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

International Holiness Convention. In October, 1913, a great gathering of holiness workers from
all over the world was held in Chicago. Among those who delivered addresses was Dr. Bresee, his
theme being "The Necessity of Organization." He spoke with a clearness of statement, strength of
logic, and keenness of philosophic insight that carried conviction to those who heard him.
A Partial Survey. In the issue of the HERALD OF HOLINESS of January 7, 1914, Dr. Bresee
says among other things:
As a whole, the work is going forward with a good degree of rapidity. We have closed up the
eighteenth year since the Church of the Nazarene was organized, and the other branches have
generally near the same length of history since their beginning. It seems questionable whether any
other compactly organized movement for the spread of evangelical Christianity, since the days of
Constantine, has made at the beginning, in eighteen years--in evangelism, in organization, in general
upbuilding, in educational provisions, and in institutions--so great an advance. It has had the
difficulties, struggles, and discouragements of infancy; the ostracism, persecution, and mistrust of
being new in the world; it has known the coldness of friends and the blows of enemies; it has had
to create the beginnings of all kinds of institutional life; it has been obliged to create and test
leadership, raise up workers, build churches, get people saved and sanctified, overcome prejudice,
and opposition of many kinds and yet it has passed the empirical period, established its right to life,
and is enjoying the privilege.
We are not like other people: we are to sing our shouts and shout our songs, and shout without
our songs, and maintain and rejoice in our separation from the world, and unto the Lord, to be His
own peculiar people -- made peculiar by His manifest presence, and the holy fragrance of hearts and
lives filled with His love.
In The Harness
Dr. Bresee continued in the harness until the end. Occasionally when his health would fail, or his
physical strength would flag for a few days, he would relax his labors, but as soon as he recovered
his wonted bodily powers, he resumed his activities. He preached his last sermons in the First
Church of Los Angeles, in August, 1915. They were masterly in every way, and full of high thought,
unctuous utterance, and impassioned eloquence. During the months of July and August, he wrote
several articles for the HERALD OF HOLINESS. In another chapter I have given the outline of his
last commencement day address at the University of California.
His Last Address At The University
On September 2d, an interesting program was given at the Nazarene University, in connection
with the beginning of the new college year, and Dr. Bresee delivered a strikingly original address,
in the course of which he set forth the fundamental principles involved in Christian education. He
took for his text 2 Timothy 3.17: "That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto
all good works."