The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1893-03-25
REPORT OF COMMITTEE
On Pastoral Relations of Rev. E.. e.
Miller.

.AOn Pastoral Relations of Rev. E. B.
a Miller.
On Sunday night, March 10, 1893, inn
mediately after regular services at the
baptist church in Grenada, meeting
of the Church was held, with DR.. J. B..
Gage acting as Moderator. The review
and resolutions published below, in ref
ference to Rev. E. B. Miller, prepared
by committee appointed for the pur-
pose, were read and unanimously adopt
ed by the members of the Church.
present:
''For young preacher, fresh from
the walls of his Alma Mater, toI
begin his first pastorate, which
lasted nearly ten years, not only
without any arrangement OF its sO-
cial and religious harmony, but with
constantly increasing happy relatiOns,|
and finally sever them under an im1
perative sense Of obligation, to seek
broader fields and enlarged opp0rtuni
ties Of greater good, is itself mon7
ument Of his worth. Young and in-
Experienced, as was Brother Miller
before he first came amongst US, o.
severe trial lay upon him at the very
threshold Of his future life, in choosing
which Of several calls for his services|
he should accept. Guided by the spirit
OF God and his own will, he chose Gren-I
ada.
Here we find Bro. Miller with his
young wife, Sept. 3Oth, 1888, with
nothing but his untried talents and hisI
faith in God and himself to begin his
first effort in the chosen field of his
life, which he began with success at
the start that foretold well for his
future. He found the church here not
only weak in number but divided inI
feeling. To heal these dissensions and
frate rnize its omembers, required
something more than the wishes and
$prayers Of the pastor, but the tact of
the business man, combined with spir-
itual earnestncss of the preacher. he
soon developed this faculty, which has
been of service to him on many other
occasions.
u Amongst the first subjects the church,
had to consider, was adequate compen-l
sation for his services, and to tighten,
the draft upon the treasury of the
Grenada church, it was proposed that
&he should divide his time with the!
HDuck Hill church, giving it one out OF
&every four Sundays. This arrange.
&ment was readily made, and continued
ksabout tsNO years to the satisfaction OF
Iboth churches. when the Grenada
#church demanded the entire time of
SBrother Miller in call of indetinatcI
time. This was done without any con |
$fict of feeling with the Duck Hill
church, composed, as it is, of liberal |
minded christians.
Such was the status of the Grenada
+ NBaptist church when the question OF a
new building for their worship began|
#to be mOoted, which increased in inter-;
Eest, until it began to naterialize in dol;
#lars and cents. Under the leadership
2of our dear Brother, Capt. John POWELL
= Ewhose subscriptions, energy and devo'
&tion to the church were at the start
Ealmost a guarantee of its success. aided!
by the intelligence of Brother Miller,j
9who infused into all those whom he ap-S
preached on the subject, some OF hisI
own zeal, the ideality of new and1
finer church, soon assumed II practical1
shape. Your committee would not at.
tempt to say to the leaders belong all |
THE credit Of the new church. Thea
poor man or woman who contributedE
his or her mite, and others who gavel
their money, whether Jew or Gentle, \
arc builders in a graduated scale of thisI
beautiful temple in which the BaptistsI
&of Grenada now worship. Its corner
$stone was laid by the imposing ccremo-3
anies of the Ancient Order OF Free and
Accepted Masons, under the eloquent
voice OF Judge J. G. Hall, whose VEN
erable father was the first pastor, onS
June 3Oth, 1883; and opened for Worship
by Mr.. Miller, Sunday, the sth day of
February, 1891, and dedicated on the|
third Lords day in November OF the|
same year by a sermon Of great power
and religious research, by Rev. j. B.
Hawthorne, of Atlanta.
Az pastor of Grenada Baptist Church
for nearly ten years, Bro. Miller has
been pure and spotless. Beginning theI
grave responsibility of his lifes work
In the very food tide Of ardent YOUTH
he passed the dangers that beset youngl
preachers and sometimes destroy their
usefulness, II not their character, With
safety that no arrow in the artillery of
the Evil one can penetrate. This beingI
20, we feel assured that the grace of
God which has thus far sustained him,
viii grow deeper and wider until he
will be shielded by an impenetrablel
wall Of Christ's projecting power: He|
has fed his flock with the love and gen.|
tleness of a good shepherd, visiting
! them at their freside in social enjoy7
ment, praying with them in hours of
Mistress, in sickness and bereavement,
not forgetting the bridal altar
!. ever ready to help in hours of need, no
matter in what shape the call might
come. In the pulpit he has presented
The Word Of God in simplicity and|
}, truth, holding the faith of the Baptist
! as it has come down from the inspired
John on the banks of the Jordan. Al
.Baptist with his whole soul, he is no|