Mr. Editor: - Last Lord's day the Pastor of the Stanton Street Baptist Church, of this city [NYC] gave the right hand of fellowship to eight persons - a part of whom had been that day "buried with Christ by baptism." In giving the hand of fellowship to one of the number, the pastor betrayed evident emotion. It was manifest that he not only considered himself as officially recognizing a member of the Church of God, - but a fellow-laborer in the Gospel ministry, who had very recently dissolved his connections with the same church to which he himself had formerly belonged. The Rev. D. Henry Miller, is the person to whom I allude. He is a young man who was under the pastoral care of the Rev. S. Remington when he was in charge of the Bromfield street M. E . Church, Boston. Brother Miller then felt that he was called to preach the Gospel, but his means were not sufficient to enable him to obtain an education for the important work to which he felt himself called of God. His father had been dead many years, and his mother was a poor widow. Between solemn convictions of duty, and the means of prosecuting it, his mind was greatly perplexed, and at times shrouded with thick darkness. He, however, commended his cause to God, and it was not in vain. - A friend was raised up in this his time of need who kindly proffered to send him to an Institution of the church to which brother Miller belonged. In this Institution, through the benevolence of this friend, (Honorable Abbot Lawrence, Esq.) he received an education preparatory to the sacred work of the ministry, which he entered upon last May, as the pastor of the M. E . Church, in Mystic, Ct .Sometime after this, a little book fell into his hands - "Reasons for becoming a Baptist, by Rev. S. Remington" [late pastor of the St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church, Lowell, MA]. This book he read, first because it was written by his old friend and pastor; he then read it again because he felt the force of the "Reasons," - and these convictions led him to still farther investigations - the result was that he became a Baptist. Under these circumstances he felt it to be his duty to dissolve his connection with the church of his early choice, and connect himself with one whose views of the doctrine and ordinances of the Gospel were more in accordance with his own views.
His mind was not disaffected towards either the ministers or members of the M. E. Church. He had labored pleasantly and successfully with the people of his charge, among whom I learn God had owned his labors in the conversion of sinners. But prompted by principle he dissolved his connections with the M. E. Church, and with his letters testifying to his good moral character, he came to this city and through his old friend and pastor made application for admission into the Stanton Street Baptist Church, and was accordingly received to her fellowship.
His Christian experience was very clear. - He related it from the pulpit, together with his call to the ministry, and his change of theological views.
One incident in his Christian experience melted the congregation to tears. He said, in substance, "when but a child my father died, so that I was under the entire care and direction of my mother. She felt her responsibility, and tried to bring me up in the fear of the Lord. She was a Christian, and not only instructed me, but prayed for me. But notwithstanding all this I lived in sin until a few years ago, when overhearing my mother praying for me, one sentence she uttered broke my hard heart - "Lord have mercy upon my poor fatherless boy." I could withstand her prayers no longer. I felt that they had entered heaven - my stubborn heart yielded, and I ventured on the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ alone for mercy - and I trust
"The spirit answer'd with the blood,
And told me I was born of God."Brother M. preached last Sabbath evening in the Stanton Street Church - Subject: "Pure religion." He seems to have a warm heart, and inspired with this pure religion he prays and preaches with great zeal and fervor. He is young in years, and in the ministry, but if he keeps humble, lives near to God, and suitably disciplines himself, it is to be hoped, will make an able and efficient minister of the New Testament.
New York, April 8, 1847.
P. S. On Lord's day evening, after sermon, the church was called together and brother Miller was licensed to preach the Gospel.======= [From R. B. C. Howell & J. R. Graves, editors, Tennessee Baptist, Nashville, May 1, 1847, p. 1. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]
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