Item #67055 Walking in The Light. Or Daily Help for Young Christians. T. B. BISHOP, Aleister Crowley: related works, Tom Bond Bishop.

Walking in The Light. Or Daily Help for Young Christians.

London: Children's Special Service Mission, ND (circa 1900). First Edition (?). Softcover. Small octavo. ( 5 1/4 x 4 1/4 inches). 36pp. Brown limp cloth wrappers with black titling and floral design to front wrapper. A selection of prayers and meditations for young Christians. The author, Tom Bond Bishop (1839-1920) was an evangelical Christian, founder of the Children's Special Service Mission, and the maternal uncle of Aleister Crowley. The young Crowley, who was for a time sent to live with Bishop, came to loathe him, and the type of religious fervour he represented, and there can be no doubt that his experiences with Bishop played a strongly negative role in shaping Crowley's view of Christianity. Writing in his "Confessions" Crowley observed of Bishop that "No more cruel fanatic, no meaner villain, ever walked this earth." Crowley wrought some minor revenge by attributing his book of erotic verse "White Stains" to someone with the surname Bishop, published a premature obituary of his uncle, and wrote a scathing review of another of his books. (An excellent summary of Crowley's relationship with Bishop can be found in Richard Kaczynski's "Perdurabo.") From the collection of Clive Harper with his discrete book-label neatly tipped in at the rear. Harper is well- known as the bibliographer of Austin Osman Spare, for updating the Aleister Crowley bibliography in the 2011 Teitan Press collection of Gerald Yorke's writings, and as someone who has lent his expertise to numerous other publications. Covers lightly rubbed and curling at corners, owner's details and acquisition date (1927) on first blank, general modest wear, but still a VG copy of an uncommon book. Item #67055

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