1795 First Folio,
or Altar Book

This Book of Common Prayer, printed by Hugh Gaine of New York "for the General Convention" in 1795, was the first folio, or large format, edition for the US Episcopal Church. It was undoubtedly intended to be used as an altar book. The pages measure 16 by a little over 10 inches, or 40.6 by 25.7 cm, and the book is listed in David Griffiths' Bibliography of the Book of Common Prayer as 1795/11. As may be seen by the Table of Contents at right, the book was complete, containing everything present in Books of Common Prayer of the time.

We present the book as three PDF graphics files. There is text "behind" the graphics, but this has not bee corrected and undoubtedly contains many errors. The copy used here was missing the title page, but is otherwise complete. Several pages of Morning and Evening Prayer had been damaged, with some repairs done, but nearly all the text for these often-used services is still present.

Collects, Epistles & Gospels (37 MB)

Psalter (including Selections of Psalms) (39 MB)

All Services (i. e., everything else) (38 MB)