EV. BENJAMIN RAINEY was born October 8, 1758, and died May 5, 1811. He was buried near the Big Spring with his wife, in Orange (now Alamance) county (on the farm of Junius H. Harden, north of Graham [47] depot), North Carolina. His three daughters were married--Rachel to Michael Holt, Nancy to Thomas Sellars, and Sarah to William Mebane.¹ Mrs. Nancy Sellars, the daughter of Rev. Benjamin Rainey, died the 22nd of August, 1881.

      In October, 1808, he attended the General Meeting at Raleigh, North Carolina, which continued four days. He in company with Joseph Thomas (later known as the 'White Pilgrim'), after leaving the Conference and traveling about fourteen miles from Raleigh, spent the night with the "pious J. O'Kelly." The following morning (Wednesday) Elder Rainey in company with Joseph Thomas traveled on, and that evening they held meeting at Haw creek. Elder Rainey preached.

      He was the author of "Episcopacy Unmasked," and in it he says with reference to the Methodist Discipline, 6th edition, "The sacred Scriptures have no place in the Constitution thus made, neither is the name of God mentioned in it."² In 1809 he issued with Rev. Mr. Stringer a "Pamphlet in Vindication of the Christian Doctrine." In 1906, the Bible used by Rev. Benjamin Rainey was in the hands and possession of the widow of the late Dr. B. A. Sellars, of Burlington, North Carolina. The texts from which he preached were marked in this Holy Book.

[LCM 47-48]