John T. Pressly's Defense of Exclusive Psalmody

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Backwoods Presbyterian

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[IMGL]http://i39.tinypic.com/v3j0hx.jpg[/IMGL]John T. Pressly was professor of Systematic Theology at Western Theological Seminary (a precursor institution to Pittsburgh Theological Seminary) and a minister in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church.

This work was one of several he wrote defending the ARP position on Psalmody (which the ARP has not held since 1946).

What is unique about this particular book is that it was written as a lengthy review of a treatise defending the use of uninspired hymnody and in doing so it deals with a lot of the common objections to the EP position. It is about 150 pages and I recommend it for your perusal.

“Review of Ralston’s Inquiry into the propriety of using an evangelical Psalmody in the worship of God. 2nd ed. (1848)”

A couple quotations can be found here and here.
 
I love Pressly’s portrait, one of my favorites!

Pressly's work was I think originally published in 1843 in response to Samuel Ralston's 1840 work Inquiry into the Propriety of Using an Evangelical Psalmody in the Worship of God. It is certainly interesting to note how Ralston inadvertently sparked a series of debates on exclusive Psalmody, which obviously favored the EP side in the end (but I'm not biased or anything). Ralston later responded to Pressly in 1844 with A Defense of an Inquiry into the Propriety of Using and Evangelical Psalmody in the Worship of God. George Morton defended Ralston and wrote against Pressly in 1850 with A Review of Dr. Pressly on Psalmody and Robert Dodds responded to Morton in 1851 with A Reply to Morton on Psalmody in which he defends exclusive Psalmody. William Annan also responded later in 1859 and 1866 with two books against exclusive Psalmody, both of which were responses to Pressly I think. Dodds later wrote another fine defense of EP in 1851.
 
For Ben:

From Our Banner, 2.9 (15 September 1875), "Reminiscences of the RP Church in South Carolina, by D. S. Faris:

...Mr. McGarrah’s great-grand children, through this daughter, are yet mostly members of our church. She married Henry Linn, a nephew to the preacher, and a member of the Associate Reformed Church. Eleanor McGarrah, by prudence and holy zeal, secured the return of her husband to the cause of the Covenanters. In an argument about distinctive principles, with the Rev. John Hemphill, she managed the case so well as to compel the preacher to confess that the Covenanters were the best, and the Associate Reformed were next to them. On relating the circumstance to her father, he said, “And why did you not tell him that what is next to the truth, is a great lie?....”

:lol:
 
For Ben:

From Our Banner, 2.9 (15 September 1875), "Reminiscences of the RP Church in South Carolina, by D. S. Faris:

...Mr. McGarrah’s great-grand children, through this daughter, are yet mostly members of our church. She married Henry Linn, a nephew to the preacher, and a member of the Associate Reformed Church. Eleanor McGarrah, by prudence and holy zeal, secured the return of her husband to the cause of the Covenanters. In an argument about distinctive principles, with the Rev. John Hemphill, she managed the case so well as to compel the preacher to confess that the Covenanters were the best, and the Associate Reformed were next to them. On relating the circumstance to her father, he said, “And why did you not tell him that what is next to the truth, is a great lie?....”

:lol:
:rofl:
 
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