REV. MILLS BURWELL BARRETT.

EV. MILLS BURWELL BARRETT was born September 6, 1828, in Norfolk county, Virginia, and died in Southampton county, April 14, 1891. His parents were Rev. Mills Barrett and Sarah J., his wife. He was a grandson of Rev. Burwell Barrett, who was a pioneer in the Christian movement, having joined Rev. James O'Kelly in 1794.

      Rev. Mills B. Barrett was twice married. He first married Mrs. L. Zills of Sussex county, March 31, 1847, and to them were born several children. After the death of his first wife, he married Mrs. Anna L. Summerell, March 8, 1863, and settled in Southampton county, where he resided till the day of his death.

      Rev. M. B. Barrett began preaching at the age of nineteen, and was ordained to the office of Elder in the Christian Church at Antioch church, in Isle of Wight, county, Virginia, October 31, 1850. The Eastern Virginia Conference was held this year at Antioch, and on this occasion the ordination sermon was preached by Rev. I. N. Walter. Soon after Elder Barrett's ordination he accepted work in the Georgia and Alabama, Christian Conference, but retained his membership in the Eastern Virginia Conference, to which he reported by letter at the session held at Providence chapel, in Norfolk county, in 1852. At this time he was laboring with the churches in Stewart county, accessible from Richland, Georgia. He likewise reported himself by letter to the Eastern Virginia Conference, at Cypress chapel, in 1853, still laboring in the bounds of the Georgia and Alabama Conference. A collection was taken amounting to $30 which was forwarded to him. After his return from Georgia, he located in Norfolk county and became pastor of Providence chapel. He was [281] chosen by the Eastern Virginia Conference as a delegate to the Southern Christian Convention at Union chapel, in Alamance county, North Carolina, in 1856. At the Conference at Bethlehem, in Nansemond county, he was chairman of the committee on temperance, and presented a strong report against intemperance.

      At the Southern Christian Convention at Cypress chapel, in Nansemond county, in 1868. Rev. M. B. Barrett was appointed one of the soliciting agents for the Southern Christian Book Concern established at this session. He was also appointed to serve on the committee to draft a constitution and by-laws of the Home Missionary Society.

      In 1859, the Conference met at Providence, in Norfolk county, of which church Rev. M. B. Barrett was pastor. He was appointed on the committee on religious exercises. Having resigned the pastoral charge of Providence chapel, he located in Petersburg, Virginia, where he began missionary work. At the Conference at Cypress chapel, in 1860, he was chairman of the committee on periodicals, and was appointed a fraternal messenger to the North Carolina and Virginia Conference. He preached an "effective and eloquent discourse" the last day of the Conference, Saturday, November 3rd. In 1863, Rev. M. B. Barrett and two other ministers on the recommendation of Union, in Southampton county, ordained Rev. Thomas W. Joyner to the office of an Elder. During the last years of the Civil War, Rev. M. B. Barrett served as chaplain in the army. In 1865, he had taken charge of the churches at Barrett's, Spring Hill, and Union. This year the Conference met at Holy Neck, in Nansemond county, which had not held a regular session since 1861. He served on the committee on Sabbath schools as chairman, and urged "the establishment of a Sabbath school at every place of worship." He was also appointed on the committee on the ministry [282] and ordination, and was elected a delegate to the Southern Christian Convention to meet at Mt. Auburn, in Warren county, North Carolina, in 1866, but failed to attend. In 1870, he represented the Eastern Virginia Conference in the General Convention at Suffolk, Virginia.

      At the Conference at Spring Hill, in Sussex county, in 1870, he acted as chairman of the committee on church records and periodicals. He was chosen fraternal messenger to the North Carolina and Virginia Conference, and attended its meeting at Union chapel, in Halifax county, Virginia. In 1871, Mt. Carmel was received into the Conference at Berkley, Virginia, and Rev. M. B. Barrett, who had been instrumental in its organization, became its pastor. He served this church from its organization, till he died. At this Conference he was appointed on the executive committee for he year. At the Conference at Hebron, in Isle of Wight county, the committee on religious exercises announced him to preach, and he "delivered an excellent discourse" from I Pet. 1:24, 25. His ministerial report showed that he was pastor of three churches. In 1873, he attended the Valley Virginia Conference as a fraternal messenger, and served on its ordaining presbytery committee. He preached the annual sermon before the Conference at Cypress chapel from I Cor. 18:13 and Matt. 22:37-39. At this Conference he served as chairman of the committee on church records, and was appointed on the committee of superintendents of colored churches. He was also elected as delegate to the General Christian Convention, which met at New Providence church in Alamance county, North Carolina, in 1874. He preached before the Convention on Sunday, May 3rd, at 8 P. M. At the Sunday School Convention of the Eastern Virginia Conference this year, the chair announced for discussion: "The best means of leading little ones to Christ, and the [283] expediency of their being encouraged publicly to confess Christ and unite with the church." In regard to this, Rev. M. B. Barrett said the "happiest moments of his life were those in which he had welcomed children of his charge into the church."

      In 1878, at the General Convention at Lebanon, in Caswell county, North Carolina, Rev. M. B. Barrett preached in the afternoon, Sunday, July 28th. He moved that the extraordinary session be held in Suffolk, Virginia, to which the committee on revision reported. It was a pivotal session.

      In 1879, the Eastern Virginia Conference met at Windsor, Virginia, and Rev. M. B. Barrett was chosen president. He was appointed by the Conference on the ordaining presbytery, and his name added to the committee on religious literature. At the Conference at Bethany, in 1880, he was re-elected President, and delivered the annual address. In 1881, at the Conference held at Liberty Spring, in Nansemond county, he was again elected president, by acclamation. He served as chairman of the executive committee and also as chairman of the committee on education. And he was appointed one of the ordaining presbytery which ordained Rev. R. E. Barrett, Rev. R. A. Ricks, and others at this Conference.

      Rev. M. B. Barrett was a delegate from the Eastern Virginia Conference to the General Convention at Morrisville, North Carolina, in 1882, and was elected vice-president. He served as chairman of the home mission committee, and was elected a fraternal messenger to the American Christian Convention. Again, in the same year, he was unanimously elected president of the Eastern Virginia Conference at Bethlehem, in Nansemond county, Virginia. He was chairman of the executive committee, and of the committee on education. At the Conference at Union, Southampton county, in 1888, he was chairman of the executive and educational [284] committees. And in 1884, at Spring Hill, Sussex county, he was elected president, and was chairman of the committee on Sabbath schools. He likewise attended the Valley Virginia Conference as a fraternal messenger. At Antioch, in Isle of Wight county, in 1885, he was again elected president of the Conference, and was chairman of the executive committee.

      The General Convention met at Mt. Auburn, in Warren county, North Carolina, in 1886, to which Rev. M. B. Barrett was a delegate. Again, in 1888, at Cypress chapel, Nansemond county, he was elected president of the Conference. This was the last time that he served in this capacity.

      As a pulpit orator Elder Barrett was especially gifted, and when at his best, was a most captivating preacher. He spent over forty years in the active work of the ministry, winning many souls to Christ.

[LCM 281-285]