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THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NESS
A BriefHistory In the summer of 1906, a Young Men’s Bible Class was organized in Immanuel Pres byterian Church by Rev. T. C. Horton, Bible Teacher of the Church. This class soon took on larger proportions and was named “The Fishermen’s Club,” based upon Matthew 4:19, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” In the tall of 1907, at the request of Mr. D. H. Steele, manager of a large depart ment store, a similar class was organized for the young women of his store, under the leadership of Mrs. T. C. Horton. This class soon grew to large numbers, including young women from other stores and offices, and was named the “Lyceum Club.” These two classes, with an influence extending to every section of the city and con stantly growing in numbers and power, became the nucleus of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, which was organized in the fall of 1907 A meeting was called February 25, 1908, to effect a permanent organization, the fol lowing officers being elected: President, Lyman Stewart; Vice-President, A. B. Prichard; Superintendent, T. C. Horton; Associate Superintendent, R. A. Hadden; Secretary, B. C. Atterbury.; Treasurer, Leon V. Shaw. From the beginning the Institute has been evangelistic in character. Shop Meetings, which had been conducted under the auspices of the Church Federation, were taken over by the Institute. The Bible Women’s Work was organized, and work commenced among the Jews and the Spanish-speaking people. The work having now assumed larger proportions, Rev. J. H. Sammis and Dr. J. R. Pratt were added to the Faculty, and with twenty-five workers giving their whole time to the work the Institute made remarkable progress during the first three years of its existence. In the summer of 1911 Dr. R. A. Torrey, formerly connected with Moody Bible Institute, was called as Dean. Dr. Torrey entered upon his duties in January, 1912, bringing with him Rev. John H. Hunter, a strong, capable teacher, who had been identified with the Moody Institute for seventeen years. The work and scope of the Institute continuing to increase until its quarters were entirely inadequate, property was purchased on Hope Street, and on June 12, 1912, ground was broken for the new buildings, which were opened to the public Easter Sunday, 1915. The credit for providing the necessary funds for the erection and equipment of the Institute buildings has been largely given to the President of the Institute, Mr. Lyman Stewart, but this does an injustice to the other givers, of whom there were a number. Mr. Lyman Stewart also wishes to emphasize the fact that he had a silent partner in the person of his brother, Mr. Milton Stewart, who gave very largely to the build ing fund, as well as to the home and foreign evangelistic work of the Institute. Founded upon the Old Bible and a Whole Bible, the Institute conducts a free school of Bible instruction, and reaches out into every avenue of Christian endeavor designed to bring men and women to Christ. In the Day Classes, its student body during 1918 totaled 506, represented by 38 States of the Union, 27 foreign countries and 58 denom inations; students enrolled in the Evening Classes, 303 ; in Correspondence Classes, 450,—making a total of 1259 under instruction. More than 700 men and women who have been trained under the present teachers of the Institute are now doing effective work in the foreign field. A large number of preachers and a host of pastoral helpers, Sunday School teachers, Bible women and others engaged in aggressive, active Chris- tion work, are numbered among its alumni.
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