Chapter 15
JOCK TROUP
Jock decided in 1922 that his Bible
knowledge was limited so he enrolled at the famous Bible Training Institute in
Jock would constantly be having prayer meetings in his room at all hours of the day and night, and although this created some problems for Dr. McIntyre in his responsibility for the other students, the godly principal used all his wisdom and knowledge in making Jock realise that rules had to be kept. Some students testified that these times of prayer were a tremendous blessing to their souls, and set them an example of how to pray through and claim the blessing from heaven.
It was during these days that Jock met
another young man who was fired with the power of Christ. When that young man
arrived at the Bible Training Institute, he hardly knew how to use a fork and
knife. Peter Connolly was born and brought up a Roman Catholic in a poor home
in the North of England. From the moment he was saved his life began to speak
volumes for the power of salvation. Soon a bond of love, unity and desire to
work for Christ grew between these two and they were constantly called upon to
conduct campaigns together during college days. Both of them found the
discipline. hard at the Institute, yet later on they often paid tribute to the
help and encouragement they received. On one occasion Jock and Peter complained
about a certain lecturer who had not mentioned Jesus Christ in his lecture. The
principal asked for their notes and they told him that they had disposed of
them. He took time and patience to explain to his two over zealous students
that the lecture had been on the Children of Israel in the Wilderness.
Travelling together in gospel campaigns around
In many fishing towns along the Scottish
coast there are still those who remember missions being conducted by Peter and
Jock. Over the next years they travelled extensively. In 1932 Jock was invited
to become Assistant Superintendent to Mr. P. T. McRostie at the Tent Hall in
Mr. McRostie died in 1933 and Jock was
asked to take full responsibility for the work at the famous Tent Hall. At that
time it was one of the largest independent missions in the land. He accepted
the challenge and was Superintendent until 1945. During those years Jock fought
against every evil that abounded in the city of
His open-air services at the Glasgow
Cross were blessed times when his tremendous voice could be heard singing and
preaching ever Saturday afternoon. He made sure that his meetings were always
bright, whether it was out in campaigns or in the more organised atmosphere of
the Tent Hall. One of his saying was, "There is no warrant in Scripture to
tell us that a gospel service should be conducted like a funeral."In Tent Hall days Jock invited many powerful
ministers and evangelists to
