EV. JOHN P. LEMAY was a member of the North Carolina and Virginia Christian Conference.

      In 1827, he wrote a letter on the death of Rev. James O'Kelly to his brethren. (An extract of this letter will be given at the close of this sketch as it appears at the end of the "Apology," published in 1829.) He was a member of the General Meeting or Conference, held at New Providence meeting house in Orange (Alamance) county, North Carolina, in 1830, and was chosen Secretary. The Conference issued an address which he signed in behalf of the Conference meeting. Likewise at the General Meeting at Lebanon in Surry county, Virginia, in 1832, he was secretary. And in 1833, he attended the General Meeting at Kedar in Warren county, North Carolina, and was re-elected secretary, and also chosen Treasurer of the Conference. And also he was appointed on the Editorial committee to publish a paper for the Church. At Pope's chapel, in 1838, he was appointed on the ordaining presbytery with Revs. Jonathan Fuller and Stephen Turner. He was chosen Moderator and presided over this Conference. To the Conference at Lebanon, in 1839, he sent his resignation as treasurer.

      In 1851, he wrote an article entitled "Proof that Christ is the Supreme God," which was published, August 27, 1851. From this time on, the writings of Rev. John P. [100] Lemay and others, which appear in the public press (in 1859) give expression to their doctrinal sentiments. In these it is declared "the doctrine of the Trinity" is clearly taught. His sentiments were those of the brethren of his Conference, and those which he believed and advocated.

      In 1864, at the Conference at Antioch in Chatham county, North Carolina, the committee on memoirs report that at the time of his death, Elder John P. Lemay was a resident of the state of Mississippi. "That the Church has lost a faithful minister, a staunch friend and a zealous supporter of the great principles of Christian union and brotherly love." His only surviving near relative then living in North Carolina was Mrs. Susan F. Phillips.

      Extract of a letter from the Rev. John P. Lemay, dated, February, 1827.

      DEAR BRETHREN:--No doubt the greater part of you, ere this reaches you, will have heard of the death of our elder brother JAMES O'KELLY; but as the particulars may not have been received, I now state them for your satisfaction.

      He departed this life, in the triumphs of faith, on the evening of the 16th of October last, after a painful and lingering illness, which he bore with Christian fortitude and a perfect resignation to the will of Heaven. He was, I learn from a gentleman who has been in habits of intimacy with him for many years, in the 92nd year of his age, and had been a minister of the Gospel upwards of fifty. His conduct, from the time he embraced the religion of the cross, has ever been the most exemplary--those who knew him best are unanimous in saying that he "walked worthy of the high vocation wherewith he was called."

      Not long after embracing religion, he became a Methodist traveling preacher, in which capacity he continued [101] until December, 1793, (I believe,) when he, together with many others, (from conscientious motives,) left the Methodist Episcopal Church.

      They then, having met in council, agreed to take the Bible as the only rule (conceiving it to be an all-sufficient one) for their faith and practice, as well as church government; at the same time owning no other name but that given the disciples first at Antioch. See Acts xi. 26.

      From that time to the day of his death he continued in the most zealous manner to recommend the Scriptures of Divine Truth as the only and all-sufficient standard or system of church government, faith and practice, believing this to be the pure apostolic plan, in which opinion he appeared to be more and more confirmed. In a letter which he wrote to me a few years before his death, after mentioning some particulars relative to the church, he concludes by saying, "don't give up the ship--don't give up the ship--don't give up the ship;" and in a conversation which I held with him in the spring of 1825, he declared he was fully satisfied as to the plan he had been and was still pursuing, for it appeared to him to be more like a revelation from heaven than otherwise--that it was purely apostolic. May God enable us to pursue it with energy and an eye single to his glory!

      Our departed brother was a 'faithful minister of the New Testament,' and was successful in winning many precious souls to Christ; but he now rests from his labor, and while the church is left to mourn their irreparable loss, he, brighter far than the lamps of heaven, inhales the balmy airs of Paradise, beholds his glorious Maker, and sings hallelujahs to his exalted Saviour. May we tread in his footsteps! Yours, &c.,

JOHN P. LEMAY. [102]

[LCM 100-102]