| The Life of Dr. J.R. Miller |
Chapter 1 |
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On October 10, 1857, he united with the Associate Presbyterian Church of West Union, located near Calcutta. As the Associate Reformed Church was one of the bodies which formed the United Presbyterian Church – on May 26, 1858 – he was from that date a United Presbyterian.
Thereafter, whenever the young Christian was at home, he took his turn in leading family prayers. The younger members of the household gladly accepted him as assistant, for they realized his sincerity and earnestness of purpose. Already they knew him as a prince in prayer. One of the distinct recollections of his sisters is that he was much given to secret prayer. One sister has told of his coming home one evening after the family had retired, bringing with him a friend who was to share his room for the night. Before retiring he stepped into the room where two of his sisters slept, and, supposing them to be asleep, knelt in prayer. As she saw his countenance in the moonlight it seemed to be like the face of an angel. She was only a child, but she felt that the humble room was the very gate of heaven, for he who knelt by her bedside was holding converse with the Father.
His brother, too, recalls vividly how, when James would go to bed after spending an evening in study, he would pray long and earnestly. James thought his brother was asleep and he gave himself without reserve to his prayers. He would frequently kneel for an hour at a time, and would whisper as if talking to a friend. “He didn’t talk about his religion,” the brother has said, “but he made it very real to me when he gave me a Bible in which he wrote this message:
“‘Read this Book as a letter from the dearest of all friends.’”
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