Adam Rankin as 'star performer' of the first General Assembly psalmody controversy

Source: the-transition-from-psalmody-to-hymnody-in-the-southern-presbyterian-church
Page: 46
Type: quote
Confidence: high
Date mentioned: 1789
Topics: psalmody-controversy rankin-case general-assembly transylvania-presbytery
People: adam-rankin
Places: Kentucky, Philadelphia, Lexington, London
Institutions: general-assembly-pcusa transylvania-presbytery associate-reformed-church

Context

The dissertation provides a summary account of Adam Rankin’s role in the first General Assembly (1789), drawing on secondary sources. This account complements Rankin’s own pamphlet “A Process in the Transilvania Presbytery” and Robert Davidson’s history.

Extract

Included in the business of this first General Assembly was the most famous Psalmody controversy on record, with the Reverend Adam Rankin the “star performer.”

Born in 1755 in Western Pennsylvania, Mr. Rankin was descended from Presbyterian ancestry who had emigrated from Scotland via Ireland. British troops were in possession of Princeton when he was ready for college, so he was educated at Liberty Hall. After graduation he was licensed to preach, at the age of twenty-seven, by Hanover Presbytery. Because of Psalmody disputes, he declined two pulpits in the presbytery, and moved to Kentucky in 1784 to become pastor of the Lexington church in the Presbytery of Transylvania. So violently opposed to the use of Watts was Mr. Rankin, that he attended the first General Assembly in Philadelphia, May 1789, to protest, even though he was not an official commissioner, or delegate.

The General Assembly patiently listened to his lengthy, vehement orations, asking that the 1787 resolution of the old Synod of New York and Philadelphia allowing Watts to be used in churches be repealed. It appointed a committee to study the matter and to make a final report and decision, which was as follows:

The General Assembly having heard Mr. Rankin at great length, and endeavored to relieve his mind from the difficulty he appears to labour under, are sorry to find that all their efforts have been in vain; and therefore, only recommend to him that exercise of Christian charity towards those who differ from him in their view of this matter, which is exercised towards himself; and that he be carefully guarded against disturbing the peace of the Church on this head.

Rankin returned to Kentucky with invectives against the Presbyterian clergy as a whole, and he debarred all admirers of Watts from the Lord’s Supper. When he was asked by what authority he had gone to the General Assembly, he replied: “Tell me was the institution of Watts of Heaven or of men, and I will tell you by what authority I did these things.” He was charged by the Transylvania Presbytery for traducing his brethren; for pretending to Divine revelation through dreams; and for unwarrantedly debarring from the Lord’s Table those who used or approved of Watts whom he called swine, sacrilegious robbers, hypocrites, deists, blasphemers, and bearing the mark of the beast. Rankin fled to London for a year in exile, then returned to be tried in 1792, after which he was dismissed from the presbytery and admitted into the Associate Reformed Church. Many of the congregation left with him, and disputes over church property forced those who remained to erect a new church building.

Significance

This secondary account provides important biographical details about Rankin not found in his own pamphlet:

  1. Early psalmody disputes: Before Kentucky, Rankin “declined two pulpits” in Hanover Presbytery specifically “because of Psalmody disputes” - showing his exclusivism predated the Transylvania conflict
  2. Unofficial appearance: He attended the first General Assembly “even though he was not an official commissioner, or delegate” - highlighting his extraordinary commitment to the cause
  3. The invectives: The charges against him included calling Watts supporters “swine, sacrilegious robbers, hypocrites, deists, blasphemers, and bearing the mark of the beast”
  4. London exile: Rankin’s flight to London and year in exile is an interesting detail about the personal cost of the controversy
  5. Congregational split: “Many of the congregation left with him” to join the Associate Reformed Church, and those remaining had to build a new church building

This confirms the pattern of denominational realignment: Rankin’s transfer to the Associate Reformed Church was not isolated but involved “many of the congregation” following him, showing grassroots support for exclusive psalmody.