The Life And Ministry Of Robert Young Banks

Earthen Vessel 1895:

Mr. Robert Young Banks

By His Brother Samuel James Banks

Moses,  the man of God, speaks: “We spend our years as a tale that is told,” or as a meditation. “Our years are three score years and ten”; or by reason of strength, even four score years. “It is soon cut off, and we fly away.” Such is true to the life and experience of the four brothers, whose language has been, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” And echo is heard, “I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.”

I have been asked by a dear relative to forward him a brief sketch of my more recently deceased brother, who survived his elder brother about six weeks, our eldest brother having entered into his rest nine years since, leaving the youngest of the four for a season to mourn the loss of the three, who were knit together by the fondest ties of brotherly love and spiritual relationship. Though not adapted for the task, I could not refuse the request to bear a loving tribute to the memory of one dear to each in life, and in death not divided. It is, however, but right to say that being some seven, nine, and eleven years the junior of the three departed brothers, they had left home for life’s activities before my coming on the stage of a busy life; so that I am not in a position to gather any special features of their early life at home, or the after separate paths they trod. My fond brother just now gone home was born at Ashford, Kent, in 1810. Of his new birth I am not able to give date or circumstances. But pleasurable shadows bring before me a moral youth, afterwards a spiritual man in Christ Jesus, born from above, and up to glory bound, and in his onward steps giving evidences of the rich experience of one taught by the Spirit, and led into sweet intercourse with God as his Father; and Jesus who, as his Saviour, was precious to him.

The doctrine of free and unmerited grace was dear to him, and gave tone to his preaching and a freedom in the proclamation of salvation to the perishing through the boundless riches of that grace: “Not of works, lest any man should boast.” The grace of God that bringeth salvation appeared to him in early life; but it was later on in life’s journey ere he was brought into the liberty of the Gospel. This, I believe, he was led into instrumentally under the preaching of his elder brother (We heard our departed uncle once say he was brought into the liberty of the Gospel while listening to his elder brother, C. W. B., at Brabourne, Kent.—J. W. B.), giving him the keynote of spiritual teaching, which he afterwards ministered so long and acceptably to his flock, teaching and encouraging the anxious soul and the inquirer after truth, and faithfully holding out the red flag of warning to the ungodly for whom Christ died. The truth he preached to others he fed on himself, ascribing all the glory to the Author and Finisher of our faith.

The matters relating to his temporal steps were varied and often perplexing, but in these, as well as in spiritual things by the grace of God, he pressed toward the mark; and reaching a point of comparative competency, he gave himself to the service of God and for the furtherance of His cause, which he never laid down till the Master he loved called him aside to rest awhile. Seeking the growth of his people in grace and in fruits of righteousness, he sought to strengthen and build up the cause during the years he dwelt among them. I have been with him in trouble, united with him in prayer, listened to him in preaching the everlasting Gospel. I have seen him in his home and public life, and in these different circumstances and exercises I have beheld the Christian in armour, “fighting the good fight of faith.”

I can also rejoice to refer to him as a humble follower of the Lord Jesus, and in his own way listen to him repeating the utterance of Paul as his own language: “Unto me who am the least of all saints is this grace given, that I should preach…the unsearchable riches of Christ.” To the praise of God I can testify of my brother now in glory.

I could never trace anything but that which portrayed the humble Christian, wanting to love and trust Jesus more and serve Him more faithfully.

The four brothers and one brother-in-law, Mr. John Kingsford, of Brisbane, Queensland, began their spiritual life and labours in the same spot in and about Canterbury; were members of the same Church; preached in the same pulpits; and were partakers of the same delight which true religion never fails to bring to its possessors, adding joy to life and the peace the world cannot give. But time brought them to a place where several roads met, and each took some separate path, but all preachers of the same Gospel of “Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”

I had often heard my eldest brother, who at that time preached at King-street Baptist Church, Canterbury, and still remember them as seasons of refreshing, though then in my youth. I believe I am right in stating this to be the experience of the others referred to. He, however, left for London, and after about fifty years’ unceasing labour there, visiting most of the towns in England, with much writing, and editing the Earthen Vessel for about the same period, he finished his last article and fell asleep in his eighty-first year.

My next brother went to Nottingham, and after some few years entered the Church of England, and during his active service was for twenty-five years chaplain to Her Majesty’s Convict Prison, Portsmouth; an engagement, as he told me, he loved, and the prisoners loved him for his work’s sake: “Grace all the work shall crown.” In a letter from this brother a short time since, he writes: “My own, as well as my dear wife’s experience you may read in Psalm 103, especially verses 1-5.” I read them, and noting the fact in the margin of my Bible, added, “Yes, and mine.—S. J. B.”

In the year 1860, our dear brother-in-law, Mr. John Kingsford, who for some years had laboured in word and doctrine at Egerton, Kent, left for Australia, and for thirty-four years has been the pastor of Jireh Church, Brisbane. Shortly after his removal to this distant colony, my last brother took charge of the Egerton Church, and during a period of thirty years laboured amongst them there in loving service.

The short interval between the removal of these two brothers greatly loved by me has been a heavy stroke, and has left me in this aspect alone waiting the summons calling me away. I had indulged the hope of seeing the two fond ones this summer, but this cannot be. I must cross the little river ere I can see those who have entered into rest. The one to whom I have more particularly referred in this imperfect sketch of Mr. Robert Young Banks, spent his whole life of eighty-five years in the county of Kent, in which he was born, in which he fell on sleep, and from which he ascended in a chariot of love to his prepared home in glory. His tabernacle has been slowly taken down, but as he passed through the experience so graphically described by the preacher, the son of David (Eccles. 12:3 -7), he patiently watched and waited the removal of that which set the Spirit free, and returned to God who gave it, ”to be for ever with the Lord.”