A. Stanley Wood. From the inscription on the copy of 'The Ark of the Covenant, its symbols and teachings' Mr Wood would appear to have joined the Church before the opening in May 1896. He remained a member until after 1908.