REV. JAMES A. TURNER was a member of the North Carolina, and Virginia Conference. At the Conference at Union chapel, Orange (now Alamance) county, North Carolina, in 1846, he was admitted as a licentiate. In 1847, at the Conference at Pope's chapel, he was recommended for ordination, and accordingly he was set apart to the office of Elder by Elders D. W. Kerr, S. Fuller, and T. J. Fowler, as the presbytery. He was assigned to the Haw River circuit with Rev. R. G. Tinin, and during this year (1847) he was engaged in a meeting which he reported through the "Christian Sun." In 1848, he was engaged in a meeting of six days at Kedar. This year he attended the Conference at New Providence, and was assigned to the Deep River circuit. He likewise attended the North Carolina Conference at Raleigh, in 1848. Elder I. N. Walter said of him, "He travels at large in the North Carolina and Virginia Conference, and is a noble, whole-souled brother, and is doing much good."

In 1850, he was appointed a messenger to the North Carolina Conference, and also to the Eastern Virginia Conference. He was traveling in the Eastern Virginia Conference as agent for the Christian Sun, and preaching. At the Conference at Apple's chapel, in 1851, he was appointed chairman of the committee on Sunday schools, and one of the committee to communicate with and assist the brethren in the Georgia Conference.

At the Conference at O'Kelly's chapel in Chatham county, in 1854, the Conference Executive committee presented the credentials of Rev. Jas. A. Turner, and his name was dropped from the roll of ministers. Up to this time he had been actively engaged, but for reasons known to the committee, he was allowed to withdraw from the Conference on the surrender of his credentials as a minister of the Christian Church.