On the night before he was to preach in Hanover for the first time, Mr. Robinson rode late to reach a tavern within some eight or ten miles of the place of preaching. The tavern keeper was a shrewd, boisterous, profane man. When uttering some horrid oaths, Mr. Robinson ventured to reprove him for his profanity; and although it was done in a mild way, the innkeeper gave him a sarcastic look, and said - 'Pray, Sir, who are you, to take such authority upon yourself?' 'I am a minister of the gospel,' says Mr. Robinson. 'Then you belie your looks very much,' was the reply. It is said Mr. Robinson had had the small pox very seriously, which had given him a very rough visage, and deprived of the sight of one of his eyes. It was with reference to his forbidding appearance, that the innkeeper seemed to question his ministerial character. 'But'-says Mr. Robinson-'if you wish certainly to know whether I am a minister or not, if you will accompany me, you may be convinced by hearing me preach.' 'I will,' says the innkeeper, 'if you will preach from a text which I shall give you.' 'Let me hear it,' says Mr. Robinson, 'and if there is nothing unsuitable in it, I will.' The waggish innkeeper gave him the passage from the Psalms - 'For I am fearfully and wonderfully made.' Mr. Robinson agreed that it should be one of his texts. The man was at Mr. Robinson's meeting, and that text was the theme of one of his sermons. Before it was finished, the wicked man was made to feel that he was the monster, and that he was fearfully and wonderfully made. It is said he became a very pious and useful member of the church; and it is thought that Mr. Davies alludes to this instance when he says, 'I have been the joyful witness of the happy effects of those four sermons upon sundry thoughtless impenitents and sundry abandoned profligates, who have ever since given good evidence of a thorough conversion from sin to holiness.' Thus this good man cast the gospel net and caught of every sort, gathering whom his Lord called.
Just an arrow or two of reflection:
First of all, I continue to stand amazed at the grace of God and the mighty power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That God would be pleased to take a man like this innkeeper and allow him in his wickedness to choose the very text by which He would convert him. Simply amazing! This reminds us that those whom God foreknows He predestines; those whom He predestines He calls; and those whom He calls He justifies and glorifies! And that is IN SPITE of ourselves! What amazing grace! What a blessed gospel!
Secondly, I love men like William Robinson. He was a man who lived his life for the glory of his Lord. He was a man whose faith we would do well to follow, for we know the end of his conversation. He is a man that I will look for in heaven one day. And in heaven there won't be a rough visage and forbidding appearance about William Robinson. There will be a beautiful face of a chosen saint of God who loved and lived and died for his Lord.
Foote says it best about Mr. Robinson as he gave me the inspiration behind my blog title (p. 130):
His bow abode in strength, and many arrows from the quiver of the Almighty were shot from his withering hands...
So here's to you, Mr. Robinson! I'm quite certain you knew just how much Jesus loved you while you were here below.
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