John Edward Robinson (Methodist Bishop)
Encyclopedia
John Edward Robinson (12 February 1849-16 February 1922) was a Missionary Bishop
of the Methodist Episcopal Church
, elected in 1904.
, County Galway, Ireland (28 miles north of Limerick
). His parentage was English
, the son of James and Jane Robinson. John was fatherless at the age of six. He came to the U.S.A. in 1865. He married Retta Terry on 15 November 1876. They had the following children: Ruth E., Helen E., John F., Bessie E., Flora L. and Muriel E.
to the Christian
faith while a teacher of boys at the 104th St. Methodist Church in New York City
. He graduated from Drew Theological Seminary in 1874. He also received a D.D. degree from Albion College
in 1902.
in 1874 as a Missionary
. His appointments were as follows: Hyderabad (1874–77), Bangalore
(1877–80), and Rangoon, Burma
(1880–86). He then became the Presiding Elder of the Burma District (1884–86). He was appointed to Simla
in 1886, but then again as a Presiding Elder, this time of the Bombay District (1887–96). He was Presiding Elder then of the Asansol
District (1896-00) and the Calcutta District (1900–04).
Rev. Robinson also served as the Editor
of the Burmah Evangelist (1884–87) and of the Indian Witness (1896–1904).
, Bishop Robinson was considered "liberal evangelical."
Missionary Bishop (Methodist Church)
A Missionary Bishop is one assigned in the Anglican Communion to an area that is not already organized under a bishop of a church. The term was also used in the Methodist churches at one time, but this was discontinued in 1964.-Anglican churches:...
of the Methodist Episcopal Church
Methodist Episcopal Church
The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes referred to as the M.E. Church, was a development of the first expression of Methodism in the United States. It officially began at the Baltimore Christmas Conference in 1784, with Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as the first bishops. Through a series of...
, elected in 1904.
Birth and family
John was born in GortGort
Gort is a town in south County Galway in the west of Ireland. An Gort is the official Irish name for the town, as defined by the Placenames Commission. In spoken Irish, however, the town is known by its traditional name Gort Inse Guaire. It lies just north of the border with County Clare on the...
, County Galway, Ireland (28 miles north of Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
). His parentage was English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
, the son of James and Jane Robinson. John was fatherless at the age of six. He came to the U.S.A. in 1865. He married Retta Terry on 15 November 1876. They had the following children: Ruth E., Helen E., John F., Bessie E., Flora L. and Muriel E.
Education
John was convertedConversion to Christianity
Conversion to Christianity is the religious conversion of a previously non-Christian person to some form of Christianity. It has been called the foundational experience of Christian life...
to the Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
faith while a teacher of boys at the 104th St. Methodist Church in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He graduated from Drew Theological Seminary in 1874. He also received a D.D. degree from Albion College
Albion College
Albion College is a private liberal arts college located in Albion, Michigan. Related to the United Methodist Church, it was founded in 1835 and was the first private college in Michigan to have a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. It has a student population of about 1500.The school's sports teams are...
in 1902.
Ordained ministry and missionary service
Rev. Robinson went to IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in 1874 as a Missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
. His appointments were as follows: Hyderabad (1874–77), Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
(1877–80), and Rangoon, Burma
Yangon
Yangon is a former capital of Burma and the capital of Yangon Region . Although the military government has officially relocated the capital to Naypyidaw since March 2006, Yangon, with a population of over four million, continues to be the country's largest city and the most important commercial...
(1880–86). He then became the Presiding Elder of the Burma District (1884–86). He was appointed to Simla
Shimla
Shimla , formerly known as Simla, is the capital city of Himachal Pradesh. In 1864, Shimla was declared the summer capital of the British Raj in India. A popular tourist destination, Shimla is often referred to as the "Queen of Hills," a term coined by the British...
in 1886, but then again as a Presiding Elder, this time of the Bombay District (1887–96). He was Presiding Elder then of the Asansol
Asansol
Asansol is a coal mining and industrial metropolis and one of the busiest commercial centres in India. It is the second largest city and urban agglomeration in West Bengal after Kolkata and the 19th largest urban agglomeration in India. Asansol is located in the western part of the Burdwan...
District (1896-00) and the Calcutta District (1900–04).
Rev. Robinson also served as the Editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
of the Burmah Evangelist (1884–87) and of the Indian Witness (1896–1904).
Episcopal ministry
The Rev. Dr. John Edward Robinson was elected the Missionary Bishop for Southern Asia in 1904. In his theologyTheology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
, Bishop Robinson was considered "liberal evangelical."
Selected Writings
- Apostolic Succession Refuted, Rangoon, 1884.
- The Rise and Progress of Methodism, 1899.