Extracts

Primary source extracts with provenance tracking

1773 Associate Presbytery appointed Marshall to preach sermon 'to show that the Psalms of David only are to be used in worship' 1773 quote
1793 ARP Act declares uninspired hymns a 'corruption of the worship of God' 1793 quote
1820 General Assembly committee report on uniformity in psalmody 1820 quote
1884 RP Synod directs members to take no part in uninspired hymns 1884 quote
1887 RP Synod rules ministers must not give out hymns when serving other churches 1887 quote
A few Presbyterian congregations of 'pure Scotch-Irish descent' continued using Rouse's Psalms exclusively quote
Abingdon Presbytery appeals to Synod over psalmody controversy (1787) 1787 quote
Adam Rankin as 'star performer' of the first General Assembly psalmody controversy 1789 quote
After 1802 General Assembly allowed Watts's hymns, 'a few withdrew from the denomination' 1802 quote
Aftermath of Rankin schism - 500 families, 12 congregations, and Mount Zion's fate 1792 quote
Anti-Burghers joined Associate rather than Associate Reformed Church due to psalmody disapprobation quote
ARP articulation of the regulative principle as theological basis for exclusive psalmody 1903 quote
ARP occupied 'higher ground on the psalmody question' than even the Church of Scotland or Secession Church quote
Bethany Church formed when families withdrew from Presbyterian churches over hymn introduction 1797 quote
Bishop's departure from ARP to Presbyterian Church as evidence of psalmody convictions 1819 quote
Charleston Presbytery's independent psalter and hymnal (1796) 1796 quote
Conference of Psalm-singing Churches convened in 1885 1885 quote
Dr. Mason violated ARP psalmody law in 1810, followed by others 'to the great grief of not a few' 1810 quote
Ebenezer Church divided when part of congregation wished to introduce Watts Hymns 1828 quote
Elder John Sterling walked out of Concord Presbyterian over psalmody at communion quote
Erie Presbytery historian on the sacred authority of Rous's Psalter 1800 quote
Failed union negotiations with Associate Reformed Synod of the South over psalmody (1853-1866) 1866 quote
Formation of Sardis Church after psalmody dispute at New Providence 1790 quote
Gilead Church formed by supporters of inspired psalmody from Hopewell congregation 1787 quote
Henry Hunter left Poplar Tent when Watts's Psalms were 'unwillingly thrust on a minority' 1788 quote
Horton (Nova Scotia) Presbyterians agreed to sing Psalms and became Covenanters 1832 quote
How Transylvania Presbytery characterized Rankin - bigotry, fanaticism, personal failings 1789 quote
James Milligan Willson published 'A Treatise on Psalmody' in 1848 1848 quote
James Renwick Willson published 'Dr. Watts an Anti-Trinitarian' in 1821 1821 quote
Kentucky churches 'torn and convulsed for years by disputes on Psalmody' 1792 quote
Kings Mountain families sought ARP connection when 'human composition' introduced in worship 1793 quote
Lathan's account of Rankin's reception into the ARP Church 1793 quote
Latta quotes exclusive psalmodists calling gospel hymns a 'dangerous innovation' 1794 quote
Latta's appeal to heavenly worship in Revelation: 'Worthy is the Lamb that was slain' 1794 quote
Latta's argument that Arians opposed gospel hymns to suppress Christ's divinity 1794 quote
Latta's defense of the Synod of New-York and Philadelphia for adopting Watts 1794 quote
Latta's defiant conclusion: 'branded as Arians' for promoting gospel hymns 1794 quote
Latta's reductio: if only inspired songs, why not inspired prayers and sermons? 1794 quote
Londonderry Presbytery left ARP for Presbyterian Synod of Albany over psalmody insubordination 1809 quote
Mason as 'innovator' who 'moved too fast' for the Associate Reformed Church 1810 quote
Mason condemned Londonderry Presbytery for using Watts' Psalms (c. 1800), then used Watts' Psalms himself when preaching for Romeyn (c. 1810) 1801 quote
Mason's 1816 Plea 'drew the dividing line between the parties... clear and distinct, and hastened their organic separation' 1816 quote
Mason's Cedar Street congregation shared worship space with Romeyn's Presbyterians, leading to intercommunion and psalmody violation 1810 quote
No ARP official 'ever dared to advocate' hymns; dissenters 'sought connections where they could practice' their views quote
North Carolina Rous party withdraws to form Associate Presbytery 1790 quote
Old Providence (Virginia) provided refuge for defenders of inspired psalmody after Watts introduction 1789 quote
Parts of several Presbyterian congregations withdrew over psalmody change to form ARP churches quote
Pleasant Grove Church left ARP for Southern Presbyterian with understanding that inspired Psalmody not be disturbed 1865 quote
Prosperity Church formed when families withdrew from Poplar Tent over Watts's Psalms introduction 1788 quote
Providence Church formed by those who refused to 'have the uninspired supplant the inspired' 1790 quote
Psalmody made the dividing line between Associates/Covenanters and hymn-singing Presbyterians 'clear and distinct' quote
Psalmody-hymnody controversy still alive in the Southwest (1869) 1869 quote
Rankin as 'martyr' and 'faithful Abdiel' - competing narratives of the schism 1792 quote
Rankin frames Watts adoption as betrayal of Reformation martyrs 1793 quote
Rankin raises psalmody at Cane Run Conference (1785) - 'apple of discord' 1785 quote
Rankin warns that Watts corrupts worship and shakes the foundation of faith 1793 quote
Rankin's account of his withdrawal from the Presbyterian Church 1793 quote
Rankin's biography - declined Virginia pulpits 'on account of disputes on psalmody' 1782 quote
Rankin's critique of Watts: 'almost opposite to the spirit of the gospel' 1793 quote
Rankin's dedicatory letter to the Associate Reformed Synod 1793 quote
Rankin's second trial - deposed by ARP commission including John Mason (1818) 1818 quote
Reference to 'Rankinites' and Rankin's friends in Kentucky 1812-1815 quote
Reformed Presbyterian comprehensive theological defense of exclusive psalmody 1888 quote
Reformed Presbyterian theological rejection of instrumental music in worship 1888 quote
Robert Archibald's forced introduction of Watts at Poplar Tent Church 1778 quote
RP view that Associate Reformed Church declined through hymn-singing and open communion 1782 quote
Samuel Davies as pioneer of Watts usage and first American hymn writer 1750 quote
Sharon Church organized after families left Presbyterian churches over Watts's Hymns 1796 quote
Summary statement: Many Presbyterian churches were 'literally split in two' over psalmody 1753 quote
Synod of Carolinas separation attributed to psalmody and communion circa 1822 quote
Synod of Scioto condemns Mason for 'using a system of psalmody which the constitution and standards of the church not only do not recognize, but condemn' 1811 quote
Synod of the West refused to unite with Synod of the North due to 'latitudinarian opinions' on psalmody 1827 quote
Testimony that Rankin claimed divine direction through dreams for his psalmody stand 1789 quote
The Rous-Watts controversy as Old Testament Psalmody versus New Testament Hymnody 1788 quote
The three formal charges against Rankin at his 1792 trial 1792 quote
Tinkling Spring was last Presbyterian church in the valley to adopt hymn singing 1740 quote
Tirzah Church organized when Ebenezer members refused Watts Hymns 1803 quote
William Sommerville published 'Exclusive Use of the Psalms of David in Worship' (1855) 1855 quote