 In 1954 he went up to Glasgow University to study Divinity and took his BD from Trinity College, Glasgow.Here he was influenced by William Barclay and was a contemporary of Revd Douglas Alexander, father of Cabinet minister Douglas Alexander and Leader of the Scottish Labour Party Wendy Alexander.He was ordained in Port Glasgow and inducted to Pultneytown St. Andrew’s Church in Wick, Caithness in 1959 as 9th minister of Wick.