Aftermath of Rankin schism - 500 families, 12 congregations, and Mount Zion's fate
Context
Davidson describes what happened immediately after Rankin’s dramatic departure from the Presbytery, when he cried “I appeal to God, angels and men. I protest against the proceedings of this Presbytery, and will be no longer a member of the Transylvania Presbytery.”
Extract
Mr. Rankin had not resolved upon this step without first calculating his strength. No sooner had he pronounced his declinature, than a hundred of the spectators promptly stepped forward, and giving him the right hand of fellowship, pledged themselves to stand by him. A general meeting of his partisans was called, on the first of June following, when they matured measures for separate organization. Commissioners appeared from portions of twelve congregations, representing five hundred families. They published a narrative of the recent events, and a declaration of principles, both drawn up by the pen of their leader.
[On joining the Associate Reformed…] These misrepresentations procured the admission of Mr. Rankin and his party, the ensuing year, (May, 1793,) into the connection of the Associate Reformed. An attempt was afterwards made, in 1814, to reconsider this act, suspicions being awakened that the body had been imposed on by the parties admitted; but no issue was ever made.
Two missionaries from the Associate Church in Scotland, represented as learned and pious men, visited Kentucky in March, 1798, and a considerable number of Mr. Rankin’s adherents abandoned him, to form a connection with the new sect. They formed six congregations, and nearly all removed in a body across the Ohio some years afterwards.
As for Mount Zion Church, they continued to cling to their pastor with a devoted attachment, through all his fortunes; and when he broke off from the Associate Reformed, they became Independent. After he left them, about 1825, they gradually dwindled, until they became almost extinct. The Rev. Mr. Bower, a zealous missionary of the Associate Reformed Synod, visited Kentucky about 1833, and succeeded in collecting the scattered relics, and restoring them to their former connection.
Of the Associate Reformed, there are not more than half a dozen feeble churches remaining in the State, there is not a single pastor settled over any of them, and the Presbytery of Kentucky has been merged in another. Such was the end of the Rankinite schism.
Significance
This extract provides crucial quantitative data about the scope of psalmody-driven denominational transfer:
Scale of support: “A hundred of the spectators promptly stepped forward” at the trial; “Commissioners appeared from portions of twelve congregations, representing five hundred families”
Pattern of denominational movement: Rankin → Presbyterian → Associate Reformed (1793) → Independent (when he left ARP) → eventually merged back into ARP
Further fragmentation: Some of Rankin’s followers (1798) broke off to join the Associate Church missionaries from Scotland, eventually forming “six congregations” that “removed in a body across the Ohio”
Long-term attrition: Mount Zion became “almost extinct” by the 1830s; only “half a dozen feeble churches” of Associate Reformed remain in Kentucky by 1847
ARP reconsidered Rankin’s admission: The 1814 attempt to “reconsider this act” because of “suspicions… that the body had been imposed on” suggests Rankin may have misrepresented the nature of the conflict to gain admission
This shows the human cost of psalmody conflicts - five hundred families affected, multiple denominational transfers, and eventual near-extinction of the Rankinite movement.