Nansemond-Isle Of Wight County Virginia USGenWeb Archives History.....Holland Christian Church, 1937 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ Holland Christian Church Ends 84th Year CARRSVILLE FIRST LOCATION CHURCH Moved To Holland And Church Rebuilt 1891 (By REV. CARL R. KEY) Hebron Christian Church, out of which came the present Holland Christian Church, was organized at Carrsville, Isle of Wight county, October, 1853, by the Rev. R.H. Holland with the following charter members: Rev. R.H. Holland, Alfred Cobb, William Odom, and James R. Holland. The four bound themselves to the following "Form of Agreement": We, whose names are hereunto annexed, members, as we trust, of the body of Christ, having exercised repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, being desirous of associating ourselves together as a church, agree to be governed by the following principles: (1) Christ is the only head of the church. (2) The name Christian is the only appelation by which we will be known to the exclusion of all party or sectarian names. (3) The Holy Bible, or the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament is our only creed or confession of faith. (4) Christian character, or vital piety is the true spiritual test of fellowship and of church membership. (5) The right of private judgment and the liberty of conscience is a right and a privilege that should be accorded to, and exercised by all." Joins Conference It was admitted into the Eastern Virginia Conference that same year, in session at Cypress Chapel Christian Church, November 4, 5, 6, 1853. The Conference met with Hebron Christian Church, October 30, 31 and November 1, 2, 1861; October 30, 31 and November 1, 2, 1872. The Rev. R.H. Holland, a son of Holy Neck Christian Church and founder of Hebron Christian Church, served as its pastor for 26 years; as clergy for a number of years, and always stood by in all matters concerning progress and maintenance. We find that he was also active in Conference and Convention affairs; known, loved and revered by a host of friends. His portrait hangs in the auditorium of the present church and he might properly be called its patron saint. Early Pastors The following pastors served the church while located in Carrsville: Rev. R.H. Holland, October, 1863, to January, 1877; Rev. C.J. Ralston, January, 1877, to January, 1880; Rev. J.T. Kitchen, January, 1880, to March, 1882; Rev. W.M. Butler, March, 1882, to January, 1883; Rev. H.C. Moore, January, 1883, to January, 1884; Rev. M.L. Hurley, January, 1884, to January, 1888; Rev. R.A. Ricks, January, 1886, to January, 1888; Rev. C.C. Peele, January, 1888, to September, 1890. At the September conference of 1890, a committee was appointed consisting of Eli Daughtrey, Allen Daughtrey, James H. Butler and Rev. R.H. Holland for the purpose of considering a more convenient location for the church. This committee reported at a call conference held October 27, 1890, with Dr. W.W. Staley, presiding. It recommended Holland as the most suitable place. Moved to Holland The Hebron Church building was dismantled and removed to Holland in the spring of 1891 and rebuilt by J.E. Daughtrey, one of its members. It was dedicated as the Holland Christian Church on the second Sunday in August, 1891, and at the conference of June 26, 1897, plans were submitted for enlarging the church, which was done. The Eastern Virginia Conference met here October 30, 31, and November 1, 2, 1894; October 30, 31, and November 1, 2, 1906; October 30, 31, and November l, 1923 and wil meet here again November 3, 4, 5, 1937. Pastors at Holland The following pastors have served the Holland Christian Church: Rev. R.H. Holland, October 27, 1890, to March, 1892; Rev. R.D.H. Demarest, March, 1892, to October 31, 1893; Rev, J.W. Rawles, October 31, 1893, to October 31, 1896; Rev. W.S. Long, D.D., October 31, 1896, to October 31, 1897; Rev. W.J. Laine, October 31, 1897 to June 9, 1898; Rev. I.W. Johnson, June 9, 1898, to October 31, 1906; Rev. N.G. Newman, October 31, 1906, to October 1, 1913; Rev. B.E. Black, October 1, 1913, to September 1, 1918; Rev. W.M. Jay, September 1, 1918, to October 31, 1920; Rev. J.P. Barrett, D.D., October 31, 1920, to September 1, 1921; Rev. J.H. Lightbourne, D.D., October 1, 1921, to September 1, 1927; Rev. W.C. Hook, September 1, 1927, to October 1, 1930; Rev. W.M. Jay, D.D., October 1, 1930, to June 1, 1935; Rev. Carl R. Key, September 1, 1935, to the present. New Church Home It was on April 1, 1918, that the first ground was broken for the new building, the old one having been previously removed. Notwithstanding the scarcity of labor and the difficulty in getting material, the work of the building slowly but steadily progressed so that it was ready to be opened for regular worship on the second Sunday in July, 1918. It was with gratitude that the building committee, composed of J.P. Dalton, chairman, L.J. Daughtrey, secretary, W.Q. Peele, treasurer, I.A. Luke, Jobe G. Holland, J. Frank Holland, R.E. Hedgebeth, R.H. Reidel, builder, Joe E. Holland, W.V. Leathers, W.H. Howell, D.J. Jones, B.W. Councill, W.J. Holland, and J.R. Holland, declared the building ready to be dedicated to God and His divine worship. The dedication service was held on Sunday, December 14, 1919, at 3 o’clock p.m. The following order of service was used: organ prelude, doxology, invocation, hymn 506, "The Church’s One Foundation," responsive reading, gloria, anthem, "O Be Joyful in the Lord," scripture lesson, prayer, quartet offering, historical sketch of the Church (I. A. Luke valuable in compiling this article), solo, dedication sermon, Rev. J.O. Atkinson, D.D., Elon College, N.C., dedication prayer, hymn 552, "The Son of God Goes Forth to War," benediction and organ postlude. Fine Structure The present edifice is built of brick with pressed brick on all four sides. It was constructed of the best material and equipped with modern conveniences. The pipe organ, costing $1800, was purchased and presented to the church by the Ladies' Aid Society. The art glass windows were donated or presented in memory of departed ones by members of the church. In the fall of 1936, a new heating system for warming the building in winter and cooling it in summer was installed. In the spring of 1930, when Holland and Holy Neck became full time pastorates, joint ownership of the parsonage was discontinued and this church sold its half to Holy Neck Church for $3,250.00. It then became necessary to erect a parsonage. The building committee was composed of Rev. J.H. Lightbourne, chairman, J.P. Dalton, A.T. Duke, R.E. Hedgebeth and R.H. Reidel. Work was begun in the spring of 1922. This church has property valued at $35,000. It is well organized and doing good work in all branches of activity. It has a membership of 400, with an average attendance of about 105 in the winter and about 110 in the summer, and employs a pastor for full time service. MODERN CHURCH HOME BUILT IN 1919 [photo, captioned:] Shown above is the present home of the Holland Christian church where services were held last Sunday to observe the 84th anniversary of the founding of the congregation by the Rev. R.H. Holland, Alfred Cobb, William Odom and James R. Holland. Holland Christian Church, organized as Hebron Christian Church, Carrsville, Oct 1853, moved to Holland & re-built, 1891; enlarged, 1897; re-built, 1919, "Suffolk (VA) News-Herald," Vol. 15, No. 109, July 28, 1937, Farm & Home Section, p. 6 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/hol_chr.txt