The-papacy-its-history-dogmas-genius-and-prospects-wylie

THE BIBLE IN ROME. 549convey them all over Italy. This may be done by colporteurs; but they must be prudent men. They must not offerthem on the streets ; they must carry them by threes andsixes in their pocket, or secreted about their persons, anddistribute them privately.How encouraging the fact, that the Romans, and the Italiansin general, are ready to receive the Bible,—are mostearnestly desirous of having it ! This fact has been wellattested by a variety of evidence. The following beautifullysimple and touching narrative contains all that we could wishon that head, and shows how much encouragement we haveto embark in this work.It is the address, as reported in thepublic prints, of Dr Achilli, at a Bible Society meeting in thiscountry :— " You are aware that I am just come from Rome.jSIy great work in Rome was about the Bible.I knew thatthe Bible alone is able to produce a religious revolution.When I speak of a revolution, I mean an entire change ofman in his relations with God, with society, and with himself.This change in an individual is quiet; but in themasses it is agitated, because very often it is a rapid changeof a whole system. This revolution I desire for the wholeworld, beginning at Rome. It was in the days of politicalliberty that the New Testament of Jesus Christ was publishedin Rome for the first time. At the same momentcopies of thecomplete Bible were introduced, published bythe English Bible Society. I and my friends showed thisbeloved book to the Romans, who were not slow in askingus for it. Our manner of presenting it was simple. Wehad the book in our pockets when we introduced topics ofreligion, and quoted on purpose texts of Scripture. Wethen took it out of our pockets, and read the quotations outof it. I found it better not to offer it, but to let them askfor it, and even as much as possible to let them be anxiousto get it. When I gave it, I used always to exact a promisethat they would often read it,—perhaps every day. Ihad the pleasure of seeing in many shops groupes of personsround the shop-keeper, the latter reading aloud the Bible