Gilead Church formed by supporters of inspired psalmody from Hopewell congregation

Context

This passage from the Centennial History’s “Sketches of Congregations” section discusses the origins of Gilead Church in North Carolina. The historian records uncertainty about whether a 1787 call to Rev. John Jamieson was from the current Hopewell Presbyterian Church or from psalm-singing dissenters who later formed Gilead. The phrasing indicates the historian’s view that supporters of inspired psalmody likely separated to form their own congregation.

Extract

This was either the present Hopewell Presbyterian Church called Catawba River, Mecklenburg Co., N. C., or more probably the supporters of an inspired Psalmody who afterwards formed Gilead. Here in 1787 possibly marks the organization of this church.

Significance

This extract provides circumstantial evidence of psalmody-driven church formation in North Carolina. Though hedged with uncertainty (“more probably,” “possibly”), the historian’s interpretation suggests that Gilead Church was known or remembered as originating from psalm-singing dissenters—“supporters of an inspired Psalmody.” The 1787 date, if accurate, would place this among the earliest documented psalmody-related church formations, predating even the Prosperity Church case (1788). The lower confidence rating reflects the tentative language in the source, but the passage is still valuable as evidence of how church origins were remembered and interpreted within ARP historical memory.