THE
VERY REV. ROBERT HERBERT STORYTHE late Principal of Glasgow University was a younger son of the Rev. Robert Story, minister of Rosneath from 1818 to 1859, and was born in Rosneath Manse 28th January, 1835. He received his education at the Universities of Edinburgh and St. Andrews, and spent one semester at Heidelberg. In 1859 he became assistant minister of St. Andrew's Church, Montreal; but his father died in November of that year, and, on the presentation of the Duke of Argyll, the young minister was inducted to the parish of Rosneath in 1860. In the following years, in addition to his parochial duties, he found time to edit the Scots Magazine for a period, and to write a number of notable books. Among these were: "Robert Story of Rosneath, a Memoir," 1862; "Christ the Consoler," and "Robert Lee, a Memoir," 1868; "William Carstares, a Character and Career of the Revolutionary Epoch," 1870; "Creed and Conduct," 1872; and "Health Haunts of the Riviera," 1880. He also gradually attained a distinguished place in the deliberations of the General Assembly, where his trenchant speech and pen made him feared by every enemy of the Established Church. He was one of the founders of the Church Service Society, which prepared the "Euchologion, or Book of Common Prayer."
In recognition of Dr. Story's work Edinburgh University in 1874 conferred on him the degree of D.D.; in 1886 he was appointed one of H.M. Chaplains for Scotland; and in the same year he was appointed Regius Professor of Ecclesiastical History in the University of Glasgow. In 1894 he was Moderator and became principal clerk of the General Assembly ; and four years afterwards, on the death of Principal Caird, he received from the Crown preferment to the Principalship of his University.
Principal Story's public duties after he came to Glasgow prevented him from writing so much as formerly. His latest book was his work as Baird Lecturer, "The Apostolic Ministry of the Scottish Church," published in 1897; and he edited and contributed to the monumental "History of the Church of Scotland" in five volumes, which appeared during a succession of years. The fruits of his work are to be seen rather in many striking additions to the efficiency of the University. It was largely through his influence that the fund for the better equipment and extension of the University was established, which in a few years brought a sum of £76,000 to the hands of the College authorities, and enabled them to keep the ancient University in the front rank of teaching institutions, by building and equipping laboratories for the study of modern science. Among the great public events in which he took the leading part not the least was the ninth jubilee of the University in the year 1900, when it fell to him to receive the congratulations and homage of representatives from most of the Universities and learned societies of the world. Principal Story died at his residence in Glasgow College on 13th January, 1907.