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J.R. Miller

J.R. Miller

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.

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J.R. Miller

KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE

Knowledge, when wisdom is too weak to guide her, Is like a headstrong horse that throws the rider. —Quarles One of Paul's pithy sayings is, "Knowledge puffs up—but love builds up." He does not mean to depreciate knowledge. He is not glorifying ignorance. Knowledge builds up too. It is right for us t... Read More
J.R. Miller

LAST AT THE CROSS, FIRST AT THE GRAVE

Mary Magdalene's devotion to Christ, is one of the most beautiful stories in the Gospels. Tradition has branded her as a great sinner—but there is really nothing in the New Testament to prove that the tradition is true. It is said that Jesus had cast seven demons out of her—but demoniacal possession... Read More
J.R. Miller

Learning Contentment

Not many people are contented. Not many seem to think that discontentment is a sin. Not many appear to understand that contentment is a grace which should shine in every Christian character. Yet no grace adds more to the beauty and the comfort of a life, than contentment. It is also enjoined in the ... Read More
J.R. Miller

Learning Our Lessons

We are all scholars at school. In our present life, we never get out of our classes; our real living lies on beyond the grave, and here in this world—all is education. We are at school not merely when we are bending over our Bibles, listening to sermons, reading good books or sitting at the feet of ... Read More
J.R. Miller

Learning the Lessons of Love at Home

Home life should be happy. Yet it requires thought, care and effort, to make it so. We sometimes forget that love's lessons have to be learned. We think they should come naturally, and so perhaps they should. But the fact is, that it takes a great deal of self-restraint, of patience, of thoughtfulne... Read More
J.R. Miller

Learning to Be THOUGHTFUL.

One of the finest things in a complete Christian character, is thoughtfulness. It gives a wondrous charm to a life. It makes one a blessing wherever he goes. It tempers all his conduct, softening all natural harshness into gentleness, and giving a spirit of kindliness to his every word and act, and ... Read More
J.R. Miller

Learning to Pray

"Lord, teach us to pray!" Luke 11:1 We would say that we do not need to be taught how to pray. Anybody can pray. It is only talking to God, and anybody can do that. It does not require the learning of a new language in order to speak with God, for all languages are familiar to him. Men and women who... Read More
J.R. Miller

Life as a Ladder

"Beauty and truth, and all that these contain, Drop not like ripened fruit about our feet: We climb to them through years of sweat and pain." "When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to s... Read More
J.R. Miller

Life's Byways and Waysides

Many of the best things of life are found in the byways. The map-makers show us the great thoroughfares, but they pay no heed to the country roads and the paths that run through the meadows, forests, and gardens, and climb the mountain sides. Yet many of the loveliest things in nature are found alon... Read More
J.R. Miller

LIFE'S DOUBLE MINISTRY

A twofold influence attends and follows every life: the one is planned and intentional, the other is unpurposed and unconscious. A man lives fifty years of active life in a community, growing from poverty to wealth; and there are two classes of results left behind him when he is gone. There are the ... Read More
J.R. Miller

LIVING BY THE DAY

"Time was, is past—you can not it recall. Time is, you have—employ the portion small. Time future, is not—and may never be. Time present—is the only time for thee." "As your days—so shall your strength be." Deuteronomy 33:25 It is life's largeness which most discourages earnest and conscientious peo... Read More
J.R. Miller

LIVING UP TO OUR BEST INTENTIONS

If our best intentions continually dominated our whole life, we would all live well. We all mean to live well; at least, there are times with all of us when we resolve to do so. New Year's days, birthdays, communion Sundays, and other times, when the realities of life stand out in clearer relief tha... Read More
J.R. Miller

LIVING UP TO OUR PRIVILEGES

"Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13-14 There is no doubt that we live ... Read More
J.R. Miller

Living Victoriously

Life is conflict. Every good thing lies beyond a battlefield, and we must fight our way to it. There must be struggle to get it. This is true in physical life; from infancy to old age, existence is a fight with infirmity and disease. In mental life, the same is true. Education is a long conflict; th... Read More
J.R. Miller

Living Without Worry - Part 1

Living Without Worry J. R. Miller Living Without Worry One meets few unworried people. Most faces bear lines of care. Men go anxious to their day's duties, rush through the hours with feverish speed, and bring a hot brain and tumultuous pulse home at night for restless, unrefreshing sleep. This is n... Read More
J.R. Miller

Living Without Worry - Part 2

Living Without Worry J. R. Miller The New Kind of Love Why should Jesus have called his commandment of love a new commandment? There was an old commandment that ran, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Some people suppose that this is the same as the commandment that Jesus gave to his discip... Read More
J.R. Miller

Living Without Worry - Part 3

Living Without Worry J. R. Miller The Ministry of Suffering Sooner or later, affliction and sorrow come to every Christian. Where is the life, unless it be among the very young, which has experienced no trial? We ought, therefore, to have true views about pain, about the divine reasons for sending i... Read More
J.R. Miller

Looking at the Right Side

Very much heart-pain is caused, by looking at the wrong side of God's providences. If we could only see the strange things of our lives in their true light, perplexity would vanish and the darkest experiences would be brightened—as night is brightened by the shining stars. Late on a summer afternoon... Read More
J.R. Miller

LOSSES

There is no other loss, in all the range of possible losses, that is so great as the breaking of our communion with God. I know that this is not the ordinary estimate. We speak with heavy hearts—of our earthly sorrows. When bereavements come and our homes are emptied and our tender joys are borne aw... Read More
J.R. Miller

LOVING AND HATING ONE'S LIFE

Our Lord's teaching is that only the life which is lost in love—is really saved. The illustration is in the little parable of the grain of wheat. "I tell you the truth, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." John ... Read More

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