National Republican., 1874-05-18
xIssIoN WORK IN ROME.

ADDRESS BY THE REV. W. O.vANMETER
A large congregation gathered ct the Thir-
teenth-street Baptist church yesterday morning
to listen TO the interesting missionary worker,
Rev. W. @. Van Meter, relating his experience as
q pioneer Christian laborer In the field OF Papal
power and authority. Tho speaker commenced
by saying that six weeks age yesterday, knowing
that It was his last Sunday In Rome, he strolled
up to the old ruin known ss Nero's Court, where
Paul must have stood, and passed from there into
the jewish quarter for qstet meditation. While
there he drew from his pocket . small Bible, sat
down on q rock, and read to himself the Iastchsp-
ter of Ephesians. He said that his departure for
America was so near at hand that he drew from
those words great consolation, and felt that he
was going TO those who would happily and with
welcome receive him, and away ffUm those who
anS defeat ssily hin Gospel truths N
Rome. And now that he was safely among them
he would speak Of those great truths, and Of what
they had done for an oppressed and oenighted
people.
flashed through the ocean depths on lightning
rule you rejoiced that the Eternal Oity was once
more Tree. From a little over one hundred years
Protestants have been mereilessly persecuted by
the iron rulo of the Romish temporal authority.
The souls OF those whom John saw who were
slain for the work Of God, had been crying" How
long, o, Lord holy and true, dost thou not judge
and ayenge our blood on them that dwell on the
earth?"
PaganIsm seemed to have exhausted itself in
devisnx modes Of torturing Gods children. AT
length Romanism succeeded to its place and be-
came the very incarnation ef falsehood, deceit
and treachery, and caused humanity to stand
aghast Mt the magnitude Of her crimes and heart
lessness Of her cruelties. Then, us If her cup OF
iniquity were not full enough. her representa-
tives from all parts Of the world, who were as-
sembled and led by the Pope, stood up before
Jehovah and declared this poor, feeble old man
was Gods yicegerent-his infallible representa-
tive on earth, and that whosoeEer did not receive
him ms such should be damned.
No wonder the souls Of martyrs cried out, How
when he uttered this croWning blasphemy, Pic
Mono fell. But even while this was being done.
the States Of the Church, reaching out until Its
radiant beams were felt throughout oil Italy and
the world 1t was the 10th Of, September, 1870,
will never forget. God cried aloud for the op-
pressed to arise and put on their strength; and
In that same hour Victor EmmanuePs troops
demanded admittance 1t was refused, and i'm
mediately his tremendous batteries thundered
against the massive walls, and the Pope thun-
dered back with his Insignificant artillery. A
breach was made. The troops entered and the
city was saved. 1t Is now less than four years
What grand transformation scene of four years.
durat!onl Then the victorious army of Emmanuel
marched trinmphantly through the city. Bat
terry after battery. troop after troop, squadron
after squadron poured resistlessly on, amid which
scene the little dog-esrt on which was placed the
Bible moved, the greatest power OF all.
1t was Gods gun, a gun which the Pope feared
more than all the artillery OF the world. Now
missionaries pass along those streets unharmed,
and the Christian religion Is making wonderful
strides in the very court Of the Papal kingdom.
The plains of Italy being dotted with Protest
ant schools and churches. Education is fast be-
coming system, thorough in all Of its branches
and the harvest is as great as the work. The Word
of God is preached in the very heart Of the city
where was Nero's garden, which was lighted by
Christians in their shirts Of tar. Four years ago
such an act would have brought down tho mad
dened mercies Of the Papal inquisltion the per-
petrators head. 1t is not much work to print the
Bible. But, OH It is glorious to print 1t right in
the very center Of Papal power! He spoke at
length upon the missionary work in Italy: of
what bad been accomplished, and OF what had yet
The work which is being carried on to-day en-
braces five day, night, and Sunday schools in
Rome, five in Frascati, three teachers In Bari
Milan, and giyita Yeeehia; two VISITORS and
Bible-readers and Ave places for meeting. When
he left Italy he told tho Mission that he wouit
come to America and plead Tor assistance. 1t
costs twenty-five dollars month for each teacher.
and the amount he asked the congregation to do
nate was four hundred and twenty five dollars.
This amount was secured in less than ten minutes
after the benediction, and about as much more
was obtained ut the evening service The Rev.
Mr.. Van Meter has accomplished o great work in
Rome. He commenced almost as soon as the
field was opened. He was pioneer in the cru
sade. Their watchword was "loye." Their
martial music was the songs Of the angels to the
shepherds. Peace on earth, good will towards
men," And their harVests have yielded fouriold.