Nansemond-Surry-Isle of Wight County Virginia USGenWeb Archives History.....Christian Church, 1941 

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SURRY WAS BIRTH PLACE OF CHURCH 
  By Major W. E. McClenny, Suffolk, Va.

  (Editor's Note: This is the first installment of an article written by Major 
W.E. MacClenny of Suffolk.  Watch each day for the succeeding installment.) 

  In the year 1794, the year that the Christian Church in the South was 
organized in Surry County. Va. by the Rev. James O'Kelly and his associates, 
he, the leader of the movement organized O'Kelly's Chapel near his farm in 
Chatham Co., N.C. and on March 30th, 1941, there was a home coming meeting 
held at the church, and the following was prepared for.the occasion by Major 
W.E. MacClenny, Suffolk, Va. 

      Rev. James O'Kelly. 

  The Rev. James O'Kelly was born in Virginia very likely in Mecklenburg 
county about 1738.  He fixes the place in his Essay of Negro Slavery and the 
date is from his Testament record in Elon College library.  Of his parents we 
know little. He says that he was born of poor parentage.  Tradition says his 
fathers name was William.  About his brothers and sisters we know nothing with 
certainty.  He says at one time he consulted his brother John, who was a man 
of affairs and there is a tradition that he was a large tobacconist.  He was 
of Irish descent.  Cellach, chief of Hy Many and 14th in descent from Main Mor 
was the progenitor from whom the O'Kellys derive their surname.  The family 
has been prominent in Ireland for ages, going back to the year 960 A.D.  Many 
churchmen and statesmen have come from it.  There are many works, some in 
Latin, in the Congressional library by members of the family.  Today there are 
many of the name in "Who is 
     (Continued on page eight)


Birth Of.... 
     (Continued from page one) 

Who" In Ireland. 

  About his youth we know little.  One of his friends, Osborn Pope of 
Granville County, North Carolina, in a letter written to him before 1801, 
gives us a glimpse of his youth as follows: "Little did I think, when Samuel 
Yeargin, the preacher (perhaps Andrew Yeargin), my mother and myself persuaded 
you to join in society about 25 years ago, I should ever live to see you as 
stigmatized as you are, and the Scripture, so depreciated by the Methodist 
Synod, and from all I hear in private and public you are thus treated because 
you hold by the New Testament or Scripture government which was the very term 
of union at first.  I knew you for years before you joined the Methodists and 
I never heard you were called a lying man, a tattler, a mischief maker, or a 
busy body in other men's matters, but on the contrary, when unconverted, mirth 
and company you delighted in.  Now if religion makes a man so much more like 
the devil than he was by nature he had better have none." This letter confirms 
the tradition that he was a great fiddler and prize fighter in his young days. 

  About his educational advantages we know nothing except what is learned from 
his writings.  Schools were scarce in his day.  There is evidence in some of 
his printed works that be had a fair knowledge of the Greek and Latin 
languages, and that be was fairly well versed in general history.

  As to the date of his marriage to Miss Elizabeth Meeks, who was descended 
from some of the earliest colonists at Jamestown, and who through his long and 
checkered life shared his joys and divided his sorrows we have no definite 
information.  She was born about the year 1744 and her son, William O'Kelly 
was born April 29th, 1763.  Therefore, we know that the couple were married 
young, the husband being about 24 years old and the wife about 18 years of 
age.  In his will he mentions his son, John first, then William’s heirs.  Very 
likely William was the older.  William O’Kelly became a statesman and sat in 
both Houses of the North Carolina Legislature. 

  As to his occupation before entering the ministry nothing is known. 

  In the summer of 1774 James O’Kelly turned his attention to religious 
matters and was soon converted.  We will let him tell of this.  Says he: "My 
first mental alarm was not through the blessed means of preaching: but by the 
kind illuminations of the Invisible Holy Spirit.  I saw by this divine light, 
that I was without God, and destitute of any reasonable hope in my present 
State.  Now, being moved by faith through fear, I attempted to flee the wrath 
to come, and seek a place of refuge!  But, O, what violent opposition did I 
meet with!  After many sorrowful months I formed one resolution.  With a low 
cadence of voice and fearful apprehension, I ventured, like Queen Esther who 
approached the King’s presence at the risk of her life, so I ventured in a way 
of prayer, to speak to the Almighty! With the Bible in my hand, I besought the 
Lord to help me, and during life, that sacred book should be my guide, and 
declaring that at the close, if I sunk to perdition, ‘Just, O God! yet 
dreadful!  But if Thy clemency and divine goodness should at least rescue me 
from the jaws of a burning hell, this miracle of grace shall be gratefully 
remembered by me, a Monument of Mercy! 

  "The things which followed, which were such things as belonged to my peace, 
the inexpressible change, the instantaneous cure, I am incapable of speaking 
of; but O, my soul was lodged in Immanuel’s breast, the City of Refuge - the 
Ark of my Rest.  And in those days God sent preachers into our dark regions, 
who were burning and shining lights." 

  Immediately after his conversion everything irreligious was abandoned, his 
iron will no half way ground.  He deliberately laid his fiddle on a huge fire 
and burned it knowing and his other wordly amusements were laid aside. 

  His son, William was converted before his father and felt called to preach, 
but his father dissuaded him owing to his age, and soon Mr. O’Kelly felt that 
the Lord laid the burden of preaching on him, therefore he at once became 
active in religious work, and on January 2nd, 1775 he was licensed a Methodist 
lay preacher and sent out as one of that immortal band of American lay 
preachers in the societies.  He was not, however, ordained either deacon, or 
priest (elder), as no Episcopal minister would have done that.  Thus from 
January 2nd, 1775 to the Christmas Conference of 1784 in Baltimore, Md., or 
for nearly ten years he was a layman, a member of the Protestant Episcopal 
Church, who belonged to the Methodist societies of the Rev. John Wesley in 
America.  His name first appears in the Methodist minutes at the Conference at 
Leesburg, Va. when he is reported as remaining on trial.  His first official 
station was on the New Hope circuit, in North Carolina. 

  The first mention that we have of his preaching in Methodist history was in 
an old colonial church, in Southern Virginia, about 1777.  The location of 
this church is not known with certainty.  One writer noticing this early work 
of Mr. O'Kelly says: "The people flocked to hear him and great was the work of 
God under his powerful exhortations, and earnest prayers.  The parish minister 
was greatly enraged that an upstart Methodist preacher should have the 
temerity to preach in his chapel, and what was worse that he should attract 
more people than the regular successor to the apostles.  In spite of the 
curate's violent opposition he continued to preach for more than a year with 
increasing success.  The next year be joined "Asbury's Ironsides." 

  He was a man of outstanding natural ability, and soon took a high stand in 
the ranks of Methodism.  The Rev. Devereaux Jarratt the noted Episcopalian 
speaks of him as a man of ability and a brilliant speaker.

  In order to understand the Rev. James O'Kelly's early work, we will have to 
take a bird’s eye view of the conditions in Virginia in 1778.  The Methodists 
had been in the State six years.  English laws, manners and customs prevailed. 
Virginia was in truth a little England.  The Episcopal Church was the state 
church, and in many instances it had become very corrupt, and many of its 
ministers were very poor example of morality, yet they opposed other sects. 
The Methodist societies, seeking a closer walk with God, regarded themselves 
as a part of the Episcopal Church up to the year 1784.  The Revolutionary war 
was on, and was soon transferred to the South, and a large majority of the 
people of Virginia and North Carolina were down on everything having the 
English stamp upon it.  The Rev. John Wesley had sent over to America the Rev. 
Francis Asbury as a missionary.  Mr. Asbury was ambitious to leave his name at 
the head of American Methodism, while republican ideas were shooting in the 
popular mind, and the people were demanding the greatest possible freedom in 
church government.  The subject discussed most frequently was regarding the 
administration of the ordinances of the church, baptism, the Lord's supper, 
marriage, and the burial of the dead.  No Methodist preacher could administer 
these rites.  Episcopal ministers were few, many having returned to England at 
the beginning ot the war, and those left paid little attention to the 
Methodists, so that in some places the Lord’s Supper had not been administered 
for years, and thousands were baptized.  The Methodist ministers and laity 
felt the thrill of free American air, and demanded that the ordinances be 
administered by Methodist preachers.  The Baptists of Virginia were demanding 
the same thing for their members, from the Virginia Legislature and won it. 
Mr. Asbury and a few other Methodists opposed this movement.  These were the 
issues that first started the movement that eventually led to the organization 
of the Methodist Church of America - and later the organization of the 
Christian Church in the the South.

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SURRY WAS BIRTH PLACE OF CHURCH 
  By Major W. E. McClenny, Suffolk, Va.

    SECOND INSTALLMENT 

  Of the Methodist preachers south of the Potomac river, a large majority were 
opposed to Mr. Asbury’s plan of letting things drift in this way, therefore in 
the minutes of the Methodist conference held at Broken-back church, Fluvanna 
county, Virginia in 1779, we find in spite of Mr. Asbury’s opposition the 
following questions and answers.  "What are the reasons for taking up the 
ordinances among us?  Because the Episcopal Establishment is now dissolved, 
and therefore in almost all of the circuits the members are without the 
ordinances, we believe it to be our duty.  What preachers do approve of this 
step?  Isham Tatum, Nelson Reed, Phillip Gatch, James Morris, John Major, 
Henry Willis, John Sagman, Carter Coles, William Moore, Charles Hopkins, Reuben 
Ellis, Thomas Morris, James Foster, Andrew Yeargin, Francis Poythress, Leroy 
Coles, James O’Kelly and Samuel Roe.  A presbytery was appointed consisting of 
Gatch, Coster and Ellis, first to administer the ordinances themselves, second 
to authorize any other preacher or preachers approved by them, by the laying 
on of hands to administer the ordinances.  Out of this event grew the Methodist 
Church of America as a separate organization, the Rev. James O’Kelly being one 
of the leaders in the movement.  The Rev. Francis Asbury by his opsition to 
this movement set in motion the influences that led to the organization of the 
Christian Church in the South in 1794. 

  We will now look at another side of his life which developed at this time, 
his service in the Revolutionary War.  He and his family had been living in 
Virginia long enough to feel the spirit of freedom which was then abroad in 
the land, and this was blown into a flame by the speeches of Patrick Henry and 
others regarding the Acts of the English Parliament.  When the storm did 
break, the members of his family did not go into hiding, not try to shun the 
     (Continued on page eight [sic; seven]) 


Surry Was.... 
     (Continued From Page One) 

issue as the lists of the Revolutionary soldiers in Virginia and North 
Carolina will show.  (Note. The Virginia lists published in 1911 give the 
names of William D. and Thomas D. O’Kelly while the North Carolina list shows 
the name of Patrick O'Kelly.)  We will let James O’Kelly tell his own story as 
follows: "As to my conduct it may be traced through the American Revolution. 
After the intinerant preachers fled from the South, for fear of danger, I 
labored and traveled from circuit to circuit, in North Carolina, to feed and 
comfort those poor distressed sheep, left in the wilderness.  Philip, whose 
surname was Bruce, helped me - through great perils.  We judged it best, for 
men in our business, to move as quietly as possible.  I was taken prisoner by 
the Tories, and robbed; I was retaken before day, by Captain Peter Robertson, 
the great and noted Whig.  I was afterwards taken prisoner by the British. 
The chief officer urged me to subject myself to my King, and although I was 
in his hand I would not yield.  He offered to release me if I would solemnly 
promise not to let any man know, asked or not asked where the British lay.  I 
refused to do that.  Then I was despised, and very near famished for bread. At 
which time I resolved through grace, to hold my integrity till death.  My 
honor, my oath - my soul were at stake; till at last, Providence offered me an 
opportunity, which I gladly embraced, and narrowly escaped their hands.  After 
these things, I went (not as a prisoner) into General Rutherford’s camps, and 
there by the testimony of two worthy gentlemen, viz; Colonel Robertson and 
Colonel Owens, of Bladen, did I establish my political and civil character.  I 
stood my draft as other men.  Once my substitute faithfully served a tour. 
Once I marched on foot as far as I was able.  Which of my accusers have done 
more?"

  "Let us proceed to show our receipts-which of the itinerant men have paid 
more to support government, than I have done?  This is in striking contrast to 
the experiences ot some ot the Rev. James O’Kelly's brethren, for Dr. Bennett 
in his "Memorials of Methodism in Virginia" says: "When the war was brought 
into Virginia many Methodists were whipped for refusing to bear arms."  The 
spirit of liberty in James O'Kelly was too strong for him to refuse the call 
of patriotism, and no such ignominious punishment as the whipping post could 
ever have been his portion for refusing to bear arms in behalf of freedom. 

  Governor Swain of North Carolina in communicating to Dr. Caruthers an 
account of the Slingsby affair and published in Caruthers' "Old North State, 
in 1776" relates the follows: "The Anecdote of the Methodist preacher, which 
you wished me to relate, I had from the old gentleman’s own lips.  Mr. 
O'Kelly, then a young Methodist preacher, when traveling over the country and 
preaching, was taken at the house of a friend or acquaintance, by a small 
party of Tories.  His horse, saddle and saddle-bags were taken from him, and 
he was tied to a peach tree.  A party of Whigs coming up just at that time, a 
skirmish ensued; and although, he was between the two fires, he was not hurt. 
Before this skirmish was ended.  Colonel Slingsby came up with a larger party 
of men, and the Whigs were dispersed.  He recognizing O’Kelly, the Colonel 
asked him to preach for them which he did, and drawing up his men in good 
order, he stood with his head uncovered, during the whole of the service.  Mr. 
O'Kelly said, when relating this anecdote to me, 'Ah! Child! your grandfather 
was a gentlemen; An old lady who was well acquainted with Mr. O'Kelly, tells 
me, that the man at whose house he was taken was also taken and bound to the 
same tree, and killed in the skirmish.  She had heard him relate the anecdote 
frequently - I, only once.

  The Rev. John Wesley called the Christmas Conference for the American 
Methodists to set up a form of government for the societies.  They were 
directed to follow the Scriptures and the primitive church, and to stand fast 
in the liberty wherewith God had so strangely made them free.  This was Mr. 
O'Kelly's idea exactly, and had that idea been carried out no separation would 
have ever taken place. 

  This Conference met in Baltimore, December 24, 1784.  The representative 
Methodists of American were there.  The time-honored plan of Wesley could no 
longer be carried out in America with no Established church.  The Conference 
was held with closed doors, and not long was put to the vote.  The societies 
were organized into the Methodist Episcopal Church of America, though Mr. 
O’Kelly and many others wanted the word Episcopal left out.  He did his 
uttermost to prevent its being used, but could not prevent it. 

  On Sunday, January 2, 1785, the Rev. James O'Kelly with twelve others were 
ordained elders, by Dr. Thomas Coke, the Revs. Francis Asbury, Richard 
Whatcoat, Thomas Vasey, and P.W. Otterbein.  Then and there the Rev. James 
O'Kelly ceased to be a member of the Episcopal Church, ceased to be a lay 
Methodist preacher, and became an elder in the Methodist Episcopal Church of 
America.  When the organisation was completed it was a church of ministers, 
by ministers and for ministers, with the Rev. Francis Asbury at its head, in 
truth if not in form.  Mr. O’Kelly with others did not like this form of 
government, but could only express their disapproval, and hope that the time 
would come when it could be changed to a free and untrammeled church, and the 
subordinate preachers get their rights and still be Methodists. 

  In organizing, they departed from the New Testament principles - ths 
equality of the breathren - the parity of the ministry - and a hierarchy was 
inevitable.  Virtually every official from the highest to the lowest was an 
appointee of the bishop. 

  Mr. O’Kelly’s influence in his district was great, and when he returned home 
he set about to instruct the people, and show them the weaknesses of the plan 
of government adopted and to try to have it remedied.  The Rev. Francis Asbury 
did not like this, for he thought a layman should only pay, pray, and obey. 

   See Third Installment Tomorrow 

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SURRY WAS BIRTH PLACE OF CHURCH 
  By Major W. E. McClenny, Suffolk, Va.

     THIRD INSTALLMENT 

  Mr. O'Kelly is put down in Methodist history as one of the strong men in the 
great revival in Virginia, in 1788.  This lasted for about a year, it is added 
that he was a man of great powers of endurance, mighty in prayer, full of the 
Holy Ghost.  He was ac-customed to arise at midnight and pour out his soul to 
God in prayer.  In 1789 and several years before he was living in Mecklenburg 
county, Va. on a tract of 40 acres given him and his wife by his friend and 
admirer Tegnal Jones.  

  He attended the Council in Baltimore, in 1789.  This meeting was to try to 
remedy some of the things adopted in 1784.  He saw that the measures applied 
did not suit the case and would have nothing to do with its workings when he 
went home.  Mr. O'Kelly was working for religious liberty riveting an 
autocratic, or aristocratetic, form of church government on the Methodist 
Church.  One instance of this we give.  In 1790, Bishop Asbury turned out 
nineteen God-fearing, pious and devoted ministers, because they would not 
adopt his plans, and only two voted for the adoption. 

  About this time Mr. O'Kelly began to correspond with the leading Methodists, 
both in America and England, and made a powerful impressed [sic] on them for a 
more liberal policy for the church.  He won over Dr. Coke and had a General 
Conference called November 1, 1792, and today some say the Methodists owe this 
most important part of their policy to Rev. James O'Kelly.  The purpose of 
this conference was to revise the plan of government for the church.  After 
discusing other things, on the second day, Mr. O'Kelly offered the following 
resolution:

  "After the Bishop appoints the preachers at conference to their several 
circuits, if anyone think himself injured by the appointment he shall have 
the liberty to appeal to the Conference and state his objections and if the 
Conference approve his objections, the Bishop shall appoint him to another 
circuit.  This is known as the 'Right of Appeal.'" 

  A long and stormy debate followed, lasting nearly a week.  The ablest men 
of Methodism were arrayed against each other.  At first it seemed that the 
resolution would pass without much opposition.  The resolution was at length 
divided and the discussion begun anew.  Sunday intervened and Mr. O'Kelly 
preached in the city.  Monday the discussion was continued until bedtime, 
when the vote was taken and the resolution lost. 

  When the motion was lost, Revs. James O'Kelly, Rice Haggard, William 
McKendree and others, left the conference, and Mr. O'Kelly wrote a farewell 
letter to the conference.  English Methodists had passed a similar resolution 
a few months before, but Mr. O’Kelly did not know of it.  Bishop Asbury and 
Dr. Coke at once set about to try to reconcile Mr. O'Kelly and his associates. 
They were asked on what terms they would return.  The answer was: "Only let 
an injured man have an appeal."  This would not be granted.  Mr. O'Kelly and 
his friends then went home.  Bishop Asbury sent messengers to him beseeching 
him to return, and telling him how he valued him.  The Methodist pulpits were 
left open to him, if he would keep quiet, and he was to receive his usual pay. 
This, however, was never paid.  When he was leaving Baltimore the false report 
was started that he denied the doctrine of the Trinity.  Did space permit it, 
we would give evidence to show how he was slandered, his account of his 
conversion and the form of ordination of his ministers, shows where he stood.

  From the local Methodist records we learn that Rev. James O'Kelly was the 
presiding Elder over the section in which Nansemond County is located in the 
years 1790 and 1792, and when he left the Baltimore Conference of 1792, after 
he had returned home he organized Christian congregations at Holy Neck Chapel, 
Cypress Chapel, and Antioch, or as was then known as the Old Chapel in Isle of 
Wight County, Va.  These have been strong churches in the denomination since 
that day. 

  Mr. O'Kelly and his brethren met at Reese Chapel, in Charlotte County, 
Virginia, in 1792, to look over the situation.  Another meeting was soon held 
at the same place.  At these meetings the seceders strove hard for union with 
the Methodists, and sent messengers with their petitions for union to Bishop 
Asbury.  They only asked for some amendments.  These were not granted.  Mr. 
O’Kelly then drew up an humble petition pointing out a few of the evils he saw 
in the government of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and prayed for union. 
The Methodists were not allowed to sign these petitions under pain of 
expulsion.  The seceders next met at Piney Grove in Chesterfield County, 
Virginia, on August 2, 1793.  They now asked permission to meet the Bishop in 
conference that the Methodist Episcopal Church government might be examined by 
the Scripture, and amended according to the Holy Word.  Bishop Asbury's reply 
to this request was: 

  "I have no power to call such a meeting as you wish; therefore, if five 
hundred preachers would come on their knees before me, I would not grant it." 

  This was the answer received at a conference of the seceders held at the 
Manakin Town in Powhatan County, Va. December 24, 1793. 

  Only two courses were now left, to separate, or to slavishly submit.  They 
chose the former.  Here is where Rev. James O’Kelly ceased to be a Methodist 
Presiding Elder, and became the first Christian minister.  Here the plans 
were laid for a free and untrammeled Church, with the Bible as a creed.  A 
constitution was adopted at this conference, but was discarded at the next 
conference.  The ministers were to be on an equality, the laymen were to 
have voted, and the executive business was left with the church collectively. 
Another conference was called before inaugurating the new plan.  They called 
themselves "Republican Methodists."  Missionaries were sent out and did 
wonderful work.

  The next General Meeting was held August 4, 1794, in Surry County, Virginia. 
It was held open doors that all might see and learn.  A committee of seven 
was appointed to devise a permanent plan of church government.  Finally they 
determined to pay [sic] aside every manuscript and follow the Bible as their 
guide, and have no government besides the Scriptures as written by the 
apostles.  The question of a name then came up again.  Rev. Rice Haggard 
arose, holding a copy of the New Testament in his hand, and said: "Brethren, 
this is a sufficient rule of faith and practice.  By it we are told that the 
disciples were called Christians and I move that henceforth and forever the 
followers of Christ be known as Christians simply." 

  The motion was carried. 

  Mr. O’Kelly says: "At this conference the blessed Jesus was proclaimed King 
and Head of the people without one dissenting voice.  The holy qualifications 
of an elder as laid down by St. Paul were read and explained.  Then after 
prayer we proceeded in the following manner to ordain ministers: In the name 
of our Lord Jesus Christ, by the authority of the Holy Scriptures, with the 
approbation of the church, and with the laying on of the hands of the 
presbytery, we set apart this our brother to the holy office of Elder in the 
church of God: In the name of the Father, and the son of [sic] the Holy 
Ghost." 

  There were about thirty ministers with Mr. O’Kelly at the organization; 
prominent among these were Rev. Richard Haggard, Burwell Barrett and others. 
The organization completed, aggressive work was begun. O’Kelly's Chapel, in 
North Carolina, was organized the same year, and he began his preaching tours 
afresh, and planted churches in the destitute places.  For something like 
thirty three years he labored faithfully to establish the Christian Church in 
the South, and before his death he saw it well established in the minds and 
hearts of the people.  Prior to his death he asserted that he believed the 
cause of full religious liberty would finally triumph.

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SURRY WAS BIRTH PLACE OF CHURCH 
  By Major W.E. McClenny, Suffolk, Va.

     FOURTH INTALLMENT 

  He often held open discussions with the enemies of the new church, for they 
were many.  One of these was held in the old Methodist Church in Portsmouth, 
Va.  He was a firm believer in Baptism by sprinkling or pouring. 

  At the General meeting of 1807, at Raleigh, N.C. he baptized the Rev. Joseph 
Thomas, the "White Pilgrim" by pouring. 

  In Mr. O’Kelly's day the territorial limits of the Christian church in 
Virginia and North Carolina were as large, if not larger, than they are today. 
Commencing at his home in central North Carolina, it extended from there to 
Norfolk, Virginia, then up the Chesapeake Bay shore to the neighborhood of Mt. 
Vernon, from there to Winchester, Virginia, and then it seems that there were 
some churches in southwest Virginia.  From this we get an idea of the size of 
his circuit, for he visited all the churches, and while riding in his gig he 
wrote most of his books. 

  It is said that he was an intimate friend of Patrick Henry and Thomas 
Jefferson, and perhaps visited these distinguished persons on his preaching 
tours. 

  While visiting in Washington, D.C. tradition says Mr. Jefferson secured the 
Hall of Representatives and invited Mr. O'Kelly to preach. 

  He did preach twice, and on the second occasion Mr. Jefferson was the most 
delighted man in the audience. 

  Bishop Asbury has this to say in regard to the last meeting with Mr. O'Kelly 
who was sick near Winchester, Virginia, on August 23, 1803: "We met in peace 
and asked of each other's welfare, talked of persons and things indifferently, 
prayed and parted in peace.  Not a word was said of the troubles of former 
times." 

  James O’Kelly is said to have preached five sermons at different places in 
one day and none of these bore any sameness.  The strongest Methodist 
preachers followed in his tracks to win back those who had joined the 
Christian Church.

  He was the author of several books and pamphlets.  We mention the following: 
(1) An Essay on negro slavery published in 1789, The Author's Apology for 
Protesting against the Methodist Episcopal Government. A Vindication of an 
Apology.  Divine Oracles Consulted, Christicola, Church Government, the 
Christian Church, Annotation on His Book of Discipline, Letters from Heaven 
Consulted, A Tract on Baptism, Commentaries on the Books of the New Testament, 
Hymns and Spiritual Songs Designed for the Use of the Christians, and the 
Prospect Before Us by way of an address. 

  Hope did not desert him in age and feebleness extreme.  He gave testimony to 
those around him at the close of his life that he went down to the grave 
satisfied with the past, and peaceful and trusting with respect to the future. 
He had a long, white flowing beard, and continued to preach after he was 
unable to stand, sometimes sitting while he preached. 

  He passed away at his home in Chatham County, North Carolina, on the 16th of 
October 1826, in the triumphs of a living faith, after a painful and lingering 
illness which he bore with Christian fortitute and a perfect resignation of 
the Will of Heaven.  He was in the 88th year of his age and had been a 
minister of the gospel over fifty years.  He was buried in the family cemetery 
on his farm where his remains now rest. 

  His son John O’Kelly was living in 1882, and from his wife’s will we learn 
the following heirs: Josiah Atkins, Mary K. O'Kelly, John McCauley, Franklin 
O'Kelly, Leslie O'Kelly. (These appear to have been the children of one 
grandson, and Lucinda Anderson, Wm. J. O'Kelly, Jane D. Barbee, Thomas J. 
Fowler, Viola B. O'Kelly, Mary T. Bildes (Bilbow) and Mosley Masy were another 
set.

  Franklin O'Kelly was the executor.  Elisabeth Meeks O'Kelly, James O'Kelly's 
widow died Feb. 11th, 1833. 

  For twenty-eight years it seems that no shaft was erected to his memory, but 
in 1854 the Christians, South, erected to his memory a monument bearing this 
inscription "Erected by his Christian friends to the memory of James O'Kelly 
of North Carolina, the Southern Champion of Christian Freedom."  This short 
sentence sums up the life work of the organizer of the first free and 
untrammeled church in America.  He lived far in advance of his time, and he 
will be admired more and more as the years go by, until his creed shall become 
that of the Protestant World.  He served his day and generation well. 

  Today 115 years after his death and 147 years after he organized this 
church, we are assembled here to pay tribute to his memory, that of his 
family, and acquaintances, wholebored [sic] so long in this section, and for 
so I many years it stood out as a lighthouse in our beloved church. 

  Now we come to the point where we make an evaluation of the character of 
Rev. James O'Kelly.  He was a man of exceptionally strong mind, although he 
may not have had the best advantages in youth.  He so improved himself that 
he was perfectly at home in any company he found himself.  He had a great 
personality, and the people flocked to him to hear his word.  Tegnal Jones 
and wife gave him and his wife a life interest in a tract of 40 acres of 
land in Mecklenburg County, Va., owing to the respect that they had for him, 
and the fact that they wanted him to make his home in that section.  It was 
one of the first parsonages that we have located in Virginia outside of the 
Established Church. 

  All say that he was a brilliant speaker, a student of the Bible, and a 
powerful revivalist, men and women of all classes hung on his words.

  A man is judged by the company in which he is found, and after 40 years of 
the study of his life and work in all sections, we have found him ever where 
able to meet and converse with the most intelligent, and the wealthy people, 
and to hold their respect.  From accounts he was a close acquaintance of 
Thomas Jefferson, the best posted man in America in his day.  Also Governor 
Patrick Henry and others of that class, yet he was humble and could talk with 
the illiterate slave and show him the way of life.  He was of a strong will, 
and like the Irish believed in striving by all fair means to carry his point. 

  He believed in beginning at home and laying his first base of operations 
there, and the result was that in 1794, the same year of the Surry County, 
Virginia meeting where the Christian Church in the South was organized, he 
organized this church where we are today.  He had so lived in his home 
community that the people were willing to follow him, thus refuting the old 
adage that "a prophet is not without honor save in his own country." 

  He also organized other churches in this section as the records of your 
Court will show. 

  He lived in a new day, and was far ahead of his time as a reformer. 

  Perhaps his human side was as good as that of any other man of his day.  He 
was true to himself, true to his family, true to his church, true to his 
country, and true to his God. 


Christian Church in the South, 
split from the Methodist Episcopal Church, 1792, 
organized organized at Old Lebanon Church, Surry Co., Aug 1794, 
founder & first minister Rev. James O'Kelly, 
"The Suffolk (VA) News-Herald," Vol. 19, No. 79, Apr. 4, 1941, pp. 1 & 8; 
"The Suffolk (VA) News-Herald," Vol. 19, No. 80, Apr. 5, 1941, pp. 1 & 7; 
"The Suffolk (VA) News-Herald," Vol. 19, No. 81, Apr. 7, 1941, p. 2; 
"The Suffolk (VA) News-Herald," Vol. 19, No. 82, Apr. 8, 1941, p. 2 

Additional information: 

Newpaper articles (text corrected) at: 
   https://virginiachronicle.com/ 

A report by Major MacClenny, on the organization of the Christian Church 
   South, focusing on its early ministers & missionaries, given to the 36th 
   regular session of the Southern Convention of Congregational Christian 
   Churches, Reidsville, 2 May 1944, and published in the "Suffolk News-
   Herald," May 3, 1944) is posted at: 
   http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/isleofwight/nansemond/chr_chs.txt 

The author generally spelled his surname MacCLENNY, although his parents, 
   David [Jr.] & Ann Maria (HOLLAND) McCLENNY, did not. 

A Spanish-American War veteran, he was the author of "The life of Rev. 
   James O'Kelly and the early history of the Christian church in the South" 
   (1910: Raleigh, NC, Edwards & Broughton Printing Co.) 
   LVA: Closed Stacks BX6793.O4 M3 

His obit ("Suffolk News-Herald," Mar. 5, 1950, p. 3) is posted at: 
   http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/obits/m245w3ob.txt 

He & his parents are buried in Cedar Hill Cemetery, Suffolk - Block H, Lot 56. 
   Cedar Hill list, an extension of the 
   Southampton County Historical Society {SCHS} Cemetery Project: 
   http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/cemeteries/cedar_m.txt 

The Library of Virginia has available on microfiche a work by Nicholas Snethen 
   in defense of the Methodist Episcopal government, in response to O'Kelly: 
   "A reply to an apology for protesting against the Methodist Episcopal 
   government" 
   (1800: Philadelphia, PA, printer Henry Tuckniss) 
   LVA: Fiche 131 Evans 38527 (Main) 

VA Department of Historic Resources Highway Marker K-236: 
   Organization of the Christian Church 
   At "Old Lebanon Church" here, the Christian Church was established under 
   the leadership of James O'Kelly, August, 1794.  O'Kelly had withdrawn from 
   the Methodist Church, 1792. 
   erected by the Conservation & Development Commission, 1935 
   https://vcris.dhr.virginia.gov/HistoricMarkers/ 

The history of Holland Christian Church- organized as Hebron Christian Church, 
   Carrsville, Oct 1853, & moved to Holland & re-built, 1891 & re-built, 1919, 
   ("Suffolk News-Herald," Vol. 15, No. 109, July 28, 1937, Farm & Home Sect., 
   p. 6) is posted at: 
   http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/history/hol_chr.txt 

The history of Suffolk Christian Church, organized Nov 1860; building 
   dedicated Mar 1861; re-built, 1891-93; building dedicated 28 Jan 1894, 
   ("Suffolk News-Herald," July 26 & 30, 1937, p. 4) is posted at: 
    http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/history/suf_chr.txt 

An article ("Sussex-Surry Dispatch," Sep. 28, 1961, p. 1) on Rev. Burwell 
   BARRETT & his descendants, and Barrett's Christian Church, which he founded 
   in 1808, is posted at: 
   http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/sussex/history/barrett.txt 

Antioch Christian Church, near Windsor, is the mother church of the remaining 
    Christian congregations in Isle Of Wight Co. - Mout Carmel, Isle Of Wight & 
    Windsor.  (King, "Historical Notes on Isle Of Wight County," p. 317 &c.) 


Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by 
File Manager Matt Harris (zoobug64@aol.com). 

file at: 
http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/history/chr_ch.txt