... Spencer writes to and about a people through perhaps the most important mirror of their lives: their music. This scholarly documentation of the published hymn traditions of some African American denominations and African American constituencies in Euro-American denominations provides important insights...

... in various pockets around the African continent. Among the Yoruba in Nigeria, the African church movement, as it was also called, was particularly strong.2 Some of the African denominations, which separated from their European and American mission churches, are the Native Baptist Church, the United Native...

... Allen Richard Allen (1760-1831) was the founder and first bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME). Of the myriad denominations that the black church comprises, the AMES have the most extensive and impressive genealogy of hymnals, dated 1801, 1818, 1837, 1876, 1892, 1941, 1954, and 1984...

..., which was published by the CME Publishing House, in Memphis, in 1987. Its preface is probably the only printed document which chronicles the musical history of the denomination. Commencing with reference to John Wesley's A Collection of Psalms and Hymns (1737) and the hymns of Charles Wesley...

... was holiness, he did not set out to found a new denomination. Rather, he and his followers were rejected by the Baptists. The contempt the Baptists felt toward this perceived fanaticism within their camp escalated when Jones joined the ranks of the larger Holiness movement (already in full progress...

... research about the music contained in the collection. Now holding about 725 music compositions, black denominational hymnals, song books, pamphlets, books, programs, and photographs, the archive also owns the papers of gospel hymnist John Howardton Smith (1880-1977) and St Louis educator, choral conductor...

... !" , we are saying "Yes" to God's will; "Yes" to God's way; and "Yes·· to God's direction in our lives. When this denominational anthem was found erroneously attributed to a writer other than Mason , it became evident that the hymnal would have to be "the vehicle of information and clarification...

... important mirror of their lives: their music. This scholarly documentation of the published hymn traditions of some African American denominations and African American constituencies in Euro-American denominations provides important insights into the philosophy of life and theology (worldview...

...Jon Michael Spencer James H. Cone . The Spirituals and the Blues . Maryknoll, N.Y. : Orbis Books , 1991 . 141 pp. Copyright © 1993 by Duke University Press 1993 Book Reviews BS In his treatment of the inclusivity of official hymnals of EuroAmerican denominations, Spencer...

... observed this practice not only in rural churches but in many urban churches as well. At the present time I have recognized more of a denominational character in the shout than a general racial trait. The point I am making is that there is no justification for making the shout the basis for generalizations...

.... As a statement of consensus, the covenant reveals the common denominator of information that all of us, from different countries and denominations, agreed on. As a statement of commitment, the covenant is a reminder to those of us who signed it that each of us, having deliberated over the information presented...

... in their worship services. This was especially true of urban, literate, assimilated black churches, and of black congregations within white denominations. Carter G. Woodson attributeq this surreptitious behavior to what he called "mis-education." In the wake o( the Civil War white missionaries came South to teach...

... on, whose names we do earnestly trust are in the Book of Life. At first, our movement was entirely inter-denominational, non-sectarian and in spirit anti-sectarian. Our motto in this matter was, "Denominationalism is slavery." We stood for the communion of the Holy Ghost. We served in the denominations...

...) with the claim that Protestantism has not changed, except for the shifting of denominational affiliations, and that Catholicism has changed a little, but that the change is over. What has changed about Catholicism? John Seidler and Katherine Meyer, whose work is sociological and draws heavily on the research...

... designed to reinforce white supremacy. Born in black people's struggle for survival and liberation, the theology of the black worldview continues to transform the meaning of songs black Pentecostals adapt from the white religious tradition. Conversely, members of other denominations, black and white, have...

... and South). The Charlotte convocation, a meeting of all the Houses of Prayer in North and South Carolina, was held in one of the largest of the denominational churches in the area, one capable of seating over twenty-five hundred people. It is typical for the Holy Convocation to meet in the largest...

..., and perfection, clearly reflecting the theology and doctrine of the denomination. Only one of the 35 songs in the volume, Jackson's "Jesus is Healing Today is devoted to the topic of divine healing. Jackson may have sung this song himself as he engaged in his healing ministry. He was apparently well-known...

...), in community centers, in large cathedrals, and in small groups in city parks. The biblical concept of "where two or three are gathered in my name" takes on living significance within Africa. The music, representative of cultures, ethnicity, class, and denomination, joins together at the event of worship. Each...

... denominational hymnals, songbooks, photographs, as well as the m11nuscript papers of black gospel hymnist John Howardton Smith (1880-1977) and St Louis educator, choral conductor, and arranger of black spirituals Kenneth Brown Billups (1918-1985). Also of special interest are the several historic collections...

... denominational founders) and Robert Nathaniel Dett (a composer) are figures of historical notability, but they are unknown as hymnists. And Bishop Charles Price Jones (also a church founder) is recognized as a gospel hymnwriter only among certain black church circles, principally among the black Holiness...