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

"The atmosphere of the church was simply heavenly. Happy smiles, holy laughter, tears of joy,
shouts of praise, songs of victory, glad clapping of hands, fervent, effectual prayers, preaching with
the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, and testimonies with the exultant ring of full salvation in
them--these and countless other manifestations of the presence of the Holy Ghost in the midst of His
people, characterized all the services of a day which I shall never forget."
Sometimes persons were very remarkably directed by the Spirit of God to associate themselves
with the Church of the Nazarene. This was especially the case with Mrs. Lily D. Bothwell, for many
years a member of the First Church in Los Angeles, and now belonging to the Pentecostal Church
of the Nazarene in Pomona, California. In the issue of the Nazarene Messenger of January B, 1905,
she makes the following interesting statement:
"When the Church of the Nazarene was organized at Berkeley, I was very much interested in
reading an account of it, and also of the founding of the church at Los Angeles, of which I had never
before heard. My interest was at once awakened in what seemed to be an extraordinary moving of
the Lord through this new channel. After this when meeting persons from Los Angeles, my first
thought was, 'They will know something of the Church of the Nazarene there,' and I never failed to
make inquiries about it.
"Thoughts of this church were continually in my mind and I began praying God's blessing upon
it. For more than two years, every night at worship, I prayed for this people, and I would see in vision
God's care over the church, and the light of His glory shining upon it. How my heart would warm
and glow as I prayed! Something of the glory of the church rested upon me, and made me one with
a people who did not know me, but whom I knew in the Holy Ghost.
"When I came to Los Angeles in June, 1900, I went to the old tabernacle on Los Angeles street,
and found my heart's church home. There, with the shadows of the pepper trees glinting across the
threshold, and Dr. Bresee at the door greeting the people with a warm handclasp, the Lord said to
me, 'Here is thy home.' I knew it then--I know it still. There abides in my heart praise and
thanksgiving for the riches of His grace; for grace so freely poured out upon this people; for the great
salvation with which He hath visited us; for blessings and for trials-- the latter to make tried and
strong 'a peculiar people zealous of good works.' Thanks be to God for the future to which He calls
us. Praise and honor and glory to the Lamb for the cleansing Blood, enabling us to keep in the middle
of the road--God's highway of holiness--avoiding fanaticism on the one hand and lukewarmness on
the other. Glory to our conquering Christ, who leads us on to victory through the power of the Holy
Ghost."
A Japanese Preacher
Writing under date of March, 1905, Brother E. I. Ames, then a member of the First Church in
Chicago, gives the following vivid picture of an afternoon service there:
"The 2:30 meeting was a mighty season of song and testimony. I will try to give a few color
touches of that glorious spiritual harmony on which our souls feasted. Oh, hallelujah! Such singing!
We have rarely heard it equaled, and never surpassed. Brother Stewart was on his feet several times,