REV. JOSEPH A. MURRAY was one of the old time preachers of the Christian Church and belonged to the North Carolina and Virginia Conference. For his day and time he was very well informed. To the General Meeting at Pleasant Grove in Halifax county, Virginia, in 1835, a petition was sent from Bethlehem church requesting the appointment of a presbytery to ordain Rev. Joseph A. Murray. The petition was granted. In 1838, he attended the General Meeting, or Conference, at Pope's chapel in Granville county. And in 1839, he preached the opening sermon from Psa. 50:21, 22, 23, before the Conference at old Lebanon in Surry county, Virginia.
At the North Carolina and Virginia Conference at Union, in 1840, he was appointed an itinerant to travel on the Deep River circuit. He reported himself at the Conference at Apple's church, in Guilford county, in 1841. At the Conference at Pleasant Grove in Randolph county, in 1843, he opened the meeting with prayer. He was on the committee on ordination that recommended Ashbel S. Nelson and John R. Holt for "Elders' orders." In 1845, at Apple's chapel, he was chairman of the committee on itinerancy, and also served on the committee on education. He was assigned to the Haw River circuit. At the Conference at Union chapel, In 1846, he was on the committee on itinerancy, and on ordination to examine candidates for the ministry. He was assigned to the Deep River circuit. In 1847, he attended the Conference at Pope's chapel in Granville
county, North Carolina In 1850, he was at the Conference at Union, Alamance county, in connection with which a camp meeting was held. He preached. Others who preached were Revs. I. N. Walter, Jesse K. Cole, and Thomas J. Fowler. And again in 1852, he was at Union chapel.
In 1853, he withdrew from the Christian Church, and joined the Baptists, at which time his name was erased from the roll of the North Carolina and Virginia Christian Conference. At the Conference at O'Kelly's chapel, in 1854, the following was adopted: "Whereas Elder Joseph A. Murray, formerly a member of this Conference, has withdrawn from the same and united with the Baptist church; Resolved, That his name be dropped from the roll of this Conference." He soon became disaffected toward the Baptists, and endeavored to pass himself off again as a Christian minister, but he was never recognized by the body. He lived till about the year 1859 or 1860, or even a little later, and preached from place to place as he could find admission or hearers. In his latter days, he emphasized, "Live as I tell you, and not as I do." He was not satisfied with his conduct during his last days when the shades were falling fast. Sympathy goes out for a man thus conscious of his weakness. |
