Mississippi State Convention, 75th session

Antioch Primitive Baptist Church
Forest, Scott County, Mississippi
Saturday, August 23, 2003 and Sunday, August 24, 2003

The following books were used during the weekend:
The Christian Harmony ('Alabama book', Deason-Parris revision, 2002 printing),
The B. F. White Sacred Harp (Cooper Book), 1992 Revision, and
The Sacred Harp, 1991 edition.

Saturday, August 23

The seventy-fifth annual session of the Mississippi State Sacred Harp Singing Convention was held at Antioch Primitive Baptist Church in Scott County, Mississippi on the fourth Sunday and Saturday before in August for two days of worship in song service to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

President Mark Davis brought the class to order with 37b (SH), Liverpool.
Chaplain Arlon Gardner led in prayer. Thanks were given to Mr. Alfred Bailey for providing comfort and beauty for the convention.

Leaders:
76b (SH), Desire for Piety - President Mark Davis
87 (SH), Sweet Canaan
47b (SH), Idumea - Vice President John Van Horn
171 (SH), Exhortation (First)
297 (SH), Conversion - Secretary Jean Gray
114 (SH), Saint's Delight
448t (SH), Consecration - Chaplain Arlon Gardner
457 (SH), Wayfaring Stranger
573 (CB), Trusting Jesus - Mike McNeil
522 (CB), Shades of Night
174 (CB), Gospel Message - Hugh McGuire
565 (SH), The Hill of Zion
39b (SH), Sharpsburg - Bill Hollingsworth
236 (SH), Easter Anthem
28b (SH), Wells - Joe Cobb
38b (SH), Windham.

RECESS

The singing resumed with President Mark Davis leading 74b (SH), King of Peace.
Leaders:
442 (SH), New Jordan - Henry McGuire
408 (SH), Weeping Mary
267b (CB), Hedgeburg [sic] - Andrew Albers
39 (CB), Eden of Love
176t (SH), Ragan - John Hollingsworth
82t (SH), Bound For Canaan
40 (SH), Lenox - Tim Gray
101t (SH), Canaan's Land
84 (SH), Amsterdam - Gaston White
66 (SH), Jordan (First)
28t (SH), Aylesbury - Denise Richardson
336t (CB), Hester - Darlene Reynolds
348t (CB), Happy Land.
Chaplain W. M. Allen returned thanks for the noon meal.

LUNCH

After a bountiful lunch the singing resumed for the afternoon session with President Mark Davis leading 29b (SH), Tribulation.
Leaders:
235 (SH), Long Sought Home - Emily Mayes
145b (SH), Sweet Affliction
75 (SH), I Would See Jesus - W. M. Allen and Henry McGuire
282 (SH), I'm Going Home
200 (SH), Edom - Hugh Bill McGuire and Hugh McGuire and Henry McGuire
196 (SH), Alabama
45t (SH), New Britain - Ann Fox
143 (SH), Pleyel's Hymn (First)
480 (SH), Redemption - Misty Mullis
358 (SH), Murillo's Lesson
490 (SH), My Shepherd Guides - Ann Ballard
421 (SH), Sweet Morning
281b (AL), Palmetto - Bobby Caldwell
216 (SH), Delight
319 (SH), Religion is a Fortune - Junie McNeil
145t (SH), Warrenton
51 (AL), Lonsdale - Bill Hogan
138t (CB), Song to the Lamb
346 (AL), Star in the East - Ester Mann (assisted by dad, W. M. Allen)
318 (SH), Present Joys (again, with her dad).

President Mark Davis called for a motion to open the convention for business. For the election of officers, a motion was made and seconded to retain the same officers. Various committees were appointed. Officers/Committees: President—Mark Davis; Vice President—John Van Horn; Secretary—Jean Gray; Chaplain—W.M. Allen; Arranging Committee—Junie McNeil; Memorial Committee—John Hollingsworth and Ester Mann; Locations Committee—Henry McGuire, John Van Horn, and Arlon Gardner; Business and Credentials Committee—Hugh McGuire, Tim Gray, and Colvin Mann; Resolutions Committee—Andrew Albers and Alice McGuire.

RECESS

The singing resumed with President Mark Davis leading 65 (SH), Sweet Prospect.
Leaders:
258 (AL), Thorny Desert - John Merritt and Gordon Cotten
380 (AL), Christian Song
85 (SH), The Morning Trumpet
142 (SH), Stratfield - Brenda Merritt
336 (SH), Eternal Home
224 (SH), Save, Lord, or We Perish - Warren Steel
378b (SH), Never Turn Back
338 (SH), Sawyer's Exit - Mark Tew
273 (SH), Milford
268 (SH), David's Lamentation - Anne Steel
178 (SH), Africa
147t (SH), Boylston - Colvin Mann
164 (SH), Duane Street
392 (CB), Little Pilgrim - Hannah Albers.

Announcements were made. A new singing will be held near Vicksburg. Alfred Bailey stated that there was a need to establish a building fund.

President Davis led    “The Drone”, as the dismissal song, and W. M. Allen dismissed the class with prayer.

Sunday, August 24

President Mark Davis opened the Sunday morning session with 30t (SH), Love Divine.
Chaplain W. M. Allen offered the morning prayer. President Mark Davis welcomed everyone, offered a special thanks to Antioch Primitive Baptist Church, and recognized delegates from Chickasaw and Calhoun counties.

Leaders:
36b (SH), Ninety-Fifth - President Mark Davis
29t (SH), Fairfield
217 (SH), Ballstown - Vice President John Van Horn
176b (SH), Blooming Youth
119 (SH), Heaven's My Home - Secretary Jean Gray
108 (SH), ('t'op or 'b'ottom of the page?)
59 (SH), Holy Manna - Chaplain W.M. Allen
117 (AL), Angel Band
54 (AL), My Trust - Hugh McGuire
320 (SH), Funeral Anthem
507 (CB), ('t'op or 'b'ottom of the page?)
183 (SH), Greenwich - Arlon Gardner
373 (SH), Homeward Bound
378t (SH), Heavenly Port
484 (CB), My Country 'Tis of Thee (America) - Bill Hollingsworth
225t (CB), Newry
365 (CB), Southwell.

RECESS

President Mark Davis brought the class back to order with 207 (SH), Louisiana.
Leaders:
248 (AL), Twilight is Falling - Wilma Mitchell
569 (SH), ('t'op or 'b'ottom of the page?)
344 (SH), Rainbow - Andrew Albers
109t (CB), Duty and Reward
559 (CB), Will You Meet Me?
91 (SH), Assurance - Henry McGuire
327 (SH), Invitation
269 (SH), Bear Creek
460 (SH), Sardis - John Hollingsworth
230 (SH), Converting Grace
138t (SH), Adoration
63 (SH), Coronation - Gaston White
35 (SH), Saints Bound for Heaven
186 (SH), Sherburne.
Chaplain W. M. Allen returned thanks.

LUNCH

President Mark Davis brought the afternoon session to order leading 61 (SH), Sweet Rivers.
78 (SH), Stafford.
Leaders:
184 (AL), Where We'll Never Grow Old - Darlene Reynolds
355 (AL), Homeward Bound
299 (SH), New Jerusalem - Hugh Bill McGuire and Hugh McGuire and Henry McGuire
159 (SH), Wondrous Love
204 (SH), Mission - Ann Ballard
512 (SH), The Spirit Shall Return
268 (SH), David's Lamentation
222 (SH), Ocean - Tim Gray
308 (AL), The Happy Time
289 (AL), Happy Land - Haley Gray
388 (SH), The Happy Sailor - Haley Gray and Madelyn Freeman
101t (SH), Canaan's Land - Ann Fox
567 (SH), The Great Day
171 (SH), Exhortation (First) - Ester Mann and W. M. Allen
288 (SH), White
136 (SH), Morality
86 (AL), ('t'op or 'b'ottom of the page?) - Bobby Caldwell
117 (SH), Babylon is Fallen - Bobby Caldwell and Hugh McGuire and Hugh Bill McGuire.

The 2:00 p.m. committee reports were given. The Memorial Committee led 100 (SH), The Bower of Prayer, and 76 (AL), ('t'op or 'b'ottom of the page?), and concluded with prayer by W. M. Allen; and the Business and Resolutions Committee reported. It was moved and seconded to accept all reports as given. Antioch Primitive Baptist Church requested the convention next year.

RECESS

President Mark Davis brought the class to order leading 48t (SH), Devotion.
Leaders:
350 (AL), The Rock - Paula Freeman
168 (AL), ('t'op or 'b'ottom of the page?)
104 (SH), The Lovely Story - Junie McNeil
32t (SH), Corinth
155 (SH), Northfield - Colvin Mann
355 (SH), Anthem on the Savior
145b (SH), Sweet Affliction - Hannah Albers
172 (AL), The Grand Highway - Bill Hollingsworth
192 (SH), Schenectady - Gaston White
335 (SH), Return Again - Ann Ballard
393 (CB), ('t'op or 'b'ottom of the page?) - Hugh McGuire.

A motion was made to adjourn. Announcements were made. A special thanks was given to Mr. Alfred Bailey and Antioch Primitive Baptist Church. The class was dismissed with    “The Drone” and prayer by Chaplain W. M. Allen.

President—Mark Davis; Vice President—John Van Horn; Secretary—Jean Gray.