Bethany Church formed when families withdrew from Presbyterian churches over hymn introduction

Context

This passage from the Centennial History’s congregational sketches describes the origin of Bethany Church in York County, South Carolina, near Kings Mountain. The account details how the introduction of hymns into Presbyterian worship caused families to withdraw and seek connection with the Associate Reformed Synod. The dissenters initially worshipped in a log cabin before formally organizing as Bethany Church in 1797.

Extract

Bethany Church, in York Co., S. C., owes its origin to the introduction of hymns into the worship of the Presbyterian Churches in the vicinity of Kings Mountain. This innovation caused the withdrawal of a number of families from the Presbyterian Churches. These sent Andrew Ferguson and John Miller to a meeting of the Associate Reformed Synod of the Carolinas, held at Black River, in Sumter Co., S. C., asking for supplies.

Rev. James Rogers preached for them for awhile at least. Sometime afterwards they petitioned for the stated labors of Rev. Wm. Dixon, a licentiate of the Associate Reformed body. For eighteen months or more they worshipped in a log cabin on the head of Crowder’s Creek on the skirts of Kings Mountain.

Significance

This extract documents the grassroots process by which psalmody disputes created new denominations. The passage shows how ordinary families, disturbed by the “innovation” of hymns in Presbyterian worship, took initiative to affiliate with the Associate Reformed body: they withdrew, sent representatives to petition for ministerial supply, and worshipped in a log cabin while awaiting organization. The detail about Ferguson and Miller traveling to Black River demonstrates that these were not passive separations but active choices to seek out a denomination that shared their convictions about exclusive psalmody. This congregation-level evidence supports the book’s argument that psalmody preferences drove denominational sorting from the bottom up, not just through clergy disputes like Adam Rankin’s.