Nansemond County Virginia USGenWeb Archives History.....Suffolk Christian Church, 1937 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ OLD TIMES In Suffolk By LEMUEL CLIFFORD ORGANIZING A CHURCH It was in the year 1859, that a little band of Christian gentlemen, all residents of the little town of Suffolk met and further discussed the question which had been agitated tor some time previously; the need for a house of worship for the small number, comprising about twenty-five, who were followers of the denomination designating themselves the Christian congregation. It was agreed at this meeting of some of the leaders in the movement that the organization must build a church if it was to take its place in the community as a factor in the religious work of the town, so these leaders organized a Board of Trustees, and this board then and there formulated plans to begin the erection of a small brick church building, on the east side of Main street. BOARD OF TRUSTEES This board consisted of the following gentlemen: The Rev. W. B. Wellons, the Rev. Wm. H. Boykin, Messers Thomas J. Kilby, R.C. Wells, Willis S. Riddick, Richard L. Brewer, Robert B. Brinkley, James A. Parker, and Robert M. Darden. After finally arranging the necessary financial plans for carrying through their project, in the year 1860 a contract was made with Mr. Thomas J. Kilby to erect a suitable church building, and with little delay, the work was begun, and the following year saw its completion, and on the second Sabbath in March 1861, this edifice was dedicated, by the Rev. W.B. Wellons. TWENTY-FIVE MEMBERS The Christian church was formally organized, with twenty members in November 1860, with the Rev. W.B. Wellons as its first pastor, and tha church was received into the Eastern Virginia Conference the same month of its organization. A Sabbath school was organized in April, 1861, with Robert B. Brinkley and James A. Turrentine as superintendents, but with war declared about this time, and both these gentlemen having been called into the service, the school was never fully organized. Services were held regularly in the church until 1862, when Federal troops occupied Suffolk, and on June 17, 1862, the pastor was compelled to flee from the persecution of the Federal authorities on account of his avowed Southern sentiments, but his brother, the Rev. James W. Wellons, continued to hold services till November 1862, when he too was forced to become an exile. OCCUPIED BY FEDERALS After this, for several Sabbaths, the church was occupied by a Federal chaplain, who held services there, later being used as a hospital, and later the building was closed till May 1865. When the war was over, the pastor returned, to find his little flock scattered. One of his trustees, Robert B. Brinkley, who was Captain of a company from the vicinity of Cypress Chapel, and who had displayed much gallantry, fell in battle at Hanover Junction in May 1864. The Rev. W.B. Wellons, soon after his return from the war, called his flock again together and began regular services. In August 1865, the church enjoyed a gracious outpouring of the Holy Ghost. REVIVAL The meeting lasted nineteen days and nights, and there were seventy-seven confessions of faith in Christ, twenty-five united with the church, and the rest found church homes in the other denominations, or with the Christian churches in the country. The pastor was efficiently assisted in this series of meetings by tha Rev. James Murray of the Presbyterian church. During the War Between the States the records of the church were destroyed, and no doubt much valuable matter was not reproduced after the war. At the conference held in November, 1865, the record shows that the Rev. W.B. Wellons had been secured as pastor at a salary of $100., and other expenses were estimated at $50., making the total for the year $150. (Continued Tomorrow) ****************************************************************************** OLD TIMES In Suffolk By LEMUEL CLIFFORD (Continued) The actual expenses as seen in the financial report of the year were even less, as the report showed the collections to have been $148.10, and after paying all expenses, there remained in the treasury, a balance Of $4.56. The pastor's salary was increased the next year to $135.00, and the largest individual payment was $10.00. At a church conference in 1867, the pastor urged the necessity of a Sabbath school, and the subsequent Tuesday night was appointed for a special meeting to consider the matter. References in the August conference reports show that a Sabbath school had already been organized. SALARY INCREASED In 1870, the salary of the pastor was increased to $150.00, and up to this period he preached one Sunday in the month in the morning, and several times at night. In 1872, the church called the Rev. W.B. Wellons to devote his whole time to the church at a salary of $700.00, and at that time first adopted the envelope system of collections. In January 1873 other improvements were made in the system of financial operations. MR. WELLONS RETIRES In October 1876, the Rev. Wellons having been confined to his bed by a long illness, asked to be relieved as pastor, and his congregation continued him as honorary pastor till his decease, on February 16, 1877, and the Rev. J.T. Whitley, who had assisted as pastor, during the illness of the Rev. Wellons, was fully installed as pastor. The term of the Rev. Wellons was eighteen years, during which time the church was built and paid for, and 226 members received into the church. The civil war, and the ruined fortunes of the people subsequent to that period made the term of his office one of struggle, but God crowned his labors with success. THE REV. WHITLEY He let his mantle fall upon the Rev. J.T. Whitley, who continued as pastor from 1877 to 1879, when he resigned and withdrew from the Christian church, afterward uniting with the M.E. Church, South, becoming a minister in that denomination. During the term of the Rev. Mr. Whitley 21 members were received into the church, the Sabbath school was greatly improved, and the idea of the Ladies Benevolent and Social Union grew into a practical society. The Rev. W.T. Walker became the third pastor of the church, and served the congregation efficiently for three years, during which time thirty members were added to the church. NEW INTEREST There was a revival of interest during that period, and a prescious "time refreshing" from the presence of the Lord. The next pastor, the Rev. W.W. Staley, entered upon his duties in December 1882. THE REV. W. W. STALEY In 1884, he called attention to needed repairs, which resulted in the addition of a chapel 44 x 36 feet, a thorough renovation of the church, and a fine organ, this all being accomplished in 1884, at a cost of something like $2,000.00. The congregation grew till the church overflowed, and by 1889 the erection of a new church building was agitated. This idea grew and a subscription of $10,000 was taken on July 22, 1890. TO ERECT NEW CHURCH A building committee was appointed, and in May, 1891, the work of removing the old church began. The congregation moved into the City Hall on the first Sunday in June, 1891, while the old church building was being razed, where they remained for a time. On the first Sunday in August 1893, they moved to the basement of the new church, occupying those quarters while the building of the church was in progress, and when completed moved from the basement with everything complete for the great dedication of the handsome new edifice. During the pastorate of Rev. Staley 243 members were added to the membership, and when the new church was dedicated there were more than three hundred members on the roll. ****************************************************************************** OLD TIMES In Suffolk By LEMUEL CLIFFORD DEDICATING A CHURCH A congregation estimated at twelve hundred crowded into the new Christian church on Sunday, January 28, 1894, to assist in the dedicatory exercises, which were participated in by the various ministers of the town, and the members of all the churches helped fill the large auditorium and balcony. The program was a very elaborate one, and began with the strains of the new organ, followed by the Invocation by the Rev. N.G. Newman. Then was sung, "We Praise Thee," by Miss Florence Harvey, Mrs. Alida Beamon, Walter W. Ballard, and John F. Lotzia. Then, Scripture Lesson, Psalm 48 read by the Rev. H.C. Moore of the Presbyterian church. Then followed the reading of hymn, 690, by the Rev. J.P. Love of the Baptist church. The Rev. George C. Vanderslice, of the Methodist church, then offered prayer. The Anthem, "Gloria" by the choir, followed by Scripture lesson, Psalms 122, John 10, 7-18 by the Rev. John N. McCormick of St. Paul’s Episcopal church. Then, hymn 703, read by the Rev. W.T. Herndon, followed by the offertory. Then came a solo by C.S. Jardine of New York city, followed by a sermon by the Rev. C.J. Jones, D.D., of Norfolk. The dedicatory anthem, "Oh How Amiable Are Thy Dwellings," by the choir. Dedication by the Rev. C.J. Jones D.D., after which the Rev W.W. Staley delivered one of the most powerful sermons ever heard in the church, which was also lengthy, and kept the entire congregation in their seats until the end, after which there was the Doxology. The old church building was started in 1860, and gradually the congregation had outgrown it until it became necessary to raze it completely and erect the new and imposing building. It was a great day for the Christian denomination in Suffolk, and the exercises attracted many people from away, both laymen and ministers, and the fact that it had the aid and assistance of all the local ministers was proof of the popularity of Dr. Staley and his congregation among the Christian people of the town. Suffolk Christian Church, organized Nov 1860; building dedicated Mar 1861; enlarged, 1884; re-built, 1891-93; building dedicated 28 Jan 1894, "Suffolk (VA) News-Herald," Vol. 15, No. 110, July 29, 1937, p. 4; "Suffolk (VA) News-Herald," Vol. 15, No. 111, July 30, 1937, p. 4; "Suffolk (VA) News-Herald," Vol. 15, No. 107, July 26, 1937, p. 4 Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by File Manager Matt Harris (zoobug64@aol.com). file at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/history/suf_chr.txt