THIS book is meant to be a tribute to the memories of the ministers who have labored in the development of the Christian Church, South. By carefully noting the course of events that carried the workers forward, it will be observed that the Church as first organized continued rather as an association than as an organization. It was held together by personal contact and governed by personal influence. Before the close of the first quarter of a century the Church seems to have separated itself into two main sections: the Eastern, out of which developed the Eastern Virginia and North Carolina Conferences; the central, out of which developed the North Carolina and Virginia Conference. The large territory, which covered the Northern part of Virginia and extended even as far north as Philadelphia, did not crystallize except as to a small portion in the western part of that state from which we now have the Virginia Valley Central Conference. The part in Northern Georgia and in Alabama, (the connecting territory from some cause being lost to us,) after being much disturbed finally developed into the Georgia and Alabama Conference.

      Further, those that emigrated westward from North Carolina settled in Tennessee and Missouri, and conferences were organized in those states, whose complexion in thought was that of the North Carolina and Virginia Conference, while those who went from Virginia to Ohio and Kentucky carried with them the sentiments of those of the Eastern Virginia Conference. The differences, however, in the territory embraced in the Southern Christian Convention, began in time to fade out and be [iii] overlooked, and in 1847 the Conferences coalesced, and in 1856 they established a constitutional government which was more fully developed in 1866.

      No records have been preserved of many who at one time were active in the Church, and it is only by collecting and collating references that anything can be given concerning their lives and character. The matter herein is simply the statement of facts or statements based on facts. We may seem to have been tedious in regard to dates, but our object has been to locate as nearly as possible each individual. As a rule we have left the reader to draw his own conclusions, but now and then we have given an estimate of the life lived. Besides those whose names appear in these pages, many others doubtless are as worthy of mention. With the hope that another may collect data in respect to them, we have added a list of names. But the names of Rev. James Maple, D.D., and Rev. Charles J. Jones, D.D., who labored amongst us, we have left to those that have undertaken to write their biographies.

      This book of memoirs is not intended to be read as a history, but to aid the reader in forming an estimate of the lives and character of those who have made the history of the Christian Church. If others shall be induced to trace out the lives of these by fuller research, we feel confident that their own inner lives will be helped. We make no special claim for the excellence of the work, but we do claim to have done in part what others have been appointed to do and have failed in or shrunk from the undertaking.

      Many will desire to know many other things not recorded. [iv]

[LCM iii-iv]