Emery Chamberlain's Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church Certificate by Major & Knapp Engraving, Manufacturing & Lithographic Company

Description:

This black and white print is of a life membership certificate issued to a Miss Emely Chamberlain by the Black River Conference, an Auxiliary to the Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The Black River Conference was organized in Watertown, N. Y. in September 1836, by Bishop Beverly Waugh and later incorporated in 1841. The Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church, begun in 1820 and headquartered in New York City, was among the earliest organizations that focused on mission within and outside the United States. Miss Emely Chamberlain could be one of several individuals living in New York with the name of Emely Chamberlin or Chamberlain during this period. The certificate indicates a monetary charge for the membership.

There are three vignettes depicting religious scenes: a large one at the top and two smaller ones in the lower corners. The top of the print proclaims, “Come Over Into Macedonia And Help Us,” while below it appears a figure of Christ motioning to two reclining followers. The scene in the lower left corner appears to represent worshippers from the Old Testament, while the images in the lower right corner portray a figure of Christ preaching to the multitudes.

The region of Macedonia was ruled by the Ottoman Empire from the 14th to the early 20th Centuries. In the latter half of the 19th century, Greece and the neighboring Balkan countries all claimed rights in Ottoman Macedonia on historical, linguistic, and religious grounds. Thus, they all attempted to show the strength of their respective ethnic groups in this geographically ill-defined area. The steady decline of the Ottoman Empire encouraged the Christian population and its supporters in other countries to press their claims. This print was produced by Major & Knapp Engraving, Manufacturing & Lithographic Company. The firm was founded by Napoleon Sarony (1821–1896), who was born in Quebec and trained under several lithography firms, including Currier & Ives and H.R. Robinson. Sarony was also known for his successful experiments in early photography, and he eventually developed a cabinet-sized camera. In 1846, Sarony partnered with another former apprentice of Nathaniel Currier, Henry B. Major, and created Sarony & Major lithography firm. Joseph F. Knapp (1832-1891) joined the firm in 1857. Sarony, Major & Knapp earned a solid reputation for lithography, and the company was especially known for its fine art chromolithography. Sarony left the firm by 1867 and by the 1870s, the firm shifted had focus to the more profitable area of advertising. It also expanded to become the conglomerate known as the American Lithographic Company, successfully producing calendars, advertising cards, and posters. In 1930 it was bought out by Consolidated Graphics.