The morning times., 1895-10-13
WITH SERMON IND SONG
Great Work of Eyangelists Pot
ter and Miller.
SKETCHES OF THEIR LIVES
The Preacher Is Native of Ohio,
bur First Took Up His G ospel Labors
in Chicago-Prof. Miller Was Born
In Pennsylvania and Was Once As
sociAted With Mr.. Moody.

Mr.. V d. Potter and E. F. Miller, of
Chicago. the sermon and song evaEgelists
who are instructing and edifying large
audiences nightly at Hamlinc ". E Church.
on the corner of and Ninth streets north
west. have most interesting personal
histories
Mr.. Potter il an Ohioan and was born on
a farm near Frcticricktown, Knox county,
in that State, forty-six years ago. he
received his early education in the public
schools, and a The Ohio Wesleyan Univer-
sity. AT which latter place, through the
teachings and inspiration of Rev. Leonard
Girlcy, hc WIS converted and joined the
Methodist Church. At the age OF eighteen
years. with his parents, he moved to Iii
nois. and for a time was engaged infarniing
and Stockraising.
This kind OF work, however, was too
slow To suit his taste, So he went TO Chicago
and entered The service of a hardware firm.
For more than three years he continued
with this firul, after which he embarked
in business for himself.
1t WAS in Chicago that he met and mar
rie,l Miss Lizzie Harr, the daughter of
Captain William II. Harr, the editor and
proprietor of the Charleston Courier, one
of the most enterprisiBg newspapers in
Central Illinois.
HIS EVANGELICAL LABORS BEGUN.
Soon after the great Chicago fire of 1871.
Mr.. Potter left Charleston and located in
the former city and commenced real estate
and building business. 1t was not until
1877. however, that Mr.. Potter began his
evangelistic career. The year previous
while attending the centennial exposition in
Philadelphia he was elected superintend-
ent of his Sunday school al home and soon
afterwards was chosen president of the
Chicago County Sunday School Association.
1t was in the prosecution of this work that
he came prominently before the various
churches of the city, the ministers of which
urged him into the pulpit to do evangelistic
work
From the beginning his success was remark
able, more than 200 young people acknowi
edging conversion and accepting Christ at
the first meeting he conducted.
In 1882 he associated with him Prof.
E. f. Miller, the song Evangelist, and ac-
cepted calls to conduct revival meetings
I'm most Of the large cities in the West and
Northwest.
Mr.. Potter has for many years been
member of the board of managers of the
Y. NJ. c. A, of Chicago. He is also presi-
dent of the Chicago Desplaines Camp
Meeting Association. at the annual meet
ings of which most of the leading lights
of Methodism in this country gather each
year.
PLEASED WITH HIS RECEPTION.
Referring 10 his work in Washington Mr..
Potter said to a reporter for The Times
that they had been given n very cordial
reception 10y the people and the press. The
results of the work, so far, are very en-
couragiug and the interest is daily increas-
ing. Washington Is not half as bad as 1t
ssonIet lines painted he said, and he believed
that before the nIeetin9 closed hundreds
of the people would accept and confess
Christ.
From here Mr.. Potter will go to Harris
burg, Pa. where he will conduct a series
OF revival meetings.
Prof. Z. +. Miller, the song evangelist
and CO. worker with Mr.. Potter, is q native
OF Scranton. Pa. His parents were German
Lutherans. In his early boyhood he lived
on a small farm near Moscow, Pa. His
parents were poor and for many years had
q desperate struggle with poverty. The
moving spirit Of the family was his mother.
an energetic, godly woman, through whose
abiding faith in better days to come" they
at last reached firm financial founda ton
He was only nineteen years of age when
converted. He joined the Methodist church.
and ia the fall of 1869 went to Colorado.
where for some years he followed pros
pecting and mining. In 1870, in Central
City. Col. he met Miss Mary Drake. 1t was
a case OF love at first sight. They met only
once.
MR. NILLER'S ROMANCE.
For ten years they were separated. At
the end of that time they again met acci-
dentally. They recognized each other and
the rest is easily told; they were married.
In 1881, at Denver, Mr.. Moody, the re-
nowned evangelist. was attracted to Mr.
Miller by the excellence of his voice and
asked him to sing at the meeting he was
conducting then at that place. He after
wards accepted an invitation to conduct the
singing in Mr.. Moody's church in Chicago.
From Chicago he went to New York, wher,
he filled sposition under the Rev. DR..
Samuel HartwelL Returning to Chicago
a year later he became a co-laborcr with
Mr. Potter, since which time he has devoted
his whole time and power to evangelsitc
work
Mr. Miller preached the gospel in song.
He has a voice of great compass and
pathetic power. His style of singing is
peculiarly his own. His articulation is
perfect; every word is plainly audible
to his audiences. His singing is a treat
and no one who has the opportunity should
fail to hear him.
Military Defeated the varsity.
lexington Va. Oct l2-The fpOtbai