Robert Archibald's forced introduction of Watts at Poplar Tent Church

Source: the-transition-from-psalmody-to-hymnody-in-the-southern-presbyterian-church
Page: 43
Type: quote
Confidence: high
Date mentioned: 1778
Topics: psalmody-controversy congregational-conflict watts-introduction
People: robert-archibald
Places: North Carolina, Concord, Poplar Tent
Institutions: poplar-tent-church

Context

The dissertation describes how attempts to introduce Watts in North Carolina congregations met with opposition throughout the region. Poplar Tent Church was organized around 1765 near present-day Concord, and Robert Archibald served as pastor from 1778-1801. The passage illustrates the physical resistance congregants showed to the introduction of Watts’ psalm versions.

Extract

When Mr. Archibald saw there was not hope of getting Watts’ Psalms introduced into public worship peaceably, he went up into the pulpit and told them he was determined to have them made use of for time to come; and he did so. And at times when these psalms were sung, some would go out of hearing; and some others left the Tent and went and joined other churches that despised Watts Psalms.

Another time, at the Tent, we met for public worship, the minister had just begun, and when he began to read the psalm one man was so presuming as to get up and say to him–“give us none of your lilts–give us the PSALM the Saviour sung at the supper.” The minister stopped and commanded him to sit down and not disturb the worship of God, and then went on.

The man turned about and went out of the house and never was in that house again at public worship.

Significance

This extract provides vivid, first-person documentation of congregational-level conflict over Watts’ psalm versions. It demonstrates several key patterns in the psalmody controversy:

  1. Minister-driven introduction: The pastor unilaterally forced Watts despite knowing there was no hope of peaceable introduction
  2. Physical protest: Congregants walked out during singing as a form of resistance
  3. Denominational transfer: Opponents “left the Tent and went and joined other churches that despised Watts Psalms”
  4. Theological framing: The objector’s appeal to “the PSALM the Saviour sung at the supper” reveals the exclusive psalmody theological argument (that only inspired psalms were used by Christ)
  5. Permanent rupture: The final walkout (“never was in that house again at public worship”) shows how psalmody disputes caused lasting congregational division

This supports the thesis that psalmody disputes caused denominational realignment at the grassroots level, not just among clergy.