Columbia Bible College - Finial Yearbook (Columbia, SC)

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r4istom of School Columbia Bible College is the youngest of the state ' s institutions of higher learning. Officially opened in late September, 1923, the Bible College has maintained a slow but steady growth over a period of seventeen years. During one of his conferences in Columbia, Dr. Robert C. McQuilkin was consulted regard- ing the founding of such a school in the South. Dr. McQuilkin manifested a deep interest in the work, however small it might be at the start, and the group which later organized as the board of trustees unanimously asked him to come and be its founder and dean. He moved to Columbia in 1922 to make prepara- tion for the work which was to begin a year later. When the school opened in the fall of 1923 he was the only faculty member, except as assistance was given by members of the board. Two rooms were rented in the Colonia Hotel. Room 107 (now the book store) was Dr. McQuil- kin ' s office. It was also the business office, and the cloak room for faculty and students. Room 209 was the only class room. A little organ stood in the corner, and chapel exercises as well as classes and prayer meetings were held here. In 1927 it seemed clear that the time had come for the introduction of a course equal in length and academic standing to the colleges of liberal arts. With the approval of the South Carolina State Board of Education and the legislature, a four year course was established and Columbia Bible School became Columbia Bible College. In May, 1931, the degree of B.A. in Biblical Education was first conferred on students who had completed the work of the four year course. Meanwhile the Bible College had become too large to operate in a few scattered rooms. As the student body increased in size, additional rooms had been rented from the Colonia Hotel. The Bible College was clearly aware of the need of owning and operating its own plant. Follow- ing months of careful thought and prayer, the property of the Colonia Hotel was purchased in November, 1927. The women ' s dormitory occupied the fourth floor, the men ' s dormitory a part of the second floor. Classes and chapel were held in the main building; students ate in part of the dining room. Rooms not used by the students were rented to guests. In 1935 the size of the student body had increased to the point where additional dormi- tory space was urgently needed. Providential circumstances made possible the renting of the buildings formerly used by Chicora College. For two years the men occupied buildings on this property. In 1937 it became clear that the property formerly used by Columbia Theological Semi- nary would serve the purpose better than that of Chicora College. Accordingly the buildings and grounds were rented for a year. In 1938 the Bible College secured an option on this prop- erty, and in October, 1939, a payment of twenty thousand dollars was made and the deed turned over to Columbia Bible College. From the earliest days of Columbia Bible College, college graduates had enrolled for study. In 1935 the board of trustees decided upon the founding of a graduate school with a two year course of study leading to the degree of M.A. in Biblical Education and a three year course leading to the degree of Master of Theology. Several college graduates immediately enrolled, and graduate degrees have been offered since May, 1938. There are now thirteen members of the faculty assisted by a staff of able helpers in the different departments. Under the leader- ship of Dr. McQuilkin, the Bible College still aims to carry out the purpose it had from the beginning, to train young people to know Him and to make Him known.

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A WORD FROM THE PRESIDENT DR. ROBERT C. McQUILKIN English Bibie, Biblical Hermeneutics As the 1941 Finial greets you with all its rich C. B. C. flavor, I am happy to add the greetings of the Board and Faculty and Staff of the Bible College: to the makers of the Finial, to the Seniors, to all the C. B. C. family and circle of valued and beloved friends. As the Finial goes out this year, and as the Seniors prepare to graduate, we are conscious of the fact that this is counted the most fateful period in ali the history of modern civilization. Men are trembling with fear concerning the future. The call to us is fear not. That is the nega- tive side. The positive side is that we may go forward under the Captain of our salvation knowing that we are called to absolutely certain triumph. There are two things that sustain all human beings and encourage them to go forward. One is their hope of what the future will bring forth. The other is the pleasure of the present moment. Now, only Christians have the blessed Hope, so far as the future is concerned; be- cause of this blessed hope of Christ ' s final triumph, there is a happy hope for all the future between now and then. You Seniors, therefore, can look forward to graduation and the days just ahead with a blessed and assured hope. The Lord who has begun a good work in you will perfect it. But another wonder of our heritage in Christ is that we have a present foretaste of the joy and glory of the future. Are you happy in the knowledge that you are in the will of the Lord right now? As you have confidence that He will perfect that which concerneth you, are you rejoicing in His present working? That is part of His perfect plan and His perfecting plan. May if be true of every member of the Senior class without exception that you will be counted among those who know their God, and who therefore will do exploits, giving to the Lord Jesus all the glory for those exploits. Let us not forget that the exploits are won in a war, in which you are enlisted as good soldiers. The goal is not unc ertain: the taking of the Gospel to the uttermost part of the earth. May you shine as lights in the world wherever God places you, and may you yield to His leading so that the life may have the fullest measure of its usefulness.