SON of a United Secession minister of Langholm who is remembered yet on the Border for his fiery eloquence, Dr. Dobie studied at Edinburgh University and the United Presbyterian Divinity Hall. At the end of his fourth divinity session he became assistant at Hope Chapel, Wigan, a Congregational church, where his services proved highly popular. Resisting the temptation to become a Congregationalist, however, he returned to Edinburgh, completed his divinity course, and a month after receiving licence was unanimously called to the West U.P. Church. Linlithgow. He was called at the same time to Albion Chapel, London, but by a mistake of a telegraph clerk, 27 votes against him there were transmitted as 72, and he went to Linlithgow. Five years later, on refusing a call to Potterrow, Edinburgh, he received a solid silver tea service from the Linlithgow congregation, which had increased by one third under his charge. He also refused a call to Everton, Liverpool, and it was not till 1862 that he agreed to succeed the late Dr. James Robertson at Shamrock Street U.P. Church, Glasgow. Under his ministry the membership increased from 700 to 1,150, and the stipend from £450 to £700. While carrying on the work of his own congregation Dr. Dobie became also the founder of Rockvilla U.P. Church.
    Dr. Dobie is no narrow sectarian, and his preaching in such churches as Glasgow Cathedral, the Barony, Park Church, and Langside and Cathcart Parish Churches, at one time gave room for a report that he had been called to the ministry of an important parish church. He also preached frequently to Congregational churches in Lancashire and Yorkshire, appearing on special occasions at Halifax, Standish, and Lancaster. Outside regular church appearances, Dr. Dobie occupied the chair at a dinner given in the Windsor Hotel to Lord Rosebery by his Linlithgow friends. And in aid of Lenzie Convalescent Home he preached an eloquent discourse to a large congregation in the Kibble Palace, then the most noted place of meeting in Glasgow.
    Among other invitations Dr. Dobie was asked to become a candidate for churches at Sefton Park, Clapham, and Bootle, but declined them all. In the case of Bootle a curious thing happened. One Sunday forenoon at Shamrock Street he preached from the text in Numbers xiv. 44, on "the presumption of sending up men to spy out the land," and only discovered afterwards that a deputation from the Bootle congregation had been among his audience.
    In 1881 his health began to give way, and, in 1890, as the only hope of his life being spared, he was forced to give up regular ministerial work. He has since recovered fair health, however, and among later sermons one on "The City of God," delivered in Queen's Park Established Church on the first day of existence of the larger Glasgow, was afterwards published in The Scottish Pulpit. On another occasion, in Langholm Parish Church, the late Dr. Parker, who was present, invited him to accept one or two appointments to the City Temple, London.
    On the occasion of Dr. Dobie's semi-jubilee as minister in Shamrock Street he was presented with an address and a purse of sovereigns; and in 1901, at his own jubilee, he received an illuminated address from his presbytery, and a sum of about £300. He has been a frequent contributor of ecclesiastical articles and reviews to the Scotsman and Glasgow Herald and has written largely for the Scottish Pulpit, Christian Leader, and Homilist.

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