1884 RP Synod directs members to take no part in uninspired hymns

Context

At the 1884 Synod meeting, the Reformed Presbyterian Church issued a formal directive regarding member participation in hymn-singing outside their own congregations. This was a “concrete case” ruling, meaning it was prompted by a specific situation requiring clarification. The ruling demonstrates how strictly the RP Church enforced exclusive psalmody even when members attended services in other denominations.

Extract

Having a concrete case before it, the Synod directs members of the Church to “take no part in the use of uninspired hymns in any service that may be regarded as the worship of God.” Synod also says: “It is most expedient that the Moderator of a Church court be a minister of the Gospel.”

Significance

This Synod ruling reveals that the RP commitment to exclusive psalmody extended beyond their own worship services. Members were forbidden from participating in hymn-singing even when visiting other churches. The language “uninspired hymns” reinforces the central theological distinction: hymns are products of human (“uninspired”) authorship, while the Psalms are divinely inspired. This ruling would have practical implications for inter-denominational relationships and may explain why some who held exclusive psalmody convictions found it difficult to remain in denominations that adopted Watts.