New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-12-18
PRICE THREE CENTS.
SAMUEL MILLER'S BITTER D1SAfs'
POINTMENT.

TEN OF ASTRONOMY TO AGREE WITH BIB
LIcAI. STORIES AND CAME HERE TO TELL
IT TO THE woRLD-HIRED HALL
AND DELIVERED HIS LECTURE
TO ONE REPORTER
The last Of a course Of two lectures on The
Bible and Nature versur Copernicus" was Dc.
lvered last evening by Samuel Miller. OF Coum-
ba ~ Y, in the Assembly Hall Of the United
Charities Building In East Twenty-second-st.
The first Of these was delivered on Wednesday
evening and reported In The Tribune OF
yesterday. His aim is to prove that the sun
moves.
The story Of his life is full Of deep interest ana
pathos In a quiet, unassuming manner Mr.. NIL.
Ter told Tribune reporter last evening how hei
came to New-York on his own responsibility, ana
at his own expense to give the two lectures on .
subject TO which he had given the study OF the
best years of long life Of hardship. disappoint-
ment and self-sacrifce. Miller was born ana
brought up on a farm in the little township OF
Columbia which is about six miles from Ricn-
field Springs. He received the best education
that the opportunities Of the locality anoroeos
and became, In the course Of time. country
schoomaster. When twenty years of age he
was converted to religion. and became convinced
that the teachings of the Bible were absolutely
viction took root in his heart that the statements
Of the Rible concerning the earth and the planets
we're correct and that the theories OF the scen'
lists and astronomers were faulty. From thas
moment the entire course of his life was changed
and his one aim and end has been to STUDY ana
investigate for the purpose or evolving ana ann
nlifving a theory of astronomy which should not
only coincide with that Of the Bible. but whicn
should also interest and bring to the support OK
his cause the followers of the Christian religion
IN this country His interest in physics was
keenly awakened and he took up Its study WIN
an all-absorbing devotion and attention He
resolved that his radical theory, so antagonists
to the teachings of science. was worth the sacl'
flee of a life and that he would give his own IN
its cause Realizing from the first that withoutl
money he could do nothing, and being OK an n'
ventive turn OF mind. he set himself to work 70
perfect certain devices, so that form the pro-
ceeds Of their manufacture and sale ne might
win the money so necessary to the carrying oue
of his plans.
A KEEN DISAPPOINTMENT.
Numerous inventions followed but a lack OF
| business knowledge and experience prous".
,ro,, ,bon no return The most important OF
these was the invention Of All electric raiiroad'
which he brought to New-York and at the time
attracted considerable attention. But some
| thing went wrong at the Patent once AZ "as">
| ington Some old patent which had been sium-
bering for years on the files confiicted IN sons
wav with one Of the essential features OF his
device and failure again came home TO nina
with all its bitter sting Of disappointment. he
hod spa,t many wears in these vain attempts,
and felt that he was fast growing old, ana the
qreat aim of his life was far from bein8
reached and he was at last forced to accept .
position as a mechanic In manufacturing
plant where he received the small pay or 81 "
a day So he toiled and saved and studied anu
denied himself with the hope that some oay No
,,irbt roach the goal for which he had so long
strver He worked by night ana IN all n's
spare hours on his theories and ideas. ampil-
fying and celebrating them and making WIN
his own hands apparatus for illustrating the
! important points
After wears Of patient toll and long suffering
ne found that he had in the bank sum wnicn
would warrant him in making his first great exc
fort before the public His studies were over.
lie had completed his lecture and all the appa-
ratus which was 10 go with il. Where should
| he begin?
HIS COMING TO NEW-YORK.
1ro decded that IL must be in New-York.
which 10 him was the centre of learning. science
and religion and where he thought his utters
AMOS would attract the most attention and in-
wife that investigation OF the subject wnicn
had for long years been the ambition OF MS iite'
Thirty years in all had passed since ne nao
professed religion and since he had started out
| to prove that the Bibles revelations apous
astronomy were the true ones
He came to New York arranged for the rental
of the hall and sent out twenty-five invitations
| TO a number OF scientific men, ministers OF the
gospel and the press. The first lecture was given
,,t,fx
No one came except Tribune reporter ana
| two others. Yet he gave the lecture from pegin-
ming to end just he had intended.
Last night was a repetition OF :he first. When
a Tribune reporter entered the hall only row
of emutv seats gre tied him. Mr.. Miller was In
! the side room and came out moment later
| Picture an elderly looking man. with almost
snow white hair and a smooth race. save LOT
| mustache: a manner and bearing at once quiet,
unassuming and kindly: fine intellectual cast
| of countenance, a high forehead and pair OK
clear friendly and attractive eyes. and you nave
before YOU Mr.. Miller. There was nothing apous
him odenote the crank or the fanatic He glanced
at his watch. and seeing ina; IL was past tne
time for beginning his discourse. he invited the
reporter to take seat, ana without ahother
living soul in the hall he mounted the platform.
and standing erect and dignined. as l, there was
an audience Of thousands before hm. ne entered
unnn The subject Of Nature versus Coperni-
Gus" and talked at and for the beneht OF the
sole listener before him with manner which
was al all tlIltS 'diicS'' 'oih' -
blasted hopes and heartrending disappointment
bore hard upon him, lie never showed II. the
| whole situation was certainly unique. Some
people might have been moved TO mirth had
| they been placed I'm the position OF the one
| listener last night, but more likely they would
! have felt sympathy for the man struggling on
| i'm the face OF such great disbursement.
The lecture interesting. too. In Its way.
Mr. Miller showed that he knew astronomy az
IL is and as he thought 1t ought TO be- and he
nut forth a plausible plea in advocacy Of his
! theory that the sun revolves about the earth
and not the earth about the sun. His notion
! was that 4 was unsafe to advocate any theory
which was not in harmony with God and hio
revealed word Where science and religion