Obituary of Bishop Robert Thomas Robinson

Robert Thomas Robinson was born on August 31, 1931, in Dorchester County, Maryland, to the late Harlon and Mary Agnes (Nichols) Robinson. He was educated in the school district of Philadelphia, and he graduated from Edwin Bok High School in 1950, where he studied carpentry. Later, Robert would take classes at the Philadelphia College of Bible. He was truly “an authority in the divine and inspired word of God.” Robert grew up in Tindley Temple United Methodist Church, and at the age of eleven he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior, under the ministry of Hyman Appleman, a Hebrew Christian evangelist. On that night, many people accepted Christ, but Reverend Appleman singled out Robert and an elderly gentleman who had also accepted Christ. He stated to the audience, “This old gentleman has given his life to Christ and probably will have just a few more years to serve the Lord, but, this young lad will have many years of service to give to the King.” Truer words could not have been spoken because Robert would go on to serve the Lord in ministry for nearly 70 years. With this initial experience, the Lord began to deal mightily in the life of Robert Robinson. The Lord revealed Himself to Robert at an early age via many visions where the Lord began to show Robert what kind of ministry he would have. In one of the visions, the Lord told Robert to preach about the coming of the Lord and the Kingdom age. Whenever Robert preached, usually at the end of every sermon, he would talk about the coming of the Lord. Upon accepting the call to ministry, Robert began as a minister at Tindley Temple United Methodist Church. After serving as a minister there for a few years, he felt the leading of God to launch out into new vistas of faith. Thus, he was ordained by the late Reverend Ulis Jordan in 1952. Also in 1952, he married the late Evangelist Eleanor Mann, aka “Sissie.” They had the largest wedding up to that time in the history of the Tindley Temple United Methodist Church. They had two daughters, Truedelle Louise, who preceded them in death in 2009, and Gail Elaine. In his endeavor to follow the Lord’s leading, he founded the Philadelphia Revival Temple Church, which actually began in his parents’ living room at 1413 South 18th Street, in 1956. After worshipping in several other venues that year, the late Missionary Ethel Brown, a very close friend of the family, found a home for the church, and on Sunday, March 10, 1957, the church had its first service in their new home on the North East corner of 18th and Wharton Streets. Later, during a time of renovation, Reverend Robinson moved the church to 40th and Girard Avenue for a few years. It was during this time that Reverend Robinson installed Pastor Walter W. Scruggs as Assistant Pastor. Reverend Robinson would leave the church in the hands of Pastor Scruggs while he helped his cousin, the late Goldie L. Ricketts, start her church, Mt. Calvary Church of God, in Providence, Rhode Island. During the time the church was located at 40th and Girard, many residents of West Philadelphia began to join Revival Temple. Upon completion of the renovations, Reverend Robinson and the church moved back to 18th and Wharton. Reverend Robinson and Evangelist Eleanor Robinson worked tirelessly to build and sustain the church over the years. On that Sunday evening in 1957, Bishop Robinson started what he thought would be a two or three-week revival, but instead, it was a time of soul-searching and rededication that lasted for over 50 years. The revival of ’57 inspired the lives of young people who today are bishops, pastors, teachers, missionaries and evangelists. In fact, it was during these initial weeks of the church where people were being healed. Perhaps one of the most memorable of these healings was when Sister Mae Clark was healed of terminal cancer. They brought her to the church and that evening, she was healed instantaneously. There are reports that people who were in attendance that evening saw the hand of the Lord come down the aisle and rest upon this woman of God and closed the hole that cancer had caused in her throat. Reverend Robinson would talk about this healing for years to come. From that point, he would spend much of his time over the years praying for the sick. During the 1960’s, Reverend Robinson formed relationships with a number of powerful women including the late Evangelist Mildred Waters Spain, the late Mother Marlene Roberts Talley and the late Mother Madeline Jackson. These were powerful women of God who brought Revival to the Philadelphia Revival Temple Church. As a result of Reverend Robinson’s obedience to the Lord, many church organizations got their start at Revival Temple. Also, over the years, Reverend Robinson carried the Gospel to Jamaica, Antigua, Bermuda, the United Kingdom and Africa. Consequently, he was later ordained Bishop of the 20th Century Gospel Crusades of America, Inc. During the 21 days that Bishop spent in the bush in Nigeria carrying the Gospel, the Lord healed many people who were afflicted with various illnesses. For example, members of the church where Bishop was ministering brought one girl who was blind from birth for healing. Bishop often told the church how he thought about how he should pray for this girl. He said that he thought about what Jesus would do, and, he took saliva and dirt and anointed her eyes and prayed for her. Later, before his departure, she met him to thank him for the prayer and to let him know that she was the one who was blind and now could see. There are many instances throughout Bishop’s journey where the Lord used him in the healing ministry. The Lord used Bishop to lay hands on his mother-in-law, the late Mother Eleanor L. Mann. From this experience, Mother Mann introduced Bishop to a young musical prodigy who we now know as Professor Lawrence French. Professor French would serve as Revival Temple’s Minister of Music from the age of 11 years old to more recent times. Professor French was like a son to Bishop and would later marry Bishop’s youngest sister, Yvonne. Bishop was never selfish with his time or resources. He believed in helping others even if it meant that he went without. In 1973 when his youngest brother, Frederick (Freddy) Robinson, died, Bishop kept a promise that he made to Freddy a few years prior that he would take his sons, John, Darrell (Bishop James Darrell Robinson) and Keith to church and look over them. Staying true to his word, Bishop began taking the boys to church. He did and they would later accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Bishop often took his nephews to Maryland and to other places where he ministered. In fact, Bishop took his nephew, Darrell (Bishop James D. Robinson) to Jamaica at the age of 16. Bishop loved sharing the Gospel. He was a teacher’s teacher. He would “go line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little” through the Word of God. He would often hold classes at the church for anyone who wanted a “deeper study.” Also, he spent many years preparing young men and women for ministry. He was definitely committed to telling the world about Jesus. He trained his protégés in everything from proper deportment to how to deliver the Gospel. He was a highly organized person who left an indelible mark on those young men he trained in ministry. In fact, it has often been said of the ministers he trained, “I can tell you came from Revival Temple.” Some of the young ministers Bishop trained were the late Dr. Charles E. Waters, III, Reverend Nathaniel J. Holmes, and Reverend Daniel T. Black. These were known as the “youth team.” These young men became pastors in their own ministries. The Spirit of the Living God rested at Revival Temple in such a powerful way. God healed, delivered and set the captive free. People were baptized in the Holy Spirit constantly at the church. In fact, Revival Temple was once affectionately referred to as “Holy Ghost Headquarters.” Bishop labored over the years to ensure that he did what the Lord called him to do. Bishop’s favorite scripture was, “Be strong and of good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord, thy God, He it is that doth go with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee” (Deut. 31:6 KJV) Just as Evangelist Appleman said, Bishop served the Lord for many years until he answered the call to come home on Friday, March 11, 2016. Although Bishop suffered physically for many years, he pressed his way to do the will of God. During the last several years as his health declined, Gail took care of her father faithfully until the time of his passing. He went from labor to reward. He leaves to rejoice in his legacy: his daughter, Gail; foster daughter, Florence Darrell (Timothy); one sister, Yvonne; brother-in-law, Lawrence French; sister-in-law, Evangelist Agnes Robinson; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.