In conjunction with our current exhibit, “The book will be preaching after you and I have gone home”: Marshall Keeble’s Print Legacy we’ll be featuring blog posts contributed by our student workers to provide expanded content on the “Fellow Workers” pictured in Biography and Sermons of Marshall Keeble, Evangelist.Today’s post on O. L. Aker was researched and written by Sandrine Ingabire. Sandrine is a Senior Global Studies major from Kigali, Rwanda. She has been working in Special Collections for over a semester now. She is interested in international development focused on small businesses and empowering low income people through providing them with opportunities to make an income. She loves writing and hopes the skills she gains while working in Special Collections will transfer to her career in the future.

1931 photographs of men Marshall Keeble either baptized or encouraged to preach. B. C. Goodpasture, ed., “Biography and Sermons of Marshall Keeble, Evangelist” (Nashville: Gospel Advocate Company, 1931), 24-25.

Oswell Lamor Aker was born on a farm in Commerce, Georgia. He received his early school training in and around Commerce. In 1917, he married Nancy F. Tisdale from Limestone, Alabama, who was a student at Walden University in Nashville, Tennessee. He attributed his success as a minister to her as she encouraged and supported him in his ministry. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church for thirty years.

Aker was a minister in the Methodist Episcopal church when he first heard the gospel.  Marshall Keeble’s teaching was central to his understanding of the gospel and Aker was converted. He had only been ministering in the Church of Christ for four months when the brethren in Florence, Alabama were impressed with him and encouraged him to work with Marshall Keeble. One of his strengths that people admired about him was his encouragement and support for people who were going through a hard time. He was also a very good and close friend to Marshall Keeble. Some people compared their relationship to that of Jonathan and David.

Tuggle, Annie C., “Our Ministers and Song Leaders of the Church of Christ” (1945). Stone-Campbell Books. 238.

He served in the Church of Christ for sixteen years. During his ministry time, he was able to baptize over six hundred people including seven preachers and one bishop by 1945. He served in the following congregations: St. Petersburg and Tampa, Florida, Houston and Waco, Texas, Atlanta, Georgia, Montgomery and Florence, Alabama.

Works cited:

Tuggle, Annie C., “Our Ministers and Song Leaders of the Church of Christ” (1945). Stone-Campbell Books, page 8.

In conjunction with our current exhibit, “The book will be preaching after you and I have gone home”: Marshall Keeble’s Print Legacy our student workers will provide expanded content on the “Fellow Workers” pictured in Biography and Sermons of Marshall Keeble, Evangelist. Today’s post on Luke Miller was researched and written by Sarah Dillinger, a Senior Social Studies major from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She has been a student worker in Special Collections for three years. Sarah enjoys the research and connections she makes while working in Special Collections and hopes to pursue a career in teaching history when she graduates.

1931 photographs of men Marshall Keeble either baptized or encouraged to preach. B. C. Goodpasture, ed., “Biography and Sermons of Marshall Keeble, Evangelist” (Nashville: Gospel Advocate Company, 1931), 24-25.

Luke Miller was born March 16, 1904 in Limestone County near Belle Mina, Alabama. In 1923 he married Mattie Lee Ballentine who was a great encouragement to him during his ministry. Another influence in Miller’s life was Marshall Keeble, who baptized him in Decatur, Alabama.  Keeble became a father-like figure in Miller’s life. A few years later, after extensive preparation, Miller was ready to give his first sermon. The sermon, which Miller estimated would be 30 minutes, was given at a meeting conducted by Mr. Keeble. However, the excitement of the audience in Florence, Alabama led Miller to preaching his first sermon in three minutes. Miller spent a large amount of time in revival meetings with Mr. Keeble.

Tuggle, Annie C., “Our Ministers and Song Leaders of the Church of Christ” (1945). Stone-Campbell Books. 238.

The white Church of Christ in Port Arthur, Texas asked Miller to serve in their church in June of 1935 to preach a series of meetings to the African-American community of Port Arthur. Over his years of service in the Churches of Christ Miller baptized approximately 10,000 people. After one gospel meeting in Corsicana, Texas he baptized 216 people. In 1940 he published a collection of his sermons titled Miller’s Sermons which explores topics from dancing to baptism by immersion.

Miller, Luke, “Miller’s Sermons” (1940). Stone-Campbell Books. 126.

Miller served churches in Valdosta, Georgia, Paris, Texas, St. Petersburg, Florida, and Port Arthur, Texas. Luke Miller died in his home on February 1, 1962 at age of 57 of a heart attack.

Works cited:

Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 18 April 2018), memorial page for Luke Miller (16 Mar 1904–1 Feb 1962), Find A Grave Memorial no. 72982977, ; Maintained by Tom Childers (contributor 46515204) Unknown.

Miller, Luke, “Miller’s Sermons” (1940). Stone-Campbell Books. Book 126.

Tuggle, Annie C., “Our Ministers and Song Leaders of the Church of Christ” (1945). Stone-Campbell Books, page 110.