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A man with a message
Thursday, August 21, 2008 11:23 PM EDT
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| Paul Revere rides along the Clyde Barbour Parkway in Maysville Thursday afternoon on his way to Tennessee. Revere is portrayed by Merle Miller and is riding his horse, Jade Bomber. -- Terry Prather/Staff |
Merle Miller, as Paul Revere, on his horse Bomber traveled from Ripley, Ohio, through Maysville on his journey that will take him from Adams, N.Y., to Adams Tenn. Joined by his son, Joshua Miller who follows in a vehicle and James Brooks, who drives the horse trailer, Merle Miller started in upstate New York during the first week of June and expects to end "the spiritual Paul Revere ride" in Tennessee "around the third week of September."
The elder Miller said the men, who are construction workers travel "about 16 miles a day, eight in the morning and eight in the afternoon." The group expected to make it to Old Washington for the night.
"Our horse trailer has sleeping accommodations so we sleep there. Farmers and others have been very generous in allowing us to use their land and facilities for our sleeping needs."
The trip is being financed by the group's "own money and donations." Merle Miller said the idea came about eight years ago when he envisioned a man on a horse.
"After a while, I realized that no one else was going to do it so I bought a horse and started training it and myself." Merle Miller said. "This is a once in a lifetime thing. It has been very trying and difficult. I haven't seen my wife in over two months. Thankfully, all the families have been very supportive."
The trip has only experienced one delay, Merle Miller said.
"We were delayed 12 days in New York for engine trouble. We finally got a new engine and we were back on our way." he said. "We couldn't really have asked for any better weather either."
The elder Miller said the group spoke to students at Ripley Elementary School earlier in the day before making it to Maysville.
"We hope to get about seven or eight more miles down the road before we stop for the night." Merle Miller said.
The group which calls itself God's Minute Men is hoping to "awaken this great nation" to the problems it is facing, Merle Miller said.
"Paul Revere sounded the alarm for this nation." he said. "We want to sound the alarm this time around that America is in trouble, not just economically but spiritually and morally."
According to Merle Miller. 52 of the 56 founding forefathers were Christian and 106 of the first 108 colleges in America were Bible colleges, including Harvard and Yale.
"We want this to be an awakening." Merle Miller said. "We don't want to offend anyone but we want everyone just to take notice. We still have time to take corrective actions. Our country was founded on Christian beliefs and we want everyone to realize we have fallen from some of those."
"We felt the foundation of our nation was being pulled out brick by brick. We want to secure that foundation." Merle Miller said. "After all, the church is the conscience of our nation and we want everyone to just take a step back and take notice that some changes can and should be made."
For updated information and photos of the journey or to make a donation, visit the group's Web site at http://www.godsminutemen.com.
Contact Todd Curtis at todd.curtis@lee.net or call 606-564-9091, ext. 272.
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