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

the building was formally dedicated to the worship of God. The church is a fine structure in mission
style, with a good audience-room, and lecture-room. It occupies a prominent corner in the town.
The work which culminated in this society of the Church of the Nazarene, with its fine building,
was begun as a mission, by Mrs. Pullman, and afterward carried on for some time by Rev. S. S.
Chafe, under whose labors the church was organized. For more than a year prior to the dedication
service, the church had for its pastor Rev. W. C. Wilson, who was greatly loved by his brethren, and
held in high esteem as a man and minister by the people of the city generally. A preacher of marked
ability, possessing special evangelistic gifts, and with excellent qualities of courage and endurance,
he drew men, but, better still, he led them to Jesus, and to the cleansing fountain. Among those who
helped the church very liberally along financial lines, were Brother and Sister Deets.
On January 13, 1907, the removed and remodeled Mateo Street Church of the Nazarene, in Los
Angeles, was dedicated as the Compton Avenue Church, Dr. Bresee preaching the dedicatory sermon
in the afternoon, when the spacious building was filled with an enthusiastic congregation. The
gratifying success of this Nazarene work was very largely due to the consecrated and indefatigable
labors of the pastor of the church, Rev. Lucy P. Knott. During the dedicatory service, $1,000 was laid
on the table as an offering. The people sang as they marched, and even the little tots, who had saved
their pennies, took a happy part in the giving.
On April 4,1907, Dr. and Mrs. Bresee left Los Angeles for Brooklyn, New York, their object
being to attend the annual meeting of the Association of Pentecostal Churches of America. Dr.
Bresee, in his editorial correspondence, thus describes their trip:
In Journeyings Oft
"It is a long way from where the rolling breakers of the Pacific ever beat upon the shore, to where
the fiercer Atlantic dashes its spray upon the rocks.
"Our trip was in every way most fortunate. Leaving Los Angeles on April 1st, we pulled into the
great Central Depot in New York City, on Saturday, having had twenty-four hours in Chicago. The
sweet songs sung by a half hundred friends--college students, and others--at the Arcade Depot, in
Los Angeles, alongside the train, seemed to go to the hearts of the crowd, and especially to fill the
atmosphere of the crowded sleeper with a hallowed sense of spiritual verities, and to abide with us
through the days of travel. Our train put in an appearance on time at each place, until it pulled into
Inglewood station, Chicago, where it was entered by Brother Cornell and other friends, who hurried
us off, before it started for the down town depot.
"We were taken directly to the home of Brother Cornell, where we had the pleasure of meeting,
besides his own family, Brother and Sister H. D. Brown, from Seattle, Wash.; Brother C. W. Ruth,
from Indianapolis; Dr. and Mrs. Burke, and others of our church in Chicago.
"A twenty-six hours' ride brought us to New York, where we were greeted by Brothers Hoople,
Davis, and Mrs. BeVier, of Brooklyn; also by Brother E. A. Girvin, of Berkeley, Cal., who had
preceded us by a few hours. We were conducted directly to Brooklyn, and taken to the hospitable