p. 530 | An Appeal from Italy by Editor

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Nov 29, 1883

An Appeal from Italy.

By Editor

[The following we received from Prof. Pettingell, with a request to publish. He says: "I hope you will find it practicable to use it even for the information it contains, if for no other reason." We trust it will prove of interest to our readers.—EDITOR SIGNS.]

THE case of Rev. Mr. Dening, English Missionary in Japan, from whom the Church Missionary Society have withdrawn their support for his adherence to the Bible doctrine of immortality only in Christ, is known to the friends of the cause in this country. A committee has been formed in England who have assumed his support, and he still continues at his post.

Also the case of Rev. Charles Byse, of Brussels, who has recently been tried for the same heresy, and excluded from the Evangelical Synod, and whose house of worship has been taken from him, the great majority of his church and congregation adhering to him, has been published and commented on in several of our papers. He has rented a hall, and still continues his faithful labors with encouraging prospects. But for the present he is obliged to depend in part upon pecuniary help from abroad. Dr. Petavel of Geneva, and Rev. Mr. White of London, who are also interested in supporting Rev. Mr. Dening, are trying to do what they can to aid Mr. Byse in his work in Brussels.

Now comes an earnest appeal of the same sort from Italy. We ought to be thankful for the evidence we have that the truth for which we are laboring is extending and gaining adherents all over the world. But it lays upon us additional burdens and responsibilities, and gives us an opportunity of proving our faith by our works. The friends of this cause in this country are very generally pecuniary to weak, and very much scattered. No doubt we all feel that we have all and more than we can well do, to meet the pressing demands of this cause in our own several localities and in our own country. But still, we may do something out of our poverty in behalf of our common faith in other parts of the world. The formation of the committee proposed does not seem to me practical in our scattered and divided condition. But I should be very happy to be made the medium of sending such contributions as our Christian friends in different parts of this country may find it in their hearts and in their power to give to our brother in Italy. It seems to me, in view of the responsibilities already assumed by our friends in England, and especially in view of the fact that this brother has hitherto been supported by an American society, that his appeal to us comes with a peculiar force. The letter below, which I have translated for publication, speaks for itself, and needs no explanation. Let it be carefully read. Let us all at least pray for him, as he requests, and if the Lord shall dispose and enable any to send me contributions of money for him, whether large or small, I shall gladly acknowledge them and faithfully transmit, as he has designated.

J. H. PETTINGELL. 739 Corinthian Ave., Philadelphia, Pa.

TORRE PELLICE, Italy, Oct. 22, 1883. REV. MR. PETTINGELL: In the latter part of last April I received a letter from Dr. Petavel, informing me that he had written to you concerning my position and work. But as my position was not decided, and my work in the cause of conditional immortality had not been commenced, and as I was waiting to be free, I preferred to postpone writing to you.

I am a Baptist Evangelist in the service of the Southern Baptist Convention of Richmond, of which society Dr. G. B. Taylor of Rome, is the agent in Italy. After considerable correspondence with him on the subject of my new views, he asked me if I would promise to keep absolute silence in public and in my private conversation on this subject. I replied that I could not. Then he informed me of his grief, and his fear that it would be an obstacle to the continuance of my relations, adding that he could not take upon himself the responsibility of either dismissing or retaining me.

Then I requested him to send all our correspondence to the committee. This he did. I asked of the committee entire liberty in my preaching. They replied that this could not be granted, in view of their position as dispensers of the funds of the Baptist Union, which would not permit them to employ their funds in support of preaching which set forth doctrines contrary to those of their church.

Thereupon I offered my resignation. Fifteen days after this my place in the Baptist chapel here was filled by another minister. Dr. Taylor came to install him. Everything passed off pleasantly, Dr. Taylor simply informed the congregation of the facts in the case, without any direct allusion to the doctrine in question. I thanked the committee and its representative. Dr. Taylor closed by saying, "I have suffered much, and still suffer on account of this rupture, but if anything could console me, it is the fact that everything has been done in the most perfect charity, and without the loss of mutual esteem and friendship."

Notwithstanding this, I remain a Baptist, and a member of this church. I frequent their meetings and often take part in them. Meanwhile I have entered on my special work. I have rented a hall in a neighboring locality, at St. Jean Pellice, where I was a minister of an independent church from 1865-69, and where I have many friends. I opened this place of worship yesterday, Oct. 21, with a special discourse to an audience of forty persons. I hope soon to open another also, at Torre Pellice, which is the chief place in the Vaudois Valleys. I am intending also, to give lectures in the principal towns of Italy, and to lay the question before the Italian public generally.

Now I write you, dear sir, to solicit your interest in my work. My English friends will provide for the wants of myself and family through the year upon which I have entered. Dr. Petavel and other friends are assisting me in the payment of the rent of our places of meeting. But it is absolutely necessary to publish some popular tracts to make known our views among all classes of the people, both in this locality and throughout Italy. I am just now about issuing a strong brochure in reply to the accusation of "Materialism" [in the sense of infidelity]. For this work Mr. White has given me 250 francs, but it will cost twice this sum. Could you, dear sir, institute a committee for the publication of French and Italian tracts, either original or translated from the English?

I speak three languages, and could translate from the English into both of the others. You might send me tracts which you judge worthy of translation, and if they are adapted to our country I would cheerfully translate them. Our friends in England will also send me some. It is only on this condition that one can hope to do anything. Will you kindly interest yourself in this project, to form a committee, and if the effort succeeds, send your contributions to Rev. Edward White, or to Dr. Petavel, who are in correspondence with me, and who, being nearer here, could oversee the work. Hoping that we may be able to have a pleasant exchange of letters, I salute you in Jesus Christ, OSCAR COCORDA.

P. S.—Could you send me your work on "Immortality?" Pray for me. O. C.