Mel Trotter, following in his father’s footsteps, became a hopeless alcoholic by the age of twenty. Despite his mother’s godly example, the influence of his father’s saloon and drinking proved to be a temptation too powerful for the young man to overcome in his own strength.

Although Trotter would marry and have a son, his drinking persisted. Despite his best efforts to stop drinking, he continually failed. This caused his family to often suffered from the lack of necessities. Trotter once sold his family’s horse and buggy to support his addiction. After one ten-day drinking spree, he returned home to find his two-year old son dead in his mother’s arms. Desperate and penniless, he vowed to his wife never to touch another drop of liquor but within hours, he returned home drunk again.

He left home for Chicago, but his drinking continued. He sold his shoes in winter to buy liquor. Thinking of suicide, he stared walking toward Lake Michigan, where he intended to drown himself. He passed the Pacific Garden Rescue Mission where he was pulled inside to hear the meeting in progress. Harry Monroe, a converted alcoholic and superintendent of the mission, was giving a testimony of conversion and deliverance from alcoholism. At the invitation Trotter came forward and was converted. After conversion, he chose II Corinthians 5:17 as his favorite verse: "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature." He immediately started helping Monroe at the mission.

In 1900 Trotter was asked to supervise a new rescue mission established in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This mission would eventually expand to support 750 men. As superintendent for 40 years, he saw many victories including: an adjacent saloon close its doors due to lack of business. Along with the mission work, he also helped to found at least 67 other rescue mission across the nation.

Many wanted to hear Trotter’s powerful testimony and he sometimes filled in for R. A. Torrey and Billy Sunday during revival campaigns.

Suffering from cancer, Trotter last preached at the Grand Rapids Mission on its 40^th anniversary in January, 1940.  He is buried at Graceland Memorial Park and Mauseoleum, Grand Rapids, Michigan.