Phineas F. Bresee - A Prince In Israel - Media Sabda Org

The March From The Old To The New Building
This is Dr. Bresee's description of this great, historic march: "A great march was planned from
the old tabernacle to the new church. This was carried out on Friday night, March 20,1903. The
chairs and other furniture had been taken out of the old tabernacle, and into its empty shell as many
of the people crowded as could gain access. They sang 'Hallelujah, Amen, and prayed and praised
God. Then, led by drums and other musical instruments, they marched to the new church. The
occasion drew together a vast concourse of people, estimated to have been at least ten thousand in
number. When we had entered the new building, and it was packed from top to bottom, at least 2,500
persons being in it, the great crowds on Sixth and Wall streets did not seem to be diminished. In fact
both of these streets were packed with people. Brother C. E. Cornell, the lay evangelist, who years
afterward became the pastor of the First church, preached that night, as he happened to be conducting
an evangelistic service at that time."
I can not do better than to give Dr. Bresee's brief but vivid account of this memorable occasion:
"On Sunday morning, March 22, 1903, the house was packed from top to bottom. Before the
dedicatory sermon could be preached, a man hurried to the altar, seeking the Lord, and prayed
through to victory, after which I preached a short sermon. The great altar was filled with tables, and
arrangements were made for the people to make their offerings toward the building of the church.
Plans had been carefully arranged for the people to march by the altar from the body of the audience
room and the galleries, men being stationed to hasten their march as much as possible. Songs of
triumph were sung, and the people marched. Shouts of victory went up to heaven, as they marched
as rapidly as they possibly could. Nearly an hour was taken up with the marching of the multitude.
It was a time of great blessing and victory. When the offerings of the day were counted, it was found
that $10,300 had been laid upon the altar, which was in addition to about $4,600 that had previously
found its way to the eagle's nest. That day was crowned with wondrous triumph, and marked an
epoch in the history of the church, which entered upon larger and grander possibilities.
"This new building became the great center of the work for a number of years, a kind of cathedral
of the church at large, and for several years during which I was permitted to preach and carry on the
pastorate, the blessing of God was upon its multitudes of persons were saved and sanctified, and the
work spread throughout this part of the country."
During his pastorate of the First Church of the Nazarene, Dr. Bresee's labors were so manifold
and difficult, that it became necessary for him to have an assistant pastor, not only to help him in the
immediate duties and responsibilities of the First Church, but to aid in the conduct of the church
paper, and in the administration of the Bible College, which was brought into being very
providentially in the early period of the church's history. Fortunately I have in my possession Dr.
Bresee's account of all these matters, and I am sure that I can do no better than to quote his words
in reference to them:
"Long prior to the erection and dedication of the new church, it had been necessary to have
assistance in the pastorate. Providentially, Rev. C. W. Ruth was invited to hold a series of meetings
in the late summer or early autumn of 1901. These meetings proved so successful, and his ministry