The Sacred Anthology. A Book of Ethnical Scriptures. Collected and Edited by M. D. Conway, Etc

First published in 1874, The Sacred Anthology was compiled by Moncure Daniel Conway, a prominent American clergyman and abolitionist who became a leading figure in the freethought movement. Seeking to foster a universal religious perspective, Conway spent years curating this collection of ethical and spiritual aphorisms from various global traditions, including Buddhist, Zoroastrian, Confucian, and Hellenistic texts. The work reflects the intellectual climate of the Victorian era, characterized by an increasing fascination with comparative religion and the desire to reconcile traditional faith with secular rationalism.

The design and editorial philosophy behind the volume were intended to present a non-sectarian 'Bible' for the modern age, emphasizing common moral threads shared across human cultures. Conway curated the selections to highlight ethical conduct rather than dogma, positioning the book as a resource for those who found institutional religion insufficient. Upon its release, the anthology was praised by contemporaries for its ambitious scope and its contribution to the nascent field of comparative theology, serving as a significant artifact of 19th-century liberal thought and secular scholarship.