Phineas F. Bresee: A Life Sketch

From the preface:
This sketch of Dr. Bresee’s life was written by request of the publishers. Why they asked me to write it I do not know. Of course I had constantly to draw upon the biography of this noble man, written by his intimate and much loved friend Rev. E. A. Girvin. That is a great book, worthy of its great subject.

If there is any worth in this brief “Sketch,” give Brother Girvin all the credit for it. If there are any faults or errors, charge them all to me.

Probably the design of this “Sketch” is to scatter broadcast over the country information about “The Church of the Nazarene,” how and why it came into being, viz: that there might be a body of Christian churches whose avowed purpose was to teach to the Christian world the doctrine of sanctification and full salvation as a second work of grace.

Incidentally, in these days of barren ministries, it teaches how a young man, even though poorly educated, by the help of the Spirit, can achieve mighty things for God, and win a multitude of souls.

The Church of the Nazarene that Dr. Bresee founded is now about thirty-five years old. It already has seventeen hundred churches, almost three thousand preachers about eighty thousand members, six colleges, a noble Publishing House, a great missionary work, and one of the best Religious Weeklies in the world.

Beautiful as it all is, it is but the purple morning of the blazing Gospel Day that is yet to be. It is an honor and a blessed privilege to be connected with a Gospel movement that moves!

The Table of Contents are as follows:
Part 1: THE VALUE OF BIOGRAPHY
Part 2: PREFACE
Part 3: PHINEAS F. BRESEE
Part 4: HIS CONVERSION
Part 5: HIS CALL TO PREACH
Part 6: MARRIAGE AND ENLARGED SERVICE
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9: COUNCIL BLUFFS IN 1881
Part 10: SENT TO CRESTON — 1879
Part 11: SENT TO PASADENA — 1886
Part 12
Part 13: CONFERENCE, 1892 — BISHOP VINCENT
Part 14: 1893 — BOYLE HEIGHTS M. E. CHURCH
Part 15: THE CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE WAS BORN!
Part 16: RESOLUTIONS AND REFORMATIONS
Part 17: “STOP AND THINK”
Part 18: OTHER ELECT SOULS
Part 19: A NEW BUILDING
Part 20: ASSOCIATE PASTOR
Part 21: DR. A. L. WHITCOMB, ASSISTANT PASTOR
Part 22: EDUCATIONAL WORK
Part 23: MISSIONARY WORK
Part 24: MISSION WORK IN INDIA 1906
Part 25: CHURCH POLITY AND DR. BRESEE
Part 26: SYSTEM OF MONEY RAISING
Part 27: THE PENTECOSTAL CHURCHES
Part 28: DR. AND MRS. BRESEE’S BIRTHPLACES
Part 29: THE MARRIAGE
Part 30: AN INSIGHT INTO DR. BRESEE’S HEART
Part 31: THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AT PILOT POINT, 1908
Part 32: THE GREAT UNIVERSITY PARK CAMPMEETING, AUGUST, 1911
Part 33: THE NASHVILLE ASSEMBLY, OCTOBER, 1911
Part 34: STATISTICS
Part 35: THE PERSONNEL OF THE ASSEMBLY
Part 36: HIS LAST FOUR YEARS
Part 37: HIS LAST ADDRESS AT THE COLLEGE, SEPTEMBER 2, 1915
Part 38: DR. BRESEE’S LAST EDITORIAL — SEPTEMBER, 1915
Part 39: HIS PERSONALITY

About the author:
Aaron Merritt Hills (1848-1935) was an American Methodist. Raised in a Christian home, he was saved at a revival meeting at the age of eleven. After high school, he attended Oberlin College, where he became acquainted with Charles Finney. 

After college, he pastored two churches over the course of sixteen years, and then entered into evangelistic work. At some point in his life, he found that he lined up more closely with the Nazarene church, and so threw his lot in with them. After a successful career (if it may be called thus) as an evangelist, he accepted the position of president at Texas Holiness University (now Peniel College). 

Throughout his life, Hills wrote many great books, and contributed much to the Kingdom of God. His legacy has long survived him, and doubtless he will be remembered for generations to come.