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

Duties Of The Superintendency
"Even the looking after the work has become very considerable, and the larger amount of my time
has been given to it--the correspondence and general touch being no small matter. I have been away
from home, and my more immediate pastoral labors, nearly half the year. Over and above the
constant care, I have twice visited the great Northwest, spending several weeks each time, and have
again visited the East, giving as much time to the visiting of the churches and other work as has been
possible. My associate pastor has greatly aided me in this work, not only visiting and preaching in
adjacent churches, but visiting Bakersfield, Oakland, San Francisco, and Ashland, Oregon, in the
latter place organizing the church, and rendering very helpful service generally in this
superintendency. With thankfulness for the past--especially for the privileges of labor for another
year--and for the many openings and great possibilities to which God has called us, we look up and
say, 'What hath God wrought,' and how great His mercy in permitting us to be workers together with
Him.
"To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen."
Greatness Of The Assembly
The writer was providentially permitted to be present on this memorable occasion, and the
following description is from his pen:
"I would compare the General Assemblies of the Church of the Nazarene to the transition from
plain to lofty mountain heights. The first General Assembly marked our ascent of the first little
foothill. It was good to get above the common level of spiritual infirmity and worldly conformity.
The hill was only a little one, but there was plenty of room for us, and we were glad and grateful for
the view God gave us of the spiritual landscape. We could not see much, but what we did see was
so much more and so much better than what our eyes discerned before, that we took courage and
praised God. At that time we did not know much about ourselves, the work to which we were called,
or its vast possibilities. But during the next year we climbed to the top of a higher and bigger foothill,
and the Second General Assembly rejoiced and exulted in the progress made, and exclaimed, 'What
hath God wrought!'
It was my privilege to attend that Assembly. We hardly needed any committees. We were so small
that we could have transacted business quite conveniently in committee of the whole. As the years
went by we continued climbing, and God strengthened our hearts, for no one can climb with a weak
heart. How glorious has been the upward and onward journey! How much higher and bigger and
grander in every way has been each successive summit attained. How much more extensive and
varied has been each succeeding view. And, bless God, between these heights there have been sweet
valleys of humiliation, where we have had our souls refreshed by the flowing fountains of God, and
have laved our spirits in the pure and rippling waters of the rivers of Jehovah. And now, as we stop
a moment and look back at the path which we have trod, we can scarcely discern the scenes of the
old battles and the old victories. There are far greater battles and far mightier victories ahead. For,
great and wondrous as has been our upward progress , we are still in the lower range of the
mountains of our God. True, the character of the vegetation has changed, and we are getting glimpses