Reference to 'Rankinites' and Rankin's friends in Kentucky

Source: history-of-the-associate-reformed-synod-of-the-south-to-which-is-prefixed-a-history-of-the-associate-presbyterian-and-reformed-presbyterian-churches
Page: 252
Type: quote
Confidence: medium
Date mentioned: 1812-1815
Topics: psalmody-controversy denominational-movement
People: adam-rankin robert-bishop robert-lathan
Places: Kentucky
Institutions: presbytery-of-kentucky-arp

Context

This passage appears in Lathan’s discussion of the Bishop-Rankin difficulty (c. 1812-1818), a prolonged conflict within the ARP Presbytery of Kentucky. Robert Bishop, a minister who joined the ARP in 1802, published attacks on Rankin in a periodical called the Evangelical Record and Western Review. Lathan notes that Bishop coined the term “Rankinites” and that Rankin had identifiable supporters (“friends”) who took offense at Bishop’s attacks.

Extract

At that time Mr. Bishop was, in connection with some other clergymen, publishing a religious monthly called the Evangelical Record and Western Review. In this monthly Mr. Bishop published the official letter of the Kentucky Presbytery to the Ebenezer congregation, and also defended the pastoral letter. This may have been defensible, but for some cause which does not clearly appear, he said some hard things about Mr. Rankin. He also published in the same work an article entitled “The Origin of the Rankinites.”

The course pursued by Mr. Bishop was calculated to offend Mr. Rankin and his friends. This it did. The matter came before the presbytery for adjudication.

Significance

This extract provides indirect evidence for several points relevant to Chapter 5:

  1. Others sided with Rankin: The term “Rankinites” and the reference to “Rankin and his friends” indicates that Rankin had a recognizable following in Kentucky—he was not an isolated individual but leader of a faction.

  2. Psalmody conflict continued within ARP: Even after Rankin joined the exclusive-psalmody ARP, conflict over worship practices persisted. Lathan notes elsewhere that “psalmody and communion” were “the main factor” in the Bishop-Rankin difficulty (p. 254).

  3. The label “Rankinites”: Bishop’s use of this term suggests Rankin’s position had become a distinct party identity within Kentucky Presbyterianism—significant enough to warrant a label.

Note: This extract does not provide names or numbers of Rankin’s followers, only evidence that such a group existed.