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

Berkeley
Quoting from Dr. Bresee as to the work in Berkeley:
"Berkeley is the mother of Nazarenes for this central part of California. It was here that the work
was started eight years ago, in perhaps as uncongenial soil as any place in this world well could be.
Strictly a residence city, filled with churches, and overshadowed by the great State University, while
there was great need of a church that would be faithful to the doctrine and experience of entire
sanctification, yet all classes were intensely antagonistic. No one would have thought of attempting
the establishment of a Church of the Nazarene here, but Brother E. A. Girvin and family resided
here, and he, being at once a local preacher and the reporter of the supreme court, had 'the blessing.'
The church to which he belonged, being unendurably cold, and his duties bringing him to Los
Angeles, where he was greatly at home in the warmth and fellowship of the Church of the Nazarene,
he determined, after much prayer, to have a church, at least in his own house.
"After a special meeting of ten days, a small church was organized, which has kept steadily on
its way ever since. It has been environed by almost every difficulty. It has been subject to seemingly
every form of attack by the Devil, yet a multitude have been converted and sanctified at its altars,
and the seed of the kingdom sown far and wide. As at the early church at Jerusalem, and at the First
Church at Los Angeles, there has been a continual scattering abroad, but this is doubtless a part of
God's providence for the scattering of the seed.
"Brother Girvin has been continually its pastor. Some months ago Brother P. G. Linaweaver, of
Illinois, accepted an invitation to become his associate pastor. Both of them have been pouring their
lives into the work all around about. Especially have they given time and service to the beginning
of the work in San Francisco.
"These heroes at Berkeley have demonstrated that this work of organized holiness can not be
established and carried on, at least in most places, but by a strong conviction of faith and by
continued sacrifice and devotion to this special work. It is a matter of great thanksgiving that, while
some draw back, counting themselves unworthy, there are some who bear the tests, and are crowned
victors at last."
In San Francisco
After holding one blessed and fruitful service in the city of Alameda, just south of Oakland, Dr.
Bresee went to San Francisco, where he preached five times, with some salvation. In speaking of this
great center of population, Dr. Bresee said: "There is a very great and pressing need of a great
holiness church, which might be to that city what the Church of the Nazarene has been to Los
Angeles--a great center of continuous revival fire, where multitudes would be saved and sanctified
to God, with its strong reflex influence on the church life of the city. The workers in this part of the
state, especially Brother Girvin, have been for a long time anxious to enter this field, but have been
heretofore hindered.