Glasgow's School of the Prophets: The United Free Church College II

The United Free Church College, Glasgow, had come safe though the crisis of 1904, and in 1911 the extension within the gutted shell of the old College Church had been opened free of debt. Though James Orr died in 1913 he was swiftly replaced by another old United Presbyterian Professor, David W. Forrest. While Orr had been very conservative, Forrest was a Kenoticist, albeit of a very mild type (in other words, he held that Jesus had actually denuded himself of some of His divine attributes during the incarnation). All seemed to be going well. We know what happened next, of course - it was the First World War.
Student numbers plumetted, and in 1914 Principal Lindsay died. In his place was appointed the first of the college's own graduates to hold the post of principal - James Denney. The arch-liberal James Moffat was appointed to the chair of Church History.
Denney laboured hard to keep the College going, but his health gave out and he died in 1917. His successorArchibald Henderson, was an indicator of how far the College had moved since the early years - he had been one of the students accused of heresy by Professor Gibson.
Henderson was really a stopgap principal. He resigned in 1921. His successor, W. M. Clow, would see the United Free Church change radically and set her face towards a new future.
Of which more next time.