John Newton Merritt Memorial Singing Convention

Old Courthouse Museum
Vicksburg, Warren County, Mississippi
Saturday, May 27, 2017 and Sunday, May 28, 2017

The following books were used:
The Sacred Harp, 1991 edition,
The Sacred Harp, J. L. White 4th Edition with Supplement, 1911, republished 2007,
The Christian Harmony, 2010 edition, and
The B. F. White Sacred Harp (Cooper Book), 2012 Revision.

Saturday, May 27

The 6th annual John Newton Merritt Memorial Singing was called to order by Henry McGuire leading 100 (WB), The Bower of Prayer.
Elder Robert Vaughn offered the morning prayer.

Leaders:
505 (WB), Roll On, Dark Stream - Henry McGuire
223 (SH), Portuguese Hymn - Mark Davis
122 (SH), All Is Well
40 (SH), Lenox - Carole Watts
46 (SH), Let Us Sing
47b (SH), Idumea - Robert Vaughn
448t (SH), Consecration
34b (SH), St. Thomas - Chris Nicholson
473 (SH), Carmarthen
392 (CB), Little Pilgrim - Charity Vaughn
212 (CB), Sharon
112 (SH), The Last Words of Copernicus - Amy Wells
208 (SH), Traveling On
59 (SH), Holy Manna - Susan Dickey
274t (SH), The Golden Harp
39t (SH), Detroit - Wilma Mitchell
569b (SH), Sacred Throne
442t (CB), Blooming Youth - Joan Smith
558 (CB), I'll Praise My Master.

RECESS

Henry McGuire called the class back together leading 30b (SH), Prospect.
Leaders:
269 (SH), Bear Creek - Nancy Van Den Akker
28b (SH), Wells
198 (SH), Green Street - Jane Armstrong
484 (SH), Heavenly Union
162 (CH10), Redeemed Singers - Darlene Reynolds
188 (CH10), He Loves Me
539 (CH10), Rest for the Weary - Hugh McGuire
23b (CH10), Evening Hymn
71 (SH), Leander - Nanette Oliver
27 (SH), Bethel
110 (SH), Mount Vernon - Anders Wells
332 (SH), Sons of Sorrow
273 (SH), Milford - Amber Davis
391 (SH), Sounding Joy
442 (SH), New Jordan - Dorothea Maynard.
Chris Nicholson offered prayer before the noon meal.

LUNCH

Henry McGuire called the class back together leading 64 (CH10), Youthful Blessings.
Leaders:
45t (CB), Amazing Grace (New Britain) - Regina Derstine
393 (CB), I'm Wandering To and Fro
507b (CB), The Glory of the Cross - Jamira Jackson
65 (SH), Sweet Prospect
410t (SH), The Dying Californian - Todd Derstine
204 (SH), Mission
571 (CB), Not Made With Hands - Peggy Ray
572 (CB), We Will Sing with Angels There
543t (WB), Alone - Robert Vaughn
519 (CB), My Mother's Gone
131 (CH10), Will You Meet Me? - Mark Davis
281b (CH10), Palmetto
546b (CH10), Oak Grove - Chris Nicholson
432b (CH10), Fish Pond
527 (WB), Lady, Touch Thy Harp Again - Charity Vaughn
186 (SH), Sherburne.

RECESS

Hugh McGuire called the class back together leading 236 (SH), Easter Anthem.
Leaders:
480 (SH), Redemption - Amy Wells
384 (SH), Panting for Heaven
225t (CB), Newry - Joan Smith
341 (CB), The Lone Pilgrim (The White Pilgrim)
270 (SH), Confidence - Nancy Van Den Akker
472 (SH), Akin
389 (SH), Fredericksburg - Jane Armstrong
175 (CH10), O How I Love Jesus
282 (SH), I'm Going Home - Darlene Reynolds
285t (CB), Arnold - Hugh McGuire
178 (SH), Africa - Nanette Oliver
159 (CB), Wondrous Love
99 (SH), Gospel Trumpet - Anders Wells
76b (SH), Desire for Piety
300 (SH), Calvary - Amber Davis
142 (SH), Stratfield
229 (CB), The Great Roll Call - Dorothea Maynard
383 (SH), Eternal Day
31t (CB), Ninety-Third Psalm - Sonya Kirkham
63 (CB), Coronation
578 (CB), God's Wondrous Love - Carole Watts
573 (CB), Trusting Jesus.

Mark Davis, Hugh McGuire, and Henry McGuire led 549b (CH10), The Drone, as the closing song.
Elder Robert Vaughn dismissed the class with prayer.

Sunday, May 28

The class was brought to order by Henry McGuire leading 48t (SH), Devotion.
The opening prayer was offered by Mark S. Davis.

Leaders:
148 (SH), Jefferson - Henry McGuire
336 (SH), Eternal Home - Mark Davis
432 (SH), Cheves
28b (SH), Wells - Anders Wells
70b (SH), Save, Mighty Lord
440 (SH), North Salem - Amber Davis
224 (SH), Save, Lord, or We Perish
460 (SH), Sardis - Dorothea Maynard
569b (SH), Sacred Throne
491t (WB), Just for a Day - Hugh McGuire
196 (WB), Alabama
455 (SH), Soar Away - Nanette Oliver
155 (CB), How Long, Dear Saviour (Northfield)
511 (WB), Willie - Darlene Reynolds
142 (CH10), The Solid Rock - Darlene Reynolds and Hugh McGuire
401 (SH), Cuba - Nancy Van Den Akker
228 (SH), Marlborough
222 (SH), Ocean - Amy Wells
540 (WB), It is Well with My Soul - Amy Wells and Jim Armstrong
124 (SH), Lover of the Lord - Jane Armstrong
287 (SH), Cambridge
65 (SH), Sweet Prospect - Natalie Davis
146 (SH), Hallelujah.

RECESS

Henry McGuire and Will McGuire led 486t (WB), Trusting.
Leaders:
98 (CB), Glory Shone Around - Regina Derstine
280 (CH10), Zion
70b (CH10), Brown - Jamira Jackson
94 (CH10), Plenary - Jamira Jackson and Regina Derstine
64 (CB), Refreshing Showers (Nashville) - Peggy Ray
78 (CB), Calvary
268t (CB), Restoration - Sonya Kirkham
343 (CB), Long Sought Home.

The memorial lesson was held at this time. Chris Nicholson spoke and led 546t (WB), Abide with Me, for the following sick and shut-ins:
Marlin Beasley, Floyd Nicholson, Curtis Owen, Edith Owen, Roy Davis, Alice McGuire, Elizabeth Van Horn, Hugh McGraw, and Tommie Spurlock.

Amy Wells spoke and led 330b (SH), Fellowship, in memory of the following deceased:
Emma Lou Rigdon, Billie Margaret Gardner, and Stites Gardner—Mississippi;
Jane Goforth—Texas;
B. M. Smith—Georgia;
Gravis Ballinger and Gary Smith—Alabama.
Chris Nicholson closed the memorial lesson with prayer.

LUNCH

Henry McGuire called the class back together leading 492 (WB), Love at Home.
Leaders:
392 (CB), Little Pilgrim - Hugh McGuire and Will McGuire
500 (SH), Living Hope - Mark Davis
76b (CH10), Night - Chris Nicholson
248 (CH10), Twilight is Falling - Darlene Reynolds
393 (CB), I'm Wandering To and Fro - Jamira Jackson
280 (SH), Westford - Dorothea Maynard
212 (SH), Sharon - Amber Davis
182 (SH), Newburgh - Natalie Davis
354t (SH), Lebanon - Amy Wells
322 (CH10), Among that Band - Regina Derstine and Darlene Reynolds
111b (SH), To Die No More - Will McGuire
505 (CB), Cleansing Fountain - Jane Armstrong
143 (CH10), Farther Along - Charity Vaughn
281t (CH10), Am I Born to Die? - Anders Wells
89 (SH), The Church's Desolation
490 (SH), My Shepherd Guides - Carole Watts
208 (SH), Traveling On - Nancy Van Den Akker.

Henry McGuire led 62 (SH), Parting Hand, as the closing song.
The closing prayer was offered by Mark Davis, and the class was dismissed.

Chairman—Henry McGuire; Vice Chairman—Mark Davis; Secretary—Carole Watts.