John Newton Merritt Memorial Singing

Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church
Vicksburg, Warren County, Mississippi
Saturday, May 23, 2026 and Sunday, May 24, 2026

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 23

The 9th John Newton Merritt Memorial Singing was called to order by Will Gatewood leading 49t (SH), Old Hundred.
Arlon Gardner offered the morning prayer.
Leaders:
33b (SH), Abbeville - Kristie Powell
430 (SH), Arbacoochee - Kristie Powell
212 (SH), Sharon - Chris Nicholson and Charity Nicholson
81t (SH), Beach Spring - Chris Nicholson and Charity Nicholson
99 (CB), Gospel Trumpet - Sonya Kirkham
268t (CB), Restoration - Sonya Kirkham
64 (SH), Nashville - Glenn Keaton
349 (SH), A Cross for Me - Glenn Keaton
546 (WB), ('t'op or 'b'ottom of the page?) - Gaylon Powell
540 (WB), It is Well with My Soul - Gaylon Powell
128 (SH), The Promised Land - Laurie Keaton.
354b (SH), Happy Land - Laurie Keaton.

RECESS

Leaders:
47t (SH), Primrose - Will Gatewood
398t (CH10), St. Thomas - Valerie Gatewood
398b (CH10), Gerar - Valerie Gatewood
488 (CH10), Dell of the Woods - Molly Gatewood
225b (CH10), Martin - Molly Gatewood
49b (SH), Mear - Sophie Gardner
277 (SH), Antioch - Sophie Gardner
129 (SH), Heavenly Armor - Amber Davis
436 (SH), Morning Sun - Amber Davis
472 (SH), Akin - Lisa Geist
394 (SH), The Messiah's Praise - Lisa Geist
540 (SH), Nidrah (for Charity Nicholson)
278t (SH), Love Shall Never Die - Arlon Gardner
313b (SH), Cobb - Arlon Gardner
42 (CB), Social Band (Clamanda) - Regina Derstine and Todd Derstine.
513t (CB), The Christian's Desire (Avon) - Regina Derstine and Todd Derstine.
Chris Nicholson offered prayer before the noon meal.

LUNCH

Leaders:
73b (SH), Arlington - Will Gatewood
120 (SH), Chambers - Will Gatewood
175 (SH), Highlands of Heaven - Mark Davis
78 (SH), Stafford (for Charity Nicholson)
91 (SH), Assurance
438 (SH), The Marriage in the Skies - Will Gatewood
465 (CB), Trusting
464 (CB), Hocutt - Kristie Powell
268 (CB), ('t'op or 'b'ottom of the page?) - Chris Nicholson and Charity Nicholson
189 (CH10), One by One - Sonya Kirkham
163b (SH), China - Glenn Keaton
316 (CH10), This Heavy Load - Gaylon Powell
87 (SH), Sweet Canaan - Laurie Keaton
373 (SH), Homeward Bound - Amber Davis
228 (SH), Marlborough - Lisa Geist.

RECESS

Leaders:
480b (WB), Maitland - Will Gatewood
457 (SH), Wayfaring Stranger - Sophie Gardner
503 (SH), Lloyd - Valerie Gatewood
209 (SH), Evening Shade - Molly Gatewood
380 (CH10), Christian Song - Arlon Gardner
272 (SH), Exhortation (Second) - Regina Derstine
193 (SH), Huntington - Mark Davis
552 (CB), And Live Through Endless Day - Gaylon Powell
248 (SH), (No song at that page no.) - Chris Nicholson and Glenn Keaton
455 (CB), ('t'op or 'b'ottom of the page?) - Gaylon Powell.
Will Gatewood led 347 (SH), Christian's Farewell, as the closing song.
Mark Davis dismissed the class with prayer.

Sunday, May 24

The class was brought to order by Will Gatewood leading 490b (WB), All-Saints.
Gaylon Powell offered the opening prayer.
Leaders:
100 (CB), The Bower of Prayer - Joan Smith
47b (CB), Idumea - Joan Smith
546 (SH), My Brightest Days - Lisa Geist
528 (SH), Showers of Blessings - Lisa Geist
358 (SH), Murillo's Lesson - Laurie Keaton
354b (SH), Happy Land - Laurie Keaton
391 (SH), Sounding Joy - Amber Davis
192 (SH), Schenectady - Amber Davis
232 (CB), The Crucifixion - Gaylon Powell
235 (CB), The Resurrection (Easter Anthem) - Gaylon Powell
475 (SH), A Thankful Heart - Glenn Keaton
178 (SH), Africa - Glenn Keaton
208 (CB), Little Songs and Little Ways (Louisiana) - Sonya Kirkham
591 (CB), Sweet Reunion - Sonya Kirkham
559 (CB), Will You Meet Me? - Chris Nicholson and Sonya Kirkham
67b (CH10), Dundee - Chris Nicholson.

RECESS

Leaders:
527 (CB), Heavenly Grace - Will Gatewood
480 (SH), Redemption - Kristie Powell
548 (CH10), Macedonia
71 (CH10), The Peaceful Shore - Valerie Gatewood
70b (CH10), Brown - Valerie Gatewood
163t (SH), Morning - Molly Gatewood
267 (SH), Parting Friends (First) - Molly Gatewood
547 (CH10), Higher Ground - Henry McGuire
172 (CH10), The Grand Highway - Henry McGuire
216 (SH), Delight - Mark Davis
456 (SH), Sacred Mount - Mark Davis
297 (SH), Conversion - Regina Derstine and Todd Derstine
567 (CB), Child of Thine - Regina Derstine and Kristie Powell
535 (WB), Holy! Lord God of Sabaoth - Will Gatewood
60 (WB), Nearer Home - Will Gatewood
225t (SH), Reynolds - Joan Smith
273 (SH), Milford - Lisa Geist
30b (SH), Prospect - Amber Davis
392 (CB), Little Pilgrim - Gaylon Powell.
Henry McGuire offered the prayer before the noon meal.

LUNCH

Gaylon Powell brought the class back together with 203 (CH10), Cumberland.

The memorial lesson was conducted by Gaylon Powell and Chris Nicholson.
Chris Nicholson led 33b (SH), Abbeville, for the following sick and shut-ins:
Bruce and Peggy Ray, Leon Ballinger, Kevin and Olivia Powell, Colvin Mann, Elizabeth and John van Horn, and Wilma Ann Mitchell.

Gaylon Powell led 146 (CB), Hallelujah, in memory of the following deceased:
Bruce Contes, Mike Hinton, Dawson Dockery, and Gordon Cotton.
Gaylon Powell closed the memorial lesson with prayer.

Leaders:
59 (SH), Holy Manna - Laurie Keaton
507 (SH), Sermon on the Mount - Glenn Keaton
40 (CB), Blow Ye the Trumpet (Lenox) - Sonya Kirkham
546b (CH10), Oak Grove - Chris Nicholson
74 (CH10), God's Helping Hand - Kristie Powell
188 (CH10), He Loves Me - Valerie Gatewood
472 (CH10), ('t'op or 'b'ottom of the page?) - Molly Gatewood
168b (CH10), Sunrise - Henry McGuire
530 (SH), A Glad New Song - Mark Davis
354 (CH10), Summer - Regina Derstine.
Will Gatewood and Mark Davis led 549b (CH10), The Drone, as the closing song.
The closing prayer was offered by Todd Derstine.

Chairman/Secretary—Will Gatewood