R.M.B: Man of Generosity

Generosity, according to Webster's 1828 Dictionary, is defined as liberality in principle; a disposition to give liberally or to bestow favors; a quality of the heart or mind opposed to meanness or parsimony. Was this one of Ballantyne's character qualities? Yes.

When Ballantyne returned from the Arctic wasteland of present-day Canada, fulfilling his five year contract with the Hudson's Bay Company, he learned of his father's recent death. At the age of twenty-two, Ballantyne was now the only man at home, responsible for the care of his widowed mother and five unmarried sisters. Robert's brothers, James and John, were both married and had their own families to provide for. James lived in India teaching foreign languages, and John was setting up in London as a promising artist. They helped as much as they were able, but it was "Bob" (as his sisters affectionately called him), who cheerfully bore the brunt of the Ballantyne family's financial responsibilities.

During this time, Ballantyne worked as a clerk with the North British Railway Company, earning an adequate but limited salary. His mother and sisters soon established a small school for young ladies in the training of art, languages, literature, and drawing, which helped contribute to the family income. While many young men would have left needy families to provide for themselves, Ballantyne illustrated his Christian upbringing and dutiful nature by his sacrificial generosity.

Most of Robert's unmarried years were spent in the house of his brother and sister-in-law, John and "Teenie" Ballantyne. John was a talented artist, but without many connections in London, he struggled to obtain work. During these hard times Robert would help support the young couple, generously assisting them monetarily. The relationship was dear to the young man, and it was a pleasure to financially help his struggling brother.

As a member and elder of the Free Church of Scotland, (more upon this subject later), Ballantyne also contributed to the many causes supported by his church. While researching online, I discovered the recorded giving to the Free Church for one month, in 1858, between February 15th and March 15th. Broken into separate funds, in this one month Ballantyne gave a total of eight pounds to the church, which was the equivallent of $38.88 at the time. If you were alive and had wished to spend this same amount of money in Boston, at roughly the same time, you could have purchased 116 pounds of the finest Java coffee! (I certainly hope you wouldn't need that much.) If, perhaps, you didn't require or desire so much coffee, you could instead have bought 505 pounds of flour with the same amount of money that Mr. Ballantyne gave away in one month. That would make quite a bit of bread!

R.M.B, in that single month, gave one pound for the Home Mission, two for the Sustentation Fund, one for the Highlands, another for Foreign Missions, two for the Jewish Fund and one more to the College.

Ballantyne obviously believed in these causes, or else he would not have given so sacrificially. As stewards of what the Lord has given us, it is right and proper to use these resources for the benefit of those around. Robert Michael Ballantyne is an illustration of this principle. I hope that every one who reads this post will feel encouraged, as I have, to consider again how they use their God-given resources. May we use every cent and dollar, or, as in Ballantyne's case, every shilling and pound, to the glory of God.

Tutela ex Vulnero,

John

Some information in this blog post is taken from "The Home and foreign record of the Free Church of Scotland, Vol. 2, August 1857 - July 1858". Published in Edinburgh by James Nisbet and Co.