Vancleave, April 3 (Special) -- Sixty-seven years ago on Dec. 15 God in His infinite wisdom saw fit to send into this world a child who was to grow into manhood and become a leader among men.
Albert Glifton Miller born in Three Rivers community near Escatawpa, lived his childhood and got his early training in life in this community where he was born. About 30 years ago while still a young man he moved to Vancleave, worked among his people, later moving to Pascagoula to Mobile, on to Pensacola and back to Mobile. During his sojourn in these places he served as pastor of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ.
In 1932 he moved back to Vancleave and served as pastor of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ in Evergreen community for 19 years or until God saw fit for him to take a position in a higher realm. So on March 30, 1951 after all human hands had failed, this same God who gave this life, took the spirit of Albert Miller out of this world of sorrow and suffering to rest in peace.
Rev. Miller like many others got his training for the Ministry the hard way. He learned to do for his church and its members by working with them. His experience and study of human nature only served to enrich his life for the work that was ahead.
In 1912 he married Miss Elizabeth Barnes and into this union four children were born. Rogene, Adger, David and Gomer.
Rev. Miller was a man of the world and not the financial world because his riches could not be counted in dollars and cents but in deeds, thoughts, words, prayer and little acts of kindness. If anyone needed advice, they could always go to Albert Miller, if they were hungry they could be fed at his home, if some hunter or fisherman needed a companion, no better sport could be found for he loved the outdoor life that he knew so well. If your pastor was away he could always fill the pulpit. If work needed to be done on some public project for the benefit of the community he was the first person to show up. At a party he could be the life of the affair. In all he was truly a great man and a leader among men for he loved life.
He did not depend on the members of his church to support him. While he was pastor of this church he held many jobs and was never without his small farm projects for he believed that a church and its pastor should be self-supporting.
He remained active in the affairs of his community and church until a little more than a year ago. When he became too ill to carry on he did not let his life’s work fall by the wayside but entrusted it into the capable hands of the young men whom he had trained for this purpose.
Besides his wife he is survived by four children, Mrs. Rogene Locke, Adger and Gomer of Mobile and David of Summerdale, Ala.; seven brothers, Elan, Frank and Dan of Mobile, Edware of Kreole, Will of Ocean Springs, Claude of St. Louis, Chas of Escatawpa and two sisters, Mrs. John Gill, Escatawpa and Mrs. Myrtle Moe, Vancleave.
On Saturday afternoon, March 31, his remains were laid to rest in the Evergreen cemetery beside the church he had served faithfully for 19 years. Services were conducted by the rev. R. L. Booker, Jack A. Pray of Mobile and Rev. W.J. Bresherars of Pensacola.
Paul bearers were those young men whom he had ordained into the priesthood of his church. Clyde Parrish, Donald and Cecil McMillan, Myron Tillman and Murray Holden.
So as we remember "Preacher Miller" as he was so often called we remember him:
And sails bravely out to sea
So some one dear has sailed away
In calm serenity.
But there’s a promise of greater joy,
Than earth could have in store,
For God has planned a richer life
Beyond the unseen shore"
