by Elisabeth G. Stryker
About this book
Story of One Short Life, 1783 to 1818 by Elisabeth G. Stryker illuminates how one determined young man reshaped early American faith and global missions through courage, conviction, and a short but consequential life.
This stirring biography traces Samuel J. Mills from his New England upbringing through the fervor of the early 19th-century revival movement, the iconic Haystack prayer meeting that sparked student-led missionary zeal, and his leadership in founding America’s first organized missionary efforts and the Bible-distribution work that evolved into the American Bible Society. Stryker places Mills within the broader religious and social currents of the era—revivalism, the rise of volunteer missionary societies, and the nation’s expanding global reach—while conveying the moral and spiritual motivations that propelled his journeys. The narrative follows Mills’ final venture to Africa, where his efforts contributed to the foundations of what would become Liberia, and reflects on the legacy of sacrifice and institution-building he left behind, all without revealing the personal intimacies of his final days.
Ideal for listeners drawn to biography and religious history, this audiobook offers an inspiring, compact portrait of evangelical initiative and early American missionary enterprise—perfect for history buffs and faith-based audiences seeking a powerful true-life story.
