sition by well-meaning people who felt called upon to» test everybody by their own standards of interpre tation. “ In this faith and conviction we go forward and ask the cooperation and prayers of all o f our friends, promising you that we shall do our utmost to honor and glorify our Lord in training the youth entrusted to us for the most effective possible soul-winning and building up o f men and women in the faith. “We thank the multitude o f our friends who have been so kind and have expressed themselves so warmly during the last few days, and especially those who are not only standing by us in earnest prayer, but in a most substantial way by their muni- ‘ ficent gifts. This love and confidence is about us as a wall of fire and in its impulses we go forward.” As the criticism o f Dean Maclnnis revolved around a book of which he is the author, entitled “ Peter the Fisher man Philosopher,” we caused this book to be carefully studied by a group of distinguished ministers, whose standing and loyalty to Jesus Christ and the fundamentals of the Christian doctrine can not be questioned, and they confirmed our views o f the hook, already published, to the effect that the attacks upon the Dean, based upon the pub lication o f this book, were wholly unwarranted. In view of the foregoing brief resume we are o f the opinion that the continued propaganda against the Bible Institute o f Los Angeles, and its Dean, is instigated and supported either by ignorance o f the facts, unworthy motives, or by an assumed infallibility that is equally offensive whether claimed by a Roman Catholic Pope, or by self-appointed “ Protestant Defenders o f the Faith.” Believing, therefore, in the loyalty and Christian integ rity o f Dean Maclnnis, and that the Bible Institute of Los Angeles under his leadership, is accomplishing the pur poses of its founders, and loyal supporters, and is assum ing a place o f leadership among the vital Christian forces on the Pacific Coast, never before attained, we earnestly and prayerfully solicit and claim the support of. all those who truly love the Lord Jesus, and desire His kingdom to be extended to the uttermost parts o f the earth. Board of Directors of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. One Man Who Investigated Dr. Gerald B. Winrod, leader of the militant Funda mentalists o f the Middle West, editor of The Defender, and popular conference speaker, is a man who strikes powerful blows at religious error, but at the same time does not become panic stricken. In several vital issues in recent months, Mr. Winrod has stood practically alone against a powerful group because he felt he must deter mine the Spirit’s guidance for himself. W e rejoice that Mr. Winrod has again manifested the spirit o f fairness— this time in his attitude toward the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. He has taken trouble to visit the Institute, hear for himself what is being taught, thoroughly investigating every angle of the reports which have been current. In the March issue of The Defender, he has published his convictions under the head ing : “ The Muckrakers.” W e reproduce a portion of this article herewith. “ One institution on the Pacific coast is suffering just now from vicious propaganda. I refer to the Bible Insti tute o f Los Angeles. Some months ago the report was started that it was becoming Modernistic on important matters of teaching. Evil whisperings are going the rounds. I was satisfied in my own mind that it was tot tering theologically when I came to the coast this time. Bad insinuations are rampant. Nobody seems to know
just what kind of heresy is being propagated; they only know that something terrible is taking place in the Insti tute. Not a few Fundamentalists are eager to believe the worst. “ Now, after careful investigation, it is my conviction that the Institute is as sound as it has ever been. For some reason, Dr. John M. Maclnnis is being made the victim. He has the important position o f Dean o f the Institute. He had been presented to me as a heretic. The Muckraker has been merciless in dealing with him. “ Dr. Maclnnis has just written a book on Peter the Fisherman Philosopher, which contains an introduction by Dr. G. Campbell Morgan. This book has been branded as a Modernistic production. Nothing could be farther removed from the truth! Dr. Maclnnis has a style o f his own. The book is o f a philosophical character and its language, to the lay reader, is certain to seem involved. It contains statements which can be interpreted two ways. Some, things are not stated with the clearness that some readers enjoy. But the author has a style of presenta tion all of his own. Not a few critics have tried to make it appear as bad for Dr. Maclnnis as possible. “ Reports had prejudiced me against the Institute until it was made possible for me to make first hand investiga tion. Now, I am convinced that some good men have been made victims o f muckraking, “ Unsigned mimeograph letters are being circulated. One such missive, consisting of three large typewritten pages, was mailed to me. Here, I thought, the critic work ing under cover, would surely give something definite and exact, proving the Institute to be unsound under its pres ent leadership. No exact statements were given. The letter was largely a satire on Dr. Maclnnis. The one criti cism of the book was that it was not written in understand able language. Granted that this be true; assume even that the book was not well written— this is no reason for branding the author a heretic. However, on the other hand, many people bear testimony that the book has been a great blessing to them. Dr. Maclnnis professes faith in every distinctly Christian fundamental. “ The board o f directors o f the Institute need prayers under the present circumstances. The Institute will weather the storm and will come out the stronger fo r the experiences through which it is passing.” Facts Regarding Enrollment The impression has gone forth that our school under its former administration greatly flourished and that under the present administration it has come to critical times and its student body has fallen to its lowest point. Under its first Dean the school grew to fine propor tions. Taking our Fall Terms as a basis, we find that in 1915 there were 186 students, in 1916 there were 233, in 1917 there were 331, in 1918 there were "282, in 1919 there were 304, in 1920 there were 461, in 1921 there were 525, which is the highest registration reached by the school. In 1922 there were 486, in 1923 there were 409, in 1924 there were 348 and in 1925 there were 330. This repre sents the last year that the first Dean was here and also represents the lowest registration since 1921, when we reached our highest mark. In 1926 there were 362 and in 1927 there were 368. During these years we graduated in 1918— 76; in 1919—89; in 1920—88; in 1921— 126; in 1922-|Sl52 ; in 1923— 151; in 1924— 139; in 1925— 105. In 1926, the first year o f the present administration, there were 125 and in 1927 there were 148. These figures tell their own story.
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