SIR ROBERT ANDERSON, K.C.B., L.L. D., though of Scottish descent, was born in Dublin on May 29, 1841 His father, Matthew Anderson, was Crown Solicitor in the Irish capital, a distinguished elder in the Irish Presbyterian Church, and was descended from one of the "No Surrender" group of Derry defenders.

He had been brought up in a devout Christian home, and had led what is known as a religious life, with occasional transient fits of penitence and anxiety, but, in his late teens he had doubts about his own conversion. The Irish Revival (1859-60) touched Robert's sister, who persuaded her brother to attend one of the services, held in Dublin by J. Denham Smith, but the popular hymns disturbed him and he got very little out of the message.

The light came the following Sunday evening when he attended a service in his own church and heard the Rev. John Hall (afterwards of New York), who "boldly proclaimed forgiveness of sins, and eternal life as God's gift in grace, unreserved and unconditional, to be received by us as we sat in the pews. His sermon thrilled me," Sir Robert said when describing the event, "and yet I deemed his doctrine to be unscriptural. So I waylaid him as he left the vestry, and on our homeward walk I tackled him about his heresies... At last he let go my arm, and, facing me as we stood upon the pavement, he repeated with great solemnity his gospel message and appeal. 'I tell you,' he said, 'as a minister of Christ, and in His name, that there is life for you here and now if you will accept Him. Will you accept Christ, or will you reject Him?' After a pause—how prolonged I know not—I exclaimed, 'In God's name I will accept Christ.' Not another word passed between us; but after another pause he wrung my hand and left me. And I turned homewards with the peace of God filling my heart."

On leaving school, Robert was given a good opening for a business career in a large brewery; but after eighteen months he turned away from this, and entered Trinity College, Dublin, where he graduated B.A. in 1862 with Moderatorship and medal, receiving the L.L. D. of his Alma Mater in 1875.

After studying at Boulogne and Paris he entered Trinity College, Dublin, and in 1863 was called to the Irish Bar. In 1865 the Fenians were at work (a secret society attempting to overthrow British rule in Ireland), and he assisted the Irish government in interrogating prisoners and preparing legal briefs. In 1873 he married Lady Agnes Alexandrina Moore, sister of the Earl of Drogheda, a true help in every good work, and a leader in many branches of women's work in London.

In 1877 his special knowledge of the ways of conspirators led to his appointment as Irish Agent at the Home Office, and, in 1888, when London was in the midst of the "Jack the Ripper" scare, he moved into Scotland Yard as Assistant Commissioner of Metropolitan Police and Chief of the Criminal Investigation Department. Arthur Conan Doyle was entertaining London at that time with his Sherlock Holmes stories, but it was Anderson and his staff who were ridding the city of crime and criminals. The records show that crime decreased in London during that period. He directed this work until 1901, when he retired and was made K.C.B. [knighthood with special distinction].

Ed. - Anderson's police biography and his involvement with the Jack the Ripper case can be found at the following web site: Casebook: Jack the Ripper.

He had a large circle of friends, including Lord Guthrie, Lord Salisbury, Lord Wolseley, Lord Blythswood, Sir Wm. Harcourt, Rt. Hon. W. E. Gladstone, and many celebrities of days gone by. He was especially close to some of the greatest preachers of the time, including Dr. Handley G. Moule, J. Stuart Holden, Henry Drummond, James M. Gray, Dr. C. I. Scofield, A. C. Dixon, and E. W. Bullinger, who greatly influenced Anderson's views on Israel and the Church. Horatius Bonar first taught him the great truths concerning the second coming of Christ, and "the blessed hope" was a precious doctrine to him, especially during the dark days of the Great War [WW I]. His story told in "The Lighter Side of My Official Life," touching incidentally on most of his work during his thirty-five years of public service, forms interesting reading.

W. H. Smith, on the floor of the House of Commons, stated that Sir Robert "had discharged his duties with great ability and perfect faithfulness to the public." Raymond Blathwayt, in Great Thoughts, wrote: "Sir Robert Anderson is one of the men to whom the country, without knowing it, owes a great debt." 

As an author his name will go down to generations yet unborn. His general books: "Criminals and Crime," "Side Lights on the Home Rule Movement," and "The Lighter Side of My Official Life," dealing mainly with "things present," may not survive, but his theological volumes, dealing with "things eternal," will remain.

He authored seventeen major books on biblical themes, including, "The Gospel and Its Ministry," his best known; "Human Destiny," which C. H. Spurgeon describes as "the most valuable contribution on the subject I have seen." "The Silence of God," the "book which astounded religious Europe" and helped many during the Great War; "The Coming Prince," which deals with the 70 weeks of Daniel; "In Defence," "Daniel in the Critics' Den," "The Hebrews Epistle," "The Honor of His Name," "The Bible and Modern Criticism," "Misunderstood Texts," and other volumes, indicate how prolific was his pen and industrious his life. Almost his latest, and certainly his sweetest volume, "The Lord from Heaven," was highly commended by the Bishop of Durham, Dr. Griffith Thomas, Miss Catherine Marsh, and many others. In his writing he tracked down myths and religious error, arrested and exposed it, with the same skill and courage that he displayed when he tracked down criminals.

Reading his books is always a thrilling voyage of discovery that brings joy to the heart and enlightenment to the mind. The two main points which made Sir Robert Anderson's books readable and profitable were the strength and certainty of his own beliefs and the clearness of their expression. "Amidst all the weakness and mystifying," said Sir Hugh Gilzean Reid, "it gives one hope to read your strong words." "Your writings are specially helpful to me," wrote a very old friend, Mrs. Pery-Knox-Gore, "there is always in every chapter that which you must either accept or reject. You must stop and think, and not pass on unheeding."

When in Dublin he met with the [Plymouth] "Brethren" at Merrion Hall. For some time in London he assembled with believers in Camberwell and other parts. A few months before his death he explained to the writer that he would have been much more with "Brethren" in later years but for the many abuses of the "open meeting." Yet his heart was ever there. His ministry at the Half-Yearly Meetings in Glasgow was greatly appreciated.

After an attack of influenza, he in measure recovered, sat working till 10:30 on November 15th, 1918, in his seventy-seventh year, retired to rest, and at 11:00 quietly passed into the presence of the Master whom he loved.