American religiosity: Hymns from the Old School

Baptist moral values are said to have contributed greatly to the development of a unique and strong Christian culture that manage to gain recognition in the South. Social scientists are debating whereas this culture is capable of actually reforming itself in order to adopt a less hostile attitude towards Baptists and non-Baptists that are prone to make critical remarks about the clergy and church attendees. Now, as back in the old days, Baptist culture is still flourishing, and written works have a great contribution towards it. Regardless if we are talking about hymnals of the Primitive Baptists, or about the congregational writings of the General Baptists, we can state quite easily that time had shown us that the American Baptists developed a rich collection of written masterpieces that were meant to serve as a timeless testimony for men’s devotion to God. This article intends to give a short analysis on the unique religious music of the Primitive and Old Regular Baptists highlighting the motives and textual interpretation of a few hymns.

Through the ages, God tried in different ways to make men conscious of his presence, and when he managed to do so, men started to find different methods to show his devotion towards Him. Singing was always an important part of Christian worship, but it gradually changed in shape and message over the centuries. Nowadays every Christian tradition has a particular way of doing ceremonial music; usually what we see today is quite different from the musical style that was in use in the early Christian Church.

The Primitive Baptists of America, also known as Old School Baptists, along with the Old Regular Baptists, mainly present in the Appalachians, had maintained the original style of Church music, one that is not accompanied by instruments of any kind and is interpreted only in an acapella style. Being labeled as one of the conservative branches of the American Baptists, the Primitives and the Old Regulars are eager to preserve what they feel that is the right way of doing church music.

I’m a poor pilgrim of sorrow(fragment)

I am a poor pilgrim of sorrow

I'm lost in this wide world alone

No hope have I for tomorrow

I'm trying make Heaven my home

The hymn ‘I am a poor pilgrim of sorrow’ is in my opinion one of the most iconic peace of work of the Old Regular Baptists. The predominant motive is that of modesty as a virtue, in the early days of Christianity this being seen as one of the most representative innovations of the new faith. Sharing some common ground with the Primitives, the Old Regular are trying to stay as close as possible to the ‘old ways’. The motives that dominate their hymns can range from the virtue of modesty to salvation, heaven, and friendship. The virtue of modesty can be easily noticed at both a behavioral and material level, a disgrace towards lavish and over the top church buildings being manifested through the preference towards modest spaces of worship.

God moves in a mysterious way(fragment)

God moves in a mysterious way

His wonders to perform;

He plants His footsteps in the sea

And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines

Of never failing skill

He treasures up His bright designs

And works His sov’reign will.

The Primitive hymns tend to have a more Calvinist influenced motives, often making references to the unpredictable nature of God and to men’s submission to the will of the higher power.

Even so, there is a visible difference between the singing style of the Primitives and of the Old Regulars. The Primitive style tends to be more ‘flat’ and sang in a straight line without big variations in tones, the Old Regular style is has more rhythm and also a more up-down musical line.