Dr. Miller was too much occupied with things deemed by him more important to give any attention to the selection and putting aside of material concerning his life. He was so busy writing and speaking and living and loving, with the shaping of the lives of others in view, that he took no time to think of the world's interest in his life. It never occurred to him that there would be any demand for the story of his life, and he discouraged the efforts of friends who sought to gather material for a biography.
Yet Dr. Miller was the author of the truest possible description of himself. He did not think of it as a description--in giving it he was only telling the reality of his faith in his Master. But all who knew him agree that the description was true and accurate. He said, "Jesus and I are friends." This is the story of the life of Dr. J. R. Miller, told in five words.
Dr. Miller gave glimpses of his life in his books. Whenever he wrote to others of things they should do from day to day, he was telling unconsciously of things he was doing himself. This fact is apparent from the brief quotations from his writings on the page facing the beginning of each chapter in this volume. These quotations, taken together, help to fill out his own descriptive statement: " Jesus and I are friends."
John T. Faris
Philadelphia, PA
September, 1912.