ROBBER OF Churches (upoaiiKoQ, Acts xix, 37). Sacrilege took many forms in antiquity (1 Mace. vi). The jilundering of heathen temples was indirectly for- bidden to the Jews (Dent, vii, 25; Josephus, Ant. iv, 8, 10). The Roman law held it as a sacrilege to be pun- ished by forfeiture of goods, to steal the holy books of the .lews or their money out of places of worship [ibid. xvi, 6, 2). — Winer. See Sacrilege.
Robber Council of Ephesus. See Epiiesus, RoiiiiKK Council of.
Robbia, Andrea della, an Italian scul|)tor and nephew of Luca, was born at Florence in 1444, and died in 1527. He worked both in marble and terra- cotta, and his productions may be found in many Ital- ian cities. There are three in the Louvre, The Virgin A doring the Infant Jesus, a head of ».SV. A nn, and Christ Healing a Sick Man. — Iloefer, Nouv.Biog. Generale, s. v.
Robbia, Luca della, an Italian sculptor, was born at Florence in 13SS. Ills first instructor was a gold- smith named Leonardo, from whom he learned to model in wax ; but as soon as he liad gained some proficiency, he gave himself wholly to sculpture. So great was his progress that at the age of fifteen he was employed to design the bas-reliefs for a tomb at Rimini. Similar work at Florence occuiiied him for several years, but he
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found that the compensation he received was in no way adequate, as the works required threat skill and much time. He therefore turned his attention to working in terra-cotta. He invented a peculiar enamel, composed (if tin, antimon}', and other minerals, by which, after baking, this material was rendered more durable. He afterwards found that his bas-reliefs could be colored, and this improvement rendered him famous throughout Europe. The demand for his work was universal, and to supply it, Luca employed his brothers to aid him. Their subjects in bas-reliefs, plaques, and other forms were principally religious, as, an Annunciation, in the Academy of Fine Arts at Florence, and a very beautiful medallion in the Louvre, The Virr/in Adoring the Infant Jesus. He also decorated many churches and tombs. Eobbia died at Florence in 14G3. Sec Vasari, Baldi- nucci, and Barbet di Jouy [H.], Delia Eobbia, etc. — Hoefer, Xouv. Biog. Generale, s. v.
Robbin, Alvin, a minister of the Methodist Epis- copal Cliurch, was born in Coeyman's, N. Y., July 5, 1816. He was converted at a camp-meeting in New Baltimore, N. Y., in 1832, and in 1841 was received on trial in the Black River Conference, within the bounds of which he labored for ten years. In 1851 he was transferred to the Troy Conference, received a supenumierary relation in 1870, and made his liome in Osseo, Mich., where he died, April 10, 187-t. See Minutes of Annual Confer- ences, 1874, p. 66.
Robbins, Amnii Ruhamah, a Congregational minister, was born at Branford, Conn., in September, 1740. He was fitted for college by his father, and was first entered at Nassau Hall, but was transferred to Y'ale at the beginning of his sophomore year. He gradu- ated in 1760, and spent some time in teaching at Plym- outh, Mass., and then engaged in the study of theology under Ur. Bellamy ; was licensed by the Litchfield As- sociation, and ordained at Norfolk, Oct. 28, 1761. When the Revolution came on, he enlisted as a chaplain, join- ing general Schuyler's brigade (March, 1776), and went to Canada, whence he returned in ill -health after an absence of nearly half a year. He continued labor- ing in his Church with great fidelity, at the same time fitting young men for college, until May, 1813, when a cancer began to develop, which rapidly carried him to the grave. He published An Ordimttion Sermon (1772) : — Election Sermon (1789): — A Half-Century Sermon (1811). See Sprague, Annals of the Amer.Puljnt, i,369.
Robbins, Chandler, D.D., a Congregational min- ister, was born at Branford, Conn., Aug. 24, 1738. He graduated at Yale College in 1756, studied under Dr. Bellamy, and was ordained Jan. 30, 1760, pastor at Plym- outh, Mass., where he continued until his death, June 30, 1799. He was made D.D. by the University of Edin- burgh in 1793. His publications were, A Reply to John Cotton's £ssays on Baptism (1773) : — Some Brief Re- marks on a Piece Published by John Cotton, Esq. (1774) : — An Address at Plymouth to the Inhabitants Assembled to Celebrate the Victories of the French Republic over their Invaders (1793), and a few occasional Sermons. See Sprague, Annals if the Amer. Pulpit, i, 573.
Robbins, Onesiphorus, a minister of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, was bom in Harvard, Mass., Aug. 19, 1792. He was converted in South Carolina at the age of twenty-six, was licensed to preach in 1825, and in 1826 was received into the New England Con- ference. In 1841 the Providence Conference was set off, and he became one of its members. He continued in active service until 1850, when he was returned super- annuated, and so continued until his death, which took place in Woodstock, Conn., April 9, 1872. Mr. Robbins was a man of retiring habits and slow of speech — a clear and strong thinker, and excelling as a pastor. See Miti- utes of Annual Confereiwes, 1873, p. 39.
Robbins, Philemon, a Congregational minister, was a native of Charlestown, Mass. He was graduated