Mount Hermon Conference Center

The Mount Hermon Conference Center, located in Northern California, was founded to be a serene place in the Redwoods for Christian organizations to use for retreats and conferences. Sunday, July 22, 1906 was the Dedication Day of the Mount Hermon Conference Center. This day was referred to frequently at that time and thereafter as "The Great Day." 1,400 people were in attendance at the program to see the special speaker at the dedication program, Reuben Archer Torrey, the President of the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago at the time Gudnason, Kay Rings in the Redwoods Published by Mount Hermon Association, Inc. 1972 (c) 1972 p.7

The Bible Institute

The Bible Institute of Los Angeles and Mount Hermon have had a close association since the early years of each. In 1910, the second year of Biola's History, the Mount Hermon newsletter “The LOG” contained this announcement: "We desire through the entire summer season to emphasize, 'Training and Service.' To aid in doing this Mount Hermon is to have a benefit of the experience and ability of men from the Los Angeles Bible Institute. We expect Rev. Thomas C. Horton, the head of the Institute, Rev. James R. Pratt and Rev. John H. Sammis, two experienced Bible teachers."

Biola started “The Bible Institute”, a summer conference held at Mount Hermon, in 1947 and was held every year for over two decades. It was advertised as a family conference and had activities for kids ages one to eighteen and various activities for adults. The first publicity of the conference appeared in the 1947 LOG for the now long-established and popular Biola conference. The newsletter read: "Under the personal leadership of Dr. Louis T. Talbot, President, an outstanding conference is scheduled during August 24-September 1 as a climax to the season. The conference director will be Dr. William W. Orr, Vice President of Biola. Dr. Herbert G. Tovey will lead the singing, assisted by the Bible Institute Hour Quartet."

Heading the list in the number of conferences participated in is Dr. Louis Talbot. Deeply loved at Mount Hermon, he spoke at every Biola conference between 1947 and 1964 with the exceptions of 1953 and 1963. Dr. Talbot was absent in 1963, but returned in 1964 with Mrs. Louis T. Talbot who participated in the conference in which he spoke.

Dr. Gordon E. Hooker, as pianist, has attended all the Biola Conferences. Mrs. Hooker has been with him during most of them. In 1967 they were both retired from the faculty of Biola and the Church of the Open Door where they had served for 41 years, but they did not retire from Mount Hermon ministry at that time.

Those who have contributed to the music program of the conference along with Dr. Hooker have been Margaret Sanders (Mrs. Al) (Organist), and Mrs. Bill Cundall. Song leaders have included Dr. Herbert Tovey, Russell Killman, Bill Cundall and Earl Hulin. Participating vocalists have been Norman Nelson, Joyce Landorf, Tony Fontane, Dick Hilleary, and the Biola Male Quartet.2

Dr. William Orr was the Dean during five of the earliest Biola conferences as well as a frequent platform speaker. Al Sanders succeeded Dr. Orr as the platform host and was also the behind-the-scenes conference coordinator. Dr. J. Richard Chase followed Mr. Sanders in directing the general program of the Mount Hermon Conferences in 1969 and 1970.

Biola Speakers at Mount Hermon for The Bible Institute

Dr. Sam Sutherland, Dr. Vernon McGee, Dr. Charles Feinberg, Dr. Clyde Narramore, Dr. Chester Padget, Dr. Peter Hoogendam, Dr. Arthur Whiting, Dr. M. R. DeHaan, Dr. Robert G. Lee, Dr. Walter L. Wilson, Dr. William Ward Ayer, Dr. Ralph Keiper, Dr. Robert Smith, Mr. D Stuart Briscoe, Dr. John Hunter, Dr. Lehman Strauss, Dr. Llyod T. Anderson, Dr. Henry Brandt, Dr. Curtis Mitchell, and Dr. Robert Smith.

Gudnason, Kay Rings in the Redwoods Published by Mount Hermon Association, Inc. 1972 (c) 1972 p.429-430