The Old Church Songs were sung the way that you described on the one liners at a time, with the preacher's saying the verse and then the congregation, repeating the song. This is still practiced in the Old Primitive Baptist Churches. There are no musical Instruments. You have never heard preaching feeled by the Grace of God until you have attended one of these services. Our Vance line and Lester lines were very active in the Church. Some of these old Church records relate to stories that are not possible to get anywhere else. Their Histories go way back. If you can find the Clerk of the Church you are looking for it is like looking in a Library for history. They usually kept track of where people came from, and what church they lettered up from. They even wrote why some members were turned out. For lying, stealing or bearing false witness against their neighbors. Usually if a problem could not be resolved between to brothers or sisters (in Church) the Church would appoint a mediator to go out with other representation from the Church. This in hopes would resolve any hardness that they had between the two. The Churches today still practice this way of singing and counciling each other. The Preachers are called Elder's. My Dad is an Elder in the Church in Paynesville, WV. The Old Regular Baptist is different from the Primitive Baptist Church. Some spring off of each other. Some People call the Primitive Baptist Churches no Heller's. But believe me they believe more in Hell then most people I know they just believe that the Hell is here on earth. Just not the burning after death kind. Well this is a little history on the Primitive Baptist Churches and why and how they do things. Kathy B.