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

The Formative Period
Doubtless no period in the history of the Church of the Nazarene has been more important than
the two years and two months which elapsed between the organization of the First Church in Los
Angeles, and the publication of the first number of "The Nazarene." I recognize the importance of
devoting as much attention as possible to this crucial epoch in the life of Dr. Bresee. In doing so, the
only data at my command is the shorthand diary which I have kept for more than twenty-seven years.
Excerpts From Diary
I had a very voluminous correspondence with Dr. Bresee during this period, but all his letters were
destroyed in the great San Francisco fire of 1906, and my replies in connection with the work in
Berkeley throw little light upon what was going on in Los Angeles. In my diary of Oct. 15, 1895, I
find the following: "I have just returned from Dr. Bresee's. During a conversation which lasted
several hours, he told me just how it was that he left Peniel Hall. * * * Dr. Bresee and Dr. Widney
have started what will be a new church. The Doctor has been driven to it, and regards it as the will
of the Lord that he should do this." On October 23, 1895, I attended the prayermeeting at the Church
of the Nazarene, and said: "There was a great spiritual power there, and I was blessed. One man
sought salvation, and I hope found it before he left." On Sunday, October 27th, I state: "Dr. Bresee
preached a grand sermon from Luke 7:25, 'Whom went ye out for to see?' He brought out several
entirely new thoughts."
I made another trip to Los Angeles with the Supreme Court, in April, 1896, and on the 19th called
at Dr. Bresee's residence on San Julian street, and went with him and his daughter, Sue, to the church
on Los Angeles street near 5th. I noted in my diary as follows: "It is a rough frame structure, 65 by
45, which cost $900, and will seat six hundred people. They got in it last Sunday. It was filled this
morning, and there was a good meeting tonight. The address was by Dr. Widney." The following are
other quotations from my diary:
"On April 20th, I called on Dr. Bresee again, and we talked over the new church enterprise, the
principles of primitive Christianity, and the best way of getting God's people organized along
Christian lines."
"On April 21st I attended the holiness meeting. There were seventy or eighty there, and it was a
splendid service. Several came to the altar seeking salvation and sanctification. The message was
by Brother Marsh, and the power of the Holy Ghost was with him."
"On Wednesday, April 22d, there were at least 120 at the prayer meeting. I gave a Bible reading,
and a lady who sought pardon as a backslider, came to the altar, believed that her sins were forgiven,
and made a complete consecration to God." I made another trip to Los Angeles in October, 1896, and
under date of October 18th, I find the following entry in my diary: "I walked to where Dr. Bresee
formerly lived, and found that he had moved. I then went to the church building, on Los Angeles
street, between 5th and 6th, and got there just as the meeting closed. It had been a wonderful
manifestation of the power and presence of God. Dr. Bresee took me in his buggy to his residence
on 11th street, and I ate supper with them and went to the meeting with him and his wife and mother.