Greyfriars Bobby: A Story of Faithfulness

There’s a wonderful story of faithfulness from nineteenth century Scotland

150 years ago John Gray was a policeman in the city of Edinburgh. Constable Gray walked the nightime streets to ensure they were safe. And because of theses lonely nights John Gray acquired a dog – a small skye terrier – and he named it Bobby.

For three years Constable John Gray and little Bobby trekked the nighttime streets of Edinburgh – until one day the policeman became unwell and soon passed away from tuberculosis.

Bobby, the sky terrier dog, refused to leave his owner’s body. Even when he was buried in nearby Greyfriars Church, Bobby stood guard – sitting on his owner’s grave.

Within a short period of time Bobby became famous for his faithfulness to his master. People would come to visit the Greyfriars graveyard and see skye terrier standing guard – and he became known as Greyfriars Bobby.

The only time Greyfriars Bobby left the grave would be at the sound of the 1pm cannon fired daily from Edinburgh Castle. This was the signal for Bobby to have a meal put out for him by one of the local pubs.

Bobby sat by his master’s grave for the next fourteen years until his own death. Greyfriars Bobby was buried in the church graveyard not too far from Constable John Grey. A year later a statue of Bobby was erected as a monument to his faithfulness.

The Bible says “I have chosen the way of faithfulness” (Psalm 119:30).

May the story of Greyfriars Bobby be an example to us of choosing to stay faithful to our heavenly Master – Jesus Christ.

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About this blog: Pastor David Riley is a Christian minister residing on the Gold Coast in Australia. This article is from his “Reverential Ramblings” series – which you can subscribe to by clicking “follow” on this website.