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

The Special Call
"There was no note of doubt or doubtful questioning, but only arrangements and adjustments for
the forward march. The enthusiasm was that of men who see the certainties of things in divine light,
who distinctly hear the voice of God calling to heroic duty. The Assembly excelled in the elements
which usually enter into large gatherings of holiness people, the preaching was full of the strong
meat of the gospel, the hours of prayer were seasons of holy triumph, the altar services were full of
victory, souls were converted and sanctified, and believers were edified; but underneath and over,
and emphasizing all these, and sweeping on, was the special call and inborn purpose, the prophetic
outlook, and manifest divine guidance which made this meeting peculiar unto itself.
Blessings Which Abide
"We have been told about 'every good and perfect gift.' It seems that among good gifts there are
some which are more excellent. So it is of the blessings which come to the world through the
gatherings of saints. There can be no gathering of holy people for worship, but there will be prayer
and praise, with the Word and the divine blessing, and more or less souls will be refreshed. God has
promised that He will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground, and I
fancy that there can be no such gathering of the saints, but what this promise is fulfilled. We have
seen many meetings when the parched earth was moistened, and sometimes there were floods
enough to change the face of things somewhat. But the shower passes, the flood sweeps over the
earth, the sun comes out, and, while many remember the rain, it is only a little time until things are
as dry and parched as ever. There is another class of promises, such as tell us of more permanent
things, that He will cause waters to break out in the wilderness, and streams in the desert. These
represent blessings which abide. 'I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the
valleys,' tells us of blessings which abide to pour their richness for ever. This Assembly was not
gathering blessings from the skies for the day, but to open ever flowing rivers of love and salvation
to the ends of the earth, and as long as time endures."
In closing his account of his homeward journey from Chicago, Dr. Bresee pays this touching and
noble tribute to Rev. Joseph Knotts, his closest, dearest friend, of whom so much is said in preceding
chapters: "As I approach El Paso, there is a shadow upon my soul. Here alone, among strangers, died
the best friend I ever had. And yet to know that a man can go steadily on, doing that to which he feels
called, expecting any time to lie down and die, and yet not waver, give his dying word to a stranger,
and pass on as he would have gone to another day of toil, glorifies human personality. It was from
these valleys that such a soul, with such a large capacity, such gentleness, heroism, and
unconquerable courage, went up to God."