"And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison." Matthew 14:10
This seems a sad end for this holy man's life. After a few months of faithful preaching, he was cast into a dungeon, where he lay for a year, and where he was beheaded as a felon. To us it is very mysterious. Why did God permit such a fate to come upon so faithful and noble a servant? Our Lord Himself said that no greater man ever lived, than John. Why then was his life allowed to go out in such darkness?
We know, first, that it was no accident. There are no accidents, in this world over which our loving Father presides. John would not have chosen such a life-plan for himself — so brief, with such a tragic ending; few of us would choose just the life we live in this world. Yet there are no chances, no accidents. "Our ways are those of the Lord's choosing — ways . . .
sadder, perhaps — but safer;
rougher, perhaps — but surer;
narrower, perhaps — but better than those of our own dreaming."
John finished his work. If there had been anything further for him to do he would not have been left to die so ignominiously, to gratify the revenge of a wicked woman. His work was done, when Christ began to preach. Then when he died, it was for faithfulness to the truth.
It is not long years which make a complete life. A life is complete, whether long or short, which fulfills the purpose of its creation. And the longest life is incomplete and a failure — if it does not do the work for which it was made. It is better to die in youth with a life unspotted — than to live on to old age in sin and crime. It was a thousand times better every way to die as John died — than to live on as Herod and Herodias lived.
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J.R. Miller (1840 - 1912)
Prolific author and pastor of Presbyterian churches in Pennsylvania and Illinois, Rev. James Russell Miller served the USCC as a field agent in the Army of the Potomac and Army of the Cumberland.J.R. Miller began contributing articles to religious papers while at Allegheny Seminary. This continued while he was at the First United, Bethany, and New Broadway churches. In 1875, Miller took over from Henry C. McCook, D.D. when the latter discontinued his weekly articles in The Presbyterian, which was published in Philadelphia. J.R. Miller D.D.'s lasting fame is through his over 50 books. Many are still in publication.
James Russell Miller (March 20, 1840 - July 2, 1912) was a popular Christian author, Editorial Superintendent of the Presbyterian Board of Publication, and pastor of several churches in Pennsylvania and Illinois.
In 1857, James entered Beaver Academy and in 1862 he progressed to Westminster College, Pennsylvania, which he graduated in June, 1862. Then in the autumn of that year he entered the theological seminary of the United Presbyterian Church at Allegheny, Pennsylvania. Mr. Miller resumed his interrupted studies at the Allegheny Theological Seminary in the fall of 1865 and completed them in the spring of 1867. That summer he accepted a call from the First United Presbyterian Church of New Wilmington, Pennsylvania. He was ordained and installed on September 11, 1867.
J.R. Miller began contributing articles to religious papers while at Allegheny Seminary. This continued while he was at the First United, Bethany, and New Broadway churches. In 1875, Miller took over from Henry C. McCook, D.D. when the latter discontinued his weekly articles in The Presbyterian, which was published in Philadelphia.
Five years later, in 1880, Dr. Miller became assistant to the Editorial Secretary at the The Presbyterian Board of Publication, also in Philadelphia.