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Robert Robinson

Birth: September 27, 1735, Swaffham, Norfolk, England
Death: June 8, 1790 Showell Green, Warwickshire, England

Robert Robinson was born in 1735 in England. He attended Latin school at age eight. At age ten, his father died. His mother, a deeply spiritual woman who prayed that her son would become a minister, apprenticed him to a barber in London at age fourteen.

He and his friends reportedly got a fortune-teller drunk and then had her tell their fortunes. That same evening he decided to attend a meeting where George Whitefield was preaching, with the purpose of "scoffing at the poor, deluded Methodists." However, Whitefield's preaching so impressed Robinson that he was converted to Christ. Several years later, he felt called to preach and became a Methodist minister. Soon after, he took an Independent church, then a year later, he became pastor of a Baptist church in Cambridge.

Robinson published History and Mystery of Good Friday in 1777. The Baptists invited him to document the history of their branch of the church. He published History of Baptism and Baptists in 1790 after nine years of labor. He wrote other books, and also thirteen hymns, the best known of which is "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing."

Robinson seemed to be influenced by Unitarianism at the end of his life. He was at the home of noted Unitarian divine, Dr. Priestley, where he was to preach, when he passed away during the night.