for 70 students and would provide an auditorium and classrooms far superior to that which the Moody Bible Institute had at the time. He was anxious to make the additional purchase, having read the pub lished statement of Henry Hunting- ton, President of the Los Angeles Railway System, concerning the looping of all the Los Angeles streetcars around Main and 11th Streets, which would make that area the center of the city. It seemed that the location that had been chosen would become even more advantageous. The adjoining lot was eventually purchased from the Slauson estate, and a third parcel owned by the Lankershims was under considera tion for possible future expansion. In September 1911, Stewart made a visit to the Moody Bible Institute in order to obtain some ideas for the new facilities to be built. This visit raised several questions in his mind and he began to wonder if the location that had been chosen was a proper one. In a letter to Horton he said, "My hasty view of the Moody Bible Institute plans have placed several question marks in my mind. With the limited amount of space at our command at 8th and Los Angeles, are we warranted in making the large expenditures necessary without assurance of adequate facilities for the future? Our location is, of course, ideal, but if we had in ad dition to the Slauson lot, the next one east of it on Los Angeles Street, and the Lankershim lot on 8th Street, we would still have less ground than the Moody Insti tute, while we have an empire to provide for." It was these questions in the Page 19
assured; its future looked bright but many obstacles lay in its path. In July 1911, Stewart wrote to his brother Milton back in Titus ville, "The work of the Bible Insti tute has been on my mind very much of late by reason of having outgrown its quarters, and our need for a new home for the work." Encouraging reports of the work had been coming in to Stewart. At that time the Institute was already carrying on an extensive teaching program through cottage and sub urban Bible classes. It was esti mated that about 3,000 persons were receiving weekly Bible in struction, and that from these classes quite a number of candi dates for the ministry and foreign mission fields had been produced. Already four students had been examined and approved by the African Inland Mission and some 15 additional students had applied to go to Africa. To meet the needs of the ex panding school, Stewart, on July 28, 1911, purchased two lots, 80 x 116 feet at the corner of Los Angeles and Eighth Street for $78,000. He wrote his brother about the location: "It will always be near the center of the city, from which all car lines radiate, and it will only be a couple of blocks from the 6th Street Subur ban Station so that people in the suburban towns can attend the evening classes without the annoy ance and expense of an extra carfare." The plan at the time was to pur chase the adjoining lot which was 70 x 116, which Horton consi dered, together with the one al ready purchased, would be ample
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