The following is an excerpt from the book, Sketches of Our Mountain Pioneers, edited by J. W. West, containing a humorous account of an event in the life of Elder Jonathan P. Miller.
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Laboring on a mountain farm when necessary, preaching regularly and evangelizing when not working crops, he spent fifty years traveling over the Appalachian mountain sections of four states, walking, and on “mule back,” establishing the cause of New Testament Christianity by preaching in school houses and private homes, when being identified with those despised “Campbellites” meant at that time to be socially ostracized. In defense of the truth he engaged in thirty-six debates, often with college men, and many discussions in private homes. On one occasion it became necessary to fight a man in self defence, or be called a coward. He won as he usually won in debates. He was fined forty dollars and on receiving the receipt from the judge, he offered to “whip” him again and pay forty dollars in advance to save the trouble of another trial.