From: Robbinsfamilysouthjersey@yahoogroups.com on behalf of todd.d.robbins@gmail.com Sent: Friday, September 03, 2010 7:04 PM To: Robbinsfamilysouthjersey@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Robbinsfamilysouthjersey] John Robbins b. 1756 Sussex Co., NJ WESTERN CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE CONTRIBUTIONS To the Western Methodist Historical Society For the Western Christian Advocate On Sunday. the 13th inst., I was called up- on to preach the funeral sermon of the vener- able John Robbins, Esq., of Buckskin town- ship, Ross county, Ohio. This worthy man was a native of Sussex county, New Jersey, born in A.D. [1755]; settled to Ross county, Ohio, in A.D. 1798; received Methodist preaching into his cabin, and (as we believe) Christ into his heart, through the instrumentality of Benjamin Young, in 1802, who organized a class or Church of seven members. Thenceforward, for nay 10 years or more, his house was the place of preaching, and sometimes of holding quar- terly meetings. The society in this fertile part of old Scioto circuit in 1805. During that year I baptized six of the youngest children of the old patriarch, add at a later period one of the seniors, and some of the grand children; for religious and moral influence, in accordance with the doctrines, rules and usages of the Methodist Episcopal Church, has reached the third, if not the fourth generation, now num- bering, it is believed, at least 170. In this family Daniel, the oldest son, was for many years the leader of the old class, well approved, and very useful. But he is gone to Iowa, and his class sorrowed when he left them; but he may be there, what his father was here, a patri- arch. After the lapse of forty years a large and very commodious brick meeting-house has been erected by and for the benefit of the old Buck- skin society, which they have named Mount Carmel. You may see it on your right hand, situated on a lovely eminence, as you east- ward from Greenfield to Chillicothe, say three miles from the former place. I was permitted to be present (during the last year) at the ded- ication of this house, and saw, with many others by faith, a cloud much larger than <93>a human hand.<94> (though I had seen it in that form forty years before,) but now it overspread the heavens, and teeming showers fell all around, and there was fire mingled, for sacrifices were consumed, sinners were awakened, souls born again, believers quickened and sanctified, and the glory of God filled the house, and rested on the assembly for several days and nights. Sev- eral societies branched out from this. I shall only notice Greenfield. If I am not mistaken, Philip Robbins, another son of the old Squire, was the first who opened his house for preach- ing, and a small society was formed; but in what year I cannot say. It was but feeble for many years, having sustained a great loss in the removal of brother P. Robbins still farther west. Greenfield is a lovely village, has an in- telligent, moral and religious population, four neat plain stone meeting-houses, Presbyterian, Methodist, Associate Reformed, and regular Baptist. I give them in the order in which they were built. Father Robbins was a fair, square, upright, downright, straight forward man. No one could say in truth, <93>I have been deceived in John Robbins, or disappointed by him.<94> The brightest [tenet] in his religious char- acter was his ardent love of the Bible. This was his daily companion. It is believed that he read it regularly through more than forty... The text continues, likely onto the adjacent column. Tod From: Robbinsfamilysouthjersey@yahoogroups.com on behalf of Sara Hoffman [july37@cox.net] Sent: Saturday, September 04, 2010 10:00 AM To: Robbinsfamilysouthjersey@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Robbinsfamilysouthjersey] John Robbins b. 1756 Sussex Co., NJ Tod, Thank you for stepping up & transcribing the newspaper article. I personally appreciate it & hope the rest of the group does too. Does anyone relate to this John Robbins b. 1755 Sussex Co., NJ & migrated to Ross Co., Ohio in 1798? Do we have any other information on him? Sara From: Robbinsfamilysouthjersey@yahoogroups.com on behalf of Sara Hoffman [july37@cox.net] Sent: Saturday, September 04, 2010 10:02 AM To: Robbinsfamilysouthjersey@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Robbinsfamilysouthjersey] John Robbins b. 1756 Sussex Co., NJ Brian, Do you have the year the newspaper article was published? Sara