Italy by L. ZECCHETTO

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 1, 1910

Italy

By L. ZECCHETTO

It was with great pleasure that I came to my native country one year ago. Since I came into the truth, my heart’s desire has been to devote my life to giving God’s glorious message to my own people. I am thankful that I am able to report results of the year’s labor.

Torre Pellice is quite an important center, as it is the capital of the Waldensian valley. Brother Bertalot is doing good work there canvassing, and the Lord is blessing his efforts. We have in Torre Pellice our first and oldest church in Italy, raised up and established twenty-five years ago by the efforts of Brethren Czechowski and D. T. Bourdeau.

At Gravina, a town of twenty-five thousand inhabitants in the southern part of Italy, we have a little company of commandment-keepers, gathered out by one who accepted the truth in America, and returned to his native country to bring to his own people the glorious message. Brother P. Creanza was once connected in the Lord’s work with the writer in New York City. Gravina seems to be a promising field. Last April it was my privilege, when I went there with Elder L. P. Tieche, to baptize two converts; and I have just received a letter inviting me to come down and baptize six more.

At another small place, Santeramo, in the south of Italy, the good seed is being sown by Brother L. Benezet, who is holding public meetings there, which are fairly well attended. To his encouragement, the Lord has given him already four precious souls for his hire. For this we all are deeply grateful to our merciful Heavenly Father.

Genoa is a great commercial center in the north of Italy, on the beautiful Mediterranean. Here I am now located. I feel that the Lord is helping me and my brother worker, F. Vaucher, in our work, although the difficulties are many, as Genoa is the most priest-ridden city in Italy. There are other adverse circumstances put in our way by the powers of darkness, yet July 16 I had the privilege of baptizing five persons, and a number more are interested.

Our monthly paper is doing good work, entering the homes of many people, and two have been gained by this silent messenger.

The most precious blessing to me is that my dear parents, who for years had opposed my faith, and almost disowned me because of it, are now eagerly studying God’s truth, and the Lord has thus brought me back to their hearts.

Catholic priests have told me on different occasions that we have such an unpopular message that we can never hope to succeed in overthrowing their long-established, world-accepted faith; therefore, they do not consider it worth while to fight us, as they prefer to be after those whose professions of faith and practise are almost like their own.

L. ZECCHETTO.