The life of Rev. James O'Kelly and the early history of the Christian church in the South

Contents

PAGE

Introduction— W. W. Staley, D.D 5

Preface — The Author 7

Index To Illustrations

O'Kelly Monument Frontispiece

Typical Colonial Church .Between pages 20- 21

Daniel M. Kerr " " 132-133

Old Lebanon Site " " 138-139

New Lebanon " " 138-139

Holy Neck Church " " 140-141

Cypress Chapel " " 144-145

O'Kelly's Chapel " " 148-149

Rev. Elias Smith *- " " 160-161

Old Rehoboth Church " " 194-195

O'Kelly Memorial Window " " 224-225

Introduction

Biography is the most interesting and instructive form of history because it illumines the page with personal motives, and incidents.

The author of this "Life of James O'Kelly," W. E. MacClenny, has rendered valuable service to his church and future generations by gathering from many sources, by painstaking and expensive research, a large fund of information and weaving it into a literary fabric that will endure.

Much of the information will be new to most readers and a j lister interpretation of history than anything before written. It removes from the fair name of this great reformer the aspersions cast upon him in the heat and excitement of the times that colored men's feelings and language. The calmer feelings and words of Coke and Asbury toward the close of their lives make amends for any injustice of earlier years when debate and ambition controlled their attitude toward O'Kelly.

The author's statement, "that he began to gather this information and then decided to give it to others," contains the growth and output of generous investigation. Those who improve their own minds and hearts become benefactors in the line of their tastes and efforts. In this field of research the author has scanned many a dusty page, turned over many a heap of rubbish, consulted many a record and many relatives and friends of this unique man, and his unique church, and he has thus brought into one small volume a mass of facts, cast light upon them, and thus made a contribution not only to the true history of the Christian Church, but the history of the times and religion in this country in the early years of the nineteenth century.

The careful reader will see that the Christian movement, under O 'Kelly, added a new factor, not only in the form of a more primitive church, hut that the movement greatly benefited the cause of Methodism by modifying, later, its form of government. The later writings of Methodist historians help to place O'Kelly in his true light before the world and to remove the prejudice that once existed between those two bodies or denominations.

In addition to these benefits to be derived from reading this history, the author has wisely added, as an appendix, extensive and characteristic selections from O'Kelly's own writings. These show clearly that his soul was imbued with Biblical and spiritual truth and sentiments. His pages glow like an anvil with holy fire and the ring of his hammer is the stroke of an honest man. He sought no worldly honor, no earthly gain, no human favor; the liberty of man, the freedom of the church, and the glory of God seem to have been his aim. To rescue his good name from oblivion, to put the cause for which he gave all in its true light before the world, to defend the position of the Christian Church, and to support the claim for Christian freedom which has characterized the Christian Church for a hundred years is to merit the approbation of fair-minded men; and this the author of this work has done.

W. W. Staley.

Suffolk, Virginia,

January 18th, 1910.

Preface

Should any one inquire as to what impulse caused me to begin this research, I should reply that, being particularly fond of history, a member of the Christian Church, and knowing that no such work had ever been written, I began to gather the information contained herein for my own instruction, and then decided, after much hesitation, to give the results of my research to others. I am fully aware of the limitations put upon me by my vocation, not being engaged in literary pursuits, but as no one else seemed ready or willing to attempt it, and feeling that it had been neglected all too long, I here offer the public the best efforts my ability and circumstances would allow.

One day, when a student at Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Virginia, I casually came across a copy of McClintock and Strong's Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, and there found an article on Rev. James O'Kelly. The tone of this article did not seem to be in accord with what I had learned of O'Kelly from other sources. This article set me to a diligent search to see if the statements and impressions recorded there were true. I began to gather information from every known source about O'Kelly, his life and work. This proved a slow and tedious task, covering a period of several years, and a scope of wide investigation.

Books of the Christian Church and publications were carefully gone through, with but little light found on the subject. Accidentally, a copy of the Minutes of

The Methodist Conferences Held in America up to about 1813i was found, and there Mr. O' Kelly's official record, as a Methodist minister, and Presiding Elder in Southern Virginia, was secured. Next a trip was made to the Virginia State Library, Richmond, and there new history was found. Later, another trip was made to Randolph-Macon College, Ashland, Virginia, where historical rooms were opened to me, and much new data was obtained. The officials of this institution were very kind to me, and they have my thanks for the same. In the meantime correspondence was commenced with members of the O'Kelly family, and with wellinformed men and women of the Christian Church, both North and South. From this source many facts were gleaned.

In the fall of 1905 a series of articles was published in the Christian Bun, as a result of my work that far and some readers were kind enough to send me many additional facts about O'Kelly's life and work. Several interested ones, whose judgment I considered good, asked that the results of my research be published in book form. My work of research, investigation and composition was then begun afresh.

Soon a copy of Dr. Drinkhouse's History of the Methodist Reform and the Methodist Protestant Church was procured, and this was of invaluable aid to me in the work. Prof. P. J. Kernodle, M.A., who has perhaps done more in collecting the early history of the Christians than any other man, kindly gave me valuable aid. Prof. W. A. Harper, M.A., Elon College, kindly secured for me, from the North Carolina State Library,

TEE CHRISTIAN CEURCE. 9

important facts regarding O' Kelly's family history. Rev. J. O. Atkinson, D.D., kindly loaned me a copy of Mr. O'Kelly's Apology, and this threw more light on his life. In the meantime the records of a great many counties in Virginia and North Carolina were searched to see what they would reveal. Mr. J. Elmer Long, an attorney-at-law of Pittsboro, North Carolina, was kind enough to search the records of Chatham County, North Carolina, and secure for me a copy of James O'Kelly's will, and other valuable data. Rev. W. G. Clements has read a copy of Chapter I of the present volume, and, being well acquainted with the early history of the Christians, made some corrections, and gave other valuable information. Rev. J. B. Dunn, Episcopal minister, Suffolk, Virginia, the official historian of Nansemond County, Virginia, has helped me many times in my work, by the use of his library, and suggestions made after reading the manuscript. Besides these, many others have helped me greatly in securing information. To any and to all who have thus aided me I wish here and now to extend my sincere thanks, and grateful appreciation.

Many references and footnotes are given so that those who have a desire to investigate further may do so. It is regarded as useless to give a long list of the works consulted. There are errors, no doubt, and the author will regard it a great favor if these may be pointed out to him. Any new data will be thankfully received, so that, should there ever be a demand for a later edition of this work, it may be an improvement on the present.

With this foreword my work goes to the public with the wish that it may be counted worthy of a place in many homes, and that it may help some author in the future to write a more complete history of the early years of the Christians.

W. E. MacClenny.

Suffolk^ Virginia, 1910.

Chapter I

Nationality, Genealooy, Childhood, Youth, Education, and Early Associates.

There is some speculation as to where Rev. James O'Kelly was born, and the exact date of his birth. In fact, it is doubtful if there is any man of such prominence, in his day, concerning whom writers vary so much in this regard. Applet oris Encyclopedia of American Biography says that he was born in the year 1735. Others bring the date of his birth down to as late as 1757. Appleton is, perhaps, more nearly correct than others, for it is a well established fact that he was in the ninety-second year of his age at the time of his death, October 16th, 1826. The most authentic historians, seem to agree that this was the date of his death.*

In regard to the place of his birth, Stephens, in his History of Methodism, says that he was born in Southern Virginia. Dr. Bennett, in his Memorials of Methodism in Virginia, seems to confirm this statement. Many other writers are of the same opinion, while some say that he was of Irish birth.

A writer in the Christian Sun (supposed to be Maj. R. W. York), says:

"James O'Kelly is generally supposed to have been

born in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, or some one of

* See Raleigh Register and North Carolina Gazette, of Friday, November 3, 1826, under the caption, Died. A copy in the North Carolina State Library. See also quotation from Rev. John P. Lemay, in the last chapter of this work.

the counties on the North Carolina line. The tradition in the O'Kelly family is that he and his wife, Miss Elizabeth Meeks, came from Virginia, and lived in the same neighborhood before their marriage. The maternal name of Meeks is still preserved occasionally among the descendants.

"Notwithstanding the fact that tradition assigns Mecklenburg County, Virginia, as the place of his nativity, yet there are facts that can not be doubted which point to Wake County, North Carolina, quite as strongly perhaps, which I will briefly state, and the facts themselves will appear more fully hereafter, viz: 1st. He was a resident of North Carolina through the Revolutionary period; 2d, he stood his draft repeatedly, and once put in a substitute, and once served on post himself" (We will say in passing, however, that we have not been able to find his name on the rosters of the ten North Carolina regiments that served in that war. The name of Patrick O'Kelly alone appears in the Revolutionary records of North Carolina for 1777, and his name was omitted in September, 1778. This we gleaned from the North Carolina State Papers, edited by Judge Walter Clark) ; "3d, his ministerial labors were entirely in North Carolina during the Revolution; 4th, to prove his devotion to Whiggery in his Apology he continually alludes to his early life, and also his adventures in the Revolution, and to distinguished persons in North Carolina. He never spoke well of England nor anything English."

Until a few years ago it was commonly believed that Rev. James O'Kelly was a schoolmate of Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson, an affirmation formerly often made from pulpit and press. However, it is to be donbted if he attended college in America, as his name does not appear in the register of matriculates in William and Mary, Princeton, or Harvard. He did not attend Christ's College, Cambridge, England, where the Wesley s were educated.*

After a most careful investigation and much research, the writer is of the opinion that James O'Kelly was born in Ireland, and spent the early part of his life in that country.

In Burke's Landed Gentry of England and Ireland (1868),t we find a sketch of the lineage of the O'Kelly family of Ireland. From this we learn that Cellach, Chief of Hy Many, and fourteenth in the descent from Main Mor, was the progenitor from whom the O'Kellys derive their surname. The annals of the family go back as far as 960 A. D., and they were represented in 1863 by Dennis H. Kelly, Esq., of Castle Kelly, County Posecommon, Ireland. (In some instances the a O' " has been dropped, while in others it is still retained.)

Diarmaid O'Kelly, who is stated to have been Prince of Hy Many for sixty years, was the father of Conchobhar Moenmaighe O'Kelly, stated to have been Prince, or Arch Chief, of Hy Many for forty years, and, according to The Annals of the Four Masters, he built O'Kelly's Church at Clanmoenoise in the year 1167.

* From letters of officers of these institutions in the writer's possession.

t A copy in the Carnegie Library, Norfolk, Virginia.

Another member of the family in prominence from 1861 to 1870 was Cornelius Joseph O'Kelly, Esq., of Gallagh Castle, County Galway, Ireland. He was magistrate for the County of Galway, and High Sheriff in 1861. Later he was Lord, Manor of Gallagh, and Count of the Holy Roman Empire.

Ralph O'Kelly is mentioned as Archbishop of Cashell, Ireland, and also as the author of a book of common law, and of one, or, as some say, seven books of Familiar Letters, and other works, none of which are now extant.

William O'Kelly, of Athlone, was chief of Hy Many, and after King Edward's accession to the Crown, his Majesty, by letter to the L. D. St. Ledger, dated at Greenwich, 7th April, 1547, directed that "in respect of his faithful and diligent service, done to his father and himself, he would be one of his Privy Council. In which year the Castle of Athlone, at his Motion and Instigation, being repaired and garrisoned by order of the Council, the Charge thereof was committed to him, which he most effectually performed, notwithstanding the opposition of Dominick O'Kelly, and other powerful chiefs in Connaught. Letters of protection were granted MacMurough, O'Kelly, and O'MeLaglin."

From the above it is evident that the subject of our sketch was a man of high birth on his paternal side, the family having been identified with the vicinity of Gallagh for ages.

On his maternal side it was equally as good, and several members of the family took Holy Orders. In Betham's Baronetage of England With General Tables, Vol. 3, page 124, mention is made of William O'Kelly of the Chetewode family, and on page 126, nnder twenty-one of the family line we find " James, who went to Virginia." (This James O'Kelly we have all right to believe was the subject of onr sketch, although it has no infallible proof.) Thus we gather that he was a grandson of John Chetewode, who was related to John Leech, of Mapwich.*

John Chetewode, James O'Kelly's maternal grandfather, took Holy Orders and was a Doctor of Divinity, and one of his descendants was later a minister and stationed near Cork, Ireland, while another was a Captain in the Thirty-third regiment, in recent years.

From the above it is seen that James O'Kelly's ancestors on one side were church builders, and on the other side, preachers, or priests, as they were called. We learn that he was connected with some of the best families of both England and Ireland. Among these may be mentioned the Drewrys, the Knightlys, the Shntes, and others.

In view of the above facts, and the early traditions of the Christians, we come to this conclusion: James O'Kelly was born and educated in Ireland, came to America in early life, seems to have settled near Moring's Post-office, in Surry County, Virginia, and lived there for some time before he moved to North Carolina, Eev. W. G. Clements, Morrisville, North Carolina, relates the f olowing : "It has been my pleasure to talk with Mr. Moring, Mr. J. J. Jinks, and Rev. Chastine Allen. All these had heard O'Kelly preach and Rev.

* A copy of Betham's work in the North Carolina State Library.

Chastine Allen rode and preached with O'Kelly, and these all said that he moved from Surry County, Virginia, to Chatham County, North Carolina. There is a tradition that James O'Kelly, when a young man, worked his way to this country from Ireland on a ship and soon settled in Virginia."

While living in Virginia it is likely that he made the acquaintance of Mr. Henry and Mr. Jefferson. Here, too, he doubtless met Elizabeth Meeks, his future wife. The Meeks family first settled near Jamestown, Virginia, in the early days of the colony, and later began to move southward. It seems that the Meekses and the O' Kelly s have been neighbors for some time, for J. T. Meeks, now of Concord, North Carolina, but a native of Banks County, Georgia, relates that his grandparents came from Virginia, and that his grandfather, on his mother's side, was named Milton O'Kelly, and we are confident that these are some of the same family. A few years ago there was a record of the Meeks family, from the time of settlement in Virginia to that date, in possession of one of the descendants in Banks County, Georgia.*

As to James O'Kelly's educational advantages, history seems to be almost silent. If he was born in Ireland, as facts indicate, he may have attended Trinity College, Dublin. At any rate, from his work, in later life, we are led to believe that he was educated for his time, and was perhaps a good Greek scholar, and in ad-

* This is further confirmed by the fact that Kevs. John P. O'Kelly, James O'Kelly, and Francis D. O'Kelly were members of the Georgia and Alabama Conference, in 1851. They seem to have lived in Baldwin County, Georgia.

dition to this, was of powerful natural ability. He says in Chapter 28 of his Apology, while speaking of Bishop Asbury's educational advantages, "while he (Asbury) was an utter stranger to a classical education, being like me born of poor parentage.'' This shows that Mr. O'Kelly did not regard himself as a good scholar. His work, Letters from Heaven Consulted, published in Hillsborough, North Carolina, in 1822, is spoken of in the following way by critics: "The literary ability of this is very fair."

There is evidence in some parts of his Apology that he had a fair knowledge of the Greek and the Latin languages, and that he was very well versed in general history.

Tradition tells that in his early life he was a great champion fighter and fiddler. As the Irish are particularly fond of fighting, we think it quite probable, that James O'Kelly, like Philip Embury, one of the Irishmen ( Eobert Strawbridge being the other), who became the first local Methodist preachers in America, grew up without much thought of religion, and in his early days enjoyed all the sports of such a life.

"As to the date of his marriage to Elizabeth Meeks, who through his long and checkered life shared his joys and divided his sorrows, we have no definite information. Tradition is dumb, except that they knew each other long before marriage. Certain it is they were married not very late in life ; Mr. O'Kelly being under twenty-five and she under twenty. This would put the date of their marriage about 1760.*" * This is from Maj. York's sketch. 2

To this union two sons were born, John and William. As John's name is mentioned first in the will of his father we presume that he was the older. Again, as only two sons were mentioned in the will we presume that these were all the children he had. William O'Kelly was born April 29th, 1763. To the influence of his son, his father perhaps owes his prominence today. He was named William O'Kelly, after his grandfather O'Kelly.

When the Methodist preachers came into the Cedar Creek country, Elizabeth O'Kelly, his wife, was at once converted and joined the society. His son, William O'Kelly, then only twelve years old, likewise was converted and joined, and was instrumental in his father's conversion. He felt even at that young age that he ought to preach. He conversed with his father who dissuaded him from it, alleging his great youth, and that he might in the heat and ardor of youth fall from such a high station. William desisted, went up into the New Hope valley in Chatham County, to a Methodist preaching place somewhere on the hill where Mr. Thomas J. Herndon now resides, married Miss Mary E. Merritt, a Methodist lady, March 27, 1787, and settled there. William did not become a preacher, but he did become a state representative, and went from Chatham County to the North Carolina Legislature as early as 1805, and was there in 1812, 1814, 1815, and 1816. In 1818 he was State Senator from his district.

In the summer of 1774 ( ?) James O'Kelly turned his attention to religious matters, and was soon converted. In regard to this we quote the following from his own account :

"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 declaring that during life, that sacred Book should be my guide, and at the close, if I sunk to perdition, said I, Just, O God ! yet dreadful ! but if thy clemency and divine goodness should at last rescue me from the jaws of a burning hell, this miracle of grace shall be gratefully remembered by me, a moment of mercy!

"The things which followed, which were such things as belong to my peace, the inexpressible change, the instantaneous cure, I am incapable of speaking; 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. They came to us under the direction of John Wesley, whose name to me is of precious memory. His writings magnified the Bible and gave it preference and honor. He declared he regarded the authority of no writings but the inspired. He urged the sufficiency of the Scripture for faith and practice, saying, 'We will be downright Christians.' This doctrine pleased me and so did the conduct of the holy preachers. I entered the connection, and soon entered the list among the traveling ministers, where I labored both day and night, pleading with God for that connection in particular, and the world in general."

It is not known at this time where he first met the Methodist preachers. It may have been in Virginia as we are not informed as to the date of his removal to North Carolina.

Immediately after his conversion everything irreligious was abandoned, his iron will knowing no half-way ground, and he deliberately laid his fiddle on a huge fire and burned it. Whatever he did, he wished to do well.

wwsMSwga

A TYPICAL COLONIAL CHURCH

Old Cypress Church, about three miles from Morings P. O., Surry County, Vi where Rev. James O'Kelly perhaps began to preach.

Chapter II

Early Ministry — Conditions, in Virginia, of Church and State at This Period — First Methodist Ministers Visit the State.

All Methodist historians agree that O'Kelly began his ministerial career at an early age, having been converted while young. Encyclopedia of Methodism, page 678, says he began to preach about the middle of the Revolutionary War. He must not have been as young as they supposed, for he was about thirty-nine years old when he was converted. As to what trade or occupation he followed before he was converted and began to preach, history is silent. From facts recently discovered it may have been that he was a man of some means, and did not have to earn his bread "in the sweat of his face."

When and where he preached his first sermon is not known. The first mention we have of his preaching in Methodist history was in an old colonial church in southern Virginia, about the middle of the Revolutionary War, or the year 1777.* The Christian Sun of January 7, 1886, in an article by Maj. R. W. York, says: "Now it was January 2d, 1775, that James O'Kelly was licensed to preach, or authorized to preach, and sent out, one of that great immortal band of Methodist lay preachers, but he was not ordained either deacon, or priest (elder). No Episcopal bishop would

* McClintock and Strong's Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature, etc., under "James O'Kelly."

have ordained him to either order while being a Methodist. Methodism was under ban in the Established Church. One pious and godly (Devereux) Jarratt is mentioned in all Methodist histories in Virginia. He made stated visits among the Methodists for the purpose of baptizing and administering the Lord's Supper. lie traveled with Mr. O'Kelly to his societies for this purpose. Now, let the historic fact be remembered that from January 2, 1775, when Mr. O'Kelly became a Methodist lay preacher, to the Christmas Conference of 1784, at Baltimore, Maryland, nearly ten years, he was a layman, a member of the Episcopal Church, as it was commonly called. Then it was at this conference that Mr. O'Kelly ceased to be a layman, and a lay-preacher, and was ordained severally deacon, and elder by Rev. Thomas Coke, LL.D."*

We take the above to be correct, since Major York had in his possession, in 1876, the prayer-book presented to James O'Kelly when he was ordained to preach January 2, 1785. In this prayer-book, January 2, 1775, was given as the date when he began to preach, as a lay-preacher, from which it is evident that he had been preaching, in Virginia and North Carolina, a little more than three years before he was mentioned in the ''Minutes" of the Methodist Conference at Leesburg, Virginia, in 1778.

One writer noticing this early work of James 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 en-

* See a copy of this paper in Library of Elon College, N. C.

raged 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 of the apostles. In spite of the curate's violent opposition he (O'Kelly) continued to preach in the chapel for more than a year with increasing success. The next year he joined "Asbury's Ironsides."*

From his first appearance in public, in Virginia, he showed more than ordinary ability, and soon took a high position in the ranks of Methodism.

Before proceeding further it seems well to take a bird's-eye view of conditions existing in the colony at this time, in order that we may the more fully understand some of the difficulties O'Kelly and his associates had to overcome in establishing Methodism on Virginia soil. The conditions are well portrayed in a letter written in 1774 by Hon. James Madison, who afterwards became president of the United States. Says he : "Poverty and luxury prevailed among all sects; pride, ignorance and knavery among the priesthood, and vice and wickedness among the laity. That is bad enough, but it is not the worst I have to tell you. That diabolical, hell-conceived principle of persecution rages among some, and to their eternal infamy, the clergy furnish their quota of imps for such purposes. There are at this time in the adjacent counties, not less than five or six well-meaning persons in close jail for publishing their religious sentiments, which, in the main are very orthodox." He further says': "I have neither pa-

* See McClintock and Strong's Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature, under "James O'Kelly"; also Bennett's Memorials of Methodism in Virginia.

tience to hear, talk nor think of anything relative to this matter, for I have squabbled, and scolded, abused and ridiculed so long about it to no purpose, that I am without common patience. So I must beg you to pity me and pray for the liberty of conscience to all."*

Before this time the Virginia colony was an English province, and English customs, manners and laws were in force. The Episcopal or Established Church was the State Church, that is the Established Church was supported by the government, just as our public schools and almshouses are to-day. Every citizen had to pay a tithe, or church tax, and at times the attendance on the worship of the Established Church was compulsory.

Besides, people who did not believe as the Episcopalians did, were not allowed to preach their beliefs. As time went on there was more than one instance when people of this class, known as dissenters, were forced to leave the colony.