Guide to the George Amos and Margaret Ross Miller Papers

Guide to the George Amos and Margaret Ross Miller Papers 1861-1982 General Commission on Archives and History of the United Methodist Church P.O. Box 127, Madison, NJ 07940 4/28/1999

George Amos and Margaret Ross Miller Papers 1861-1982 17.5 cubic feet The purpose of this finding aid is to help you understand the nature of this collection and to assist you in the retrieval of material from this collection. The following pages contain a brief biographical history of the person, or persons, who created or collected these papers; followed by a general description of the collection in the scope and content note. If more detailed information is warranted then series descriptions also appear. The container listing appears last and is the listing of material in each box, or container, of this collection. To request material you need to turn to the container listing section. It is essentially a listing of file folders, or artifact items, in the collection. Each folder, or item, has a call number associated with it. Each folder also lists the inclusive dates of the material in the folder. On the material request form list both the call number and the folder, or item, title. Use a different line for each folder, or item, requested. When your request sheet is complete, or full, bring it to the archivist and the material will be retrieved. Biographical Note George Amos Miller (1868-1961) and Margaret Ross Miller (1870-1955) spent nearly three decades as missionaries and administrators for the Methodist Episcopal Church in Central and South America. Both attended Stanford University in California, and they were married in 1894. After George Miller's ordination in 1896, they served churches in California until 1904, during which time they had their two daughters, Marian and Evelyn. In 1905 the Millers took their first overseas assignment when George Miller became pastor of Central Church in Manila. IN 1907, the Millers returned to the United States, where George Miller worked for the American Bible Society. He returned to local church work in 1908, and served churches in California until the Millers took their first assignment as missionaries in 1917. George Miller served as mission superintendent (1917-1919), and began pioneering Methodist work in Costa Rica. George Miller was appointed executive secretary of mission work in South America for the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1920, and served this post from Santiago, Chile. While in Chile, Margaret Miller began her effort to organize women's groups on the mission fields. These groups were later organized into the Federation of Women's Societies, for which she wrote several study books. She also wrote and published Women Under the Southern Cross for the sixteen denominations in the U.S. that combined their missionary study courses. Conference. Miller was elected bishop in 1924 served one quadrennium each from headquarters in Mexico City, Buenos Aires, and Santiago. He retired in 1934, served a local church in Lafayette, California, and continued his interest in Latin American missions. Margaret Miller served as president of the Pacific branch of the former Women's Foreign Missionary Society, serving also in that capacity in the Women's Society of Christian Service. Scope Note The majority of this collection covers the years the Millers spent in Mexico and Central and South America, and extends to their retirement in California. Correspondence from both of the Millers to their daughter Evelyn ranges from 1915 to the late 1940s. There is also correspondence between George Miller and friends and supporters in the U.S., as well as limited administrative correspondence with church leaders in Panama, Costa Rica, Chile, Argentina, and Board of Missions personnel in the U.S. Photographs from the different mission fields make up another large portion of the collection. There also are photographs of the Miller family from the late nineteenth century. The Millers made films and audio tapes of mission work for use in their lectures and presentations in the U.S. These are preserved in collection. The audio tapes are in seven inch reel format. The films are both in original 16mm format and have been copied onto VHS and Beta tapes for viewing. The remainder of the collection is made up of copies of the Miller's various publications, including books and articles, short essays and drafts of Page 1

published work, as well as collected articles, clippings, newsletters, and essays by other authors on the topic of missions. Arrangement Material has been arranged in the following manner. SERIES: ARTIFACTS. Series: Audio-Visual SUBSERIES: AUDIO TAPES (7 IN. REELS). SUBSERIES: FILMS. SERIES: CLIPPINGS AND NEWSLETTERS. Series: Correspondence SUBSERIES: GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE. SUBSERIES: GEORGE MILLER TO DAUGHTER. SUBSERIES: MARGARET MILLER TO DAUGHTER. Series: Manuscripts SUBSERIES: FILM SCENARIOS. SUBSERIES: GENEALOGY. SUBSERIES: MISCELLANEOUS. SUBSERIES: MUSIC. SUBSERIES: REPORTS AND NOTES. SUBSERIES: SERMONS AND SERMON OUTLINES. SUBSERIES: WRITINGS. Series: Photographs SUBSERIES: COUNTRIES. SUBSERIES: GENERAL. SUBSERIES: OVERSIZE. SUBSERIES: PERSONAL AND FAMILY. SUBSERIES: SCRAPBOOK. Series: Printed Matter SUBSERIES: EVELYN MILLER. SUBSERIES: GEORGE MILLER. SUBSERIES: MARGARET MILLER. SUBSERIES: MISCELLANEOUS. Access Restrictions There are no restrictions on this collection. Preferred Citation When citing material from this collection please use the following format: Direct reference to the item or its file folder, George Amos and Margaret Ross Miller Papers, United Methodist Church Archives - GCAH,. Do not make use of the items' call number as that is not a stable descriptor. Index Terms Additional Creators - Personal Berger, Evelyn Miller. Subject Topics Bishops Methodist Episcopal Church-Missions-History Missions. Page 2

Subject Geographic Argentina Bolivia Chile China Costa Rica Mexico Panama Peru. United States Genre Audio-visual materials Clippings Correspondence. Photograph albums Photographs Scrapbooks Sermons Occupations Bishops. Missionaries Table of Contents Artifacts... 4 Audio-Visual... 4 Audio Tapes (7 in. reels)... 4 Films... 4 Clippings and Newsletters... 4 Correspondence... 4 General Correspondence... 4 George Miller to Daughter... 5 Margaret Miller to Daughter... 6 Manuscripts... 6 Film Scenarios... 6 Genealogy... 6 Miscellaneous... 6 Music... 7 Reports and Notes... 7 Sermons and Sermon Outlines... 7 Writings... 7 Photographs... 8 Countries... 8 General... 8 Oversize... 8 Personal and Family... 9 Scrapbook... 9 Printed Matter... 9 Evelyn Miller... 9 George Miller... 9 Margaret Miller... 9 Miscellaneous... 10 Page 3

Container List Artifacts 1593-4-6:1 Ordination Certificate to the Episcopacy 1924 1593-4-6:2 Printed Document in Chinese: Government of the Republic of China, 1912 endorsement for Famine Colonization Association 1593-4-6:3 Poster from Centenary of M.E. Church in Latin America Promotion Program, I 1920-1924 1593-4-6:4 Poster from Centenary of M.E. Church in Latin America Promotion Program, II 1920-1924 1599-4-4:15 Passports: George and Margaret Miller 1918-1937 1599-4-4:16 Medals: WFMS Annual Conference, 1938; General Conferences, 1940 and 1960 1938-1960 2457-2-1:7 Poster from Centenary of M.E. Church in Latin America Promotion Program, III 1920-1924 Audio-Visual Audio Tapes (7 in. reels) 1601-2-1:6 George Miller - Sermon, Lafayette, CA 1948 1601-2-1:7 George Miller - "Talk to Retired Ministers Dinner" 1948 1601-2-1:8 George Miller - "Dedication of New Pulpit" 1948 1601-2-2:1 George Miller - Sermon 1949 1601-2-2:2 George Miller - Sermon, "Think Well of Yourself" 1949 1601-2-2:3 George Miller - Sermon, Lafayette, CA 1953 1601-2-2:4 George Miller - Sermon, Lafayette, CA 1955 1601-2-2:5 "Dedication of Margaret Miller Memorial Chapel" 1959 1601-2-2:6 Graduation Exercises, Alajuela Training School, I 1961 1601-2-2:7 Graduation Exercises, Alajuela Training School, II 1961 1601-2-2:8 Funeral Services for George Miller, Bishop Donald Tippett, Speaker 1961 1601-2-2:9 Introduction of First Lecture, Miller Lectureship, Scarritt College 1967 Films 1601-2-2:10 Negative of TV Film: George Miller's funeral service 1961 Clippings and Newsletters 1601-2-3:1 Tico Times c.1924 1601-2-3:2 Topical File: South America c.1924 1601-2-3:3 George Miller's Clippings file 1914-1943 1601-2-3:4 George Miller's Clippings File, II 1914-1949 1601-2-3:5 Clippings 1914-1966 1601-2-3:6 Clipped Articles by George Miller 1915-1937 1601-2-3:7 Clippings: Panamerica World Peace 1924-1946 1601-2-3:8 Topical File: Costa Rica 1931-1961 1601-2-3:9 Topical File: Mexico 1926-1952 1601-2-3:10 "The Classmate" 1928-1937 1601-2-3:11 Million Unit Fellowship 1936-1939 1601-2-3:12 Peru and Bolivia 1936-1962 1601-2-3:13 Newsletters 1938-1939 1601-2-3:14 "Missionary News" 1939-1940 Correspondence General Correspondence Page 4

1599-4-3:1 George and Margaret Miller, Steamer Letters 1904 1599-4-3:2 Parents of George Miller 1908-1949 1599-4-3:3 From Louis Fiske 1916-1965 1599-4-3:4 Percy Morris 1917-1965 1599-4-3:5 Maud Empey 1918-1965 1599-4-3:6 Margaret Miller 1920-1939 1599-4-3:7 Chile, Peru, Bolivia 1929-1959 1599-4-3:8 George Miller to Santander, Sosa, Soto, Swain 1925-1965 1599-4-3:9 Bishops 1925-1966 1599-4-3:10 Board of Missions, NY 1931-1960 1599-4-3:11 George Miller's sister Clara 1933-1961 1599-4-3:12 Bullock, Howard, Alpizar, Eaker 1934-1960 1599-4-3:13 Cooperating Council: Panama, Costa Rica 1934-1951 1599-4-3:14 Panama 1935-1959 1599-4-3:15 James E. Ellis, Board of Missions, Costa Rica 1936-1959 1599-4-3:16 Leon L. Loofbourow, Panama California Conference 1936-1938 1599-4-3:17 Murray, Mora, Jimenez 1936-1950 1599-4-3:18 Costa Rica 1937-1959 1599-4-4:1 E.E. Greenough 1939-1942 1599-4-4:2 E.E. Greenough 1943-1967 1599-4-4:3 John D. Crummey 1947-1971 1599-4-4:4 L.C. Vannah 1947-1953 1599-4-4:5 Elsie Keyser 1949-1958 1599-4-4:6 E. G. Boardman 1950-1959 1599-4-4:7 Leon and Dorothy Miller 1950-1960 1599-4-4:8 Rev. Ada Hocking 1956-1961 1599-4-4:9 James Snedeker, Alejuela Training School 1956-1960 1599-4-4:10 Marion Woods 1956-1960 1599-4-4:11 Reginald Inwood 1958-1960 1599-4-4:12 Herbert Tavenner 1958-1965 1599-4-4:13 Evelyn Miller 1958-1971 1599-4-4:14 Jess Berger 1959-1967 George Miller to Daughter 1599-4-1:1 George Miller Letters to Daughter 1915-1917 1599-4-1:2 George Miller Letters to Daughter 1919 1599-4-1:3 George Miller Letters to Daughter 1920 1599-4-1:4 George Miller Letters to Daughter 1921 1599-4-1:5 George Miller Letters to Daughter 1922 1599-4-1:6 George Miller Letters to Daughter 1923 1599-4-1:7 George Miller Letters to Daughter 1924 1599-4-1:8 George Miller Letters to Daughter 1924-1925 1599-4-1:9 George Miller Letters to Daughter 1926 1599-4-1:10 George Miller Letters to Daughter 1927 1599-4-1:11 George Miller Letters to Daughter 1928 1599-4-1:12 George Miller Letters to Daughter 1929 1599-4-1:13 George Miller Letters to Daughter 1930 1599-4-1:14 George Miller Letters to Daughter 1931 1599-4-1:15 George Miller Letters to Daughter 1932 1599-4-1:16 George Miller Letters to Daughter 1933 1599-4-1:17 George Miller Letters to Daughter 1934 1599-4-1:18 George Miller Letters to Daughter 1935 1599-4-1:19 George Miller Letters to Daughter 1936 1599-4-1:20 George Miller Letters to Daughter 1937 1599-4-1:21 George Miller Letters to Daughter 1938 Page 5

1599-4-1:22 George Miller Letters to Daughter 1939 1599-4-1:23 George Miller Letters to Daughter 1940-1944 1599-4-1:24 George Miller Letters to Daughter 1946-1949 1599-4-1:25 George Miller Letters to Daughter 1948-1949 1599-4-1:26 George Miller Letters to Daughter 1950 1599-4-1:27 George Miller Letters to Daughter 1950-1959 Margaret Miller to Daughter 1599-4-1:28 Margaret Miller Letters to Daughter 1916-1917 1599-4-1:29 Margaret Miller Letters to Daughter 1919 1599-4-1:30 Margaret Miller Letters to Daughter 1920 1599-4-2:1 Margaret Miller Letters to Daughter 1921 1599-4-2:2 Margaret Miller Letters to Daughter 1923 1599-4-2:3 Margaret Miller Letters to Daughter 1924 1599-4-2:4 Margaret Miller Letters to Daughter 1925 1599-4-2:5 Margaret Miller Letters to Daughter 1925-1926 1599-4-2:6 Margaret Miller Letters to Daughter 1926 1599-4-2:7 Margaret Miller Letters to Daughter 1927 1599-4-2:8 Margaret Miller Letters to Daughter 1928 1599-4-2:9 Margaret Miller Letters to Daughter 1929 1599-4-2:10 Margaret Miller Letters to Daughter 1930 1599-4-2:11 Margaret Miller Letters to Daughter 1931 1599-4-2:12 Margaret Miller Letters to Daughter 1932 1599-4-2:13 Margaret Miller Letters to Daughter 1933 1599-4-2:14 Margaret Miller Letters to Daughter 1934 1599-4-2:15 Margaret Miller Letters to Daughter 1935 1599-4-2:16 Margaret Miller Letters to Daughter 1936 1599-4-2:17 Margaret Miller Letters to Daughter 1937 1599-4-2:18 Margaret Miller Letters to Daughter 1938 1599-4-2:19 Margaret Miller Letters to Daughter 1939 1599-4-2:20 Margaret Miller Letters to Daughter 1942-1943 1599-4-2:21 Margaret Miller Letters to Daughter 1944 Manuscripts Film Scenarios 1599-5-4:9 "Lost in Paradise" 1937 1599-5-4:10 Various Drafts 1942-1943 Genealogy 1599-5-4:15 Geneological Materials, Miller Family 1861-1967 Miscellaneous 1599-5-4:18 Certificates and Awards 1868-1960 1599-5-4:19 Panama 1919-1963 1599-5-4:20 Autograph Book 1920 1599-5-4:21 Church Building Plans 1921-1930 1599-5-4:22 Guestbook 1922-1923 Page 6

1599-5-4:23 Alajuela Seminary, Costa Rica 1926-1967 1599-5-5:3 Costa Rica 1928-1968 1599-5-5:4 Bishop Oldham in South America 1937-1955 1599-5-5:5 Estate Mrs. Grace Jull 1939-1949 1599-5-5:6 Consecration of a Bishop 1940 1599-5-5:7 Women's Work - Margaret Miller 1940-1957 1599-5-5:8 Costa Rica, General 1941-1963 1599-5-5:9 Lafayette, California: George Miller, retirement 1939-1953 1599-5-5:10 Lafayette Church 1944-1946 1599-5-5:11 Course: Religion and Mental Health 1942-1950 1599-5-5:13 Lectureship Honoring the Millers, Scarritt College: Inter-American Information 1963-1974 1599-5-5:14 Panama/Costa Rica Mission, General 1931-1967 Music Reports and Notes 1599-5-3:14 Reports and Notes, Latin American Mission 1930-1937 1599-5-3:15 Reports 1931-1938 1599-5-4:1 Notes 1938-1943 1599-5-4:2 Costa Rica and the Costa Ricans 1938-1960 Sermons and Sermon Outlines 1599-5-2:7 Notes for Sermons 1889-1935 1599-5-2:8 Notebook of Notes and Outlines 1907-1912 1599-5-2:9 Notebook 1902-1938 1599-5-2:10 Sermon Outlines 1907-1954 1599-5-2:11 Sermon Outlines 1919-1943 1599-5-3:1 Notes and Sermon Outlines 1920-1954 1599-5-3:2 Notebook 1924-1943 1599-5-3:3 Notebook 1925-1941 1599-5-3:4 Notebook 1925-1928 1599-5-3:5 Notebook 1926-1951 1599-5-3:6 Notebook 1928-1929 1599-5-3:7 Sermon Outlines c.1953 1599-5-3:8 Sermon Outlines c.1961 1599-5-3:9 Sermons c.1954 1599-5-3:10 Sermons and Outlines c.1954 Writings 1599-5-1:11 Drafts of Essays on Latin America, with Supporting Documents c. 1942 1599-5-1:12 Draft: "California Pioneer Days" 1958 1599-5-1:13 Handmade Book: "The Peace of God" 1901 1599-5-1:14 Excerpts from George Miller Letters to Daughter 1920-1935 1599-5-1:15 Articles - George Miller 1924-1946 1599-5-2:2 Articles, South America 1930-1939 1599-5-2:3 "Dawn" Chile Story 1932 1599-5-2:4 "Missions in the Wild World" 1936 Page 7

1599-5-2:5 Unfinished Work - George Miller 1954 Photographs Countries 1599-6-2:1 Argentina 1922-1933 1599-6-2:2 Argentina 1929-1933 1599-6-2:3 Bolivia c.1924 1599-6-2:4 The Indians of Bolivia 1940-1952 1599-6-2:5 Chile c.1922 1599-6-2:6 Chile I 1919-1956 1599-6-2:7 Chile II 1919-1956 1599-6-2:8 Chile III 1919-1956 1599-6-2:9 Chile 1922-1942 1599-6-2:10 Chile 1922-1945 1599-6-3:2 China 1904-1913 1599-6-3:3 China 1911-1914 1599-6-3:4 China 1914 1599-6-3:10 Costa Rica 1918-1960 1599-6-3:11 Costa Rica 1918-1961 1599-6-3:12 Costa Rica 1957-1961 1599-6-4:1 Japan 1906 1599-6-4:3 Mexico 1924-1928 1599-6-4:4 Mexico 1926-1927 1599-6-4:5 Panama 1855-1931 1599-6-4:6 Panama 1910-1945 1599-6-4:7 Panama 1918-1933 1599-6-4:8 Panama Canal 1902-1917 1599-6-4:9 Panama Canal 1913-1918 1599-6-5:1 Panama City 1916-1940 1599-6-5:2 Panama City 1918-1919 1599-6-5:3 Panama City 1921 1599-6-5:5 Panama Interior 1906-1915 1599-6-5:6 Panama Missions 1 1916-1932 1599-6-5:7 Panama Missions 2 1916-1932 1599-6-5:8 Panama Missions 1917-1918 1599-6-5:10 Peru c.1951 1599-7-1:2 Peru - Bolivia 1922-1943 1599-7-1:3 Peru - Bolivia 1933 1599-7-1:4 Peru - Bolivia 1933-1934 1599-7-1:5 Philippines 1904 1599-7-1:6 Philippines 1904-1906 1599-7-1:7 Philippines 1904-1911 1599-7-1:8 Philippines 1904-1915 1599-7-1:9 Philippines 1905-1914 1599-7-1:10 Philippines 1910 General Oversize 1644-5-1:4 "Reception by the President and Mrs. Coolidge to the Bishops of the MEC. The 1926 Page 8

White House" 2 copies 1644-5-1:5 Council of Bishops, Methodist Church, Pasadena, CA 1956 1644-5-2:1 Board of Bishops, MEC, Atlantic City, NJ, November 1935 Personal and Family 1599-6-1:3 Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary 1945 Scrapbook 1599-7-2:2 Travel 1915-1919 1599-7-2:3 Travel 1918-1922 1599-7-2:4 Travel - Mrs. Miller 1916 1599-7-2:5 Travel 1923 1599-7-3:1 Mrs. Miller 1928-1929 1599-7-3:2 Mrs. Miller 1930-1934 1599-7-3:3 Mrs. Miller 1931-1932 Printed Matter Evelyn Miller 1599-7-4:13 "La Huerfana y Su Buena Estrella" 1922 1599-7-4:14 "La Joven" 1923 1599-7-4:15 "Who Matter Most" 1954 George Miller 1599-7-3:8 "Ten Lessons in Personal Work" 1895 1599-7-3:9 "A Revised History of the First Methodist Episcopal Church, San Jose, 1899 California, 1849-1899" 1599-7-3:10 "Problems of the Town Church" 1902 1599-7-3:11 "Ruins and Romance of Guadalupe" 1906 1599-7-3:12 "Interesting Manila" 1906 1599-7-3:13 "How Pedro Found the King" 1907 1599-7-3:14 "Paulino: A Tale of the Philippines" 1910 1599-7-3:15 "Resurrexit" 1910 1599-7-3:16 "Marian Miller: In Memoriam" 1911 1599-7-3:17 "His Visible Garments" 1912 1599-7-3:18 "Prowling About Panama" 1919 1599-7-4:1 "Missionary Morale" 1920 1599-7-4:2 "Curso Elemental para Senoritas Cristianas" 1923 1599-7-4:3 "Mexico and the Mexicans" 1928 1599-7-4:4 "They Say That Hunger and Thirst" 1929 1599-7-4:5 "Restlessness and Reality" 1929 1599-7-4:6 "Twenty Years After" 1936 1599-7-4:7 "Growing Up" 1959 Margaret Miller Page 9

1599-7-4:9 "Women Under the Southern Cross" 1935 1599-7-4:10 "How to Use" (work book for "Women Under the Southern Cross") 1936 Miscellaneous 1599-7-5:5 "El Hogar Higienico" 1922 1599-7-5:6 "Vida De Plenitud" 1923 1599-7-5:7 "El Hogar Social" 1923 1599-7-5:8 "Resena Historica de la Iglesia Metodista de Costa Rica" 1967 1599-7-5:9 Programs 1917-1959 Page 10