Lost in Rome: A Catholic Professor Finds the Way by C. T. Everson

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 4, 1909

Lost in Rome: A Catholic Professor Finds the Way

By C. T. Everson

One day an intelligent-looking but sad-faced man appeared at our door in Rome. “What can I do for you?” I asked.

“From what I know of this world,” he replied, “it is very beautiful, and I think the next world will be exceedingly so. But I have no hope of eternal life. I do not expect to be saved; but if you can give me any hope of being saved in God’s everlasting kingdom, I do not want anything else.”

I told him that he must believe in Jesus Christ. “Yes,” he said, “but there are so many Christs; there is the Methodist Christ, the Presbyterian Christ, the Baptist Christ, the Catholic Christ, and the Waldensian Christ, and all kinds of Christs. Which Christ shall I believe in?” I told him to believe in the Christ of the Bible. He replied that they all said they had the Christ of the Bible. I told him he must believe in the Christ of the prophecy. He said, “I like your way of telling things. I want to go ahead with you, and study this matter.”

I might say this man was a priest of the Catholic Church, and had been a professor of theology in one of their higher schools. But he had left the church, and wanted to find something better. We had Bible readings together, studying the evidences of prophetic truth, the great lines of historic prophecy centering round the first and second advents, showing the nearness of the coming of Christ and the message for our time. I put into his hands that little book of ours, “Steps to Christ.” After reading this and studying other matter, he came and said, “I believe in the Lord, I believe he has forgiven me, and has made me his child.”

C. T. EVERSON.