International Leader Sees Revival at the Bible Institute of Los Angeles
"Confidence in Biola Is Going Up, Up, IJp”
In his fifth and latest book, This Is the Victory, J. Edwin Orr devotes a whole chapter to the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. The author is an international figure. A zealous young Ulsterman, he has been greatly used in Britain, Russia, Palestine, and Canada in awakening Christians to sense their need of spiritual revival. Mr. Orr visited the Bible Institute of Los Angeles in January of this year and took part in the Institute’s conference on evangelism. Although a young man, Mr. Orr is no novice as a speaker and writer. He has traveled more than 50,000 miles preaching the Word, and many a gracious, Spirit-sent revival has followed his ministry. Over 185,000 copies of his travel books are in circulation. O f the 100 strenuous days that Mr. Orr spent in the United States, when he traveled over 10,000 miles and spoke in every state of the Union, Mr. Orr stayed about a week in Los Angeles. The comments made by this keen observer were wholly unsolicited and most significant.
J. EDW IN ORR Visiting Speaker
/ ^ \ F all the people that I met [writes J. Edwin Orr in This Is the V ictory }, I was most impressed with Dr. Paul Rood. I would gladly have crossed the Atlantic to gain his friendship. In the early days of his ministry, Paul Rood was associated with Swedish-speaking groups, and I heard his Seattle work well spoken o f in every way. He traveled around a bit, made many friends and few enemies, and was in a Chicago pastorate when the call came to the presidency o f the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. Biola had been passing through testing times, for as it is upon a faith basis, students are given free tuition which is covered by free-will gifts, and the depression affected Biola. For a financial policy, Paul Rood announced that his main plan was spiritual revival. “ I f we get a revival,” said he, “ we shall have fewer money problems.” Such a policy, if rare, is very logical. From the moment of Dr. Rood’s arrival, a new spirit entered Biola. Nobody is jealous of him, for he is too friendly to hurt any one. Confidence outside and inside Biola is going up, up, up; and one is compelled to describe the turn as revival. I learned the details of Dr. Rood’s success from various sources, but I caught a glimpse o f the man’s ambitions for
God from the conversations that we had ourselves. The sane logic and spiritual fervor of the Keswick message has deeply impressed him, and he is praying much that Biola through stressing the Keswick outlook may develop still more as a beacon o f light in the Far West. California especially is noted for confusion o f tongues, and is crying out for a more positive leadership such as only Biola is being equipped to give. Who is to be used to make Biola an even more aggres sive weapon for revival and evangelism is not a question that worries Paul Rood, but one is convinced that while he is President o f the Institute he will go to the limit to see his God-given ambition realized. The record o f Biola is one long list o f subjects for thanksgiving. What Biola may yet become calls for vision, faith, and sanctified energy. N ot one of these qualities is lacking in Dr. Rood’s make-up. The President o f Biola is one o f the most humorous men in Christian work. One could not describe his laugh as ultra musical, but it is the merriest, most infectious laugh that one could hear. Some one ought to make a gramophone record o f it and sell it as a tonic for depression! His sympathy is unfailing, and his kindness is natural. I hope my readers will pray for this humble-minded brother in Christ— a better investment could not be made.
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See page 396 for plan o f obtaining Mr. O rr’ s books with the K IN G ’S BUSINESS
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