THOSE who think of missionary work as pertaining only to heathen countries will learn with surprise that mission workers such as seek to carry the tidings of salvation to the people of Italy frequently do so at very grave peril, notwithstanding the religious liberty which is said to prevail in that beautiful country.
Teodoro’s story is a striking evidence of this. Our readers will remember the story we told of Teodoro in the pages of FAITHFUL WORDS last year. We had hoped that his troubles were over for a while, and that he would be left in peace to prosecute the work to which he was devoting himself; but, as our readers are aware, dangers at all times beset those who were once of the Church of Rome, and who have had courage to leave it.
Several endeavors were put forth to get Teodoro back to his native place, but, knowing the deadly peril which might beset him there, he was unwilling to go. A scheme was, however, laid, through which he received a summons to appear before the Government officials of his native district for the leva di milizia― the levying for military service. He did not think himself obliged to go, being of Spanish origin, and suspected a trap. But a more urgent summons came, to disregard which would probably have meant six months’ or a year’s imprisonment; so he went before the prefect, and made preparations to depart.
Since Teodoro’s residence at Spezia he has won all hearts; he is an enthusiast in the preaching of the gospel, and a devoted student in the preparation for fuller missionary work. He preached shortly before he left on the words, “I will bless the Lord at all times.” It was a sermon that will not soon be forgotten by those who heard it. As he had to appear before the authorities at his own town in October, his friends in the Spezia Mission were in earnest prayer for him. The supplies needed for the journey were considerable, and the mission funds were very low. But all the money in the house was given him. He started off in the calm of faith in God, believing He would be as a wall of fire round about him.
He left Spezia for. . . where it had been determined that he should remain a few days to feel his way, and to find out, if possible, whether his footsteps were being dogged. Some days passed without news of him; then a telegram arrived saying that he had been arrested and was in prison. Further news came by a trusty messenger that he had been accused of intentionally passing a false one-franc note when buying a little fruit in the marketplace. The prison is one of the worst in Italy. The gravest apprehensions filled the hearts of the mission. The position of affairs can hardly be imagined by those who are used to legal procedure in England, and to the powerlessness of religious hate to warp justice. Providentially the mission had a friend at . . . and he went to the Procuratore del Re (a high authority), and did all he could. The next news was that Teodoro would have to be brought to trial. Then came a message that the trial was delayed, and that Teodoro was still in prison and ill.
Upon this, Mr. Clarke, the director of the mission, called on the prefect, who said: “I have all the papers, which have just come to hand, freeing Teodoro from the necessity for army service; he need not have left Spezia.” These papers had been kept back, and had not reached the prefect till too late to prevent Teodoro’s departure. God raised up a friend in this same prefect. He took much trouble over the matter, telegraphing to the young monk’s native place to know of his standing there. The authorities in answer reported that there was absolutely no stain upon his record. The two leading Government officers at Spezia then consented to telegraph to . . . testifying that there was nothing against the young man’s character in their city.
At length the glad news reached Spezia, “Teodoro is liberated!” God had been pleased to bless the extraordinary efforts put forth, and He had so worked that when the Minister of State for the Interior heard the actual facts of the case he ordered the prisoner’s instant release without trial!
God had granted our young friend calm and joy while in the dreadful prison-house. He had been given courage to confess Christ from the first, though he well knew the danger he incurred in so doing. He preached every day to the prisoners, and patiently taught them the way of salvation. He induced them to learn and to sing the hymns used by the Spezia Mission, and he gathered them to kneel round him and to pray with him. Some of these men steeped though they were in sin yielded their hearts to the tidings of One who loves sinners, and who saves without the help of priests.
One day the prisoners heard some singing outside the prison under the window; it was the same hymn that Teodoro was teaching the prisoners. The singers were a little band of Christians of that city, who in the surrounding darkness were as rays of light. They had come to console him thus.
When the order came for his release the governor of the prison sent for him. This man had been not a little surprised to hear of the letters and telegrams which had arrived, all speaking in the highest terms of his prisoner; but he had been far more astonished at the life and influence of the young man among the prisoners.
So the governor asked him a little about himself, and then said: “I must shake hands with you, but you are the first prisoner I ever shook hands with in my life. You are so different from any other I ever had in my charge before, and if you had remained here a month the whole character of the prison would have been changed. As it is, you have made a wonderful difference in the prisoners. I cannot understand it. If I had the means I would ask you to come to me and be my son’s tutor.”
But this was not all. Teodoro’s brother had but lately come to reside in . . . with his wife and a cousin. Through this trial God brought them the greatest blessing of their lives. The brother had been a declared atheist, but by the spirit Teodoro manifested, and by his earnest conversations and prayers during the short time he stayed in the district after his release the brother, the sister-in-law, and the cousin, have been led to Jesus Christ, and have cast themselves upon Him as their only Saviour and Lord.
When Teodoro reached his lodgings after reporting himself at Spezia he took to his bed, and for a long time was unable to rise; for he had undergone not only great anxiety, but very severe hardships in the prison, which, as we have observed, is entirely unlike the English prisons of today.
Before he left Spezia this text, “And He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday,” (Psa. 37:66And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. (Psalm 37:6)), had been given him as a travelling portion. He kept repeating it, and had evidently found in it great comfort and courage.
Some of our readers last year kindly supplied help towards the young monk’s education and sustenance at Spezia. We appeal further for him at the present time, and we also remind his friends of the burden the mission has been subjected to in defending him in the law courts, and in other charges entailed upon it by his journey and his sickness. On page 2 of the cover information is given as to where aid should be remitted.