The Missionary by Daniel T. Bourdeau

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Mar 17, 1887

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 13, No. 11.

The Missionary.

By Daniel T. Bourdeau

PIEDMONT, ITALY.

I HAVE just closed a most pleasant two months' stay in Piedmont, Italy, laboring with my brother, Elder A. C. Bourdeau, Brother Geymet, and Brother Audelta—part of the time with each. My labors have been bestowed mainly at St. Germain, Villar Pellice, and Angrogna, and in villages situated in three different valleys among the mountains at quite a distance from each other.

By the grace of God I have been enabled to give sixty-seven discourses, and twenty Bible-readings, ten of which were especially designed to help young laborers. I have made about one hundred and forty missionary visits; have met three attacks on the Sabbath truth, and have written one sermon for distribution. Three persons have decided to obey the truth at St. Germain, six at Villar Pellice, and two at Angrogna.

I could remain but one week at St. Germain and twelve days at Angrogna, and more work must be done at these and at other points. In the last-named place there are several families who are strongly convicted of the truth. Twenty-five persons attended our last Sabbath meeting. Many shed tears when we left them to attend conference. The weather, too, was becoming cold, and what we would call in Vermont "a sudden change" or "cold snap," and a heavy snow-storm, made

it necessary for me to seek the valleys. Our American readers may not, owing to the general idea that prevails as to the excellency of the Italian climate, understand what we sometimes have to meet here, in the region of the Alps. I am of the opinion that strong young men should be drilled for such fields, while the older hands could come in now and then as a re-enforcement.

Fuel here (among the mountains and away from thoroughfares) is so scarce that people dwell in stables in the day-time and evenings during the winter season as a matter of economy, and keep warm through the natural heat of cattle, sheep, goats, and (sometimes) the swine. In these stables I have given more than one-half of my discourses, having no other means of ventilating than to open the door now and then to get a whiff of precious fresh air. But I felt I was not above my Master, who chose a stable as his birthplace. The cattle were more worthy of his presence than were the proud and ungrateful people whom he came to bless.

God has greatly blessed me while here in Italy. It seemed at times as though my lungs were made of steel. Never have I enjoyed as much peace and as much of the blessing of God as in this field. If there is a place under heaven where missionary visits are needed and will be productive of good, it is this field. God has a dear people here who, behind a plain exterior and humble habits, have rare qualities, and who will yet scatter rays of light in other fields, as in former days of Vaudois purity. D. T. BOURDEAU.

February 16, 1887.