Honoring Ethel Maude Lee, A Dedicated Biola Bible Woman

Bible Woman, Bible scholar, dedicated Christ follower, teacher and friend: Ethel Maude Lee’s rich history is being preserved at Biola University. On September 7, 1958, Lee was honored for her dedication to evangelism when the school named the first auditorium on the La Mirada campus after her. Sixty-six years later, Biola is rededicating the auditorium in her honor.

" .... it is with great pleasure that today we are appropriately rechristening this remodeled space 'Ethel Lee Auditorium' in recognition of her faithfulness and enduring example as a woman of God who cared so deeply about the study and teaching of God’s Word. The name Ethel means 'noble in Hebrew, and what more noble calling is there than to teach and proclaim Scripture to a needy world," said President Barry H. Corey at the dedication ceremony.

Over the years the original name of Ethel Maude Lee Memorial Auditorium was forgotten as the building name Sutherland Hall was more prominently used. The 2023 renovation led to the uncovering of a plaque featuring the original name — and a rediscovery of Lee’s legacy leading to Biola’s decision to rededicate the auditorium to her.

The original plaque found on the back wall of the auditorium foyer read:

“We dedicate this auditorium to the glory of our Lord Jesus Christin loving memory of Ethel Maude Lee (1878 – 1951) Biola Bible Woman 1920 – 1951 Given by Helen and Elizabeth Babcock Neenah, Wisconsin.”

Born in England in 1878, Lee spent her young adulthood as a nurse in the slums of London, serving the needs of the urban poor. After experiencing a call to missions and evangelism, she moved to the United States to study at Moody Bible Institute from 1905 to 1907, then spent the next decade as a youth director and Bible teacher in Wisconsin.

Lee eventually moved to Southern California, where in 1920 she began teaching women’s Bible classes as a member of the Bible Women, a group established by Anna Horton, wife of Biola’s co-founder T.C. Horton, which was also led for several decades by Lula (Crowell) Stewart, wife of Biola co-founder Lyman Stewart. For the next 31 years, Lee devoted her life to sharing the gospel and teaching the Bible to women throughout the Los Angeles area.

Following her death in 1951, Lee’s students and friends contributed to a fund in her memory, with some describing her as “such a happy Christian, transparent in the radiance of the Lord Jesus Christ” and “a great prayer warrior” whose “teaching of the Word of God was clear, emphatic, with compassion and devotion.”

Helen and Elizabeth Babcock were good friends of Lee’s and were two of the people who donated the funds necessary to construct the auditorium on Biola’s campus. Lee’s story and dedication to making an impact for Jesus Christ is reflective of Biola’s mission.

Written by Sarah Dougher, media relations specialist. For more information, email media.relations@biola.edu.