The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-12-18
Rev. Luigi AngeIini of Waldensian
Church Tells Women Of Pilgrim
Church of the Rough Handling
From Roman Catholics
RAISING MONEY FOR
PROTESTANT MISSION
He Hopes to Organize the Wal
denSian Society to Convert
Catholics of Italy to Protest
antism as the McAII Auxiliary
Aims to Do in France

Rev. Luigi Angelini of Waldensian
Church, Italy, spoke at the meeting OF
the Womans Association Of Pilgrim
Church in the vestry yesterday after
noon. Miss Mirick gave vocal solos
and there was a business session at
which it was voted to give 5000 toward
the church debt and $25 to the City
Missionary Society. The association
has been in existence only since July
tand has already raised $685. Mrs. j.
A. Rice is its president.
The foreign missionary department
was in charge of the afternoon pro
gram. Mrs. Alexander Lewis was
chairman
Rev Mr.. Angelini told a story Of per-
secution by the authorities of the Rom
an Catholic Church in Italy He was
a Catholic priest and was converted to
Professionalism in 1872 by Alesandre
GaVizzi a Catholic monk converted to
Professionalism at an earlier date.
Rev. Mr.. Angelini has an American
wife. He first met her when she was
a student in Florence. Mrs. Angeini
is at present in New York but she is
expected to arrive In Worcester I'm
April to organize a society similar to
the McAll Auxiliary.
The work Of the Worcester branch
will be Ike that Of other branches in
this country. to contribute funds for
converting Catholics to Professionalism
in italy a sthe McAll organization does
in France.
The new association will be known
as the Waldensian Society.
Rev. Mr. Angelni speaks in plymouth
Church tonight
He has been In this country about a
month. His purpose here is to raise
money to carry on the work Of Pro-
testant missions in Italy. Already he
has raised $1,000. He was knighted by
the late King Humbert Mr.. Angelini
says that he received IS, $50 francs for
damages when his case against the
Catholic authorities for persecution by
stone throwing, etc, was heard before
the council in his native city.
He said in his address yesterday af-
ternoon:
Dear Christian Friends-It gives
me great pleasure to remind you that
the Waldensians Of the Alps are prim-
tive Christians. or inheritors of the
primitive church. They have been pre-
served in these valleys from the alter
atoms introduced by the Church Of
Rome into the evangelical worship. IT
is not they that separated from Roman
Catholicism. but Roman Catholicism
which separated from them.
This primitive church. existing in
comparative obscurity in the Walden
sian valleys remained in its isolation
through the dark ages, free and with
out tendency to abandon the pure sim
plicity Of its faith. The first combined
measures taken by secular authority
for the destruction Of the Waldensians
was in the year 1909. From that time
the long train Of persecution. which
these people had 10 undergo. was unin-
terrupted through all successive centu-
ries In the year 1880 alone. 5000 were
killed. 10000 were imprisoned, and 5000
OF their children were distributed in
Catholic towns and villages.
AT times when they realized that they
could not resist the forces Of the enc
my. 20 times greater than their own
they would abandon their poor habita-
tions. place their old people and chill
dren in their rustic carts. with domes-