Exhibit 23.5



                       CONSENT OF MCKINNON & COMPANY, INC.


         We hereby  consent to the  inclusion  as  Appendix E to the Joint Proxy
Statement/Prospectus constituting part of the Registration Statement on Form S-4
of Southern Financial  Bancorp,  Inc. of our letter to the Board of Directors of
The Horizon Bank of Virginia and to the reference made to such letter and to the
firm in the Joint Proxy  Statement/Prospectus  under the heading "Opinion of The
Horizon Financial Advisor."



                                        /s/ MCKINNON & COMPANY, INC.


Norfolk, Virginia
July 1, 1999