105-928: The Drinkard Singers were an American gospel singing group, most successful in the late 1950s, renowned for being the first gospel group to perform at Carnegie Hall and the Newport Jazz Festival and the first gospel group signed to a major record label, recording and releasing the album, A Joyful Noise , on RCA Records in 1958. The group would launch the careers of soul singers Cissy Houston and her adopted niece Judy Clay as well as mentor fellow soul singers Dionne Warwick and Dee Dee Warwick . Nicholas (aka Nitch , 1896–1952) and Delia Mae Drinkard (née McCaskill; 1901–1941) had eight children - sons William (1918–2003), Hansom (1925–1986), Nicholas (1929–1992), and Larry (1931–2012), and daughters Lee (1920–2005), Marie (1922–2007), Anne (1927–2003) and Cissy (1933-2024). The Drinkard surname, although gained through
210-439: A "celibate, self-sacrificing, and ascetic brotherhood". Increasingly, preachers were appointed for two-year terms to single-congregation charges called "stations". This allowed stationed pastors to live in the same community every day rather than making short visits every two, four or six weeks as in earlier years. Stationing was facilitated by the construction of parsonages . By 1858, the northern MEC had built 2,174 parsonages for
315-401: A "softening of discipline, embrace of the world, compromise of fundamental Wesleyan practices and precepts, abandonment of the evangelistic mission to society’s marginalized, and loss of Methodism’s prophetic nerve." This included the transformation of the itinerant system into a more settled ministry. A second generation of Methodist preachers were unable to realize Wesley's original vision of
420-601: A Native American ancestor, has British origins with a meaning that alludes to the running of water . Nicholas Drinkard was born to Susan Bell Drinkard (née Fuller; b. 1876) and father John Drinkard Jr. (b. 1870), both of whom were African American. Through his mother, Nitch had part Dutch descent while his father John was reportedly part Indigenous American . He was descended from a family of African-American landowners in Blakely, Georgia , where three of his eldest children (William, Lee and Marie) were born. The Drinkards owned
525-520: A camp meeting. By 1811, Methodists held 400 to 500 camp meetings annually, and historian Nathan Hatch estimates that these events drew in over one million people annually. The Methodist Episcopal Church had committed itself to the antislavery cause, but it became difficult to maintain this stance as Methodism spread to slaveholding areas. To avoid alienating southerners, the 1808 General Conference allowed annual conferences to form their own policies related to buying and selling slaves. In 1816, it amended
630-782: A circuit on a yearly basis to preach and supervise the societies within their circuit. One itinerant preacher in each circuit would be made the "assistant" (because he was an assistant to Wesley), and he would direct the activities of the other itinerant preachers in the circuit, who were called "helpers". Wesley gave out preaching assignments at an annual conference . In 1769, Wesley sent itinerants Robert Williams, Richard Boardman, and Joseph Pilmore to oversee Methodists in America after learning that societies had already been organized there as early as 1766 by Philip Embury , Robert Strawbridge , and Thomas Webb . In 1773, Wesley appointed Thomas Rankin general assistant, placing him in charge of all
735-467: A cornerstone of Christian media . The creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of gospel music varies according to culture and social context. Gospel music is composed and performed for many purposes, including aesthetic pleasure, religious or ceremonial purposes, and as an entertainment product for the marketplace. Gospel music is characterized by dominant vocals and strong use of harmony with Christian lyrics. Gospel music can be traced to
840-557: A dispute emerged over the power of bishops to assign preachers to circuits. O'Kelly and his supporters wanted the right to appeal assignments to the conference, but this proposal was defeated. In response, they left to form the Republican Methodist Church, initiating the first schism in American Methodism. As reflected in the use of the term republican in their name, Republican Methodists desired
945-683: A fact that was commemorated in Albert E. Brumley 's 1937 song, "Turn Your Radio On" (which is still being published in gospel song books). (In 1972, a recording of " Turn Your Radio On " by the Lewis Family was nominated for Gospel Song of the Year .) The Soul Stirrers introduced R.H. Harris, Sam Cooke, and Johnnie Taylor. Sensational Nightingales , Swan Silvertones, the Soul Stirrers, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Five Blind Boys of Mississippi and
1050-443: A few, began recording music that had this positive Christian country flair. These mainstream artists have now become award winners in this genre. Some proponents of "standard" hymns generally dislike gospel music of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, believing that it emphasizes emotion over doctrine. For example, Patrick and Sydnor complain that commercial success led to a proliferation of such music, and "deterioration, even in
1155-556: A form of religious enthusiasm that caused insanity. Because of its Arminian doctrines, the evangelistic work of the Methodist Episcopal Church was often opposed by Calvinists . Coke had returned to Britain in 1785 but arrived back in the United States in 1787 with written instructions from Wesley. Wesley ordered the holding of a conference and that Richard Whatcoat be appointed a superintendent. At
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#17327829887071260-496: A means of raising funds (but this was largely ignored as more and more Methodist churches began charging pew rent). It also expressed concerns over perceived laxity in Methodist standards of discipline, doctrine, dress and sacramental practice. There was also concern over the appearance in some places of false doctrines, such as Arianism , Socinianism and Pelagianism . In order to provide adequate preparation to candidates for
1365-545: A more egalitarian church and objected to the centralized governance and episcopal polity of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The Methodist Episcopal Church lost one-fifth of its members and would not begin to experience growth again until 1800. In 1801, the Republican Methodists rejected the Methodist label and later merged with other groups to become the Christian Connection . This group was
1470-416: A number of quotations similar to the complaints of Patrick and Sydnor. However, he also provided this quotation: "Gospel hymnody has the distinction of being America's most typical contribution to Christian song. As such, it is valid in its inspiration and in its employment." Today, with historical distance, there is a greater acceptance of such gospel songs into official denominational hymnals. For example,
1575-656: A number of splinter groups to break away from the church, most notably the Free Methodist Church and Wesleyan Methodist Church . Due to large-scale immigration of Catholics, the Catholic Church displaced the MEC as the largest US denomination by the end of the 19th century. The Methodist Episcopal Church originated from the spread of Methodism outside of England to the Thirteen Colonies in
1680-562: A predecessor body to the United Church of Christ . The second General Conference was held at Baltimore in October 1796. It reduced the number of annual conferences to six and, for the first time, gave them geographical boundaries. With the drawing of definite borders, it would become understood that preachers belonged to a specific annual conference. The General Conference also required that local church property be held in trust for
1785-434: A revolutionary character. While women were not granted formal leadership roles (though some were class leaders occasionally), they played important roles in evangelization through class relations, family networks, correspondence, and in the home. It was common for both women and slaves to publicly deliver exhortations— testimonials and personal conversion narratives distinguishable from sermons because exhorters did not "take
1890-405: A standard which to begin with was not high, resulted." They went on to say, "there is no doubt that a deterioration in taste follows the use of this type of hymn and tune; it fosters an attachment to the trivial and sensational which dulls and often destroys sense of the dignity and beauty which best befit the song that is used in the service of God." Gold reviewed the issue in 1958, and collected
1995-508: A substantial amount of farmland during a time when it was unusual for blacks to own large portions of land. The asset was gradually depleted as small portions of the land were sold, over time, to resolve the continued legal troubles of a close relative. The family moved to Newark, New Jersey during the Great Migration of the 1920s where their five younger children (Hansom, Anne, Nicholas Jr., Larry and Cissy) would be born. By
2100-560: A text" from the Bible . Meetings and services were often characterized by extremely emotional and demonstrative styles of worship. As part of the conversion experience , people often trembled, groaned, screamed, or fell motionless to the ground as if dead . These bodily experiences as well as Methodist ascetic practices and claims of receiving direct communication from the Holy Spirit inspired its opponents to accuse Methodism of being
2205-490: A widespread and mobile population. Early Methodism was countercultural in that it was anti-elitist and anti-slavery , appealing especially to African Americans and women. While critics derided Methodists as fanatics, the Methodist Episcopal Church continued to grow, especially during the Second Great Awakening in which Methodist revivalism and camp meetings left its imprint on American culture. In
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#17327829887072310-564: Is a subgenre of gospel music with a country flair, is also known as inspirational country. Webb Pierce, the Oak Ridge Boys and Granpa Jones recorded Christian country music records. Christian country over the years has progressed into a mainstream country sound with inspirational or positive country lyrics. In the mid–1990s, Christian country hit its highest popularity. This popularity was such that mainstream artists like Larry Gatlin , Charlie Daniels and Barbara Mandrell , just to name
2415-759: Is the most well–known form, often seen in Black churches, non–Black Pentecostal and evangelical churches, and in entertainment spaces across the country and world. It originates from the Southeastern United States ("the South"), where most Black Americans lived prior to the Great Migration . This music was highly influenced by the hymnody of the spirituals and of Watts and, later, the musical style and vision of Dorsey. Whereas northern Black churches did not at first welcome Dorsey's music (having become accustomed to their own more Eurocentric flavorings), after
2520-922: The Christmas Conference , was held in December 1784 at Lovely Lane Chapel in Baltimore, Maryland. At this conference, Coke ordained Francis Asbury as co-superintendent according to Wesley's wishes. Asbury had been serving as general assistant since Rankin returned to England. The German-born Philip W. Otterbein , who later helped found the Church of the United Brethren in Christ , participated in Asbury's ordination. The conference adopted Articles of Religion prepared by Wesley (and adapted from
2625-657: The Discipline's prohibition on officeholders owning slaves to apply only in states where emancipation was legal. Another problem was that the MEC failed to give African American members full equality and inclusion in the church. This failure led to the development of segregated church institutions under white supervision. In 1800, the General Conference authorized bishops to ordain African American men as local deacons. Richard Allen of Philadelphia
2730-655: The Gospel Music Workshop of America , a Black gospel outlet. Late 20th–century musicians such as Elvis Presley , Jerry Lee Lewis , and the Blackwood Brothers were also known for their gospel influences and recordings. Urban contemporary gospel emerged in the late 1960s and early 70s with Edwin Hawkis Singers highly popular "Oh Happy Day" which is still performed worldwide in the 2000s. Artists such as James Cleveland, Aretha Franklin,
2835-483: The Methodist Quarterly Review , was published continually from 1818 until 1932 and had a longer life than any other religious publication. The church continued to grow during this period. Sometime around 1800, Methodism expanded into the region around Cincinnati, Ohio, and by 1807, the first Methodist church had been built in the city. In 1809, William Case was sent as a missionary to Detroit in
2940-713: The Michigan Territory and was followed a year later by William Mitchell, who organized what is today Central United Methodist Church and the oldest Protestant congregation in Michigan. In 1808, Matthew P. Sturdevant established a new circuit along the banks of the Tombigbee River in Alabama. In the years 1809 and 1810, John Crane established new circuits in Upper Louisiana in what is today
3045-667: The Southern United States , church leaders became less willing to condemn the practice of slavery or to grant African American preachers and congregations the same privileges as their European American counterparts. A number of black churches were formed as African Americans withdrew from the MEC, including the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church . By
3150-515: The Sunday school and the local missionary and tract societies. The meetings of these organizations featured prayer, hymns, testimony and exhortation. To accommodate these educational and missional efforts, Methodists began building larger and more impressive facilities, often on main streets , in the 1830s and 1840s. By the 1830s, loud voices had emerged against the transformation of the denomination. These voices were nostalgic and disappointed over
3255-586: The United Methodist Church made this acceptance explicit in The Faith We Sing , a 2000 supplement to the official denominational hymnal. In the preface, the editors say, "Experience has shown that some older treasures were missed when the current hymnals were compiled." Methodist Episcopal Church Christianity • Protestantism The Methodist Episcopal Church ( MEC ) was the oldest and largest Methodist denomination in
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3360-607: The United Methodist Church . The MEC's origins lie in the First Great Awakening when Methodism emerged as an evangelical revival movement within the Church of England that stressed the necessity of being born again and the possibility of attaining Christian perfection . By the 1760s, Methodism had spread to the Thirteen Colonies , and Methodist societies were formed under the oversight of John Wesley . As in England, American Methodists remained affiliated with
3465-910: The United States from its founding in 1784 until 1939. It was also the first religious denomination in the US to organize itself nationally. In 1939, the MEC reunited with two breakaway Methodist denominations (the Methodist Protestant Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church, South ) to form the Methodist Church . In 1968, the Methodist Church merged with the Evangelical United Brethren Church to form
3570-400: The abolition movement provided cross–fertilization. The first published use of the term "Gospel song" probably appeared in 1874 when Philip Bliss released a songbook entitled Gospel Songs. A Choice Collection of Hymns and Tunes . It was used to describe a new style of church music, songs that were easy to grasp and more easily singable than the traditional church hymns , which came out of
3675-507: The dawn of the 1950s , with jubilee singing going out of style and gospel music hitting its "golden age" with singers such as Sister Rosetta Tharpe , Mahalia Jackson and Clara Ward , the group soon grew to include Lee and Marie, this led to the group being renamed the Drinkard Singers, with Lee now serving as manager. In October 1951, radio announcer Joe Bostic convinced the original sextet to open for Ward and Jackson as among
3780-587: The 1760s. Earlier, Methodism had grown out of the ministry of John Wesley , a priest in the Church of England (also known as the Anglican Church) who preached an evangelical message centered on justification by faith , repentance , the possibility of having assurance of salvation , and the doctrine of Christian perfection . Wesley was loyal to the Anglican Church, and he organized his followers into parachurch societies and classes with
3885-450: The 1804 General Conference, these two conferences together had 70 preachers present, while the other five conferences combined had only 42 preachers present. To solve this problem, delegated representation for General Conference was introduced in 1808. Each annual conference was entitled to send one representative for every five conference members. The Restrictive Regulations were also adopted at this time. These rules, which were regarded as
3990-443: The 1830s, however, a renewed abolitionist movement within the MEC made keeping a neutral position on slavery impossible. Ultimately, the church divided along regional lines in 1845 when pro-slavery Methodists in the South formed their own Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Around the same time, the holiness movement took shape as a renewal movement within the MEC focused on the experience of Christian perfection, but it eventually led
4095-406: The 1920s greatly increased the audience for gospel music, and James D. Vaughan used radio as an integral part of his business model, which also included traveling quartets to publicize the gospel music books he published several times a year. Virgil O. Stamps and Jesse R. Baxter studied Vaughan's business model and by the late 1920s were running heavy competition for Vaughan. The 1920s also saw
4200-567: The 1920s greatly increased the audience for gospel music. Following World War II , gospel music moved into major auditoriums, and gospel music concerts became quite elaborate. Black and Southern gospel music are largely responsible for gospel's continued presence in contemporary Christian music , with soul music by far the best–known popular music variant. The styles emerged from the African-American music and American folk music traditions and have evolved in various ways over
4305-407: The 1960s. It has evolved over the years into a popular form of music across the United States and overseas, especially among baby boomers and those living in the South. Like other forms of music the creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of southern gospel varies according to culture and social context. Christian country music , sometimes referred to as country gospel music,
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4410-445: The 70s and 80s, Urban Contemporary gospel is the most common form of recorded gospel music today. It relies heavily on rhythms and instrumentation common in the secular music of the contemporary era (often including the use of electronic beats), while still incorporating the themes and heritage of the traditional Black gospel genre. Kirk Franklin is the foremost (and by far the bestselling) individual in this genre, while Andrae Crouch,
4515-485: The Christmas Conference mandated that all Methodist laity and preachers emancipate their slaves. While African Americans were not yet ordained and classes were segregated by race, important African American leaders did emerge, such as Harry Hosier who was an associate of Asbury and Coke. Because of Methodism's conscious repudiation of upper class values and lifestyles, elite women who converted took on
4620-834: The Church of England's Thirty-nine Articles ) as a doctrinal statement for the new church, and it also received an abridged version of the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer provided by Wesley, titled The Sunday Service of the Methodists; With Other Occasional Services . American Methodists, however, preferred non- liturgical worship and The Sunday Service was largely ignored. The conference adopted an organization consisting of superintendents, elders, deacons , traveling preachers, and local preachers . Preachers were licensed to preach but were not ordained and could not administer sacraments. Traveling preachers worked full-time in itinerant ministry and were supported financially by
4725-486: The Church of England, but this state of affairs became untenable after the American Revolution . In response, Wesley ordained the first Methodist elders for America in 1784. Under the leadership of its first bishops , Thomas Coke and Francis Asbury , the Methodist Episcopal Church adopted episcopal polity and an itinerant model of ministry that saw circuit riders provide for the religious needs of
4830-648: The Clark Sisters , Mary Mary , and Yolanda Adams are also very popular and noteworthy. British black gospel refers to gospel music of the African diaspora in the UK. It is also often referred to as "UK gospel". The distinctive sound is heavily influenced by UK street culture with many artists from the African and Caribbean majority black churches in the UK. The genre has gained recognition in various awards such as
4935-479: The Clark Sisters, and Andraé Crouch followed them. And this pattern would repeat itself in subsequent decades, with new artists like Yolanda Adams and Kirk Franklin making increasingly more bold forays into the secular world with their musical stylings. The current sphere of Black gospel recording artists is almost exclusively of the urban contemporary bent. Also of note is the rise of Christian (or gospel) rap/hip–hop , which has gained increasing popularity since
5040-716: The Dixie Hummingbirds were popular in afroamerican gospel fans. In 1964, the Gospel Music Association was established, which in turn began the Dove Awards (in 1969) and the Gospel Music Hall of Fame (in 1972). Both of the latter two groups began primarily for Southern gospel performers, but in the late 1970s, began including artists of other subgenres, which brought in many Black artists. Also in 1969, James Cleveland established
5145-583: The GEM (Gospel Entertainment Music) Awards, MOBO Awards , Urban Music Awards and has its own Official Christian & Gospel Albums Chart . Southern gospel music comes from the Southeastern United States and is similar in sound to Christian country music, but it sometimes known as "quartet music" for its traditional "four men and a piano" set up. The genre, while remaining predominantly White, began to integrate Black gospel stylings in
5250-633: The Holy Bible . These works would guide American Methodist belief for the next century. The General Conference placed Joshua Soule and Thomas Mason in charge of the Methodist Book Concern, the church's publishing house. The conference also ordered the publication of a monthly periodical, The Methodist Magazine . This magazine soon acquired a circulation of 10,000 at a time when popular secular periodicals had circulations between 4,000 and 5,000. The Methodist Magazine , later renamed
5355-603: The MEC to establish the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME) in 1816. According to Nathan Bangs , the MEC might have lost nearly 900 African American members to the AME Church in its first year alone. Other African American members left to form separate churches as well. A group based in Wilmington, Delaware, founded the African Union Church in 1813, and the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
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#17327829887075460-539: The Methodist Episcopal Church. Local preachers were made eligible for ordination as deacons after four years of service. Another bishop was found necessary to aid Asbury due to Coke's frequent trips to Britain; Coke was regarded as a leading figure in Britain's Wesleyan Methodist Church , which itself split from the Anglican Church after Wesley's death in 1791. At the third General Conference held in May 1800, Richard Whatcoat
5565-723: The Methodist Tract Society organized in 1817. By the 1820s, Methodists were ready to build institutions of higher education. Citing the lack of non-Calvinist colleges and seminaries, the 1820 General Conference encouraged annual conferences to establish ones under Methodist control. Around two hundred were founded by the Civil War. These included Augusta College (1822), McKendree University (1828), Wesleyan University (1831), Emory University (1836), Emory and Henry College (1836), DePauw University (originally Indiana Asbury University in 1837), and what would become
5670-427: The Methodist preachers and societies in America. On July 4, 1773, Rankin presided over the first annual conference on American soil at Philadelphia. At that time there were 1,160 Methodists in America led by ten lay preachers. Itinerant Methodist preachers would become known as circuit riders . Methodist societies in America also operated within the Church of England. There were several Anglican priests who supported
5775-411: The Soul Stirrers, Swan Silvertones and the Dixie Hummingbirds were famous gospel groups. Christian country music , sometimes referred to as country gospel music, is a subgenre of gospel music with a country flair. Celtic gospel music infuses gospel music with a Celtic flair, and is popular in countries such as Ireland. British black gospel refers to Gospel music of the African diaspora produced in
5880-610: The Southern migrants' new churches became more popular, so did gospel music, gospel choirs, and the general trend toward exclusive use of this music in Black churches. Dorsey, Whitney Houston, Mahalia Jackson, the Mississippi Mass Choir , and the Georgia Mass Choir are but a few notable examples. Developing out of the fusion of traditional Black gospel with the styles of secular Black music popular in
5985-663: The United Kingdom. According to Yale University music professor Willie Ruff, the singing of psalms in Scottish Gaelic by Presbyterians of the Scottish Hebrides evolved from " lining out "—where one person sang a solo and others followed—into the call and response of gospel music of the American South. Another theory notes foundations in the works of Isaac Watts and others. Moreover,
6090-529: The church claimed 14,986 members and 83 preachers. Early Methodists were drawn from the ranks of slaves , poor whites, and "middling people"— artisans , shopkeepers, petty merchants and small planters . These social classes were attracted to Methodism's condemnation of the worldliness of the gentry . Slaves and free blacks were especially attracted to the Methodist Episcopal Church's condemnation of slavery. Prominent Methodists such as Coke, Asbury, and Freeborn Garrettson preached an antislavery message, and
6195-413: The church's constitution, prohibited the General Conference from modifying the church's doctrinal standards and episcopal government unless such amendments were approved all the annual conferences. William McKendree was elected the fourth bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church and the first American-born bishop to replace the deceased Whatcoat. The 1812 General Conference was the first to convene under
6300-414: The church's decision-making process. Each annual conference had to agree on legislation before it was enacted, but this became unwieldy when the number of conferences grew to eleven. The need for a centralized policy-making body led to the creation of a council of bishops and presiding elders (who supervised multi-circuit districts) in 1789, but this body was soon abolished after meeting only twice. After
6405-481: The conference, James O'Kelly and Jesse Lee led opposition to Coke and to Wesley’s authority. Many preachers were offended that Coke and Wesley seemed to be taking decision making out of the hands of the American church. They also feared that Whatcoat's appointment would lead to the recall of Asbury, and this led the conference to reject Whatcoat's appointment (Whatcoat would successfully be elected in 1800). In 1788,
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#17327829887076510-624: The days of the Gospel Gangstaz and The Cross Movement . Often considered a subgenre of urban contemporary gospel, Christian rap has become dominated in present times by artists from Reach Records , who have seen perhaps the most commercial success of any artists in the gospel genre; Lecrae (the label's founder and preeminent artist) has charted in the top 10 of on the Billboard 200 three times, with his 2014 album "Anomaly" debuting at No. 1. See also: Traditional Black gospel music
6615-553: The departure of their minister Rev. Elzae Warrick, whose son Mancel Leland, had married Lee Drinkard. By 1953, however, the group reunited after converting to Baptist and joined the New Hope Baptist Church , where Cissy served as Minister of Music. By 1952, Judy Guions, who had been adopted years earlier by Lee Drinkard-Warrick alongside a younger sister Sylvia, joined the group. Guoins would later change her name to Judy Clay after beginning her secular career. It
6720-592: The early 17th century. Hymns and sacred songs were often performed in a call and response fashion, heavily influenced by ancestral African music. Most of the churches relied on hand–clapping and foot–stomping as rhythmic accompaniment. Most of the singing was done a cappella . The first published use of the term "gospel song" appeared in 1874. The original gospel songs were written and composed by authors such as George F. Root , Philip Bliss , Charles H. Gabriel , William Howard Doane , and Fanny Crosby . Gospel music publishing houses emerged. The advent of radio in
6825-409: The early 19th century, the MEC became the largest and most influential religious denomination in the United States. With growth came greater institutionalization and respectability, and this led some within the church to complain that Methodism was losing its vitality and commitment to Wesleyan teachings, such as the belief in Christian perfection and opposition to slavery . As Methodism took hold in
6930-549: The emotionalism and enthusiasm displayed, such as crying, shouting, jerking and falling. Methodist leaders such as Asbury expected order to be maintained, but they were not opposed to the emotional effects often seen in these meetings. Other Methodists, such as John Fanning Watson , disagreed. In his book Methodist Error; or, Friendly, Christian Advice: To Those Methodists Who Indulge in Extravagant Religious Emotions and Bodily Exercises , published anonymously in 1814, Watson argued that such emotional displays were not appropriate on
7035-430: The end of an era for the MEC. Asbury and Jesse Lee died that year, and Coke had died in 1815 while conducting missionary work for the British Conference. All of these men had championed the itinerant model of ministry. Following the death of Asbury, the 1816 General Conference elected Enoch George and Robert Richford Roberts to serve as bishops along with McKendree. The General Conference disapproved of pew rental as
7140-473: The end of the Asbury era, which was characterized as one of greater religious enthusiasm, revivals and camp meetings. These voices were dismissed as "croakers" because it seemed they never missed an opportunity to complain, whether in the pulpit, through conference sermons or on the pages of Methodist periodicals. Nathan Bangs is credited with leading the campaign for respectability. As the denomination's book agent and editor of both The Methodist Magazine and
7245-418: The failure of the council, a General Conference was held in November 1792 at Baltimore. This first General Conference gave itself legislative power over the church, determined to meet every four years, and decided membership for general and annual conferences would include all elders, deacons, and traveling preachers. Local preachers and other lay members were denied voting rights. At the General Conference,
7350-519: The family's spirits high. They performed all over churches in the New Jersey and New York areas, first under the name of the Drinkard Four and then as the Drinkard Jubiliars. Nitch's youngest child Cissy contended that the group wasn't professional at this time as Nitch wanted them to sing for the Lord. Throughout their youth, they would be taught how to sing in harmony and solos by their father and eldest sisters Lee and Marie. The group took music more seriously after their mother Delia Mae passed in 1941. By
7455-660: The first gospel acts to perform at Carnegie Hall in Manhattan under the "Negro Gospel and Religious Music Festival" program. Shortly after that, the group made their professional radio singing debut on Bostic's Gospel Train Sunday morning radio program in January 1952. Not too long after these accomplishments, however, their father discovered he had stomach cancer . By the time of the official diagnosis, it had already metastasized all over his body and he died that March. The group temporarily went on hiatus following his death and left their old church at St. Luke's A.M.E. Church where they had been raised as Methodist Episcopalian following
7560-494: The first great gospel recording artist. The first person to introduce ragtime to gospel (and the first to play piano on a gospel recording) was Arizona Dranes . The 1930s saw the rise of Black gospel quartets such as the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi and the Five Blind Boys of Alabama . In addition to these high–profile quartets, there were many Black gospel musicians performing in the 1920s and 30s, usually playing
7665-734: The genre arose during a time when literacy was not a guarantee, utilizing a great deal of repetition (which, unlike more traditional hymns, allowed those who could not read the opportunity to participate). Perhaps the most famous gospel–based hymns were composed in the 1760s and 1770s by English writers John Newton (" Amazing Grace ") and Augustus Toplady ("Rock of Ages"), members of the Anglican Church . Starting out as lyrics only, it took decades for standardized tunes to be added to them. Although not directly connected with African–American gospel music, they were adopted by African–Americans as well as white Americans, and Newton's connection with
7770-406: The goal of promoting spiritual revival within the Church of England. Members of Methodist societies were expected to attend and receive Holy Communion in their local parish church , but Wesley also recruited and supervised lay preachers for itinerant or traveling ministry. Around fifteen or twenty societies formed a circuit. Anywhere from two to four itinerant preachers would be assigned to
7875-737: The group back Presley on an upcoming gospel album but a scout for RCA Records, Presley's label, eventually got the act signed there, making them the first gospel group in history to sign with a major recording label. Their first and only studio album, A Joyful Noise , was released to critical acclaim in 1958. During this time, the group regularly performed at the Apollo Theater and had the Gospelaires, which consisted of Lee's eldest daughters Dionne and Dee Dee Warrick as well as singer Doris Troy and Sylvia Shemwell opening for them. The group, aunt Cissy in particular, trained and mentored
7980-508: The group by 1962 signaled the end of the Drinkard Singers. Cissy would go on to become a successful secular recording artist, first as a background session vocalist for artists such as Solomon Burke , Aretha Franklin , Elvis Presley , Dusty Springfield , The Drifters and Dionne Warwick , then as lead singer of the Grammy -nominated girl group The Sweet Inspirations , and then as a solo artist with hits such as " I'll Be There ", " Tomorrow ",
8085-452: The group. The group eventually entered and won the amateur night competition at the Apollo. A little while later, the Gospelaires found themselves recording background for secular artists such as The Drifters though they continued to perform gospel into the early 1960s . Though the group eventually performed on the gospel show TV Gospel Time , Lee, Marie, Cissy and Anne's departures from
8190-725: The guitar and singing in the streets of Southern cities. In the 1930s, in Chicago, Thomas A. Dorsey turned to gospel music, establishing a publishing house. It has been said that 1930 was the year traditional black gospel music began, as the National Baptist Convention first publicly endorsed the music at its 1930 meeting. Dorsey was responsible for developing the musical careers of many African–American artists, such as Mahalia Jackson (best known for her rendition of his " Precious Lord, Take My Hand "). Meanwhile, radio continued to develop an audience for gospel music,
8295-588: The largest and most widespread denomination in the United States, boasting "the most extensive national organization other than the Federal government." In the Antebellum era , a new generation of leaders, upwardly mobile preachers and laity, would lead the Methodist Episcopal Church toward social respectability and inclusion within America's Protestant establishment . In the process, the MEC would experience what some contemporaries and later interpreters considered
8400-574: The marketing of gospel records by groups such as the Carter Family . The Pentecostal movement quickly made inroads with churches not attuned to the Europeanized Black church music that had become popular over the years since Emancipation. These congregations readily adopted and contributed to the gospel music publications of the early 20th century. Sister Rosetta Tharpe , pioneer of rock and roll , soon emerged from this tradition as
8505-513: The mass revival movement starting with Dwight L. Moody , whose musician was Ira D. Sankey , as well as the Holiness – Pentecostal movement. Prior to the meeting of Moody and Sankey in 1870, there was an American rural/frontier history of revival and camp meeting songs, but the gospel hymn was of a different character, and it served the needs of mass revivals in the great cities. The revival movement employed popular singers and song leaders,
8610-470: The ministry, the bishops were directed to create a Course of Study featuring a prescribed reading list, the first effort to introduce a formal process for ministry preparation. The Course of Study reflected American Methodism's continued reliance on British theologians. The reading list included Wesley's Sermons and Notes , John Fletcher 's four-volume Checks to Antinomianism , Joseph Benson 's Sermons on Various Occasions and Coke’s six-volume Commentary on
8715-483: The most famous of them being Ira D. Sankey. The original "gospel" songs were written and composed by authors such as George F. Root , Philip Bliss , Charles H. Gabriel , William Howard Doane , and Fanny Crosby . As an extension to his initial publication Gospel Songs , Philip Bliss, in collaboration with Ira D. Sankey issued no's. 1 to 6 of Gospel Hymns in 1875. Sankey and Bliss's collection can be found in many libraries today. The popularity of revival singers and
8820-672: The name of the Sweet Inspirations. Remaining close, Cissy and Anne reunited in the late 1960s to back Dionne on a gospel recording session. In acknowledgment of her contributions to gospel and soul music, Cissy Houston was honored with the Award of Excellence at the Stellar Awards in 1990 and the R&;B Foundation Pioneer Award in 1995. Gospel music Gospel music is a traditional genre of Christian music and
8925-665: The new rules adopted in 1808. This conference, meeting in New York City, made local deacons eligible for ordination as elders. The Ohio and Tennessee Conferences were created to replace the Western Conference. This made nine in all, the others being the New York, New England, Genesee (including circuits in Upper and Lower Canada ), South Carolina, Virginia, Baltimore and Philadelphia conferences. The year 1816 marked
9030-654: The number of annual conferences had grown to six. A year later, the number of annual conferences had increased to eleven. The church's reach also began to significantly expand beyond the Appalachian and Allegheny Mountain ranges. In 1791, a circuit was established in Upper Canada by William Losee . It was during this time that the first Methodist college in America was established, the short-lived Cokesbury College in Maryland. This growth revealed problems with
9135-460: The openness of rural churches to this type of music (in spite of its initial use in city revivals) led to the late 19th and early 20th century establishment of gospel music publishing houses such as those of Homer Rodeheaver , E. O. Excell , Charlie Tillman , and Charles Tindley . These publishers were in the market for large quantities of new music, providing an outlet for the creative work of many songwriters and composers. The advent of radio in
9240-464: The original version of " Midnight Train to Georgia " and " Think It Over " before returning to gospel in the 1990s where she won two Grammy Awards for the albums Face to Face and He Leadeth Me . Member Judy Clay went on to a critically acclaimed career in soul music, mainly in duet recordings with the likes of Billy Vera and William Bell . Clay's sister Sylvia Shemwell eventually joined Cissy's session group in 1963, four years before they acquired
9345-487: The part of converted Christians in public worship but should be restricted to the time of conversion or, for those already converted, to private devotion at home. While historians have emphasized the importance of camp meetings on the American frontier, camp meetings were vibrant parts of Methodist community life in the more settled areas along the East Coast as well. For example, some of the most significant meetings at
9450-412: The reordination of Methodist preachers, and the reconsecration of Coke and Asbury as Episcopal bishops. When Asbury learned of the negotiations, he blocked the merger plan from being considered. Despite controversies over authority, the Methodist Episcopal Church continued to enjoy growth. By 1788, there were 37,354 members, of which 6,545 were African American. The number of circuits had grown to 85 and
9555-466: The scarcity of Anglican ministers, Methodists in the United States were unable to receive the sacraments of baptism and Holy Communion. On September 1, 1784, Wesley responded to this situation by personally ordaining two Methodists as elders for America, with the right to administer the sacraments, and also ordained Thomas Coke (who was already an Anglican priest) as a superintendent with authority to ordain other Methodist clergy . Because Wesley
9660-466: The societies they served. Local preachers pursued secular employment but preached on Sundays in their local communities. Deacons were preachers authorized by a superintendent to officiate weddings, bury the dead, baptize, and assist the elders in administering the Lord's Supper. Only ordained elders could administer the Lord's Supper, and they were also placed in charge of circuits. In the year of its founding,
9765-510: The start of the 19th century occurred on the Delmarva Peninsula , a place that became known as the "Garden of Methodism". Camp meetings were often held simultaneously with Methodist quarterly meetings (circuit business meetings held four times each year). In America, quarterly meetings had already evolved into two-day religious festivals, so it became standard practice for quarterly conferences to make one of their warm-weather sessions
9870-593: The state of Missouri. After the War of 1812 , the Canadian conferences withdrew from the American church to become the Methodist Episcopal Church of Canada . The Presbyterian -led Cane Ridge Revival of 1801 birthed the first definitive camp meeting in American history, and this multi-day revivalistic event would be enthusiastically adopted by the Methodist Episcopal Church. For Methodists, these meetings were important evangelistic tools, but they were often criticized for
9975-628: The time of the births of the three youngest, the United States was in the throes of the Great Depression . In September 1938, mother Delia suffered a stroke and died of a cerebral hemorrhage in May 1941. Nitcholas died of stomach cancer in March 1952. Nitch, who found work in a factory in nearby Elizabeth , was the driving force behind the Drinkard Singers. Following their mother Delia Mae's stroke, Nitch coaxed his four younger children Anne, Nicky, Larry and Cissy to sing sacred hymns to keep
10080-538: The title of superintendent was changed to bishop. Coke's reputation among American Methodists further suffered when his secret negotiations for a union with the Episcopal Church (as American Anglicans now styled themselves) were discovered. Coke had written and met with William White , the Episcopal Church's presiding bishop , discussing the possible lowering of Episcopal ministerial standards,
10185-444: The use of over 5,000 traveling preachers. Stationed preachers and their wives posed problems for the system of class meetings on which Methodist societies were based, and Methodists were noting the decline of the classes by the 1820s. The functions that class meetings and class leaders traditionally provided—discipline and spiritual formation—were taken over by the preacher and his wife. Alternative small group settings were provided by
10290-555: The weekly Christian Advocate , Bangs was the MEC's most visible and influential leader up until the 1860s. Under his watch, the Christian Advocate became the most widely circulated periodical in the world, and the Book Concern was transformed from merely a distributor of British reprints into a full-fledged publishing house providing literature for adults, children, and Sunday schools, as well as producing tracts for
10395-544: The work of the Methodists, attending Methodist meetings and administering the sacraments to Methodists. These included Charles Pettigrew of North Carolina, Samuel Magaw of Dover and then Philadelphia, and Uzel Ogden of New Jersey. Anglican clergyman Devereux Jarratt (1733–1801) was a particularly active supporter, founding Methodist societies in Virginia and North Carolina. The American Revolution severed ties to England and left America's Anglican Church in disarray. Due to
10500-495: The years, continuing to form the basis of Black church worship even today. It has also come to be used in churches of various other cultural traditions (especially within Pentecostalism ) and, via the gospel choir phenomenon spearheaded by Thomas Dorsey , has become a form of musical devotion worldwide. Southern afroamerican gospel groups used all–male, tenor – lead – baritone – bass quartets. Sensational Nightingales ,
10605-489: Was finally elected and consecrated the third bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Since the annual conferences were given geographical boundaries in 1796, they increasingly acted like states, demanding proportional representation in General Conference. Because General Conference met frequently in Baltimore, it was often dominated by the conferences closest to that city, the Philadelphia and Baltimore conferences. At
10710-414: Was formed by African American Methodists in New York City. These groups left over not receiving the prerogatives and standing within the denomination that their white counterparts were given, such as ordination, representation and property ownership. Despite these losses, however, the majority of African American Methodists remained within the MEC. In the 19th century, the Methodist Episcopal Church became
10815-421: Was not a bishop , his ordination of Coke and the others was not recognized by the Church of England, and, consequently, this marked American Methodism's separation from the Anglican Church. Wesley's actions were based in his belief that the order of bishop and priest were one and the same, so that both possess the power to ordain others. The founding conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, known commonly as
10920-436: Was the first to be ordained under this rule. Earlier in 1794, Allen had led other African American members to withdraw from St. George's Church in response to racial discrimination by white church members. Under Allen's leadership and with Asbury's blessing, they founded Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church . Under the leadership of Allen and Daniel Coker , Bethel Church and other African American congregations left
11025-475: Was this new lineup that would perform at the Newport Jazz Festival alongside Mahalia Jackson and Sister Rosetta Tharpe as the first gospel group to perform at the venue in 1954 leading to the release of the album, The Newport Spiritual Stars , followed by another Newport live album in 1957. During this period, they would record several songs and would be seen at concert by Elvis Presley and his manager Col. Tom Parker . Parker failed to convince Lee Warrick to let
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