Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1873-11-29

BY REV. R. H. CRAIG.

iszl su EHstEa
Nearly twenty-five years ago, lad
at the age of twelve, enlisted in the
Italian army as drummer boy, under
the command of Garibaldi. Some six
years after that, however, he was CON-
PEELED to seek home beyond the seas
in the far off land of America 1t was
hard to part with his parents and only
sister, but the dangers to which he was
exposed at home made it necessary.
and he was hurried from the embraces
of his dear and fond mother to look for
friendship among strangers OF course,
ne was an Italian of the Catholic
Church, and, though young, he bore
away with him to America much of
the prejudices of that belief and all
the rankest hatred against the Protest
ant heretics. A brother, considerably
older than himself, had accompanied
him from home; and with this excep-
tion he was entirely without a friend,
a lonely stranger In strange land,
under the disadvantage of knowing but
very little of the English language.
Some months after his arrival in
America, as he walked along the foot
path of one Of our great cities, in pass
ing by an open door, he heard the
sound of singing. The young Italians
soul was stirred atthe strains of music.
so much loved and cultivated in his
peninsular home, and he stopped to
listen for moment Scarcely knowing
how, he found himself within the
door, 1t was a Protestant church and
they were holding revival meetings.
He Immediately saw that he had got
into church of ''heretics )" but still
they sang, and his passion for the music
excused him for the time, because it
seemed like that which he had sung so
often when at his mothers side far
away in Italy And yet he trembled
and feared exceedingly to be there, for
he had beeen taught from infancy that
it was wrong even to step within the
door of Protestant church or tread
upon any such unholy ground. His
next thoughts were, that a Roman
Catholic, of course, was not allowed
within their place of worship, which
alarmed him very much, and yet he
dare not leave ; for, if he did, they
wolld certainly see him and hand him
over to punishment. IF it were only
in Italy," he said to himself, II might
go out and not be seen, for there no
one turns his head to look at those
coming in or going out, but here it is
the very opposite" He next had
thoughts of telling them who he was
but, if he did, he feared they would
certainly put him out, and he could not
bear so much disgrace. He finally
concluded to initiate them in their
worship as the best means of escaping
detection.
When the singing was over, an old
father in the church arose and told the
story of the love of Christ-that ''he
was rich, yet for our sake became poor,
that we through his poverty might be
rich; that he came to seek and to
save the lost; and that he invited the |
homeless and fr:endless TO himself. |
He told them too, that Jesus Christ |
is the Great High Priest, who has
passed into the heavens, and that to
Him they might come, make confession |
and receive pardon of sin, without ap-
preaching him through the Romish |
confessional. He then urged his hear
ers to come forward to the altar and in
dieate their willingness to submit /
themselves to the saving grace of
Christ.
The little italian boy thought that |
he ought to 60 to the altar, too; for he |
felt that he was a sinner as much as
any that were there. He went; he |
confessed, but according to the Romish |
fashion, naming over in his broken |
English all the wicked things he had |
ever done. The old deacon thought |
him profane, and told him if he used |
such bad language he must be put out |
of the church. AT this he was afraid |
and began to pray, but, not being able |
to express himself freely in English,
soon glided into the Italian tongue and
feryently prayed for length of time.
His Italian prayer afforded much |
amusement to the less thoughtful of |
the congregation, but to God it was as
acceptable as English; and the stranger
boy then and there experienced that |
change of heart which those alone feel |
who know that their sins are washed |
away in the blood of Christ, and he |
went home to his brother, singing |
song of redeeming love, and thinking,
of course, that he would certainly join !
him in his happy life
His brother said to him, ''You aA
drunk p
He answered, Il am drunk with the
love of God"
You are a heretic! said his
brother.
Il am a Christian, my brother, said
he.
Il will turn you out of my house as
cursed heretic!' said his brother.
II love my brother and am Chris !
tian," said he, meekly.
His brother was enraged. He was
much the stronger he tied his hands,
he stripped him of his clothes, and
whipped him till the blood trickled |
from the wounds. He would not per-
NIT him to sleep in the house; he slept
in stable. He gave him nothing to
eat. He prosecuted him for three
months, day and night. He wrote to
his parents in Italy, telling them that
his young brother had become here
tic. His sister tainted at the news
his mother tore her hair and wept, and
cried, My poor boy, my poor boyl he
is lost, his is lost have raised my poor
boy up for the devilp' His father
cursed him with terrible curse, and
his mother said she disowned him from
that hour, and she kept her terrible
purpose. They wrote to his brother,
charging him to whip him, to break
his back, to kill him rather than let
him be hereto. Surely, poor little
Antonio bore persecution from father
and mother and sister and brother, for
Jesus sake, and might look to Jesus
for the promised reward. And yet he
loved his parents and brother the more
His new religion taught him so.
Three months had passed away; it
was Sabbath evening-he rose to
leave the house. His brother deman-
ded of him where he was going. He
said. To church"
IF you go, you will pay for it with
your life, ;" said his brother.
He left the house; his brother fol-
lowed him with club. Antonio look
ed around and saw him coming with
the weapon. He stopped he kneeled
on the street, and, shutting his eyes,
said. my brother, will you kill me ?
If you do, the guilt will be upon your
own head / commit my soul to
God.
There was perfect silence for mo-
mont Ha hoard tho cl,1h fall IN tho