Unknown County GaArchives Biographies.....Milner, John H. 1792 - 1857
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 February 3, 2005, 11:11 pm

Author: J. H. Campbell

JOHN H. MILNER.

  It is matter of sincere regret that, for want of materials, so little can be
recorded of this excellent man. If all the facts of his useful life, or any
considerable portion of them, could be gathered up, they would doubtless form an
entertaining and instructive volume. But, like most men of his day, he kept no
record of his labors, so that we are left with the merest outline of his arduous
life.

  He was born in Wilkes county, Georgia, July 24th, 1792, and died at his
residence in Pike county, March 9th, 1857, in the sixty-fifth year of his age.
He was the subject of strong religious impressions in early youth, and was
hopefully converted and baptized by Rev. Jesse Mercer into the fellowship of the
Sardis church, in his native county, in the sixteenth year of his age, of which
church he was elected clerk soon thereafter. In the winter of 1816 and 1817, he
removed, with his family, to Jones county, where he remained until 1824. His
next removal was to Monroe county, where he became a member of Rocky Creek
church, then under the pastoral care of that eminent and successful minister of
Christ, Rev. John M. Gray. Towards the close of the great revival, which
commenced in 1827 and continued more than two years, (the most memorable that
has ever occurred in the State,) Mr. Milner was licensed to preach the gospel,
viz.: in the early part of 1829. With the zeal of the Apostolic days, he threw
himself into the glorious work then in progress, preaching from house to house,
among his neighbors, and wherever an effectual door was opened to him.    God
gave him seals to his ministry from the first, and many were brought into the
fold through his instrumentality. He was ordained at Shiloh church, Monroe
county, in May, 1835, by a presbytery consisting, of John Ross, Jonathan
Nichols, Joseph Chipman and John Milner. In December of that year, he removed to
Pike county, where he spent the remainder of his exemplary and useful life,
restricting his labors mostly to that county, and to Monroe and Meriwether,
though he occasionally sallied out into the regions around. No man was more
noted for punctuality. He carried this habit—or virtue, as it deserves to be
called—into all his arrangements, whether social, religious or secular. Nothing
but some providential interference prevented his attention to family worship, to
his church meetings, or to any business engagement with his fellow-men; and he
was always there at the appointed time. Surely his example, in this respect, is
worthy of imitation. What a world of trouble would be prevented if all men, or
even if all ministers, would govern themselves by the same rule! He believed the
"strong doctrines of grace," as they are called, which are taught in the
scriptures, and which he had learned from Mercer, Marshall and others, under
whose preaching he was brought up. He had a heart ever aglow with warm,
practical benevolence, which flowed out in streams, not only to the needy around
him, but also to the heathen, even to the ends of the earth. He ever felt the
deepest interest in the cause of missions, especially of foreign missions. The
poor Indians excited his sympathies and culled forth his fervent prayers. Yet no
man possessed a more stern and inflexible character. No man was more firmly
fixed in what he considered the principles of truth and righteousness than he.
Faithfully did he serve his family, his generation and his God.

  At his own request, repeatedly made, both privately and publicly, his family
had inscribed on his tombstone the words, "A sinner saved by grace" His death
was sudden, resulting from a violent attack of sickness, of less than
twenty-four hours continuance, his last sermon having been preached only two
days previously. He died triumphantly, with his armor on. Oh! what a glorious
death! The author has a most vivid recollection of the last interview he had
with John H. Milner. It was the closing scene of the Flint River Association, at
Griffin, the fall preceding his death, the exercises of which were conducted by
him. He seemed to have a presentiment that his end was at hand; and that
address, and that prayer—those trembling tones, and those weeping eyes, left
impressions not soon to be obliterated.


Additional Comments:
From:

GEORGIA BAPTISTS: HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL
BY
J. H. CAMPBELL,
PERRY, GEORGIA.


MACON, GA.: J. W. BURKE & COMPANY. 1874.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1874, by
J. H. CAMPBELL,
In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.


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