Declaring the Death of Christ: James Denney. II.

After four years as a pupil teacher at the Highlanders' Academy, Greenock, James Denney entered Glasgow University in November, 1874, aged eighteen. His fellow-students were amazed at his brilliance, and his fame was established through his undergoing the ordeal of the 'Blackstone Examination.' The examination was connected with the Blackstone Prize, a gold medal awarded to the student who may profess to read the greatest number of Latin books, and translate any passage or passages selected by the professor, from the whole, correctly. Often students professed to have read some seventy or eighty books, and Denney was no exception. Sitting in the 'Blackstone', a black marble chair from which the examination took its name (like Mastermind, but with a marble, rather than leather, chair), Denney passed a long and searching examination with flying colours, to the delight of his classmates. His reputation was assured.
Denney profited immemsely from his university years, particularly benefiting from the Greek classes. But all was, of course, a means to an end. He was looking forward to serving the Church of Jesus Christ.
By the time he graduated from Glasgow University, James Denney was connected with the Free Church of Scotland due to the merger of his Cameronian Church with the Free Church. Denney's steps therefore turned towards the Italianate towers of Free Church College, Glasgow. What befell him there we shall, God willing, see next time.