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TO THE CONGREGATIONAL SONG OF SOUTHERN BAPTISTS
A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Musical Arts
by
Nathan Harold Platt December 2004
Copyright 2004 by Platt, Nathan Harold
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THE HYMNOLOGICAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF BASIL MANLY JR.
TO THE CONGREGATIONAL SONG OF SOUTHERN BAPTISTS
Nathan Harold Platt
Read and Approved by:
I
~;J 1~~
Date _ _
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MSL THESES D.M.A . . P697h 0199701886160
the parents I honor,
to Janie Jessee, the woman I love,
andtoJohnathanI~,
the son I cherish
Page
LIST OF EXAMPLES . . . . . viii
PREFACE. . . ix
Chapter 1. PROSPECTUS FOR DISSERTATION . . . 1
Introduction . . . 1
Thesis of the Study Undertaken . . . 1
Statement of the Problem . . . 3
Historical Background . . . . . 5
Definitions . . . .. 9
Primary Sources and Scope . . . . . 10
Secondary Sources . . . .. 16
Overview of the Study . . . .. 21
2. BAPTIST PSALMODY (1850) . . . .. 24
Introduction . . . . . 24
Early Influence of Basil Manly Sr. . . 24
Purpose of The Psalmist (1843) . . . • , 29
Publication and Reception of The Psalmist . . . . . 33
Predecessors to The Baptist Psalmody. . . . . . 37
Call for a "Southern Psalmist". . . .. 39
IV
Commission of the Manlys . . . . . 42
The Manlys' Editorial Values . . . . , 44
Comparison of The Psalmist . . and The Baptist Psalmody Abridgment of Hymns . . . . . Alteration of Texts . . . . Omission of "South em Standards" . 45 47 50 53 Reception of The Baptist Psalmody . . . . . 60
Significance of The Baptist Psalmody . . . " 63 Conclusion . . . . . 65
3. BAPTIST CHORALS (1859) . . . . . 66
Introduction . . . .. 66
Historical Background. . . 67
Intention of the Publication . . . . . 69
Promotion of a Common Repertory . . . . . 70
Preface on Congregational Song. . . 71
Innovations of the Collection. . . . . 75
Innovations of the Arrangement . . . . . 79
Contributions of A. Brooks Everett . . . . . 81
Everett's Preservation of Tunes . . . , . . . .. 84
Everett's Assignment of Tunes . . . . . 86
Everett's Contribution of Tunes . . . .. 88
Manly Jr.'s Contribution of Tunes . . . . . 95
v
Manly Ir.'s Preservation of Texts . . . 98
Conclusion . . . .. 103
4. MANLY'S CHOICE (1891) AND THE CHOICE (1892) . . . 105
Introduction . . . 105
Chronology of Contributions . . . 106
Influences of the Era . . . . . 110
Intentions for the Publication . . . 112
Contents of the Collection. . . .. 120
Dissemination of Historic Hymn Texts . . . . . 123
Employment of Popular Tunes . . . 134
Conclusion . . . . . 148
5. SUMMARY OF CONTRIBUTIONS . . . .. 150
Introduction . . . 150
Denominational Service . . . . . 150
Pioneering Publications . . . 152
Consistent Influence . . . .. 154
Appendix 1. THE BAPTIST PSALMODY (1850) FIRST LINE INDEX. . . . . 157
2. CONTRIBUTORS TO THE BAPTIST PSALMODY(1850) . . . . . 189
3. POPULAR SOUTHERN HYMNS RESTORED IN THE BAPTIST PSALMODY(18S0) . . . . . 192
vi
5. BAPTIST CHORALS (1859)
FIRST LINE INDEX . . . . . . . .. 199 6. BAPTIST CHORALS (1859)
TUNE INDEX . . . .. 210 7 . PREFACE TO THE CHOICE (1892) . . . .. 215 8. THE CHOICE (1982)
FIRST LINE INDEX . . . " 217 9. THE CHOICE (1892)
TUNE INDEX . . . .. 224 10. REPERTORY OF THE CHOICE (1892)
RETAINED IN 20th CENTURY
SOUTHERN BAPTIST HYMNALS . . . .. 231 11. HYMNS TEXTS OF BASIL MANLY JR. . . . . 235 12. HYMN TUNES OF BASIL MANLY JR . . . " 243 BffiLIOGRAPHY . . . .. 255
vu
Example Page
1. Arrangement of Baptist Chorals, TRURO/ZURICH . . . .. 81
2. ZURICH, A. Brooks, Everett . . . .. 89
3. VESPER HYMN, A. Brooks Everett . . . .. 91
4. EUPHRATES, A. Brooks Everett . . . .. 93
5. MANL Y, Anonymous . . . . . 94
6. BASIL, Rigdon M. McIntosh . . . .. 95
7. REMISSION, Basil Manly Jr. . . 96
8. REALMS OF THE BLEST, Basil Manly Jr. . . .. 97
9. GRACE, arr. by W. Howard Doane . . . " 145
to.
ZINZENDORF, Basil Manly Jr. . . .. 14611. WORK, Basil Manly Jr. . . .. 147
viii
As I have had opportunity to research the contributions of Basil Manly Jr., I have been constantly reminded of the rich hyrnnological inheritance I have received and the blessing it has been to me in my journey with the Lord. Many of the historic hymns of the faith that Manly Jr. sought to preserve and disseminate through his hymn collections have enlightened my understanding of God's grace and empowered me to praise Him with greater fervor. I think it only appropriate to thank the Lord for the encouragement I have received from the life and ministry of Basil Manly Jr.
I am also indebted to the many professors who have contributed to my understanding of worship and the various means, aside from the dedication of daily service, through which it may be demonstrated. I am especially grateful for the theological, musical, and practical instruction of Professors Daniel 1. Block, Paul O.
Davidson, John H. Dickson, Donald P. Hustad, Lloyd L. Mims, Tom J. Nettles, and Carl L. Starn. Dr. David L. Gregory has been exceedingly helpful to me in the investigation of primary source material for the dissertation. The initiative to undertake this study was based, in part, upon his master's thesis on Basil Manly Jr.' s principal hymn compilation, The Baptist Psalmody (1850). Lastly, I would like to thank Dr. Esther R Crookshank, who has directed my work on this project. I am grateful to God for her scholarly supervision, steadfast encouragement, devotional example, and gracious character.
The fellowship of believers at Jeffersontown Baptist Church has been an ever- present source of support and respite for me throughout my doctoral program. The
IX
without the faithful prayers, patient endurance, and constant encouragement of my family in the faith. I am thankful for the opportunities they have afforded me to serve and teach at Southern Seminary and abroad. I am especially grateful for their provision of a home, the love they have demonstrated for my wife and son, and their willingness to ordain me for future service as a minister of the Gospel.
None of this work would be possible were it not for the gracious nurture and support of my immediate family. My father and mother have constantly encouraged my endeavors in theological education and musical performance. More significant, however, was the foundation they laid for my faith and the personal commitment to Christ they continue to model for me. My parents-in-law have extended great affection to me and richly blessed my life with the gift of their daughter. My wife, Janie, has been so patient and self-sacrificing during these years of study and ministry. The Lord has blessed me immeasurably with her musical giftedness, gracious service, and dear companionship.
She has also given me my greatest source of earthly joy-our son, Johnathan Isaac.
He is truly God's gift oflaughter to Janie and me.
Finally, I cannot adequately express my gratitude for the Lord's redemption, providence, and enduring love. I would never have considered myself worthy or capable of the service to which I have been called in Christ Jesus. I only pray that He will
provide me with many more days to serve His people, seek His face, and sing His praise.
Louisville, Kentucky December 2004
x
Nathan Harold Platt
PROSPECTUS FOR DISSERTATION Introduction
Numerous individuals contributed to the vitality and diversity of
congregational song among Baptists in the South during the nineteenth century. Hymn collections were compiled by prominent Baptist ministers and church musicians in almost every region of the Southern states and almost every decade of the century. Few of these collections had far-reaching influence on Baptists as a whole, however. Fewer still were the compilers whose ability, influence and interests caused their hymnals to make a lasting impact on the character as well as the quality of Southern Baptist hymnody.
Basil Manly Jr. was one such figure. His influence was consistent throughout the latter half of the nineteenth century and his efforts contributed to nearly every aspect of Southern Baptist congregational song.
Thesis of the Study Undertaken
The intent of this study is to document the contribution of Basil Manly Jr.
to Southern Baptist hymnody. His contributions as a pioneer hymnal compiler, an
advocate of and agent in the development of congregational singing, and a preservationist of hymnody particularly significant to Southern Baptists will be examined in detaiL
Manly Jr.'s most significant contributions to Southern Baptist hymnody came in the form ofthree hymn collections. In 1849, he collaborated with his futher in the
1
compilation of The Baptist Psalmody (1850). It was the ftrst hymnal published specifically for the Southern Baptist Convention and remains the most comprehensive collection of hymns ever produced by Southern Baptists.l Manly Jr. wrote eight original hymn texts while he was at work on the ftnal revision of The Baptist Psalmody. Nine of his texts were included in its repertory.
Manly Jr.'s second contribution to the congregational song of South em Baptists was the hymn and tune book, Baptist Chorals (1859). Published and compiled in collaboration with A. Brooks Everett. it featured numerous innovations that
distinguished it from other hymn and tune books of the day. As well as selecting the hymns that would be included, Manly Jr. contributed two original tunes and an insightful commentary on congregational singing in the preface to Baptist Chorals.
The final collection of Basil Manly Jr., Manly's ChOice, was compiled in 1891.
The second edition with music was published posthumously under the title The Choice (1892). The collection represented Manly Jr.'s "choice" of the most admirable,
evangelical hymns. In light of the proliferation of Sunday school and gospel hymns at the end of the nineteenth century, Manly Jr. feared that the future employment and preservation of traditional hymnody was in jeopardy. In the preface to Manly's Choice (1891), he identified his editorial intent and the repertory he sought to preserve in this final collection.
We cannot afford to lose these old hymns. They are full of the Gospel;
they breathe the deepest emotions of pious hearts in the noblest strains of poetry;
they have been tested and approved by successive generations of those that loved lpaul A. Richardson. "Basil Manly, Jr.: Southern Baptist Pioneer in Hymnody," in Singing Baptists: Studies in Baptist Hymnody in America, ed. Harry Eskew et al. (Nashville: Church Street, 1994), 98.
the Lord; they are the surviving fittest ones from thousands of inferior productions;
they are hallowed by abundant usefulness and tenderest memories.2
Basil Manly Jr. was not merely one among many Southerners who contributed to the field of Southern Baptist hymnody. His pioneering compilations, his personal contribution of texts and tunes, his promotion of hymnody from traditional as well as popular idioms, his life-long advocacy of congregational singing, and his efforts to preserve the hymns of particular significance to Southern Baptists, merit a broader acknowledgement than they have received in the history of Baptist hymnody. This dissertation will seek to demonstrate the breadth of Manly Jr.'s influence and the significance of his contribution.
Statement of the Problem
Although Basil Manly Jr. made a significant contribution to the character, content, and quality of Southern Baptist congregational song, there has been little examination of his achievements. The only detailed discussion of his work in hymnody has been provided by Paul A. Richardson in his article, "Basil Manly Jr.: Southern Baptist Pioneer in Hymnody.,,3 Richardson identifies him as one of the key figures in the development of Southern Baptist hymnody. He provides a succinct summary of his contributions and an introduction to his three hymn collections. However, many further questions remain to be answered; specifically: How did the hymnals of Manly Jr.
compare with other collections of the day? In what ways did they represent
2Basil Manly Jr., Prefuce to Manly's Choice: A New Selection of Approved Hymns for Baptist Churches (Louisville: Baptist Book Concern, 1891), ii.
3Paul A. Richardson, "Basil Manly, Jr.: Southern Baptist Pioneer in Hymnody," Baptist History and Heritage 27 (AprlI1992): 19-30; reprinted in its entirety in Singing Baptists, cited above.
advancements beyond the collections of other Southern compilers? How were his hymnals more comprehensive or more commendable in quality? Did they receive greater acceptance among Southerners than contemporaneous collections?
In addition to a detailed examination of Manly Jr.'s three hymn collections, his contribution as a hymn writer and composer of tunes will be investigated. There has been little if any detailed analysis of his published hymn texts and tunes. The fact that many of them were included in collections by editors of regional and even national note suggests that they were worthy contributions to the Baptist repertory of congregational song. Though only one of Manly Jr.'s texts, "Soldiers of Christ in truth arrayed," appears in the Baptist Hymnal (1991), several others are of equal merit and deserve consideration for reintroduction to the repertory of Southern Baptists.4
Finally, Basil Manly Jr. passionately encouraged those who employed his hymnals in public worship to invest their religious energies and spiritual discernment in the betterment of congregational song. He employed the prefaces of two of his hymnals as pulpits from which to articulate the danger of apathy in congregational singing, the spiritual capability of song, the necessity of new hymns for the growth of godly worship, and yet the need for the preservation ofhistonc hymns. Many of his letters and
unpublished documents further articulate the spiritual discernment he possessed with respect to authentic Christian worship and the role of hymnody in it. The examination of these documents will challenge those charged with the leadership of worship in our day to celebrate the past, contribute to the future, and strive for excellence in all things.
4Basil Manly Jr., "Soldiers of Christ in truth arrayed," in The Baptist Hymnal, ed. Wesley L. Forbis (Nashville: Convention Press, 1991),574.
Histori«::sl Bs«::kgrmmd
Although his principal vocation was not that of a hymn compiler or composer, Basil Manly Jr.'s contributions to the field were consistent throughout his lifetime.
Even the most cursory catalogue of his work in hymnody reveals that his efforts in the compilation and promotion of congregational song exceeded those of most of his Baptist contemporaries. He developed an appreciation for hymnody and the significance of congregational singing from an early age. His father pastored the First Baptist Church of Charleston, South Carolina, from 1826 to 1837. There, the spiritual foundation of the younger Manly's faith was laid, just as his paradigm for corporate worship was developed, in the congregational experiences in which his father led. Many of the elder Manly's sermon manuscripts contain or refer to hymn texts he had carefully selected to create a poignant conclusion to his sermon and the worship service.s This keen appreciation for the association of preaching and congregational singing was carried on in the ministry of Manly Jr. and expressed eloquently in the following words from his preface to Baptist Chorals (1859).
Good singing is a powerful auxiliary to preaching. When burning words and living thoughts have come from the sacred desk, and impressed themselves upon the mind, how is the effect heightened if, with melody pliantly adapting itself to all the turns and graces of sentiment, kindred thoughts float upon the charmed air, and memory takes up the echo of the sounds and of the ideas, to cherish them with fond admiration! 6
During his ministry at the prominent First Baptist Church of Charleston,
SRichardson, "Basil Manly, Jr.: Southern Baptist Pioneer in Hymnody," in Singing Baptists, 95.
~asil Manly Jr., Preface to Baptist Chorals: A Tune and Hymn Book Designed to Promote General Congregational Singing; Containing One Hundred and Sixty10ur Tunes, Adapted to about Four Hundred Choice Hymns, compo Basil Manly Jr. and A Brooks Everett (Richmond: T.J. Starke and Company, 1859), ill.
Basil Manly Sr. became a celebrated pastor, preacher and Southern statesman. His appointment to the presidency of the University of Alabama in 1837 created an unusual opportunity for his young son to commence undergraduate education. In spite of his father's reluctance, Basil Jr. was pennitted to enroll in the University at the age of fourteen. Four years later he graduated as valedictorian of his class.
In 1844, Manly Jr. embarked upon graduate studies in theology at Newton Theological Institution. Following the separation of Southern Baptists from their Northern counterparts in 1845, he transferred to Princeton Theological Seminary. Only a short time after his graduation from Princeton in 1847, Manly Jr. demonstrated his unusual intelligence, artistic discernment, and spiritual maturity in his work on the compilation of Baptist Psalmody (1850). The latter was the first collection of hymns published by the Southern Baptist Publication Society. Although Dr. Manly Sr. served as the chief editor of Baptist Psalmody, he acknowledged that the bulk of its preparation had been accomplished by his son, to whom he entrusted its fmal revision in the summer of 1850.7
Manly Jr.'s next contribution to the field of Baptist hymnody came in 1859 with the publication of Baptist Chorals. Hymnals published in America through the mid- nineteenth century generally contained texts alone. Such had been the case with Baptist Psalmody and The Psalmist (1843). Baptist Chorals contained tunes and was designed as a tune supplement for either The Psalmist or Baptist Psalmody, which Manly Jr.
7Basil Manly Jr., letter to W. E. Schenck, 26 December 1877; quoted by Joseph Powhatan Cox,
"An Examination ofthe Life and Work of Basil Manly Jr." (Th.D. thesis, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1954),78.
identified as "the two books most extensively used in the Baptist churches of the United States."g Its common repertory, gleaned from both books, made it readily adaptable to either collection. Its contents oP'about four hundred choice hymns" were almost all gleaned from the massive repertories of The Psalmist and Baptist Psaimody.9 This design not only increased the book's market appeal among Baptists nationwide, but encouraged the reconciliation of Baptist congregations in opposing regions of the country prior to the outbreak of the Civil War.
Baptist Chorals accomplished more than the solidification of a common repertory, however. The collection was unique among Southern tunebooks of the day in its presentation of tunes. Each opening offered two tunes; an old and new tune of identical meter were featured on opposing pages with one to three texts of similar sentiment set forth on each page. The texts and tunes displayed at any opening allowed for endless combinations in congregational singing. One hundred sixty-four tunes complemented over four hundred texts, allowing the collection to be used as a hymnal for congregational worship by itself. Thus, Baptist Chorals employed innovations that surpassed those of any other Southern hymnal of its era.
During the next thirty years Manly Jr. compiled no other collections but exerted significant influence on Baptist congregational song in other ways. He oversaw the publication of two songbooks for the fledgling Southern Baptist Sunday School Board. He contributed to the consulting committee of two prominent Baptist hymnals including The Baptist Hymnal (1883), the first publication jointly compiled by Baptists
SManly Jr., Preface to Baptist Chorais, ii 'ibid.
of the North and South since the end of the Civil War. Manly Ir.'s hymn texts and tunes were published throughout the latter half of the nineteenth century by leading American hymnal editors such as W. H. Doane, R. M. McIntosh, and Robert Lowry. Charles Haddon Spurgeon even included one of Manly Iro's texts in his hymnal, Our Own Hymn Book (l866). Lastly, Manly Jr. advised the prominent English hymnologist, Henry Burrage, in the compilation of Baptist Hymns and Hymn Writers (1888). The latter still serves as the comprehensive catalogue of Baptist contributions to hymnody in the English language.
Much of the final year, and especially the latter months, of Basil Manly Ir.'s life were focused on the dissemination of historic hymnody to the Southern Baptist congregations he loved. In 1891, the compendium called Manly's Choice was published with the hope of abating the "rage for novelties in singing" that was "driving out of use the old, precious, standard hymns." 10 The collection featured texts Manly Jr. identified as those that had been "tested and approved by successive generations of those who loved the Lord."ll He attributed their survival to the superiority of their content, their usefulness, and their ability to evoke the deepest spiritual sentiments. It is of interest that many of these hymns have retained their popularity among Southern Baptists of the twentieth century. The Baptist Hymnal (1991) includes more than fifty of the same titles as Manly's Choice.
In 1892, Basil Manly Jr. produced a musical volume entitled, The Choice. It contained what he identified as "the best of all the old, solid, standard hymns which have
l<Manly Jr., Preface to Manly's Choice, ii.
IJlbid.
been proved by experience, and often consecrated by tenderest associations.,,12 Six of the tunes were of his creation. Five of them were composed specifically for inclusion in The Choice. Manly Jr. offered the following disclaimer concerning his musical contributions:
"In a few cases, to meet an apparent necessity, the editor has inserted music of his own composition. for which he asks a lenientjudgment.,,13 However, his humility was unmerited, as is evidenced by the fact that numerous Baptist editors published his tunes in collections of their own. Thus, the final days of Basil Manly Jr.' s life were invested in the contribution of commendable and original hymnody to the repertory of Southern Baptist congregational song.
Definitions
The names of several institutional entities call for explanation here. The Southern Baptist Convention was founded in 1845, at the request of the Virginia Baptist Foreign Mission Society. Southern slaveholders had been denied sponsorship in mission work by the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society. Representatives from eight slave-holding states met in Augusta, Georgia, in May, 1845, and resolved to separate from Northern Baptists for "the express purpose of. . . the promotion of foreign and domestic missions.,,14 Basil Manly Sr. played a central role in the events that led to the convention's founding and was elected the first President of the Board of Domestic Missions of the Southern Baptist Convention.
12Basil Manly Jr., Preface to The Choice: A New Selection of Approved Hymnsfor Baptist Churches with Music (Louisville: Baptist Book Concern, 1892), it
13Ibid., iii.
14Minutes of the Southern Baptist Convention, 1845; quoted by Cox, "A Study of the Life and Work of Basil Manly Jr.," 60.
Shortly after its founding, the convention began to organize its mission activity in the South by establishing the Southern Baptist Publication Society (1847).
The primary objective of this society was to publish and distribute such books as were needed by the Baptist denomination in the South, including a hymn collection created specifically for Southern Baptist congregations.IS The publication society secured the services of Basil Manly Sr. and his son in the compilation of the first Southern Baptist hymnal, Baptist Psalmody (1850).
The Southern Baptist Sunday School Board was established in 1863, due, in part, to the ambitious vision of Basil Manly Jr. He first set forth this vision in a sermon entitled, "A Sunday School in Every Baptist Church," which was delivered before the Baptist General Association of Virginia in 1852. His leadership in the Virginia Baptist Sunday School and Publication Society (established in 1853) eventually led to the coordination of educational efforts among Baptist churches in all the states of the South.
He served as the first president of the Sunday School Board from 1863 to 1867. Among the resources produced under his supervision during the first year of the Board's
existence were The Little Sunday School Hymn Book (1863) and The Confoderate Sunday School Hymnal (1863).16
Primary Sources and Scope
The three Baptist hymnals for which Basil Manly Jr. was directly responsible
15Homer L. Grice, "Southern Baptist Publication Society (Charleston, S.C., 1847-63),"
Encyclopedia of Southern Baptists, ed. Norman Wade Cox (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1958), 1266.
16C. J. Elford, ed., The Corifederate Sunday School Hymnal (Greenville: Sunday School Board, Southern Baptist Convention, 1863); idem, The Little Sunday School Book (Greenville: Sunday School Board, Southern Baptist Convention, 1863).
were Baptist Psalmody (1850), Baptist Chorals (1859), and Manly's Choice (1891) or The Choice (1892), as it was entitled in its second edition with music. This dissertation discusses each of the hymnals in varying degrees of detail. Information contained in the appendixes of this dissertation includes the complete contents of each compilation as well as analytical data related to their contents. In addition, this work examines some of Manly Jr.' s prose and poetic writings that have particular significance within the scope of Southern Baptist hymnody. The preface to Baptist Chora/s represents the first critical essay on congregational song by a Southern Baptist. The preface to Manly's Choice is also informative with respect to the compilation of commendable hymnals.
Representative hymn texts and tunes of Manly Jr. are discussed in each chapter.
Though a principal purpose for the compilation of Baptist Psalmody was
"to supply hymns for any liturgical function and on any Scripture or topic that a preacher might address," the Manlys also sought to include in this collection hymns of significance to Southern Baptist congregations.I7 The editors of The Psalmist (1843)--the leading Baptist hymnal in the North~-had received considerable criticism for their exclusion of hymns in the folk idiom. The Manlys articulated their intent to recover for the churches this neglected repertory in an advertisement of the anticipated hymnal: "The undersigned propose to publish a Hymn Book adapted to the use of Baptist Churches in the South. We design it to contain unaltered, the old hymns, precious to the children of God by long use, and familiarized to them in many a season of perplexity and temptation
17Richardson, "Basil Manly, Jr.," 98.
as well as spiritualjoy.,,18
This study identifies and discusses some of the hymns that had been altered in or omitted from The Psalmist. With regard to the comprehensive content of Baptist Psalmody, three appendixes are included in this dissertation. Appendix 1 contains the index of first lines including author attributions. Appendix 2 tabulates the contributions of leading hymn text writers such as Watts, Wesley. and Newton with particular attention given to Baptist contributors including Benjamin Beddome, Anne Steele, and Basil Manly Jr. himself. Appendix 3 lists the hymns omitted from The Psalmist and included in The Baptist Psalmody that were regionally favored among Southern Baptists. This list of hymns was compiled through comparative analysis of the contents of the six most significant Southern hymn collections published prior to 1850. The analysis also identified more than two dozen hymns that were so widely published in Baptist hymn collections they may be recognized as "standards" in the mid-nineteenth century repertory of Southern Baptist hymnody. These hymns are identified in Appendix 3.
Baptist Chorals (1859) featured a number of innovations in hymnal design each of which will be discussed in detail in Chapter 3. Manly Jr.'s second collection will also be examined with particular attention to its textual content. It appears that his interest in the preservation of popular Southern hymnody remained of central
significance in the compilation of Baptist Chorals. In a letter to his parents dated April, 1857, Manly Jr. wrote, "How would it answer to gather up out rot] old collecs. rot] ch.
ISB. Manly and B. Manly, Jr., "A New Hymn Book," The Alabama Baptist, October 31,1849, p. 2; reprinted. by Donald Clark Measels, "A Catalog of Source Readings in Southern Baptist Church Music: 1828-1890," 2 vols., vol. 2, "Source Readings" (D.M.A. diss., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1986), 152-53.
music the best of our old favorites and publish them with such a title as this 'Good Old Tunes--a Collection ofSaOfed Masie [sic] the favorites melodies [sic] of our fathers;
selected & arranged by B. M. Jr. ",19 Appendix 4 features the introduction and musical preface to Baptist Chorals. Two additional appendixes present data pertinent to the analysis of the collection. Appendix 5 contains a complete list of the contents of Baptist Chorals, featuring first lines of hymn texts, references to their location in The Psalmist (1843) and The Baptist Psalmody (1850), and author attributions. Appendix 6 identifies , the tune assignments as well as the composer or source of their origin.
Basil Manly Jr.'s passion for the dissemination of historic evangelical
hymnody culminated in the compilation of Manly's Choice (1891) just prior to his death in January of 1892. He feared that the popularity and proliferation of gospel songs in the late nineteenth century might lead to the exclusion of historic hymnody among the Southern Baptist generations to come. Manly Jr. set forth his concerns in the preface to his final collection The following passage is representative.
For some years it has been apparent that the rage for novelties in singing, especially in our Sunday-schools, has been driving out of use the old, precious, standard hymns. They are not memorized as of old. They are scarcely sung at all.
They are not even contained in the undenominational [sic] sontbooks which in many churches have usurped the place of our old hymn books.
This dissertation answers a number of questions with respect to the final compilation of Basil Manly Jr. What were the hymnals of greatest significance prior to the publication of Manly's Choice (1891) and its musical edition, The Choice (1892)7
I~asil Manly Jr., letter to Basil Manly Sr. and Sarah Manly, 10 April 1857 (press Books, Manly Papers, Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives); quoted by Richardson, "Basil Manly, Jr.," 101.
20Manly Jr., Preface to Manly '8 Choice, iL
What effect did the gospel song movement have upon the congregational singing of Southern Baptists in the late nineteenth century? How did the contents of Manly Jr.'s fmal collections compare with the hymnals of his day? Do their contents contain what Basil Manly Jr. believed to be the essential repertory of historic evangelical hymnody?
Appendix 7 features the preface to The Choice. Appendix 8 catalogues the contents of The Choice, including an index of first lines, references to the hymns' location in The Baptist Psalmody (1850) and Baptist Chorals (1859), and author attributions. Appendix 9 lists the tunes contained in The Choice and the composer or source to which Manly Jr. attributed them. Appendix 10 identifies the hymn texts and tunes contained in The Choice that were retained in the repertories of the most recent denominational hymnals: The Broadman Hymnal (1940) and The Baptist Hymnal (1956), The Baptist Hymnal (1972), and The Baptist Hymnal (1991).
In addition to examining the three collections of hymns produced by Basil Manly Jr. this dissertation will discuss his critical essays on congregational song. The preface to Baptist Chorals provides an appraisal of congregational singing among Southern Baptists in the mid-nineteenth century. It also outlines principles that must be employed if the practice of congregational singing in worship is to succeed. The preface to The Choice sets forth Manly Jr. 's philosophy for the compilation of commendable hymnals.
The final category of contribution to be considered in this dissertation is that of original hymn texts and tunes. Nearly half of Manly Jr. 's known hymn texts were included in Baptist Psalmody. Five additional texts that have never been published, were written while Manly Jr. was engaged in the fmal revisions of the first Southern
Baptist hymnal. They, and four of the nine included in the hymnal, are contained in "Fmgments of Thought, No. 19"-journal entries from Iune 5 & 10, 1850,21
A few other texts of Manly Ir. were published independently in various hymnals throughout the latter half of the nineteenth century. One text not featured in a Southern Baptist hymnal until 1975 was "Soldiers of Christ in Truth Arrayed."
Written for the first commencement service of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. "Soldiers of Christ in truth arrayed" has been sung at every commencement service since 1860.22 Manly Ir.'s most widely published text, "Work for the Day Is Coming," was produced near the end ofrus lengthy tenure at Southern Seminary, and first published by Robert Lowry and W. H. Doane in The Glad Refrain/or Sunday
&hool (1886).23 The latter two texts, the texts contained in The Baptist Psalmody, and one unpublished text by Basil Manly Jr. have been transcribed below and are featured in Appendix 11.
With respect to hymn tunes, Basil Manly Jr. composed two specifically for the inclusion in Baptist Chorals. Two tunes composed by others in his honor were also featured in the collection. Each of these tunes is discussed in Chapter 3 of the dissertation. In 1863 Manly Jr. became the first president of the Southern Baptist Sunday School Board. Toward the end ofrus tenure as president, the Sunday School Board published Kind Words (1871). It contained four of Manly Jr. tunes and a single text
21Basil Manly Jr., "Fragments of Thought" (Manly Papers, South Carolina Baptist Historical Society, n. p., 1850).
22Cox, "An Examination of the Life and Work of Basil Manly Jr.," 174.
23Robert Lowry and W. Howard Doane, The Glad Refrain for Sunday School: A New Collection of Songs for Worship (New York Bigelow & Main, 1886).
that Paul A. Richardson suggests could be his.24 Two of Manly Jr.' s tunes were written in 1871 and 1881, respectively. and set to texts of Frances Ridley Havergal. Six original compositions were featured in his final compilation, The Choice (1892). The tunes that were published in Baptist Chorals and The Choice are presented below in Appendix 12 of the dissertation.
Secondary Sources
Baptist Hymn Writers and Their Hymns. by Henry S. Burrage, remains the authoritative text on historical Baptist hymnody in spite of its early publication (1888).25 In addition to its brief biographical entry on Basil Manly Jr., the work is significant in that Manly Jr. advised the author in its compilation. A letter from Burrage to Manly Jr.'s life-long friend and colleague at Southern Seminary, John A. Broadus, relates the assistance Manly Jr. afforded the author in his research.26
Joseph Powhatan Cox's Th.D. thesis from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary entitled "A Study of the Life and Work of Basil Manly Jr." (1954) is the only comprehensive biography of Manly Jr. Cox was a pioneer in the acquisition and examination of original documents relating to Basil Manly Jr. His dissertation provides a wealth of interesting information that is critical to an understanding of Manly
2"The unattributed text "We are going home" is set to Manly's tune, THE LAND WHERE JESUS DWELLS. Manly's authorship is suggested due to the repetition of the tune title throughout the text. Richardson, "Basil Manly, Jr.," 110 n. 53.
2SHemy S. Burrage, Baptist Hymn Writers and Their Hymns (portland, ME: Brown Thurston
& Company, 1888).
4Iemy S. Burrage, letter to John A. Broadus, 25 October 1886 (John A. Broadus Papers, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY).
Jr.'s motivations in life and miniStry.27
The master's thesis entitled "American Baptist Hymnody from 1640 to 1850,"
written at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1948 by Jessee Howard Cates, provides a detailed discussion of the hymn collections that preceded the publication of The Baptist Psalmody. 28 Though the first Southern Baptist hymnal is only mentioned at the end of the dissertation, a comprehensive knowledge of its predecessors makes possible a historically-informed assessment of the significance of The Baptist Psalmody in comparison to other Southern Baptist collections of the era.
David L. Gregory's substantial thesis, "Psalmody in the Mid-Nineteenth Century Southern Baptist Tradition" (1987) from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary also describes the hymn collections that preceded The Baptist Psalmody.29 Its fundamental interest however, is in the identification and analysis of the various kinds of psalmody within this extensive collection. Gregory's study provides general historical information on both Basil Manly Jr. and his father. It also features a detailed discussion of The Psalmist--including criticism it received from hymn scholars and Southerners alike--as well as a chronology of the events that led to the publication of The Baptist Psalmody. Finally, the thesis contains information regarding the acceptance and distribution of the Manlys' compilation among Southern Baptists.
Volume 2 of Donald Clark Measels' n.M.A. dissertation of 1986 from
27Joseph Powhatan Cox, "A Study of the Life and Work of Basil Manly Jr." (Th.D. thesis, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1954).
28Jessee Howard Cates, "American Baptist Hymnody from 1640 to 1850" (M.S.M. thesis, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1948).
2'navid Louis Gregory, "Psalmody in the Mid-Nineteenth Century Southern Baptist Tradition"
(M.C.M. thesis, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1987).
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, "A Catalog of Source Readings in Southern Baptist Church Music 1828-1890," contains transcriptions of letters and editorials that were first printed in Baptist state publications.3o Many of these commentaries clearly articulate the dissatisfaction that was apparent among Baptists of the South prior to the publication of Baptist Psalmody. Some entries identify the insufficiencies of regional collections such as Mercer's Cluster, Dossey's The Choice, and The Baptist Hymn Book by William C. Buck. A substantial number of letters and editorials are included that relate to both The Psalmist and Baptist Psalmody. Most significantly, the inquiries in the Alabama Baptist that eventually led to the publication of the first Southern Baptist hymnal have been transcribed in their entirety.
Irvin H. Murrell's dissertation from New Orleans Baptist Theological
Seminary of 1994, entitled "An Examination of Southern Ante-Bellum Baptist Hymnals and Tunebooks," provides a wealth of information on the worship practices of early American Baptists in the South.31 In particular, his work seeks to identify the hymn texts and tunes of greatest popularity among first-generation Southern Baptists. The comprehensive nature of his work as a comparative study of hymnals surpasses the scope of this work. However, the Southern hymnals examined in this dissertation figure
prominently in his study. Moreover, many of the hymn texts and tunes this dissertation identifies as "standards" in the earliest Southern Baptist repertory of congregational song are also identified by Murren as ''valid indicators of the congregational repertories
3000nald Clark Measels, "A Catalog of Source Readings in Southern Baptist Church Music:
1828-1890," 2 vols. (D.M.A. diss., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1986).
3iIrvin H. Murrell, Jr., "An Examination of Southern Ante-Bellum Baptist Hymnals and Tunesbooks as Indicators of the Congregational Hymn and Tune Repertories of the Period with an Analysis of Representative Tunes" (D.M.A. diss., New Orleans Theological Seminary, 1994),
of the period ...
Richard Wayne Rose's dissertation (1991) from Southwestern Baptist Thoological Seminary on The Psalmist is the most comprehensive study to date of the historic hymnaL33 Every aspect of the compilation is examined in detail. Rose's inclusion of numerous excerpts from the preface of The Psalmist, as well as reviews it received in both the North and South, greatly facilitated the comparison of that hymnal with The Baptist Psalmody in this dissertation. Rose's detailed analysis of contents-- including the identification of authors, sources, and specific texts included in The Psalmist and its Supplement by Fuller and Jeter--was especially helpful in the examination of The Baptist Psalmody and its repertory of hymns.
Several articles in Baptist History and Heritage contain valuable information on the history of South em Baptist hymnody and the role of Basil Manly Jr. in particular.
"Use and Influence of Hymnals in Southern Baptist Churches Up to 1915," by Harry Eskew, provides a concise yet comprehensive chronology of the events, individuals and specific hymn collections that shaped the congregational song of early Southern Baptists.34 Eskew was the first hymnologist to address the consistent influence of Basil Manly Jr. on the early history of Southern Baptist hymnody.
"Baptist Hymnody in America" by William 1. Reynolds provides a succinct overview of the contributions of Baptists to the history and repertory of American
32Murrell, "An Examination of Southern Ante-Bellum Baptist Hymnals and Tl.Illebooks," 2.
33Ricbard Wayne Rose, "The Psalmist: A Significant Hymnal for Baptists in America during the Nineteenth Century" (D.MA diss., Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1991).
34Hany Eskew, "Use and Influence of Hymnals in Southern Baptist Churches Up to 1915,"
Baptist History and Heritage 21 (July 1986): 21-30.
hymnody.35 His discussion includes the events, hymnals, and men whose interaction and influence led to the publication of The Baptist Psalmody. It also mentions Manly Jr.' s final contribution, The Choice, and the era of gospel hymnody in which he hoped it would make a preservational impact. Reynold's article affords as infonnative an introduction to American Baptist hymnody as any that has been written and it is one of the first to give reasonable attention to the contributions of Basil Manly Jr.
Paul A. Richardson has been the only other Baptist hymnologist to
acknowledge the significance of Basil Manly Jr. for Southern Baptist hymnody. His article "Basil Manly. Jr.: Southern Baptist Pioneer in Hymnody" in Baptist History and Heritage, is remarkably comprehensive in its discussion of Manly Jr.'s hymnological contributions. 36 Moreover, its bibliographic notes are replete with references to original source material. The catalogue of Manly Ir.'s contributions in this dissertation has been based in large part upon Richardson's article.
Esther R. Crookshank's article "'The Minister and His Hymn-Book': John A. Broadus as Hymnologist," acknowledges the important, indirect influence of Basil Manly Jr. in the development ofhymnological studies at The Southern Baptist
Theological Seminary.37 Broadus's inclusion of hymnology in his course on homiletics
3SWiUiam J. Reynolds, "Baptist Hymnody in America," in Handbook to the Baptist Hymnal (Nashville: Convention Press, 1992),30-54.
36paul A. Richardson, "Basil Manly, Jr.: Southern Baptist Pioneer in Hymnody," Baptist History and Heritage 27 (April 1992): 19-30.
37Esther R. Crookshank, "'The Minister and His Hymn-book': John A. Broadus as
Hymnoiogist," in We Praise Thee with Our Minds, ed. Michael J. Raley and Deborah Loftis (forthcoming).
was the first course offering of its kind in any American theological institution. In his syllabus for the course, he commended Manly Jr.' s final hymn compilation, defending its preservationist aim and accomplishment. The common interests and collegial friendship of Broadus and Manly Jr. helped to lay the foundation for future studies in church music at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Finally, Singing Baptists: Studies in Baptist Hymnody in America by leading Baptist hymnologists Paul A. Richardson, Harry Eskew, and David W. Music provides a broad understanding of the cultural milieu of which Basil Manly Jr. was an integral part. 38 A revised version of Paul Richardson's article on Manly Jr. in Baptist History and Heritage is featured in Singing Baptists. Harry Eskew's article, "Use and Influence of Hymnals in Southern Baptist Churches Up to 1915" of July 1986, appears in Singing Baptists in its original form.
Overview of the Study
Chapter 1 serves as an introduction to the dissertation. The three hymn
compilations of Basil Manly Jr. are then provided with individual consideration. Chapter 2 begins with a brief biographical sketch of Basil Manly Jr.'s childhood and education.
Particular attention is given to the spiritual influence of Basil Manly Sr. on his son and to the intellectual capabilities of Manly Jr. The remainder of the chapter focuses on The Baptist Psalmody. Its immediate predecessor, The Psalmist, and the events that led to its publication are discussed. The purpose for the latter discussion is to clarify the sentiment among Southern Baptists that a hymnal appropriate to their own cultural identity was
38Harry Eskew, David W. Music, and Paul A. Richardson, Singing Baptists: Studies in Baptist Hymnody in America (Nashville: Church Street Press, 1994).
required. The Baptist Psalmody was commissioned and compiled in response to prevailing Southern sentiment. Its arrangement, contents, and acceptance among Southern Baptists are all analyzed with the intent of determining its significance in the history of American Baptist hymnody.
Chapter 3 addresses Baptist Chorals and Manly Ir.'s collaboration with A.
Brooks Everett. Detailed attention is given to Manly Jr. 's vision and intention for the compilation. Its arrangement and innovations are examined in detail. Its contents of 424 texts and 164 tunes are compared with other collections of the day. Selections from among its contents are examined with greater specificity. In particular, the texts and tunes of Basil Manly Jr. as well as the musical contributions of A. Brooks Everett are afforded considerable discussion.
The fmal compilation of Basil Manly Jr. is discussed in Chapter 4. The chapter begins with a chronological outline of Manly Jr.'s contributions to Southern Baptist hymnody in the years that preceded his compilation of Manly's Choice. The hymnals of greatest significance to Southern Baptist hymnody in the late nineteenth century and the far-reaching effects of the gospel hymn movement are briefly discussed.
The remainder of the chapter focuses on Manly Jr.' s final compilation. Personal
correspondence contained in the Press Books of his letters sheds light on his zeal for this final endeavor.39 The preface of The Choice is analyzed with respect to Basil Manly Jr. 's philosophy for hymnal compilation. The contents of the collection are discussed in detail and particular attention is given to Manly Jr.'s preservation of historic evangelical
3~asil Manly Jr., Press Books (Manly Papers, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Archives).
hymnody for its dissemination among subsequent generations of Southern Baptists.
The final chapter of the dissertation presents a brief historical overview of the life and contributions of Basil Manly Jr. and the conclusions of the study. It seeks to substantiate the central thesis of this dissertation that Manly Jr.'s influence on Southern Baptist hymnody--both at its inception and throughout his lifetime--surpassed that of the majority of his contemporaries. He deserves greater historical recognition than he has received. Southern Baptists of the present day will certainly benefit from the reintroduction of his texts and tunes as well as the wisdom of his writings on excellence in congregational song.
BAPTIST PSALMODY (1850)
Introduction
Basil Manly Jr. was born on December 19, 1825 to Basil Manly Sr. and Sarah Mary Rudolph in Edgefield County, North Carolina. His father, a Baptist pastor, had been serving in the region since 1822. Shortly after the birth of their first son, the family moved to Charleston, South Carolina where Manly Sr. assumed the pastorate of the historic First Baptist Church. Basil Jr.'s childhood was spent in Charleston, where he benefited from the sole attention of his parents. He was the only child bom to Basil Manly Sr. and Sarah that survived during a period of nearly twelve years.l As a result, a deep bond of devotion developed between him and his parents that was retained throughout their lifetimes. Basil Manly Sr. spent his final years at the home of his
son in Greenville, South Carolina, where he died in December of 1868.
Early Influence of BasH Manly Sr.
Basil Jr. received his elementary education in Charleston at the Sabbath School of the First Baptist Church. Apart from his early fonnal education in Charleston, Manly Jr. benefited from the personal tutelage of his father. According to his biographer. Joseph
IJoseph Powhatan Cox, "A Study of the Life and Work of BasH Manly Jr." (Th.D. thesis, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1954), 22.
24
Powhatan Cox, "the vigilant shepherding and eloquent preaching of his father made an endwing impression upon [his] fresh, young life.',2 The early impact of his father can be identified in at least three ways. With respect to his father's influence on his cognitive development, Manly Jr. wrote later,
I can remember how he [Basil Manly Sr.] used to accustom me, in my boyhood, to give an account of sennons and lectures that I had heard--to do this off-hand and with as much fullness and detail as was practicable. The expectation of having to do this aided to form the habit of listening to a speaker in such a way as to co- ordinate his thoughts while he was proceeding, so as to recall them readily in their connection and to appreciate their bearing on the main point which was to be proved or impressed.3
Secondly, the sermons of Basil Manly Sr. contributed to his son's appreciation for the complementary association of preaching and hymnody. Manly's sermon
manuscripts refer to hymns he thought appropriate for congregational response at the conclusion of corporate worship. Thus, the early worship experiences in which Basil Jr.
took part, demonstrated a thoughtful approach to hymn selection.4 Finally, the sennons of Manly Sr. undoubtedly laid the spiritual foundation upon which Basil Jr. made his own profession of faith in Christ at the age of fourteen.
The preaching ministry of Basil Manly Sr. also made an impact upon Baptists of the South at large. His reputation among South Carolinians was such that he was considered as a candidate for the presidency of the University of South Carolina in 1835.
Though the opportunity to serve his alma mater did not come to fruition, only two years
2Ibid.,25.
3Louise Manly. The Manly Family: An Account of the Descendants of Captain Basil Manly of the Revolution and Related Families (Greenville, SC: Keys Printing Co., 1930),84-85.
4Paul A. Richardson, "Basil Manly, Jr.: Southern Baptist Pioneer in Hymnody," Baptist History and Heritage 28 (April 1992); 20.
passed before he was elected as the president of the University of Alabama.
The Manly family moved to Tuscaloosa in 1837 where Basil Jr. completed his secondary education at the age ofthirteen. Despite his youth, the Manlys' eldest son demonstrated unusual promise for pursuing an undergraduate education at the university.
Dr. Joshua H. Foster, a Baptist minister and academic colleague of Basil Manly Sr.
described the intellectual prowess and personal maturity of Basil Jr. in the following testimony.
When I first saw Basil Manly Jr.--in his thirteenth year-he possessed as many of the elements of an young gentleman as can generally be claimed at the age of twenty. Intelligent, unobtrusive, calm and self possessed in any company, he knew when to be silent, when to speak, what to say, and how to say it, better than many of his superiors in age and stature.5
Basil Manly Sr. considered retaining his son in a year of private study with the intent of allowing him to enter the university at a more advanced age. Reluctantly, however, he deferred to the desires of his son, and prayed with respect to the boy's educational advancement, "May God preserve and succeed him.,,6 Manly Jr. enrolled at the University of Alabama in the fall of 1839 and proved himself to be exemplary among his peers. He received high marks throughout the four-year curriculum which entailed extensive study in English composition, French. Greek, and Latin, as well as course work in history, rhetoric, the natural sciences, natural and moral philosophy - the latter two subjects being taught by his father. Basil Jr. completed the requisites of his program and graduated as valedictorian of his class in 1843 at the age of eighteen.
5Joshua H. Foster, "Dr. Manly as a Young Man," The Seminary Magazine 5, no. 6 (March 1892): 316-17; quoted by Cox, "A Study of the Life and Work of Basil Manly Jr.," 31.
"Diary of Basil Manly Sr., (1834-1846), January 8, 1840, 173; quoted by Cox, "A Study ofthe Life and Work of Basil Manly Jr.," 32.
Wanting to embark immediately upon a graduate education in theology, the young scholar entrusted his future to the discernment of his father. Manly Sr. consulted with long-time friend and chairman of theology at Mercer University, Dr. John L. Dagg.
The two men detennined that Basil Jr. should attend Newton Theological Institution near Boston "to provide him with the best preparation available--none comparable being available in the South."7 Newton had existed as a theological extension of Columbian College in Washington, D. C. since 1825.8 Transplanted to Newton Centre, Massachusetts, at the request of the Massachusetts Baptist Educational Society, it became the first American Baptist educational institution to be devoted exclusively to a three-year curriculum for college graduates. 9
Basil Manly Jr. "loved his home with an intense affection."l0 So it was with considerable mental anguish that he left the comfort of his parents' company and set out for Newton in the summer of 1844. He planned his journey to Massachusetts such that he could visit relatives in North Carolina along the way and thereby quell his longing for home. He also exercised his recently-acquired license as a minister of the gospel in preaching "wherever opportunity was offered."ll After two months of travel on
7Jonathan A. Lindsey, "Basil Manly: Nineteenth Century Protean Man," Baptist History and Heritage 8 (July 1973): 137.
8Basil Manly Sr.'s influence in the South is evident in the fact that he was instrumental in the founding and development of numerous academic institutions including Furman University, Mercer University, Judson College, Columbian College, as wen as the University of Alabama. See Lindsey, "Basil Manly," 138.
9Cox, "A Study ofthe Life and Work of Basil Manly Jr.," 45.
lOJoshua H. Foster, "Dr. Manly as a Young Man," quoted by Cox, "A Study of the Life and Work of Basil Manly Jr.," 31.
!lIbid.,42.
horseback, during which he gained a broader perspective on the world beyond his sheltered home, and developed a greater sense of self-assurance, Basil Manly Jr.
arrived in Newton Centre in September, 1844.
Though he was now distanced from the immediate counsel of Manly Sr., the young ministerial student corresponded regularly with his father. The reality of his father's continuing influence is readily apparent in their many letters. Moreover. their relationship began to reflect a more collegial tone. In his article on the multi-faceted life and ministry of Basil Manly Sr., Jonathan A. Lindsey writes, "For his first son, Basil Jr., there was an affection and a degree of parental pride not clearly reflected for his other children." Upon his departure from what had been a closely knit, familial environment,
"the correspondence is between two men whose minds are interwoven." 12
One subject for which the father and son shared similar sentiments was music.
Though there is no information available with respect to Basil Manly Sr,'s education or competency in music, there has been some explanation of Basil Jr.'s musical accomplishments in a variety of sources. Louise Manly, the youngest sister of Basil Manly Sr. noted in her history of the Manly family that Manly Jr. was proficient on the violin.13 Manly Sr. inquired in his son's first semester at Newton if he desired to have his instrument sent to him and frequently encouraged Basil Jr. to maintain his skills in music.
In a letter from his second semester at Newton, the father specifically stated, "1 think you should cultivate music. If it would not be against the rules of the Institution, you might hire a piano by the year; or possibly you might get the use of a chamber organ, in a cheap
12Lindsey, "Basil Manly," 142.
13Louise Manly, The Manly Family, 198.
way, to keep in your room and practice on.,,14
The correspondence of the two men with regard to hymnody is highly specific. Manly Sr. sent the poetic texts of two hymns that had greatly impressed him to his son in a letter dated Christmas day, 1844. He even included the tunes to which the hymns had been sung, demonstrating his own proficiency in reading and notating music.
Basil Manly Jr. demonstrated an equally developed understanding of music, and hymnody in particular, in a letter from following spring. In it he described the state of hymnody among Baptists in the South and encouraged his father to pursue the
compilation of a hymnal the latter had been considering for some time. Manly Jr. wrote,
"When you set about compiling that hymn book . . . it would be well to look over some of Toplady's pieces that do not appear in any of the Hymn Books. Though of inferior merit to Rock of Ages & Oh thou that hear'st the prayer of faith, &c. they would some of them have a powerful effect, and that, as you remark, is the criterion.,,15
Purpose of The Psalmist (1843)
The conviction that good hymns are evocative and produce a "powerful effect," was not shared or, at least, understood in the same way by some Baptists with whom Manly Jr. had contact in the North. Basil Manly Jr. regularly attended the worship services of Baptist churches in the vicinity of Boston. In particular, he frequented the First Baptist Church, Newton Centre, Massachusetts, where Samuel F. Smith was pastor.
14Manly Sr., letter to Manly Jr., 22 November 1844 (Manly papers, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, At); quoted by Paul A. Richardson, "Basil Manly, Jr.," in Singing Baptists (Nashville: Church Street, 1(94),96.
lSBasil Manly Jr., letter to B. Manly Sr., 9 May 1845 (Manly papers, Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives, Nashville, TN); quoted by Paul A. Richardson, "Basil Manly, Jr.,"
in Singing Baptists (Nashville: Church Street, 19(4), 96.
Coxno'teS,
Basil Jr. expressed some dissatisfaction with the religious state of Baptists in Boston and the vicinity. He felt that there was too much emphasis upon fonn and ceremony . . . . The youth earmarked
Dr.
S. F. Smith . . . as being an embodiment of the general trend of the North against any expression of emotionalism. 16Though it is likely Samuel F. Smith would not have concurred with Basil Manly Jr.'s assessment, it is obvious from Smith's own statements about worship that the he believed the expression of emotion, while necessary, should result in elevated spiritual contemplation rather than mere emotionalism. Smith wrote,
Worship is not designed to communicate illumination to the intellect ofrum who offers it, nor information to the omniscient Being to whom it is offered. If it be confined to the understanding, and thus become a merely intellectual exercise, it departs from its proper aim. Worship is prompted by emotion. Its first object is praise; after this, the expression of emotions of penitence, joy, humility, hope, love, or dependence, in such a manner as to involve an acknowledgement of God, and thus to whatever feeling it takes its rise, it tends toward God. If it begins in our own misery, it elevates the soul to the contemplation of divine mercy. It is, in truth, the utterance of the spirit of man, aspiring upward to its Creator. 17
The latter statement appeared in the "Preface" to The Psalmist (1843), a
monumental hymnal compiled by Baron Stow and Samuel F. Smith under the supervision of the American Baptist Publication Society. The society's intention to produce a new Baptist hymnal was stated at its annual meeting in 1841: "Resolved, that it is desirable that our whole denomination should use, in the praises of the sanctuary, the same Psalms
t~asil Manly Jr., letter to Basil Manly Sr., 5 November 1845; quoted by Cox, "A Study of the Life and WOJk of Basil Manly Jr.," 48-49.
17Baron Stow and S. F. Smith, Preface to The Psalmist: A New Collection of Hymns for the Use a/the Baptist Churches. cd. Baron Stow and S. F. Smith. (Boston: Gould. Kendall. and Lincoln, 1843),5.
