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

A Man Of God
We expect him to be -- we shall undertake to help him to be, on the highest line -- a man of God,
perfect. But we are told that this is folly; that none are perfect. And yet Paul, writing to the boy
Timothy, that young preacher, who was yet in his apprenticeship, said, "That the man of God may
be perfect." There is a perfection amid much imperfection. Listen to the voice of the Lord, "Be ye
therefore perfect, even as God is perfect."
"Thoroughly furnished unto every good work." Every part of his redeemed and purified being
needs furnishing. His body needs to be inured to intellectual toil. College and university athletics,
as a matter of physical development, are a grotesque humbug. A few men get muscle at the expense
of brains, and many get harm. We make no center of attraction of athletics, which creates a few
bullies, hinders intellectual excellence, and destroys spiritual ideals.
We would have such exercise as would strengthen and train the body to be the efficient servant
of a clear brain, noble heart, and pure soul. A subjected and trained body, with good food, plenty of
sound sleep and sufficient exercise, will create conditions favorable to spiritual devotions, clear,
strong intellectual effort, and such service as may be possible.
Mental Furnishing
But especially are we here for mental furnishing. The first thing which we prize is a royal
atmosphere, full of intellectual and spiritual ozone. A pure atmosphere, reinforced from ocean
breadths and mountain tops, means much for intellectual and spiritual conditions. Men and women
are to be so trained as to be immune from intellectual and spiritual diseases. It is sought that
intellectually and spiritually diseased men shall be debarred from creating influences here. Men and
women who exude the microbes of worldly or low ideals, or of doubt, or of fanaticism, or of
phariseeism, or of selfishness, are to be excluded. We want nothing second-rate or doubtful here.
This platform is not a free forum, except in the sense of freedom toward the best, the purest, the
noblest. The vagaries of such abnormalities as I have mentioned are not expected to find a place
here; but truth, saving truth, luminous with the light of love and the glory of God.
These are not the groves of sectarianism. Any students, or others, who may be of any church, will
we trust, find no effort here to proselyte, but to help each of them to be "a man of God, perfect,
throughly furnished unto every good work."
But we mean that there shall be a strong, pure, healthy denominationalism. We have no sympathy
with the twaddle which attempts to express the desire that all people be of one denomination. We
believe that such is neither providential nor desirable. We are lovingly, earnestly, intensely
denominational. If any one wishes to criticize his own denomination, this is a poor place for him to
do it.