Former professor W.O. Carver spoke of fellow professor Byron DeMent’s capacity for memory when the two were teenagers in the church of Carver’s father:

“While he was still in his teens my father offered as a prize a set of the Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary to the member of the school who would memorize most of the New Testament within a specified time. DeMent’s father and his entire family set themselves to see that “Buddy Byron” won this prize. He was permitted to do nothing all week that would hinder his memorizing but was encouraged to devote himself fully to memorizing the New Testament. On Sunday mornings someone was assigned to hear each pupil who was undertaking this recite what he had memorized during the week. On one Sunday morning I recall that DeMent’s monitor and he began at the opening of Sunday School and continued until after its close.

Within the appointed period he had gone so far in memorizing the New Testament that he decided to complete the entire work. This achievement was a very important factor in his life and in his ministry. It helped to bring him into personal committal to Christ and his gospel and it gave him a remarkable mastery of the words and the teaching of the New Testament.”

–from Carver’s Recollections and Information

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