Mountain Revival Methods

Baptism, Old Regular Baptist Church 22 cVVhmntain Revival Methods RICHARD A. HUMPHREY REVIVAL METHODS IN VARIOUS FORMS THATHAD THEIR ORIGIN IN THE FAMOUS REVIVALS OFNEARLY TWO CENTURIES AGO ARE STILL USED AS AN IMPORTANT MEANS OF SPREADING "THE WORD" AND OBTAINING CONVERTS IN MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES TODAY ? the Southern Appalachian region religious revivals have had an important place in the hearts of people since the Gasper River Sacramental Revivals of 1796 in Logan County, Kentucky. These early revivals and their methods have an integral place in the mountaineers' way of life, even today. This is illustrated by the fact that as late as 1962, 75% of the people surveyed in this same area thought churches should have more revivals. -^ If one cared to guess as to how many revivals occurred in a given mountain county today, most of us would underestimate how many actually take place. Even if the correct data, were available, it would not actually measure the influence revival methods have in the Southern Appalachian mountains. Revival methods are not limited simply to services that are labeled revivals, the religious settings for revivals are varied. They include sacramental meetings, regular worship services , homecomings, memorial and funeral services, the radio, and Association meetings. Five aspects of revival methods will be examined. These aspects are: (1) religious settings; (2) preaching; (3) prayer styles; (4) singing; (5) theology. The religious settings in which revivals occur have long been overlooked when one thinks of revival methods. Yet in the Appalachian religious heritage the setting is very important. Revivalism in Historical Context The importance of the religious setting is illustrated by James McGready's Great Revival which started in Kentucky in 1796.^ That series of Sacramental meetings held by McGready were not merely times to offer the Lord's Supper to a Presbyterian congregation. It was services in which isolated people could, in many cases, attend a worship service for the first time in years. Many of the people saw the coming of James McGready to Logan County as a time to have their marriages spiritually sanctified, their children baptized, their dead memorialized and their spiritual hunger filled. Accordingly, the people came with many spiritual needs and expectations and James McGready with his CaIvinist tripartite theology of repentance, faith and regeneration met both their needs and expectations. People responded to his call for repentance with an intense conviction of 23 sin. McGready hammered into their hearts a catalog of sins against the Ten Commandments and people fell under conviction of sin. Through his preaching and praying they groveled in humilation, after which they felt the grace of the Holy Spirit fill them with faith in the hope and promise of the Gospel. They knew they had been converted and were being regenerated by the Holy Ghost. By the year 1801 and the famous Cane Ridge Camp Meeting near Paris, Kentucky, word of these extraordinary revivals had spread throughout the mountains . Thousands came to witness these strange and mysterious happenings. Many of them also fell under the conversion theology and the preaching of McGready and his Presbyterian disciples. Baptist farmer preachers and Methodist circuit riders joined these Presbyterian clergy in calling sinners to face the fires of Hell and to see visions of the glory of Heaven. The Camp Meeting lasted four to six day *. People encamped around the meeting place and the preachers and other Christians had an extended period in which to convert the people. The pressure of the extended time period was very effective in bringing about conversions . Very quickly the doctrined preaching of the Presbyterians evolved into the exhortative style of the Baptist and Methodist. Preaching focused more on converting the sinner and less on correct doctrine. The emphasis of the Presbyterians upon conversion taking six months to two years under the guidance of the preacher was replaced by immediate conversion in the "twinkling of an eye." Preaching was now for immediate emotional effect. This preaching style called for personal conversion. Short, rapid, repetitive phrases punctuated with gaspings for breath, praising the Lord with Amens, evolved into a rhythmic chant. This same style was found in the pit before the platform in the camp meetings or on the mourner's bench...