Phineas F. Bresee (December 31, 1838 – November 13, 1915) was the primary founder of the Church of the Nazarene, and founding president of Point Loma Nazarene University.
Bresee was born on a farm near Franklin, New York, and raised there and in nearby Davenport. He was converted to Christianity in the Methodist Episcopal Church in Davenport in 1856 and delivered his first sermon later that year. He helped his family move to Iowa in 1857 and entered the Methodist Episcopal ministry in Iowa soon afterward. In 1860 he married Maria Hebbard, his sweetheart from back in New York.
He was a pastor in Iowa from 1857 until 1883, serving various charges including East Des Moines, Chariton, Wesley Chapel (Des Moines), Broadway Church in Council Bluffs, Red Oak, and Creston. He also served a term as a presiding elder (now district superintendent) and was a delegate to 1872 General Conference of the M. E. Church, held at Brooklyn, New York. In 1883 he relocated his large extended family (which included six children, his parents, and a nephew) to the West Coast. He was appointed to Fort Street Methodist Church (now First United Methodist Church) in Los Angeles, California, then to Pasadena First, and later to Simpson Tabernacle (L.A.), Asbury M. E. Church (L.A.) and Boyle Heights (also in L. A.). In California, he also served as a presiding elder of the Los Angeles District and as a delegate to the 1892 General Conference of his church. He had also chaired the committee that recommended Simpson College become a four–year college, raised the money for buildings there like College Hall, now "the college’s primary historic landmark," and served on the their board of trustees for 16 years, part of that time as board president. In Los Angeles, he was a trustee for the University of Southern California and worked with J. P. Widney to save the College of Liberal Arts there.
Again I start this but I'll add a new twist
So the masses can't resist
The message brought by a Panther strictly
To relieve the disease of the sickly
So long your mind's been trapped
Slave, 'cause you're shamed to be black
Ignorant of the purpose of the plan
To keep the black man down under
So I'll address y'all this time
Make a statement that's on my mind
Brothers scared of revolution should be
Thinkin' of the way that we could be
Miss blue eyes, how'd you do that?
Tried to put him in but the skin is still black
Thinkin' of a way to escape the darkness
See the weave and indeed I start this off
Black is black is black is black off
Black is black is black is black
S E D I T I O N
In the mood of the move I'm showin'
See the way the clinches have been torn
Cold spittin' facts to the miracle Earth born
So what's your next move, black?
Go to school or maybe join a frat
Still you seem lost, the mind is brainwashed
It can't be good 'cause your mind's the cost
So flip on your Young MC
Or Jazzy Jeff or whatever the case be
Mindless music for the masses makes ya
Think less of the one that hates ya
Then trained to respect the game
And you turn your back on a black with the same claim
Oh, blessed but you guess they mean less
Because another brother can't afford to dress
The way you do but who said you're all that?
Made a little money, now your skin ain't black?
C'mon I don't think your shit don't stink
You can't run from the one whose primal instinct
Is to fought the words I taught ya
Thought you moved quick but I just caught ya
Now you try to say that you don't remember me
I'm P-Dog from the B.P. posse
Or a mob, that's known as Scarface
Pro-black and some think pro-hate
But in fact it's a call for unity
Heed the plea of weak we're soon to be
Move, start this
Black is black is black is black
Enter the dark side
Black is black is black is black
Yeah, funky
Dance
Now who did you think that you were steppin' to
Once your job came through
Don't get big, 'cause I caught your accent
Shoulda been real but you wanted mass appeal
Next time you might think of this
Might remember why I'm above this
But for now, my brother, I'll say