fered by Dean Torrey and the audience sang, "My Hope is Built on Nothing Less." Almost a year later, on Saturday afternoon, May 31, 1913, the cor nerstone was laid. Chiseled on the stone was the inscription, "Unto Him that loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood." Inside the cornerstone was placed a copper box containing the city newspapers of that May 31st, copies of The King's Business, the school's statement of doctrine, catalog and circulars, a list of the officers, faculty, workers and stu dents, names of the architects, superintendent and assistant, a copy of the address given by Stewart, a copy of What the Bible Teaches by Torrey and a Scofield Bible. In his talk that day Stewart said, "We sought to have buildings planned on a scale somewhat commensurate with the commer cial value of this site, the magni tude of the field and the probable future needs of the Institute's many-sided work. These dormi tories, while a necessary adjunct to the Institute, will also partake of the character of an endowment. The work of construction, how ever, can proceed only as the means for this purpose can be secured; but the phenomenal in crease of our population, and the new problems to be solved when the Panama Canal is opened, im posed increased responsibilities, and render haste imperative. . . . For the teaching of the truths for which the Institute stands, its doors are to be open every day in the year, and all people, without reference to race, color, class, creed or previous condition, will Page 21
Torrey on the West Coast until 2) the basement auditorium (1,500- seat capacity) be completed. With a man of Torrey's vision the basement idea was not sound. Said he, "If you begin on the 1,500 basis, the community will size you up as a 1,500-size man, and this, humanly speaking, will make it more difficult later on to gather larger crowds." He was pleased with the idea of doing evangelistic work and it wasn't long before a firm agree ment was finalized whereby Torrey was to head the academic and spiritual activities of the Institute as dean from 1913 to 1924. After several delays, the Bible Institute finally held a ground breaking ceremony, Friday at 1 o'clock, June 22, 1912. Following the singing of hymns, Superin tendent Horton made a brief ad dress, calling attention to the great work providentially assigned to the Institute and the purpose of the management to make the pro posed buildings a rallying center for magnifying the Word of Cod. Stewart, as chairman of the board of directors, turned a shovelful of dirt, and said: "In the name of the Bible Institute I now take posses sion of this ground for the Lord's use by the act of turning this spadeful of earth. May our united prayers be that every detail of the construction of this building be accomplished in the fear of the Lord and for His glory. Let it be our hope and prayer that from this place shall radiate streams of influence which will be a great blessing not only to the multitudes around us but also to the darkest places of the earth." A prayer of dedication was of
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