GOBEL, JEAN BAPTISTE JOSEPH French bishop, was born at Thann, Alsace, on Sept. r, 1727, and became suffragan bishop of the French part of the diocese of Basle. As deputy to the states-general of 1789 he took the oath of the civil constitution of the clergy, and in 1791 was consecrated archbishop of Paris. On the 17th Brumaire in the year II. (Nov. 7, he came before the bar of the Convention and resigned his episcopal functions, proclaiming that he did so for love of the people, and through respect for their wishes. The followers of Hebert, who were then pursuing their anti-Christian policy, claimed Gobel as one of themselves. Robespierre found him an obstacle to his religious schemes, and involved him in the fate of the Hebertists. Gobel was condemned to death, with Chaumette, Hebert and Anacharsis Cloots, and guillotined on April 12, See "Episcopat de Gobel" in vol. iii. (1900) of M. Tourneux's Bibliographie de l'histoire de Paris pendant la rev. fr. for a bibliog raphy of documents relating to his episcopate. See also G. Gautherot, Gobel, eveque metropolitain constitutionnel de Paris (191I).