Evening star., 1950-01-07
EvongeIists

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EvongeIists
Continued From First Page.)
taken its problem for the past
eight months from one Italian
department to another and also to
the American Embassy here seek
ing the written permission to oper-
ate its orphanage.
The group also conducts Bible
classes in Rome and surrounding
towns and plans to operate a
school,, But, said Mr.. Pittman,
they have been told they cannot
operate a school without first OBJ
tanning permission for the orphan
age. Some SO Bible classes a week,
he said, are attended by about
1000 adults.
None Of Workers Injured.
Mr.. Pittman and Mrs. Harold p.
Paden of Lubbock, Tex, said their
workers had been driven out of
Castel Gandolfo. Rocca di Papa,
Rocca Priora and Monte Compatri
by crowds. mostly youths, who
threw stones at them. None Of
the workers was injured. All Of
the towns are in Rome Province.
Members of the group also held
Bible classes in eight other towns
in Rome Province.
The Castel Gandolfo incident,
last month, climaxes the evange-
lists troubles. 1t happened after
the group had conducted bible
classes there for several weeks,
while the Pope was In residence
there. Mr.. Pittman said, Priests
aroused the people against us. -
Mr.. Pittman. whose words
brought agreement from Mrs.
Paden, said they were told later
by Italians who came to their
orphanage and bible classes that
priests had preached against them
in the Castel towns near Rome.
Priests Remarks Quoted.
One quoted q priest as saying to
hs Castel Gandolfo congregation
at a Sunday service:< '>.st...- .,~s,..+, =
why don't some 300 of you
young men turn their jeeps over
so they will know you do not
want to become Protestants?"
Mr.. Pittman, with young Mrs.
Paden nodding confirmation, said
there was a gang Of youths wait
ing for them at Castel Gandolfo,
they halted their jeep and began
to fail it with sticks.
Then they began to throw
stones" Mr.. Pittman said. 1--WE
got out Of there. I don't know
what would have happened in
another moment"
Mr.. Pittman said Church Of
Christ evangelists use only the
Bible in their teaching.
Active in Eight Countries.
Church Of Christ evangelists, he
said, also are active in Germany,
Switzerland, France. the Neither
lands, Belgium, Japan. China and
Mexico. 4
In Rome and surrounding area,
Church Of Christ has distributed
some 5000 packages to about
$4,000 needy Italians during the
past year. But the organization
now is having difficulty receiving
its gift packages, said Pittman.
During the past two months, he
said, Italian authorities have be-
gun to apply postal regulations
that limit each individual to one
gift package per month. AS a
result, he charged, hundreds Of
gift packages for distribution were
piled UP in customs and at the
post Office.
Conferred With u. s. Envoy.
Mr.. Pittman said Church of
Christ workers have for months
conferred with Embassy officials,
including Ambassador James c.
Dunn.
Mr.. Pittman said they asked
Ambassador Dunn what they
should do if visas are not issued
to them by Italian authorities and
said Dunn replied that perhaps 1t
might be best If we go home.
"But," said Mr.. Pittman, we're
not going home"
The Church Of Christ workers
here are Mr.. ana Mrs. Cline r.
Paden, Brownfield. Tex; Mr.. and
Mrs. K. D. Pittman, Corpus
Christi, Tex; Mr.. and Mrs. Gordon
B. Linscott, Dallas. Tex: Mr.. and
Mrs. William c. Hatcher, Detroit,
Mich; Mr.. and Mrs. Harold Q.
Paden, Lubbock, Tex; Mr.. and
Mrs. Jack p. Mcpherson, Nocona,
Tex, and Wyndal H.. Hudson of
Seagraves, Tex.