EARLY IN THE history of the Faith Homes, the Lord gave Mrs. Robinson a message by the word of wisdom entitled, “Inwardness.” Prepared originally for the benefit of the Faith Home ministers or vessels, as they were usually called, a slightly altered version was later issued for the use of the layman.
The purpose of this teaching was to show the all-importance of abiding in Christ and how to live in constant communion with the Lord. In addition, it contained a most solemn and pertinent warning, especially for the vessels, not to become occupied with the blessings of God, particularly with the gifts and operations of the Holy Spirit, instead of with their Giver, not to consider the power of God more important than maintaining the presence of the Lord in one’s life. This instruction the Lord considered to contain the basic principles of a successful Christian life and ministry and directed that Mrs. Robinson give a copy to each of the vessels so that they might have it in permanent form to refer to and to pray over from time to time:
Inwardness
When Jesus first sets vesselsⁿ to love Him, He wants them to see Him all the time, every moment, and if they are very much in earnest, they live that way—moment by moment.
Note: In the revised version referred to, the word “souls” was substituted for “vessels.”
In the beginning of such experience, most of the time they pray, praise, wait on God, commune, and often, if at work, see Jesus in the soul.
If they grow in this experience and become vessels of God for His use, they begin to seek more for Him, and He comes more to them, for He does to all who seek Him from the heart.
Also, He begins to draw their thoughts all the time—every moment—to Himself, causing them to find Him within. This is the beginning of the inward or deeper life.
As soon as this change takes place, He then teaches, if He can make them to get it, either by teachers or by their light, how to “practice the presence of God”—that is, to keep the mind stayed on Jesus—each wandering thought, act, word or feeling being recalled (i.e., called back) by the will of the vessel in the love of God.
However, this takes care. Often the mind lingers over a subject not of God. Turn the mind back to God. Words come not appointed by Him. Check such words at once, as soon as remembered. Look within and tell Jesus He rules, you will act, think, and speak as He would, and He will look after you to help you to be like that.
Also, you need to watch and pray to be in God, wait in God, etc. To so live for a time makes the inward change to abide in anyone who will go down to thus live; but if you keep to this lowliness, rest, and faith to be all the time in God so, then the voluntary act of dwelling in God, seeing God, thinking of God, and keeping in is done altogether by the Holy Ghost, which is the true inwardness called for in every Christian.
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Then follows the warning of local application in particular, though the underlying principles are equally relevant to all ministers:
“Power workⁿ, control, speaking in the gift of wisdom, any of the gifts are all great blessings appointed for such as God wills.
Note: The term, “power work,” was of local origin and usage, referring to the way in which the vessels ministered in and by the power of God controlling them.
But to make them important, and inwardness (presence and communion of the Lord) secondary is to lose all, as no power vessel, getting outward, can stay a real power vessel . . . without keeping inward.”
The use in quotation marks of the phrase, “practice the presence of God,” in this article is significant, for it indicates Mrs. Robinson’s acquaintance with one of the great classics, The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence. This little book, so Mrs. Robinson taught, contains special blessing for the reader, for, if read prayerfully, it puts into him more ability to do just what the title suggests—practice the presence of God. Therefore, she recommended it highly and circulated it widely.
Another treatise of like import which Mrs. Robinson read most carefully and recommended to others was The Imitation of Christ. Few pages of her own copy are unmarked while some of them bear copious markings. And on one page is the shorthand note which says, “Don’t forget.” This is made in connection with the chapter headed by the words, “That God is precious above all Things, and in all Things, to him that loveth Him.” The opening sentence of this chapter is set off by Mrs. Robinson’s own characteristic markings: “Behold! My God, and my All! What would I more, and what greater happiness can I desire?”
All in all, the passages which Mrs. Robinson marked throughout this book, taken together, would form an excellent and rather complete summary of her practice and teaching. She believed that part of the book, at least, was definitely inspired by the Holy Spirit, written in a form of the gift of prophecy. This being so, it readily accounts for the fact that a large part of the book is written in the first person as though Christ Himself was speaking.
In connection with the subject of Inwardness some remarks which Mrs. Robinson wrote to a friend during these years merit consideration: “I feel my over-busy life can not fulfill, unless I myself can let God lead more completely on the prayer side. I get so puzzled how to carry on all the work I have before me, and hide in Jesus with an unbroken prayer life.”
“My over-busy life” can well be understood when one remembers that there were three meetings daily (except Saturday) in the Faith Homes. It is true that Mrs. Robinson did not attend all of these every day, but she did attend many of them, preaching and teaching in them. In addition to this public ministry, however, there were administrative duties incident to the ministry and operation of the Homes.
Furthermore, many of the visitors were in great need of help, physical or spiritual, and these often necessitated much personal teaching. This combined load was so great that, on occasion, if there was the need and the Lord wanted her to, she would work right through for forty-eight hours at one stretch with neither sleep nor food, sustained by the life of God, Himself. This gives some idea of the extent of her unceasing labors—her “over-busy life.”
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Martha Wing Robinson (1874 - 1936)
Martha held meetings which touched people to return to the work of the service of God. The Robinsons opened a "Faith Home" where people would come for teaching and prayer. Like George Muller they depended on God to provide what was needed for expenses. Thousands came through her home and healings were a regular occurrence. Her husband died in April of 1916, but Martha continued in her ministry. She had a very sharp gift of discernment and regularly told people the secrets of their hearts. She often had directive prophetic words for those under her care. Many young people came to the home for training and went into the mission fields and evangelistic endeavours.Martha Wing Robinson died June 26, 1936. Shortly before she died she stated her life's message "Nothing matters but Christ Jesus." Her whole life was spent in the service of God and for the Glory of His Son Jesus. She had seen many healed, saved, delivered, empowered and sent out. She was truly a mother in Israel. In 1962 Gordon P. Gardiner wrote a book about her life called "Radiant Glory" because that is how she lived her life.