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57 RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA Robber Colaaail Robertson Epochs in the Life of Jesus (New York, 1907); Short Grammar of the Greek New Testament (1908; 2d ed., 1909) ; and Epochs in the Life of Paul; A Study of Development in St. Paul's Career (1909). ROBERTSON, FREDERICK WILLIAM: Eng lish preacher; b. at London Feb. 3, 1816; d. at Brighton Aug. 15, 1853. He was the descendant of a family of soldiers whose traditions afterward became of decisive influence upon his inner life. He was brought up under the strong Evangelical impressions of his home, then studied at Beversley grammar-school, the gymnasium of Tours, the New Academy of Edinburgh, and the university of the same place. His father had intended him for the ministry, but he himself desired to become a sol dier. He was finally articled to a solicitor, but the sedentary habits of his calling broke down his health. He was then placed upon the list of dragoons in India and prepared himself for that service in the usual manner, but as he had to wait more than two years for a call, the desires of his father became urgent so that with self-sacrifice-a characteristic trait-he entered, in 1837, Brazenose College, Ox ford (B.A., 1841; M.A., 1844), to study theology. He occupied himself for a time with Platonic meta physics and Aristotle. As a theologian he clung at that time to the Evangelical party in its strict Cal vinistic expression. The theological ferment at Oxford impelled him to the study of the Bible, es pecially of the Greek New Testament, the most im portant portions of which he memorized. In 1840 he took orders and the curacy of the parish of St. Mary Kalendar, Winchester. Breaking down under the pressure of hard work and nervous affection, he was compelled in 1841 to seek relaxation, and went to Switzerland, meeting there Helen, a daughter of Sir William Denys, whom he married the same year. After his return to England he accepted, in 1843, a position as curate at Christ Church, Cheltenham. Discouraged by ill success in his official life, he resigned his position and in 1846 sought rest in Heidelberg. After a short rest he accepted the charge at St. Ebbe's in Oxford, and, in 1847, the incumbency of Trinity Chapel, Brighton, which he held until his death. Robertson's character was marked by great in tensity of feeling, which led him into an emphasis of expression that sometimes partook of overstate ment. He was broad in his feelings, realizing some thing in each of the schools of theology in the An glican communion with which he was in sympathy. He was especially successful in winning the con fidence of the working classes. His usefulness was limited and his own life shortened by the absolute seriousness of his temperament, which did not per mit the soothing and quieting influences of humor to have their effect in the bearing of petty annoyances. He was one of the foremost pulpit orators of his people, excelling less in depth and learning than in the power of his pathos, warm feeling, dignity, and beauty of language. Most of his published works, principally sermons, were issued posthumously. The most important are: Sermons preached at Trin ity Chapel, Brighton (5 series, London, 1855-74, often reprinted, e.g., 1906, in the later editions with

sketch of the life prefixed. This is one of the most remarkable and influential series of sermons ever issued, and is marked by a fresh, strenuous, and burning piety and a hunger for souls. They were written out after delivery, and are much condensed); Literary Remains (1876) among them Lectures on the Injluence of Poetry on the Working Classes. Less influential were Expository Lectures on St. Paul's Epistles to the Corinthians (1859), and Notes on Genesis (1877).

BIBLiaaRAPBT: 3. A. Brooke, Life and Letters of P. W. Robertson. new ed., 2 vols., London, 1873 (thorough, sym pathetic); W. Sawyer, Memoir of Rev. P. W. Robertson, Brighton, 1853; G. Sutton, Paith and Science, and a Critique upon Mr. Robertson of Brighton, London, 1868; F. A. Noble, A Lecture on P. W. Robertson, ib. 1872; G. MaeCrie, The Religion of ow Literature, ib. 1875; F. Arnold, Robertson of Brighton, with some Notices of his Times and Contemporaries, ib. 1886 (contains many interesting no tices of friends of Robertson); J. P. Edgar, Robertson of Brighton, Edinburgh, 1887; L. Dumas, Un prbdicateur anplais, Montauban. 1894; DNB, xlviii. 404-407; and the list of literature in Richardson, Encyclopaedia, p. 941.

ROBERTSON, JAMES: The name of three Presbyterian divines.

1. Church of Scotland; b. at Ardlaw (36 m. n. of Aberdeen), Aberdeenshire, Jan. 2, 1803; d. in Edinburgh Dec. 2, 1860. After a brilliant career at Aberdeen University (M.A., 1820) and study in the divinity. hall there from 1821 to 1824, he was licensed by the presbytery of Deer and appointed schoolmaster of Pitsligo, 1825, tutor and librarian at Gordon Castle, the seat of the duke of Gordon, headmaster of Gordon's hospital in Aberdeen, 1829, and at last given a parochial charge, that of Ellon, 1832. In the troubles preceding the disruption of the Church of Scotland, he took a prominent part on the side of the moderates who opposed the rupture. He also sided with the ministers of Strathbogie presbytery who had been deposed by the general assembly because they, constituting the majority of presbytery, had acted contrary to the order of the assembly in taking a presentee on trial, 1842. When the disruption came the next year he stayed in the Kirk, and was made professor of divinity and church history in the University of Edinburgh, and so remained till his death. In 1844 he demitted his parochial charge.

He is remembered for two things, that in 1841 he advised the farmers, in accordance with Liebig's suggestion, to use bones dissolved in sulphuric acid as a manure; and second, that he was the remarkably efficient chairman of the committee in the Kirk on the endowment of chapels of ease. In recognition of his services he was elected moderator of the general assembly in 1856.

His publications embrace Exposition of the Prinr caples, Operation, and Prospects of the Church of Scotland's Indian Mission (Edinburgh, 1835); On the Power of the Civil Magistrate in Matters of Religion (1835); Observations on the Veto Act (1840); Statement for the Presbytery of Strathbogie (London, 1841); Answers to the Remonstrance (1841); Appeal for the Advancement of Female Education in India (Edinburgh, 1846); Remarks and Suggestions relative to the Proposed Endowment Scheme (1846); Letters to the Editor of the Northern Standard (1854); Old Truths and Modern Speculations (1860).