Traversing the Alps to School
By CHAS. T. EVERSON
A SHORT time after I came to Italy, I made a visit to the Waldensian valleys, and met with our church at Torre Pellice. While there, I became acquainted with a young man who was an officer in the Salvation Army. We had a long study on the Sabbath question, and on some other points of our truth. He had also read some of our literature, and had studied with our young worker who was stationed at that place. Shortly after my return to Rome, I received a letter from him in which he told me that he had continued to meditate upon the things that we had studied together, and he was satisfied that this is the truth, and he expressed his intention of going to Milan, and there resign from the Salvation Army, that he might obey the truth. But he was not yet well enough grounded to meet the argument and pressure that was brought to bear upon him by the higher officers of the Army, and therefore he consented to remain with them. When we consider that he was quite young, and had not been long out of the Catholic Church, it is not so much to be marveled at that he should find it difficult to cope with the obstacles that they put before him. Besides, he had been converted from Catholicism by the Army. One night while still a fervent Catholic he happened to pass their hall where they were having a service in which they showed stereopticon views. Not knowing that there was any religion connected with the exhibition, he entered, and there his heart was touched by the Holy Spirit, and he gave himself to God. From that time forth he began to frequent the services regularly, and therefore naturally became much attached to the Army. His family, strongly aided by the parish priest, made a strenuous effort to regain him for the Catholic Church. They offered him exceptional opportunities of study or occupation, but it was all in vain, for he remained firm to his convictions. Therefore being converted under the Salvation Army, and at the same time being young, it was more easy to discourage him concerning our truth. And in order to get him away from our influence as far as possible, they sent him to Livorno. But it happened that I had occasion to pass near that city on my way to committee meetings, and therefore I stopped off and went to see him. After two visits of this nature he became strong enough to go to Milan, and really give in his resignation to the Army. He made application later to go to our school, but while we were waiting for the time to arrive to consider the question, an opportunity came to him of attending an undenominational school at Florence. And as he was in the necessity of deciding quickly, he accepted that offer. While there, he studied more carefully the truth, and as he was hindered from putting into practise all that he believed, he became troubled, and therefore made up his mind that he would leave the school and try to find a place where he could serve the Lord in the whole truth. Once out of the school, he found himself without money, and no position open before him. He was desirous of going to our school, but there was no way apparently to get there, as he had no money, and the Alps lay between him and the school. Finally, like the prodigal of old, he made up his mind that he would go on foot, and make a personal application for admittance to the doors of our institution at Gland, Switzerland. He therefore crossed the Alps, traversing the famous St. Bernard Pass, which has been rendered so prominent by the passage of Napoléon and his army over its bleak summit. On his arrival at the shores of the beautiful Lake Geneva, where is situated our sanitarium, his toils were rewarded by being received into the nurses’ training class. Just recently he wrote: “It is really a miracle that I find myself here. The Lord has led me, and I can not say how contented I am to have been admitted into the nurses’ training course. Pray for me that God may sustain me, and help me to render a good testimony of a true son of God.” And thus it is that after almost two years of struggle, study, and wavering, this young man has finally made a gigantic effort and come out clear and strong for the truth. The souls that are converted to the truth in these Catholic countries are won by long, patient, and persistent effort. And often we must encourage ourselves with the promise, “Let us not be weary in well-doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” We have found it verified in our experience.