In the Strongholds of Romanism
By William A. Spicer
We may rejoice that at last we have a working foothold in all the Catholic countries of Europe. These lands that shut out the Reformation, choosing darkness rather than light, can no longer keep the light from streaming in. The final message of reformation is now sounding in every one of these historical strongholds of Rome. True, we are as yet so small and feeble a folk in those lands that our presence within the inner lines of Catholicism may not be felt; but the standard of God’s mighty truth has been planted in Rome’s very strongholds, and we who know that truth and its work in the earth know that the standard, once planted, never comes down. This truth shall yet stir the hearts of men in those lands, and that, too, ere long. It was no common thing that we saw at the Latin Union meeting last July, and on the shores of Lake Geneva. At the roll-call of delegates, representatives stepped forward from Belgium, and France, and Spain, and Italy, and from French Switzerland, the whole circuit of Catholic Europe, save Portugal and Austria. As for Austria, that was represented in our German Union meeting later, and now Portugal is entered, and will be represented at the next gathering of the Latin races. The French-speaking part of Belgium was represented by J. Curdy, who, with another brother, a Bible worker, is toiling away in the most densely populated portion of Europe. Belgium has 579 people to the square mile. It is an unresponsive field, but we have now twenty-five believers there, nine of whom came into the truth last year. France has a little band of workers, and a growing body of believers, who have resolutely set their faces toward the work for the forty millions of that land. Where years ago the way was blocked, now barriers are removed. As one worker said: “The doors are wide open in France. It really is saddening to see these beautiful fields wide open, and not enough workers to enter them.” Spain was represented by Brother Robinson, formerly of Argentina, South America, where he received the truth, and latterly of Wales. Spain, the land of the Inquisition, is now open to the truth, and already a few souls have taken their stand for it. Italy is entered in earnest. The truth is now preached “in Rome also,” under the shadow of the Vatican. Brother Everson reported some ready for baptism and the union council voted to employ two new Italian believers in the work. The union conference was held in the territory of the French-Swiss Conference, which so far supplies the greater part of the Sabbath-keepers in the Latin Union. Brother Leon Tieche, who was trained as a nurse, but who was drawn by the pressure of the needs into the field evangelistic work, is president of this Swiss Conference. Switzerland is a cosmopolitan country, and not likely to be mixed up in the political struggles of Europe. Hence it seems destined to be a sort of rocky fastness out of which workers may be sent forth into the surrounding fields, even in the troublesome times which soon must come in Europe. There were present at our meeting young people who, ever since they were little children, had heard that some day the French field would have a school. They had grown to young manhood and womanhood since their parents embraced this truth, and yet no permanent training-school was open to them. But at last it has come to pass, and this union conference definitely laid plans for a Latin Union school, which is doubtless even now in operation. You should have seen the joy expressed in the faces of young and old as the details of the plan were worked out, and the final decision reached. Here, in Switzerland, where most of our earliest work in Europe was done, you will find sturdy churches of seasoned and experienced believers, and they mean to faithfully push out from their home land into the unevangelized regions about them. Their young people are ready for service, and many are doing good work amid difficult conditions. This permanent school will be a strong factor in the Latin field. Just as the young Waldenses and the Vaudois youth pressed through these countries as missionaries in pre-Reformation days, so now we shall see a band of trained workers bearing this final message over the same countries. These Latin Union believers are with us heart and soul in this work. You can see the love of this truth shining in their faces, and one’s heart can catch the true ring of the message in their councils even when the language is unknown to the ear. For two years the expenses of the new fields in Latin Europe have been met by reserve funds released in the settling up of the affairs of the Basel property. Now, however, these funds are used up, except the school fund, which can not be touched for field work. It devolves upon the Mission Board again to make appropriations for Latin Europe, beginning with 1905. Here is an added incentive to giving for our mission funds. About $6,000 per year will be needed. Yet how small an amount to spread over the strongholds of Rome, where a hundred million people are to be warned. Keep this added need in mind as you give; and pray for the growing work in this waiting field, at last entered with the third angel’s message. W. A. S.