The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-05-15
Distinguished Traveller and Re.
ligious Author In Town
GIANT AMONG DUNKARDS
His Pathetic and Unexpected Meeting
With His Precepvor
An Interesting Love Fsast at ths Nstlck House
Elders Miller and hoisingsr Reunited
Under Singular Circumstances


on the Southern Pacific overland train
yesterday afternoon from San Francis
co were Elder ID. L. Miller and wife OF
Mt. Morris, ILL.,, who are on the home
stretch of trip around the world. and
Elder ii. II. Holsinger and wife OF AM
ador county. Cal, who are en- route to
Pennsylvania to visit relatives.
Elder Miller is the most distinguished
traveller and author in the German Bap-
tfst (Dunkard) church. Besides being u
widely travelled man and author OF sew
eral books of travel and religion that
have enjoyed n large sale, he Is IA
preacher of note, editor of the Gospel
Messenger. the principal organ OF the
Dunkard denomination. and leader Ia
the affairs of that church.
Elder Holsinger Is known as tho
father of the Church of the Brethren. or
progressive branch of the Dunkards.
He for many years held 1.-THE same posi-
ton, relatively, in the old Dunkard
church that Elder Miller holds now. As
editor and preacher he was Elder MIL
lers preceptor when the latter was yet
a young man. On account of his liberal
views and teachings Elder Holsinger
was communicated by the Old-line
Dunkards about a decade and half
ago, and he thereupon organized a new
denomination known by the simple title
of the Brethren. or Progressive Dunk
ards, Whose articles of faith are the
same as those of the mother church.
but less strict with regard to the doc
trine of "non-conformity with the
world"
Although laboring apart since the
split in the church, Elders Holsinger
and Miller have remained the firmest
of friends, and each would go out Of his
way days journey to meet the other
If they had not met for any considerable
time. 1t was purely by accident, how
ever, that they came together yesterday
"a n hn Inc IN ,at N ma
thos, if not romance, about 1t. 1t came
about in this wise:
Elder Holsinger, broken down in
health and fortune, after more than
threescore years of labor In the Mas
ter's vineyard, was forced to give up the
ministry, and in the hope of recuperat-
ing his failing health, came to Southern
California several years ago. Longing
for a little home where he might spend
his declining years under his own vine
and fig tree. he invested his little all
in land at the new townsite of Rosena,
a flag station on the Santa Fe between
Ontario and Rialto. He forthwith be-
came the pioneer resident, postmaster
and station agent of the little colony.
but drought, sand storms and the failure
of an irrigation company that had been
depended upon to furnish water for the
colony. practically swept away his little
possessions at the end of one year. AS
last resource he went to live with "a
married daughter in the northern part
of the state, where he remained until
now, when stricken with consumption,
and greatly enfeebled, he, accompa-
MED by his aged wife, is en- route to visit
for what he thinks possibly the last time
his kith and kin in his native state OF
Pennsylvania.
Stopping to rest from the fatigue of
the journey at Los Angeles, he was as
tonished upon seating himself in the
Natick house bus to find beside him his
old friend and co-worker, Elder d. l..
Miller. homeward bound from the ORR
emit The surprise was mutual. and the
two long "hre.hren," a.; Il; Is.
custom of the people of their faith, fell
upon each others necks and salut0d
with the holy kiss. They had Vaveled
on the same train all the way from Ira
cy, and neither knew of the others pres
cnce.
Elder Miller's coming had been her
aided before him and delegation OF To-
cal Dunkards consisting of Elder ]. S.
Flory of Los Angeles, brethren Samuel
OverholtZer and Zug of Covina, and Nc
Donough of Lordsburg. were at the train
to meet him. The party drove to the Ma
tick house, where they had dinner,
which proved a veritable love feast
Sister Miller, who has been her hus-
bands companion in nearly all his trav-
els, is an exceedingly bright woman and
helped to entertain the company with
accounts of what they saw in foreign
lands.
Elder Miller and wife left their home
at Mt. Morris, ILL.,, in May of last year,
and after visiting some of the Dunkard
churches in the eastern states sailed
from New York June 10 for Europe.
where they visited the Dunkard mis-
sions in Denmark and Sweden. They
next visited the mission at Smyrna,
Asia Minor. and proceeded thence to a
new Dunkard mission just founded in
India. They continued their journey
then to China and Japan. spending con-
siderable time In the land of the rising
sun.
1t is only within very recent years that
the Dunkards have sent missionaries
abroad, but Elder Miller speaks encour-
agingly of the work. In Denmark and
Sweden they have gained quite foot
hold. At Smyrna they have made
good start at converting the Asiatics to
the primitive Christian faith las it was
delivered to the saints" as they are
pleased to term it. In India. the last ex-
pertinent in this direction, the result Is
still doubtful.
Some years ago Elder Miller visited
the Holy Land, made a thorough re-
search regarding Biblical history. and
the result was a book giving a graphic
description of his travels and explora-
lions, which met with great favor In
certain religious circles. Several years
ago he revisited Palestine and adjacent
portions of Asia Minor and made trip
up the Nile into the very heart OF Africa.
His experiences during this Journey are
told in very entertaining book issued
by him, called The Seven Churches OF
Asia" 1t is his intention to write Il
third book Of travel at the conclusion OF
his present trip -,
Elder Miller and wife will resume
their tourney eastward today. Elder
Holsinger and wife, after resting here a
few days will visit friends at ontario
and Rosena before proceeding east.