Altogether the membership of the five constituting churches of the Philadelphia Association in 1707 would probably not have exceeded 300 persons. But taking the Biblical admonition not to despise the day of small things, this "feeble band," in forming the Philadelphia Baptist Association, set themselves on a course of growth and influence the full scope of which they could not have foreseen at the time.

The Association became a pattern in the development of other early associations, and as an advisory body its influence extended throughout the whole of the incipient United States - in doctrine, polity, education and missions. Historian Henry C. Vedder has well stated that, "From 1741 the influence of the Philadelphia Association was paramount," to which he also added, "Its missionary zeal was great; men closely connected with this body, and fully believing its Confession, became preachers of the gospel in New England, New York, and the Carolinas. By the close of the century, the Calvinistic party was in the ascendency everywhere."

It is mainly due to the diligent labors of Abram Dunn Gillette (1807-1882) that this valuable book has come down to us as part of the legacy of our Regular Baptist history. As pastor of the Eleventh Baptist Church of Philadelphia, Gillette was chairman of a six-member committee appointed in 1843 by the association to collect its early minutes for publication. He was also selected as editor for the project. The Baptist Encyclopedia characterized this book as "a work of great labor and of unusual value."

What makes this edition so collectible? To enhance the usefulness of this book we have enlarged the text by 15%, set in a 7 X 10 format to aid readability. We have also replaced the original 8 page index with a new greatly expanded and comprehensive 75 page index including a complete index of persons (with over 1,100 entries), a complete index of churches, a subject index and a scripture index. In addition we have included 25 illustrations of early pastors and meeting-houses of the Association during this period, and two maps, showing member churches.

This valuable volume is hard bound in navy blue grade B buckram with marble end sheets and printed on acid free paper.