THE OPPORTUNITY OF PROTESTANTISM.
THAT the Church of Rome will again dominate the world is a matter of prophecy (see Revelation 13), and the present trend is conspicuously that way. But there are occasional uprisings of opposition which show that the Spirit of the Lord is still striving to win souls—to pluck them, as it were, as brands from the eternal burning. The Christian Work tells of a revival near ancient Pæstum, in southern Italy:— It appears that a young Italian immigrant about three years ago entered the Methodist Italian Church in this city [New York], heard the Gospel for the first time, and was soundly converted. Two years ago he returned to Italy, and on the scene of his old home commenced to sow the truths of the Gospel. He was despised by his neighbors because of his Protestant heresies, but he persisted in telling the story of salvation through Christ Jesus alone. Interest was gradually awakened, a Protestant pastor was sent for, and large numbers attended his preaching. The whole town was stirred and the better classes especially supported the movement. Naturally, the parish priest took alarm, invoked the aid of the higher authorities, and a "contradictory" meeting was held between the young Protestant minister and a church dignitary. The people found the teachings of the Protestant conclusive, and uttered prolonged cries, "Long live the Gospel!" In view of the opposition of the church authorities, the mayor, who until then had favored the movement, begged the young minister to leave. This he declined to do, urging his rights as an Italian citizen. The revival continues to grow, and is spreading to other towns. It is now proposed to build a church. A lot has been given and a part of the money subscribed. If such efforts could only be carried to the full meaning of Protestantism, those who fall in line with them would have an anchor that would secure them against falling back into the lap of Rome when the eventual pressure shall come against them. But unless they do go forward to the keeping of "the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus" (Rev. 14:12), they will surely be overcome when the test comes as to receiving the "mark of the beast." There are many people in the Old World who are opposed to the political rule of the Papacy; but, failing to "put on the whole armor of God" in their opposition, they will eventually fail. Even the governments of Italy and France, notwithstanding their hostility to the church's political influence, will yet, as Germany is doing, find it politically expedient to recant. Just so it will be with those professed Protestants who do not accept the full Gospel, and "contend for the faith once delivered to the saints;" they will not be able to stand when the political reaction comes, and the governments begin once more to enforce the dictum of the church. Now is the13time for true Protestantism to step into the breach while there is a tendency away from Rome. The favorable opportunity will not be for long. The present opportunity in Italy is emphasized by a note from Rev. Alexander Robertson, D.D., of Venice, in the Missionary Review:— Italy is a Roman Catholic country only in name. The churches are almost empty of worshipers and are filled with sightseers; the priests outside of Rome are comparatively few in number, and are men of the lowest appearance—even outwardly dirty and repulsive. There is entire lack of reverence for the Roman Catholic Church. Even the pope is not particularly esteemed. One cause of this is political. Italians are intensely patriotic, and see that the church is the enemy of their country. Another cause is ethical; they see that the influence of the church is on the side of immorality. Another is commercial; the chief effort of the church seems to be to extract money from the people. Italian thinkers are accustomed to contrast Roman Catholicism and Christianity, and to hope for the coming of a day when Christianity will destroy it. As noted before, however, these objections will all yield to the political reaction, excepting on the part of those who are grounded in "the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." As the young republic of the United States gave an impetus to religious liberty in the Old World, so our present yielding to the political influences of Catholicism will be the precursor of like reaction in Italy and other European states. And this return to Rome is being so accentuated in Germany, and even in the Church of England, that the tide will not be long in turning in those states that have always professed allegiance to the Catholic faith.