£ibrar^ of t:he Cheolocjical ^tminary 
 
 PRINCETON . NEW JERSEY 
 
 FROM THE LIBRARY OF THE 
 
 REVEREND JOHN ALEXANDER MACKAY 
 LITT.D., D.D., LL.D., L.H.D. 
 
 BX 6700 .Z8 N37 1916 
 Nardi, Blanche P. 
 Michele Nardi 
 
MK'HELE NAKDI 
 
( NOV 26 1968 
 
 Michele Nardi 
 
 ^^-=--^ THE=== 
 
 Italian Evangelist 
 
 HIS LIFE 
 AND WORK 
 
 Compiled by 
 Rev. A. B. Simpson 
 
 Published by 
 Mrs. Blanche P. Nardi, 
 
 690 EIGHTH AVENUE 
 NEW YORK 
 
COPYRIGHTED I916 
 BY MRS. BLANCHE P. NARDI 
 
PREFACE 
 
 IT is the supreme glory of some noble 
 lives that the man himself was greater than 
 his work or the story of his achievements. 
 It is difficult for this reason to do justice to 
 the portrait of Michele Nardi. He was 
 unique, original, intense, dramatic, and diffi- 
 cult to translate into ordinary terms of ex- 
 pression. Who can forget the way he used 
 to say "Praise the Lord"? Who can forget 
 his shining and transparent face, and his pose 
 and attitude eloquent of force and deep sin- 
 cerity? He carried his heart on his sleeve 
 and was "a living epistle, known and read of 
 all men." 
 
 The writer counts it a great privilege to 
 have even a modest part in making his life and 
 testimony live and continue to speak for the 
 voice that now is still. He had the privilege 
 of knowing him from the beginning of his 
 career, and knowing him and his beloved wife 
 intimately. The following sketch is really the 
 simple story, which her own loving hand has 
 traced, slightly revised and reconstructed for 
 
4 Michcle Nardi 
 
 better literary effect. But the simplicity of 
 the story is its real charm, and the unaffected- 
 ness of the little volume will make both their 
 lives more intensely real to the large circle 
 who knew and loved them so well. 
 
 The story is further extended in the testi- 
 monies of many friends, who have gladly unit- 
 ed to bring their tributes of affection and vene- 
 ration to his sacred memory. Among these 
 we are permitted to include Rev. A. F. Schauf- 
 fler, President of the New York City Mission, 
 who has kindly consented to write the intro- 
 duction; Mrs. S. G. Beck, of Germantown, to 
 whom the volume is respectfully dedicated; 
 Rev. Dr. Ely, Rev. Mr. Agide Perazzini, and 
 others. 
 
 It is not necessary that the writer should 
 add to these testimonies. The life story speaks 
 for itself. We thank God for the life that 
 was behind it, and the works that do follow. 
 
 A. B. Simpson. 
 New York, March 20, 1916. 
 
This volume is lovingly dedicated to 
 
 MRS. SARAH G. BECK, 
 
 Germantown, Pa., 
 
 the generous helper in every noble cause and 
 
 the lifelong friend of Michele and 
 
 Blanche Nardi 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 n^HE REV. MICHELE NARDI, whose 
 ^ biography is herewith issued, was a re- 
 markable man. The story of his life is so 
 fully told in the following pages that by 
 way of introduction little seems to be called 
 for. That little will naturally take the form 
 of "An Appreciation" by the undersigned. 
 
 My first acquaintance with Mr. Nardi 
 dates back some years when I went to Phil- 
 adelphia to assist him in work he was at 
 that time carrying on among the Italians in 
 that city. I then at once saw he was a man 
 of unusual oratorical gifts and that he had a 
 strong hold on the hearts of his fellow- 
 countrymen who had gathered at the serv- 
 ices over which he had presided. In due 
 time the New York City Mission was look- 
 ing for a man to take the place of its veteran 
 Italian pastor, the Rev. A. A. Arrighi, and 
 the Society was quite persuaded that there 
 was no more acceptable and reliable man 
 than just the one whom I had heard in 
 Philadelphia. We then issued him a call, 
 
8 Michele Nardi 
 
 and for about six years he had charge of our 
 Italian Mission in Charlton Street, which 
 during this time became the Charlton 
 Street Memorial Church, and for about two 
 years he also had charge of the Italian 
 work in the Broome Street Tabernacle. Here 
 Mr. Nardi was instant in season and out of 
 season, not only preaching and teaching, 
 but visiting incessantly, like the apostle 
 Paul, from house to house, beseeching every 
 man to be reconciled to God. Mr. Nardi 
 was a man possessed with the Spirit of his 
 Master, and for him it was "meat and drink" 
 to do the will of his Heavenly Father. As 
 a pulpit orator he manifested all the fervor 
 of his race. His preaching, however, was 
 thoroughly evangelical and evangelistic; his 
 only aim being to bring everyone into vital 
 union with Christ as his Saviour, and then 
 to build them up in their Christian life, so 
 that they in turn should be winners of souls. 
 He believed in the Word and always 
 preached it faithfully, never turning aside to 
 political or other themes and never indulg- 
 ing in the clap-trap of cheap attacks on the 
 Catholic Church. His one aim was to set up 
 
The Italian Evangelist 9 
 
 a standard of truth as laid down in the Bible 
 and let all else take care of itself. 
 
 While he was with the City Mission, he 
 also cooperated in the Evangelistic Summer 
 Tent Work ; and here too he was a tower of 
 strength. Italian audiences always hung 
 on his words, and were fascinated by the 
 message that he had to give. 
 
 In 1913 Mr. Nardi left us to return to his 
 native land, and the City Mission parted 
 with him with sincere regret and with feel- 
 ings of high esteem for the splendid work 
 he had done while with us. The same fer- 
 vor which he displayed while in New York 
 manifested itself in Italy. Practically, Mr. 
 Nardi burned himself out. Had he been 
 more sparing of his strength, his ministry 
 would undoubtedly have been more pro- 
 longed. He felt that he must work while it 
 was day, and so he flamed on, until his light 
 swiftly went out, and he entered into that 
 life where all is light, where there is no 
 weakness, or weariness, or cessation of serv- 
 ice, and where in his Master's presence he 
 can realize that larger life and perfect serv- 
 ice of which he often spoke to his congrega- 
 
lo Michele Nardi 
 
 tions. The City Mission is glad that it had 
 the privilege of having Mr. Nardi in its 
 work for so many years. 
 
 A. F. SCHAUFFLER, D.D., 
 
 President N. Y. City Mission Society. 
 
Chapter I 
 
 BIRTH, EARLY LIFE, AND CON- 
 VERSION 
 
 MICHELE NARDFS start in life was 
 not without a touch of romance. He 
 was born in 1859, at Savignano di Romagna, 
 Province of Forli, on the river Rubicon ; 
 his birthplace being just where Julius Caesar 
 had crossed it. His parents were Roman 
 Catholics; his father, a merchant. 
 
 At the age of seventeen he joined the 
 Army under Garibaldi and was afterwards 
 awarded two medals for distinguished 
 bravery. 
 
 When he was about nineteen, he went to 
 Florence to study Antiquar}^ and remained 
 for three years. It was here that he 
 came in contact with an English family who 
 took a great interest in him and taught him 
 to speak English. He also became acquaint- 
 ed with many tourists from England and 
 America who traveled through Italy. 
 
 America 
 
 IT was at the persuasion of some of these, 
 that he came to America, where he was 
 
12 Michele Nardi 
 
 promised better opportunities than in his 
 native land. Like many others, his main 
 purpose was to attain wealth. 
 
 As he was of the higher class of Italians, 
 educated, of stately demeanor, and very gen- 
 tle in manners, he won the confidence of all 
 who knew him. 
 
 But upon his arrival in America he found 
 that his profession did not give him a suffi- 
 cient income. It was too new a country to 
 give much oportunity for antiquarian stud- 
 ies. About this time, another Italian, who 
 had been in America some years before and 
 had become acquainted with "Get-rich- 
 quick" methods, laid some plans before Mr. 
 Nardi by which they could make a great 
 deal of money. 
 
 Business Ventures 
 
 ACCORDINGLY they took contracts 
 to build railroads, for which purpose 
 they employed their fellow countrymen, 
 who did their work so well that the Irish, 
 who were giving a lot of trouble and doing 
 inferior work, were set aside, and the Ital- 
 ians flocked to this country by the hundreds. 
 
The Italian Evangelist 13 
 
 These two men were among the first to in- 
 troduce Italian labor into America. 
 
 But, by the time they were established in 
 their new-found joy of making money by 
 the thousand, the Jay Gould failure visited 
 them with others, and for the time ruined 
 their business. 
 
 The news of the excellent work done by 
 these Italian contractors soon spread. But 
 times were very hard, and the Italians were 
 starving in New York City. 
 
 In Pittsburgh, the "Molly Maguire" 
 trouble was raging. But a few of the mine 
 owners decided to try the Italians, of whose 
 good work they had heard. The mine own- 
 ers came to New York, and Nardi and his 
 companion signed a contract to mine coal 
 for a Pittsburgh coal company. 
 
 They loaded a train with Italians, who 
 were glad to do anything to keep from starv- 
 ing. But when they arrived in Pittsburgh, 
 they were met by a raging mob who wanted 
 to kill the newcomers, none of whom could 
 speak English but Mr. Nardi and his part- 
 ner. Taking in the situation, one of them 
 slipped out through the throng and soon re- 
 turned with weapons with which to defend 
 
14 Michele Nardi 
 
 themselves. All knew how to fight, and 
 they did fight, led by Nardi, and in time 
 the ''Molly I^laguires'' were driven out. But 
 for all this trouble and danger (for they had 
 to fight continually for their lives) they re- 
 ceived no pay. 
 
 Disappointed in this adventure, they 
 again returned to railroad contracting in 
 the western part of Pennsylvania. Once, 
 when they had one road almost completed, a 
 flood came and did a great deal of damage, 
 destroying about twenty thousand dollars' 
 worth of work. But in spite of these losses, 
 Nardi was still full of hope, and pressed on. 
 
 Again hard times set in, and his Italian 
 countrymen were starving. His heart went 
 out to them, and he wanted to help 
 them. Hearing that a firm in Pittsburgh 
 was anxious to get a charcoal that would 
 meet their requirements, he consulted some 
 of his men who had followed the business 
 of burning charcoal in Italy, and, having 
 obtained the desired information, he laid his 
 method before the company. They at once 
 accepted his proposal and agreed to try the 
 new charcoal. 
 
 At the same time a colony of Economites, 
 
The Italian Evangelist 15 
 
 who had settled near Pittsburgh, were clear- 
 ing a large tract of land. Hearing of their 
 desire to dispose of the lumber, he applied 
 for the contract to remove it. He took sev- 
 eral hundred men out in the woods, and for 
 two years they turned out the best charcoal 
 that had ever been used in Pittsburgh up to 
 that time. During this time he also acted 
 as Consul for the Italians in Pittsburgh. 
 
 Revisits Italy 
 
 MEANWHILE he made frequent visits 
 to Italy to see his mother and friends. 
 
 But during all these ten years in America 
 no one had offered him a Bible. 
 
 On one of his trips to Europe he met an 
 American business man at the Paris Expo- 
 sition in 1878, who later played an impor- 
 tant part in the change that occurred in Mr. 
 Nardi's life. The American was exhibiting 
 his patented articles at the Paris Exposition 
 where Nardi joined him and worked for 
 him, and they became very intimate. Mr. 
 Nardi was a great help to him because of his 
 knowledge of French. He could also speak 
 German fluently, having acquired it at 
 Economy, among the Germans. 
 
i6 Michele Nardi 
 
 They both returned to America after the 
 Exposition, Mr. Nardi to his business in 
 Pittsburgh, and the American to his home. 
 
 But the latter, while visiting his sister, re- 
 ceived vi^hat she had been praying and prais- 
 ing God for, for seven years, — his salvation. 
 
 Mr. Nardi waiS again contracting, and w^as 
 doing nicely in his business. He also took 
 an interest in stocks, and by shrev^d invest- 
 ments v^as on his way to acquire his desire: 
 namely, wealth. 
 
 New Religious Influences 
 
 IT was while in Philadelphia, looking af- 
 ter his business in the Stock Exchange, 
 that he again visited his American friend, 
 who was no longer the man he had once 
 known. There were now some things which 
 they could no longer enjoy together, for as 
 the American said, 'T was dead, but now I 
 live." This man had prayed much that God 
 would show him how to reach his Italian 
 friend with the Gospel. He asked him if he 
 had ever read the Bible, to which Mr. Nardi 
 answered "No." He said he knew nothing 
 about it, and that no one had ever ap- 
 proached him concerning the things of the 
 
The Italian Evangelist 17 
 
 Bible, although he had lived among Protest- 
 ants all these years. The American then 
 asked him to read the Bible, giving him a 
 large Bible of family size. But Mr. Nardi 
 told him he had not the time to read such a 
 big book, so his friend marked a portion 
 for him to read. Mr. Nardi took it to his 
 hotel to please his friend, having promised 
 to read the portion which was marked. 
 
 His Conversion 
 
 WHILE waiting for his dinner, he re- 
 membered his promise (and being 
 conscientious he wished to keep it) ; so he 
 turned to the marked portion which 
 was John i : 12. A man of quick perception, 
 he at once noticed his privilege to become a 
 son of God. He immediately told the Lord 
 that he wanted to be His son, and he then 
 and there accepted Christ as his Saviour, 
 and had the joy of knowing his sins for- 
 given. 
 
 But while Mr. Nardi was reading, there 
 were seven people praying that God would 
 make His Word life to this Italian friend. 
 
 Mr. Nardi prayed to God in simple faith, 
 saying, *'If Thou wilt give me power to become 
 
i8 Michele Nardi 
 
 Thy son, I want to be Thy son right now." 
 God answered prayer, and he jumped to 
 his feet and said, "Praise the Lord." Then 
 he heard the call of God to forsake all and 
 follow Him. 
 
 So deep was the work of God in his soul 
 that he went to the Stock Exchange at once 
 and asked them to strike his name from the 
 list. Mr. Nardi had bought stocks at a time 
 when their value had dropped, but now they 
 were increasing, so that in a few days he 
 would have made a large sum of money. 
 The man in the Exchange thought he had 
 gone crazy, but he soon told him of his new- 
 found joy and explained to him w^hy he took 
 this attitude. 
 
 He then returned to Pittsburgh and as 
 soon as possible closed out his business 
 there. 
 
 Separation and Meditation 
 
 HE next went to Economy, and taking his 
 English Bible and a few blankets, he 
 settled himself in a little hut in the woods 
 to study God's Word. For some months 
 he lived in entire seclusion. But after much 
 persuasion on the part of some of his 
 
The Italian Evangelist 19 
 
 friends, who finally discovered his where- 
 abouts, he forsook his little hut and lived 
 for a while in a private home. He was dis- 
 covered by some one's seeing the tracks in the 
 snow and following them to the little hut 
 where Nardi was living without fire or furni- 
 ture. Once, when asked how he kept warm, 
 he said it must have been the Holy Spirit Who 
 kept him warm. 
 
 While here he studied his English Bible 
 (for he knew no other), and soon he saw 
 that certain words were used a great many 
 times; so he set those words together, giv- 
 ing their references. At the time he thought 
 he had discovered something useful ; but 
 when he came out of his seclusion, he found 
 that a concordance had been in use for many 
 years. 
 
 Visits New York 
 
 WHILE in Economy, he received a 
 few Methodist papers in which was 
 announced the Tuesday afternoon HoHness 
 meeting, in the house of Mrs. Sarah Palmer, 
 316 E. 15th St., New York. He cut out this 
 address and with several others put it in his 
 pocket. He placed these addresses in differ- 
 
20 Michele Nardi 
 
 ent pockets so that, in case he should lose 
 one, he could still find another. He decided 
 to go to New York and attend those 
 meetings. 
 
 Denominationalism did not appeal to him, 
 because he could not understand it; but 
 when he walked along 23d Street, in New 
 York City, one day, he saw the sign, "Gos- 
 pel Tabernacle." He said to himself, "This 
 is the place for me." He attended the meet- 
 ing and found the teaching just what he had 
 learned in his Bible. He there heard Dr. 
 Simpson, Major Cole, Henry Varley, and 
 others. During one of the services, an invi- 
 tation was given for any one who wished to 
 dedicate himself to the Lord to come for- 
 ward. Mr. Nardi responded, and the above- 
 named with three others, laid their hands on 
 him and set him apart for the Lord's service. 
 He never accepted another ordination, 
 though many tried to have him officially 
 ordained. 
 
 About this time the Camp Meetings were 
 in full swing at Ocean Grove. He went 
 there, and during one of their meetings he 
 gave his testimony to what the Lord had 
 done for him. Later he was asked to give 
 
The Italian Evangelist 21 
 
 it before the assembly from the platform, 
 because all who heard him were much im- 
 pressed with the sincerity of this one who 
 seemed to stand alone among Italians at that 
 time in this country as a Protestant. 
 
 In Mrs. Palmer's Home 
 
 AMONG the many who heard him was 
 Mrs. Sarah Palmer from New York 
 City, and she was so impressed by what he 
 said, as well as by his earnestness, that she 
 afterwards went to the Gospel Tabernacle in 
 New York and asked where she might find 
 that Italian. She left word with Mr. Simp- 
 son that she wished to see him. Accord- 
 ingly he went to the Tuesday afternoon 
 meeting held in her home. Mrs. Palmer had 
 a conference with him, and after much per- 
 suasion, he consented to live in her hospit- 
 able home. Her object was to teach the 
 young man the way of God more perfectly. 
 It was while here that he met many holy 
 men and women of God who all left their 
 impress on his character, among them prom- 
 inent Methodist Bishops and leaders in the 
 church, who were entertained at Mrs. Pal- 
 mer's home during those four years. 
 
22 Michele Nardi 
 
 Bible Training 
 
 DURING these years he became root- 
 ed and grounded in the truth, which 
 must have had much to do with his success 
 in later years. He also did much personal 
 work among his own countrymen in hospi- 
 tals, and prisons, and among the fruit-ven- 
 ders of New York. At this time there was 
 only one Italian Protestant church in New 
 York, under the leadership of Rev. Antonio 
 Arrighi. 
 
 He took every opportunity to hear the 
 best Bible teachers and frequently attended 
 the lectures at the Missionary Training 
 School, though he was not an enrolled stu- 
 dent. But his one book and instructor was 
 the Bible. 
 
 The success of his work among the Ital- 
 ian unfortunates was so evident that even 
 the Italian Press gave him recognition and 
 wrote occasional accounts of it. In one of 
 these articles they used this beautiful expres- 
 sion — ''They could point to him and say, 
 'There goes the man who was born with the 
 Golden heart.' " 
 
 Up to this time he did not feel led to open 
 
The Italian Evangelist 23 
 
 any regular mission among his people, but 
 confined his efforts to doing personal work 
 and speaking in other missions and 
 churches. 
 
 Marriage 
 
 DURING the few years that he was in 
 New York, he met one of the students 
 at the Missionary Training School, Miss 
 Blanche Phillips, who afterwards became his 
 wife. They were married in the home of Mr. 
 Kinney at Sing Sing, by Rev. A. B. Simpson. 
 The ceremony was very impressive, Mr. Nardi 
 following it, while they were still kneel- 
 ing, by prayer. Even the colored caterer 
 said that it was a holy marriage. The invi- 
 tations to the wedding had on them this in- 
 scription, ''Both Jesus and His disciples were 
 called to the marriage." The power of the 
 Lord was surely present, to which the 
 guests all testified. 
 
Chapter II 
 EVANGELISTIC WORK 
 
 AFTER a few months Mr. and Mrs. 
 Nardi left for the West, to begin their 
 pioneer work among their dear Italians. 
 Their first stopping place was East Pitts- 
 burgh, where they visited the sister of Mrs. 
 Nardi and found to their glad surprise sev- 
 eral hundred Italian laborers working on a 
 new car track, on Highland Avenue. They 
 immediately began visiting them in their 
 shanties, distributing tracts during the day, 
 and visiting in the homes at night. They 
 spent all day Sunday with them and 
 preached to them in the open air. One Sun- 
 day morning in particular that Mrs. Nardi 
 recalls, they went out on a vacant lot back 
 of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and 
 there Mr. Nardi preached in power to a 
 large crowd who had gathered, and many 
 listened from their windows and back yards. 
 At the close of the meeting there were nine 
 who bought Bibles from a representative of 
 
The Italian Evangelist 25 
 
 the Bible Society who was present. Some 
 Irish Catholics who were present called out 
 "Protestant ! Protestant !" and at once some 
 of those who had bought the Bibles became 
 frightened and brought the Bibles back ; but 
 Mr. Nardi soon assured them that they con- 
 tained the true Gospel of Salvation, after 
 which they kept them. For about six weeks 
 they continued their work among the Ital- 
 ians of Pittsburgh. 
 
 About this time they heard that great 
 numbers of Italians were in Chicago, and 
 Mr. Nardi felt called to go to preach to 
 them also. However, the work in Pitts- 
 burgh had its lasting effect, for a few ladies 
 became interested in the work among the 
 Italians, and soon started a mission which 
 later developed into the Italian Presbyter- 
 ian Church in East Liberty. These ladies 
 extended a call to a young Waldensian min- 
 ister directly from Italy who responded to 
 the call and was much used of God in the 
 early days of the mission. Mr. Nardi fre- 
 quently visited the field. At the present 
 time there are several Italian Churches and 
 Missions in Pittsburgh and vicinity. 
 
26 Michele Nardi 
 
 Other Cities Also 
 
 S0M1{ Temperance ladies in New Castle 
 heard of the Italian Evangelist in 
 Pittsburgh and gave him an invitation to 
 come and speak to the Italians in that 
 town. They went and visited them in their 
 homes, distributing tracts, gospels, and Bi- 
 bles, and many were converted. Beaver 
 Falls and Carbon Hill were also visited and 
 meetings held at these places, and tracts, 
 Gospels, and Bibles distributed from 
 shanty to shanty and house to house 
 through the snow. The opposition on the 
 part of some was awful, but others received 
 the Word gladly and became new creatures 
 in Christ Jesus. 
 
 While they opened no missions at these 
 places, they sowed the seed, and others fol- 
 lowed to reap. There are now promising 
 churches and missions in these places 
 which were started since their first visit. 
 
 Their work was not confined to the Ital- 
 ians, but Mr. Nardi also preached to Amer- 
 icans everywhere he went. 
 
 They also visited Youngstown and spent 
 one month in work for the Master there. 
 
The Italian Evangelist z-j 
 
 The Italians in these towns were employed 
 in quarrying stone and doing similar work, and 
 lived in mere huts. One Sunday morning 
 they went through the field of snow to the 
 stone quarry to a little shanty where they 
 found five Italians ; one was rolling out the 
 macaroni, and one was reading the Gospel. 
 Mr. and Mrs. Nardi sat down on oil cans 
 (chairs were not in evidence) and had a 
 meeting with them. 
 
 Once when they had announced a meet- 
 ing, the Italians prepared for the service by 
 erecting an altar, draping it nicely, setting 
 the cross on it, and lighting the candles, — 
 and while they were waiting, they smoked in 
 the same room. It showed their interest on 
 one hand and their need to know the truth on 
 the other. 
 
 Some of those who were converted returned 
 later to Italy and have been among the Pro- 
 testant leaders there. They carried the Gos- 
 pel (their new-found treasure) to their loved 
 ones in Italy, and some of the most substan- 
 tial work there has been done by those con- 
 verted in America. 
 
28 Michele Nardi 
 
 Chicago 
 
 't3' 
 
 ARRIVING in Chicago, they inquired 
 where the Itahans had their settlement, 
 and were told that they could find many of 
 them on South Clark Street. Finding them in 
 great numbers in the streets, they at once be- 
 gan their work among them in the open air. 
 
 While attending a noon-day prayer meeting, 
 a Christian brother offered the use of the 
 second floor of his coal office for a Mission 
 to the Italians in "Hell's Half Acre," which 
 was considered the worst part of Chicago. 
 They accepted the offer and set about at 
 once to get it in order, by cleaning, scouring, 
 and whitewashing, until it was quite a nice 
 hall. The neighborhood was so bad that the 
 man did not want to rent those rooms to any 
 one else, so he was glad to let it out free of 
 charge as a Mission Hall. The first seats 
 were made of planks which had been stored 
 on the roof, and an old organ which they 
 found about the building was their first musi- 
 cal instrument. 
 
 The first meeting was held on Sunday after- 
 noon. Mr. Nardi went down on the streets 
 and invited the men to come in and hear the 
 
The Italian Evangelist 29 
 
 Gospel. They asked ''Where?" and he said, 
 "Come and see." Seven followed him, and 
 he preached to them. The hall soon filled up, 
 and the work grew rapidly. Some American 
 ladies, who became interested in the work, 
 wanted to do something for these needy peo- 
 ple. They opened a Polytechnic school for the 
 boys and girls in the neighborhood who were 
 newsboys and girls and bootblacks, and also 
 a kindergarten for the little ones in the morn- 
 ings. Some of the workers from the Bible 
 Society came down and opened a Sunday- 
 school and a sewing school. So the work 
 prospered. Much could be said about what 
 God did among these Italians, if space per- 
 mitted. 
 
 There were a few Evangelical families of 
 the Waldensian Church of Italy who lived 
 on the North Side of Chicago. Hearing of 
 Mr. Nardi and the meeting, they came to the 
 South Clark Street Mission and brought with 
 them Italian hymn books. They then per- 
 suaded Mr. Nardi to come over on the North 
 Side and hold meetings in their colony. For 
 several weeks he preached to them in a Scan- 
 dinavian Y. M. C. A. every Sunday night. 
 This, however, was only a temporary abode. 
 
30 Michele Nardi 
 
 About this time ^Ir. Nardi met Mr. Sim- 
 mons, a godly man, Land Commissioner for 
 the Northwestern Railroad, who used his in- 
 fluence to secure the R. R. Y. M. C. A. hall 
 right in the vicinity of the Italians. They 
 gave the hall, — heat, light, and all — free of 
 charge for a few years, and it was here that 
 the first Italian Church of Chicago was or- 
 ganized with a membership of 54, April 17th, 
 1892. 
 
 A large colony of Italians were found living 
 on the Southwest side of Chicago. Mr. Nardi 
 felt led of the Lord to open a work here. 
 Renting a cottage of five rooms, he tore down 
 all the partitions, making one large hall which 
 seated 150 people. The rent was fifteen dol- 
 lars a month. 
 
 Here they had much persecution from the 
 Irish Catholics. But the Lord mightily 
 blessed all three Missions. Here also the 
 Bible Society workers came to their help, and 
 soon there was a large Sunday-school, and 
 sewing school, and evening classes in English 
 where the Bible was the text-book. In this 
 way many were caught in the net. Much 
 might be said of the work done in these three 
 Missions. 
 
The Italian Evangelist 31 
 
 About this time they felt their need of a 
 helper, and a Waldensian minister, Mr. Theo- 
 philus Gai from Italy, while in this country 
 collecting money for the work in Italy, came to 
 Chicago, and, hearing of the Italian work, 
 came to visit Mr. Nardi. This was the first 
 time Mr. Nardi had met a real Waldensian 
 (that is, a Waldensian born). Mr. Gai went 
 with Mr. Nardi from mission to mission and 
 was greatly surprised at the power of God 
 manifested among the Italians. Mr. Nardi 
 asked him if he could send him a young man 
 filled with the Holy Ghost who would come. 
 He replied that he had a 'Veal Barnabas" 
 who had been in America but was now in 
 Italy. 
 
 Up to this time the work had been done in- 
 dependently trusting only in the Lord, and 
 appealing to no one for financial help. 
 The Work Taken Over by the 
 Presbyterians 
 
 BUT now the work had become known to 
 the Presbyterians, and they offered to 
 take hold of it and pay the salary of the 
 young minister when he would come. Ere 
 long Mr. Grilli came from Italy and took hold 
 of the work with great enthusiasm. 
 
32 Michele Nardi 
 
 For some time it was felt that a building of 
 their own on the North Side was needed. A 
 Mr. Willing, of the Fourth Presbyterian 
 Church, gave ten thousand dollars for this 
 purpose, and a very neat church building was 
 soon erected on West Ohio Street. The Mis- 
 sion then removed from the R. R. Y. M. C. A. 
 hall to the new church. 
 
 Italian Work 
 
 THE Presbyterian Board of Chicago short- 
 ly after pubUshed the following report — 
 in the Interior: 
 
 ''The work among the Italians in our own 
 Presbytery has two principal centers, the 
 Italian church at 73 West Ohio street, near 
 Halsted, and the Nardi Mission at 148 West 
 Taylor street. The latter was named for Sig- 
 nor Nardi who was among the first to inaugur- 
 ate Protestant mission work among the Ital- 
 ians in Chicago. The recital of the experi- 
 ences of Signor Nardi since he first came to 
 this country is in itself most interesting. 
 Finely educated and an artist of note, he came 
 to America to be an art critic. Arriving in 
 New York City, his attention was ar- 
 rested by the distress among his country- 
 
The Italian Evangelist 33 
 
 men in and around Five Points, and he 
 at once began the study of bettering 
 their condition. The further he investigated, 
 the more enthused he became and finally de- 
 cided to abandon art for the time being. He 
 submitted a plan to one of the eastern rail- 
 roads to take a contract for building their 
 road-bed using only Italians as laborers, him- 
 self superintending the work. His proposi- 
 tion was accepted; and although it created 
 quite a furor among the Irish and American 
 laborers, as many will recall, it was success- 
 fully carried out. At that time he refused all 
 religions, even that of his mother country, 
 and not until some months later did he accept 
 Christ and his teachings. After studying un- 
 der the direction of the Rev. A. B. Simpson 
 of New York city, Mr. Nardi and his wife, 
 also a student of Dr. Simpson's, began evan- 
 gelistic work, coming to Chicago in 1889. Mr. 
 and Mrs. Nardi together with workers of the 
 Chicago Bible society held meetings in cot- 
 tages, on street corners, or visited from 
 house to house, giving the gospel to Italians 
 whenever opportunity presented itself, the 
 Bible society furnishing tracts and portions 
 of Scripture for distribution. The following 
 
34 Michele Nardi 
 
 spring Mr. Nardi secured a room at 505 South 
 Clark street and organized a Sunday-school. 
 About the same time the Young Men's Chris- 
 tian Association gave the use of their hall 
 near Kinzie street bridge for another Sun- 
 day-school. It was at this latter place that 
 the first communion service among Protes- 
 tant Italians was held, and the growing in- 
 terest soon centered in that district. There 
 was a Waldensian element which formed the 
 nucleus of a church, and God's blessing was 
 manifest in frequent conversions. By the 
 following winter a few friends became inter- 
 ested in the progress of the work, and among 
 them was the ever to be remembered friend 
 of the Nardi Mission, Mrs. S. G. Hubbard, 
 whose devoted efforts for the Italians are 
 still continued. In 1893 the Chicago Pres- 
 bytery permanently located a church and re- 
 quested Mr. Nardi to become its regular pas- 
 tor, but he declined, believing that God had 
 called him to evangelistic work. A call was ex- 
 tended to the present pastor, the Rev. Filippo 
 Grilli, who began his pastorate early in the 
 autumn of 1890, with a church membership of 
 fifty-eight. In 1894 the present substantial 
 brick edifice on Ohio street was erected, due 
 
The Italian Evangelist 35 
 
 largely to the generosity of Mr. Henry Will- 
 ing. In 1 89 1 Mr. Nardi opened the third mis- 
 sion, which had its beginning on Desplaines 
 street and continued there until a more suit- 
 able building and location were secured on 
 Taylor street, now called the Nardi Mission. 
 The work begun on South Clark street was 
 subsequently merged with that of the Metho- 
 dist Mission, and a most excellent work is 
 being accomplished. Pastor Grilli preaches 
 and carries on the work at both the Italian 
 church and Nardi Mission. Mrs. Grilli is a 
 most proficient helper as is also Mrs. R. 
 Francesconi, who is superintendent of the 
 Sunday-school in the Italian church. Beside 
 the regular preaching services, conducted 
 always in Italian, there is a splendid Sunday- 
 school, sewing school, a mother's meeting, and 
 a Bible class under the leadership of the 
 Bible society. The work is a continual en- 
 couragement to those who are giving their 
 services, and the wonder is that these Italians 
 have carried their church and mission to 
 such a successful standing with so little 
 money. Members of the church who have re- 
 turned to Italy have started circles there 
 looking toward the organizing of a church. 
 
36 Michele Nardi 
 
 The Evangelical church of Italy, which is 
 the union of all the Protestant churches on 
 the peninsula, report five new churches added 
 to its roll during 1897, giving a total of thirty 
 Protestant churches. About 1,000 persons 
 have come into close fellowship within the 
 past year." 
 
 E. Dryer, Chicago. 
 
 Among the Miners 
 
 MR. NARDI now felt that he had time 
 to visit the collieries. A superintend- 
 ent of coal mines at Spring Valley, fifty miles 
 from Chicago, a Presbyterian who had heard 
 of the good work that was being done in Chi- 
 cago, invited Mr. Nardi to come down and 
 see what he could do for the Italians who 
 worked in the mines. The Italian colony there 
 was composed of Italians from the northern 
 part of Italy. Many of them were well edu- 
 cated, but not having the English language, 
 worked in the mines. However, they earned 
 as much as four dollars a day if they were 
 good workmen. 
 
 A hall was rented, and work began. Sing- 
 ing was quite a drawing card, as some of the 
 
The Italian Evangelist 37 
 
 men had been opera singers in Italy. When 
 they were taught the beautiful Itahan hymns, 
 ''Safe in the arms of Jesus," etc., they sang 
 them with such force that they could be heard 
 all over the town during the service. In the 
 day time, when these men were about two 
 thousand feet under the groimd, they would 
 sing the hymns there, especially "Safe in the 
 arms of Jesus." 
 
 The majority of the population of this town 
 were Irish Catholics, so that they even con- 
 trolled the public schools, and the Protestants 
 had to send their children to the Catholic 
 school. As soon as the Irish priests saw what 
 Mr. Nardi was doing, they sent off for an 
 Italian priest. He was a good musician, and, 
 to counteract Mr. Nardi's work, he opened 
 evening classes in music. But the Lord was 
 with Mr. Nardi in his meetings and in the 
 distribution of Gospels and tracts. The Ital- 
 ian priest came to him and had a talk with 
 him, but the priest was so bound that he 
 could not let go. 
 
 As many Italians were eager to learn Eng- 
 lish, Mr. Nardi taught it to them from the 
 English Bible, and used the opportunity to 
 preach the Gospel at the same time, and they 
 
38 Michele Nardi 
 
 soon became more interested in the Gospel 
 than in learning the English. 
 
 Mrs. Nardi remembers an incident that oc- 
 curred while in Spring Valley. A miner, who 
 was also a Methodist preacher, meeting them 
 on the street one day, said to Mr. Nardi, '*I 
 know you are a Christian, for your face is the 
 picture of the Gospel." Mr. and Mrs. Nardi 
 were glad to find this one and others with 
 whom they could have fellowship. Mr. Nardi 
 often also preached in English in the Congre- 
 gational pulpit in the town. 
 
 As the work grew, it was felt necessary to 
 organize, and a Waldensian minister, Rev. 
 Mr. Bellour, was called to take charge. 
 
 The Italians became so much attached to 
 Mr. and Mrs. Nardi and the Gospel that they 
 preached, that they did not care to go to 
 their Catholic priest, but said, *'Mr. Nardi is 
 our priest." 
 
 They had now spent about five years in 
 Chicago and Spring Valley. The Lord 
 wonderfully answered prayer and supplied 
 every need, without any appeals for help to 
 any one except the Lord. Many were con- 
 verted during those years who still stand firm 
 in the Christian faith. 
 
The Italian Evangelist 39 
 
 Mrs. Nardi never knew of any work so 
 near the Apostolic times as that in Chicago. 
 As soon as the people were converted, they 
 became personal workers and held cottage 
 prayer meetings and became real soul-win- 
 ners. 
 
 These were years when Mr. Nardi spared 
 no strength in open air and in halls both in 
 season and out of season. During this time 
 he took a trip east for one month, visiting 
 friends and some of the work that he had left 
 in New York, in the interest of Italian Evan- 
 gelization. Mrs. Nardi remained in Chicago 
 looking after the work until Mr. Nardi re- 
 turned. On his way home, he sent a tele- 
 gram giving the time when he would arrive. 
 She sat by the window waiting for his com- 
 ing. But he did not come at the appointed 
 time. But she waited on, expecting him every 
 moment. 
 
 She says: "After I had waited for some 
 time, seated in the bay window by the door, 
 the rest of the people in the house retired, 
 telling me there was no use in sitting up longer, 
 for he would not come that night ; it was past 
 the appointed time. But I waited on. Finally, 
 all had retired except Miss Dryer (the lady 
 
40 Michele Nardi 
 
 in charge of the Bible Workers' home). As 
 she passed through the room with her lamp in 
 her hand, she said, 'He has delayed his com- 
 ing; there is no use of waiting any longer.' 
 But I answered, 'He promised to come, and I 
 shall wait until he does come,' so she went 
 away and left me alone. In the stillness of 
 the night I heard a voice saying, 'He will be 
 here in a few minutes.' With this assurance 
 I lifted my head in real expectation, and had 
 not long to wait, for the tip-tap-tap on the 
 window pane showed he had indeed come. 
 At that moment the same voice spoke again, 
 and said, 'It will be like this before the Lord 
 comes : the Bride will know it a little while 
 before He comes/ " 
 
 Work in St. Louis 
 
 THE good news of God's working among 
 the Italians of Chicago reaching St. 
 Louis, Mrs. Haines, a woman of real faith, 
 invited them to come to her city. The Italians 
 of St. Louis were mostly from the southern 
 part of Italy, Sicilians. We opened a hall 
 in the midst of their colony, and many came 
 to hear the Word gladly. These ItaHans are 
 
The Italian Evangelist 41 
 
 very superstitious, yet they are open to the 
 Gospel. The work went on much the same 
 as in other places; preaching, and Sunday- 
 school classes, and sewing classes, and then, 
 after the work was established at the end of 
 about a year's labor, a Waldensian pastor and 
 his wife were called by the Presbyterian 
 Board to take up the work. They remained 
 here for nine years and then returned to Italy, 
 where they are doing a good work. 
 
 There was a French settlement where Mr. 
 Nardi also preached the Gospel in French, 
 
 Mr. Nardi now more clearly understood 
 the calling of God to evangelize. So he re- 
 turned to Chicago and visited the Missions 
 and encouraged those in charge of the work. 
 
 California 
 
 ONE cold winter night Mr. and Mrs. 
 Nardi said good-bye to their friends in 
 Chicago and boarded the train for San 
 Francisco, arriving there after a few days and 
 finding the roses in full bloom. It seemed to 
 them another world. Mr. and Mrs. Mont- 
 gomery met them at the station and took 
 them to their home, Beulah. 
 
42 Michele Nardi 
 
 From here they crossed the Bay to San 
 Francisco where there was a large colony of 
 Italians, mostly from Northern Italy. 
 
 Mr. Nardi at once started looking around 
 for a hall where he might gather the people, 
 and found a building belonging to the Italians 
 called Bersagliere Hall, with many halls which 
 were used for balls, theatres, Masonic Lodges, 
 etc., but they willingly rented one of the large 
 rooms at such a low price that Mr. Nardi in- 
 sisted on paying more. 
 
 The work began and, as before, the Lord 
 blessed them, and sent in many to hear the 
 Word. The Sunday school and sewing school 
 classes were attended by more than one hun- 
 dred children ; some had to be turned away. 
 
 Here they had a class of French children, 
 also Spanish and Portuguese, who also came 
 to the services. There was much persecution 
 as the work was in the midst of Irish, Italian, 
 Spanish, and Russian Catholic churches. The 
 priest came even to the door of the hall and 
 forbade the children to come in. One day he 
 came to the door, and Mr. Nardi went down 
 and spoke to him. The priest said, 'T am 
 the father of these children." Mr. Nardi said. 
 "No, you are not; God is their Father 
 
The Italian Evangelist 43 
 
 Another time the priest threw his cane at the 
 children. Again Mr. Nardi and the priest 
 were arguing while walking along the street, 
 and soon about thirty children were following 
 them and the grown people looking on. As 
 soon as the priest saw that, he said good-bye 
 and left Mr. Nardi. The children then fol- 
 lowed Mr. Nardi back to the hall, saying they 
 would never go to that priest again. 
 
 Mr. Nardi had already won the confidence 
 of many of the influential Italians of the city. 
 They saw in him the love of God and the love 
 of his countrymen, and said he was a rare 
 man. God had peculiarly fitted him for just 
 such work ; he was unique in personaUty, wise 
 in judgment, and full of tact and sweetness. 
 All who knew him remember his genial smile 
 and ever ready salutation, "Praise the Lord." 
 
 The Catholic Journal of the city wrote an 
 article against him, even saying that he ought 
 to have a mill-stone hanged about his neck and 
 be drowned in the bottom of the sea. They 
 marked this article and sent it to him. He did 
 not reply to it. But the Italian paper and also 
 an anti-Clerical, "The Wasp," took it up and 
 answered it much better than they could have 
 done. This was all in their favor and against 
 
44 Michele Nardi 
 
 the priests. Again they were conquerors 
 through our God. 
 
 After a year, feeUng the need of a helper, 
 a Waldensian minister was called, who went 
 on with the work, supported by the Presby- 
 terian Church. Mr. and Mrs. Nardi then 
 went across the Bay to Oakland, where they 
 had a beautiful hall in the Methodist Church. 
 Here, as elsewhere, there were people who be- 
 came interested in the work and came to their 
 help and acted in the capacity of teachers in 
 the schools. 
 
 Needs Supplied 
 
 DURING this time the Lord supplied all 
 their needs without looking to man. 
 "Once," says Mrs. Nardi, "we asked Him for 
 sixty dollars, and in a few days a check of 
 fifty dollars came from Chicago. I said to 
 Mr. Nardi, 'But where are the other ten?' 
 He said, 'The Lord will provide.' When he 
 took the check to the bank, they refused to 
 cash it because the lady had forgotten to put 
 her name on it. So he returned the check to 
 her. When the check came back, lo ! it was 
 sixty dollars. The lady said she thought she 
 
The Italian Evangelist 45 
 
 might as well add another ten, not knowing 
 that we had prayed for the sixty. We always 
 avoided using the phrase, 'We live by faith,' 
 as every Christian, even a milUonaire, must 
 hve by faith, but surely, 'The just shall live by 
 faith.' The Lord never failed us." 
 
 One morning Mr. Nardi was in one room 
 asking the Lord for one hundred dollars, and 
 Mrs. Nardi was in another room asking for 
 the same amount; neither knowing what the 
 other was doing. That very day a sister in 
 Christ said to Mrs. Nardi, "Blanche, the Lord 
 told my husband to give Mr. Nardi one hun- 
 dred dollars. Is there really a need?" She 
 replied, "Praise the Lord, the connections are 
 clear." 
 
 San Jose 
 
 IN San Jose, a beautiful town about fifty 
 miles from San Francisco, they also 
 opened a work and rented a house just oppo- 
 site the Notre Dame Convent, but the owner 
 of the house was an Irish Catholic ; and when 
 he found out that they were preaching the 
 Gospel to the Italians who came and listened 
 with eyes and mouths wide open, just drink- 
 ing it in, he requested them to move. Mr. 
 
46 Michele Nardi 
 
 Nardi had a long talk with him, explaining to 
 him the way of salvation from the Scriptures, 
 of which he was entirely ignorant. But as the 
 priests and his mother were behind him, he 
 requested them to leave, They then rented a 
 beautiful Y. M. C. A, hall and carried on a 
 blessed work for a year or so. The fragrant 
 memories of those days were sweeter to them 
 than the flowers that grow in California. 
 
 New Fields 
 
 WHILE in these parts, they also went 
 in the summer time more than once 
 to the Casadero Camp Meeting held by Mr. 
 and Mrs. Montgomery, not thinking to find 
 Italians under the big Redwoods. But almost 
 one of the first ones they saw on the ground 
 was an Italian fruit vender, through whom 
 they learned that about ten miles away where 
 he lived there was a colony of Italian lumber- 
 men. 
 
 Mr. Nardi invited them to the camp for a 
 Sunday service, and they came and had good 
 meetings. They were taught some Italian 
 hymns and received Gospels and tracts. 
 Among them were some who had worked for 
 Mr. Nardi in Economy near Pittsburgh. 
 
The Italian Evangelist 47 
 
 Once during a meeting in the fine natural au- 
 ditorium there, nine ItaUans came forward, 
 among others, to seek the Lord. At one time 
 about six weeks were spent here working 
 among the ItaUans. 
 
 Mr. Nardi printed a sign in large letters, 
 "Praise the Lord," and nailed it on a tree 
 near the railroad so that the people passing by 
 the camp on the train had to see it and say 
 "Praise the Lord." 
 
 Hearing that there were many Italians in 
 Southern California who had not heard the 
 Gospel, Mr. Nardi made plans to visit them 
 also. But about this time Rev. Mr. GrilU, of 
 Chicago, returned to Italy to visit his mother, 
 and asked Mr. Nardi to come on and look 
 after the work during his absence. Mrs. 
 Nardi remained in San Francisco. 
 
 Back in Chicago 
 
 THERE was need of a new building on 
 the southwest side of Chicago. Mrs. 
 Hubbard, who had paid the rent of the hall 
 for years, asked Mr. Nardi to look about for 
 a good lot, and they would pray the Lord to 
 send the money. The Lord answered prayer 
 in Mrs. Hubbard's receiving unexpectedly 
 
48 Michele Nardi 
 
 some money that was owed to her. The lot 
 was bought, and a neat building erected with 
 these funds which she felt had been sent her 
 in answer to prayer. The material was 
 bought from the 'World's Fair" buildings, 
 which reduced the cost of this work. 
 
 After it was finished, this new building was 
 named after the founder, ''The Nardi Mis- 
 sion." Pastor Grilli returned from Italy after 
 five months, and Mr. Nardi returned to San 
 Francisco, and from there they went to Los 
 Angeles. Here he found many Christians to 
 welcome him. Renting a hall in the Italian 
 colony, they began work here as in other 
 places, and had much blessing in the distribu- 
 tion of tracts and Gospels, etc. But Mr. Nar- 
 di, finding the climate too enervating, felt they 
 should come East and visit the churches which 
 had been opened. They had spent five years 
 in California, and left behind them many who 
 had found their Saviour in those years. 
 
Chapter III 
 RETURN TO ITALY 
 
 THEIR first stop was St. Louis ; then Chi- 
 cago, Spring Valley, Pittsburgh and vi- 
 cinity, and the East. 
 
 Mr. Nardi then felt a strong call to go and 
 preach the Gospel in Italy among those whose 
 faith was once known all over the world, but 
 who were now sitting in darkness and the 
 shadow of death. 
 
 They stayed a little while in New York be- 
 fore leaving, and were persuaded of the Lord 
 to take with them a young Italian girl who 
 was confined in a convent in upper New York. 
 Her teachers did not like to give her into the 
 hands of a Protestant minister; but since she 
 was going to Italy, they thought she would 
 be safe in the hands of the Pope. 
 
 They sailed on the St. Paul and arrived in 
 Italy in August. Their first stop was Pisa. 
 After being in Pisa a few weeks Mr. Nardi 
 had an attack of cholera. The Devil did not 
 want him in Italy where ''Satan's seat" is, but 
 
50 Michele Nardi 
 
 through a real fight of faith, he was healed in 
 answer to prayer. 
 
 An ItaHan hving in the mountains near by, 
 who had worked for Mr. Nardi in America, 
 came to see them, and finding Mr. Nardi so 
 weak, advised him to go up into the moun- 
 tains where he hved, where the water was 
 pure and the air good. He found an apart- 
 ment for them in the house where the priest 
 and nuns stopped frequently. The first one 
 to call on them was the village priest, who 
 paid a friendly call. But after a few weeks, 
 when they learned that the Italians gathered 
 around them in the evening to hear the Gos- 
 pel and the beautiful Italian hymns, they tried 
 to have i\Ir. and Mrs. Nardi sent away from 
 the house, and they called ''the lewd fellows" 
 of the village together to give Mr. Nardi a 
 thrashing. But one of the worst men of the 
 town, who did not care for the priest, came 
 and gave Mr. Nardi a timely warning. They 
 gave themselves to prayer, and the young men 
 who came to the service in the evening came 
 prepared to fight, but the Lord did not allow 
 them to be touched, and the man in the house 
 desired them to remain. 
 
 After a few months of seed-sowing among 
 
The Italian Evangelist 51 
 
 these simple-hearted peasantry, they went to 
 the nearest city, Lucca, called the vestry of 
 Rome because half the population of the city 
 were priests. There was a Waldensian 
 Church here, but no regular pastor. Mr. 
 Nardi was asked to take hold of the work and 
 see what he could do. The Lord met him, 
 opened the hearts of the people, and gave real 
 blessing in the work. About one year was 
 spent in this city. % 
 
 The following letter is from the Walden- 
 sian minister of Pisa : 
 
 Our beloved Brother Nardi and his wife 
 were loved by everybody because of their 
 goodness and charity towards the poor. Their 
 house was open to everybody, and frequent- 
 ly those in need were lovingly fed and cared 
 for. It was our brother's daily food to pray 
 and to preach the Gospel. His preaching was 
 accompanied with power, and many were con- 
 verted to Christ as a result. We were all 
 struck with sorrow when the day came for the 
 departure of our brother from this world, 
 especially those who were converted through 
 his preaching (among whom I shall mention 
 some: The widow, Mrs. GalH, and her 
 daughter, Mr. Gigh, the engineer, and his 
 
52 Michele Nardi 
 
 wife, Mr. Dell' Oglio and wife, Mrs. Beirlac- 
 qua and her family, Mr. Giglio and his wife, 
 and many others). 
 
 In the course of my work at the port of 
 Genoa I met a number of ministers who came 
 from America, and they all praised the work 
 of Brother Nardi in that country. They spoke 
 of his opening many new churches. Many 
 emigrants were converted to the Gospel 
 through the work of our brother. 
 
 I was very glad when in the month of 
 June, 1913, I received word that Mr, Nardi 
 and his wife were about to come to Italy, and 
 that he wanted me to meet them at the port of 
 Genoa. 
 
 When I met Brother Nardi, I kissed him 
 and embraced him, giving praise to God. He 
 went at once to Rapallo, where he opened a 
 hall for evangelization, and in a short time he 
 gathered a number of men who were glad to 
 hear the Word of God. Besides preaching in 
 Rapallo three times a week, he went to the 
 Riviera, where he preached the Gospel in 
 many towns. 
 
 The brethren of Rome desired to see our 
 Brother Nardi ; and when the new Walden- 
 sian Church was dedicated, Mr. Nardi was in- 
 
The Italian Evangelist 53 
 
 vited to be present; at Rome he received a 
 very cordial welcome. 
 
 Mr. Nardi returned to his field; I re- 
 mained in Rome. Four months later I re- 
 ceived the following postal card : 
 
 My dear Brother Goglio : 
 
 Yesterday, on the 21st of July, our beloved 
 Mr. Nardi left this world for the kingdom 
 of the Lord. Around him there were many 
 brethren and sisters who took care of him 
 during his ten days' illness. He was praising 
 the Lord every moment, even in the midst of 
 his sufferings. He has left the earth to enjoy 
 the glory of God. Mrs. Nardi is remembered 
 in prayers by all her friends, and she is happy 
 in the comfort of the Heavenly Father during 
 this sorrowful ordeal. 
 
 Greetings to all the brethren. 
 
 ' E. TicHi. 
 
 This was a great loss for Mrs. Nardi which 
 caused her great pain, and we pray our Heav- 
 enly Father to protect her in everything 
 (Psalm 23). 
 
 Ambrogio Goglio. 
 Tempio Valdese, Piazza Caivur, Roma. 
 
54 Michele Nardi 
 
 Florence. 
 They visited Florence also, which was not 
 far away, and preached in the Waldensian 
 Church there. 
 
 The President of the Waldensian Society, 
 Dr. Prochet, came to see them at Lucca, and 
 would have liked to have had them stay there. 
 He asked them to visit Barga before leaving, 
 where there was a hall for preaching service. 
 The Lord blessed them there, but the opposi- 
 tion was awful, so much so that they tried to 
 have them sent away, and put posters on the 
 wall, "Death to the Protestant Preacher," also 
 the same on partly burned tracts (that they 
 had given out) that were left at their door. A 
 finely educated man was converted during 
 these services and has always remained faith- 
 ful. Many others received great blessings and 
 they shall know when they get on the other 
 side just how much was accomplished. 
 
 Many other places were visited and the 
 Gospel faithfully preached, and everywhere 
 they went, they found hearts hungry for the 
 truth. 
 
The Italian Evangelist 55 
 
 Rome 
 
 NOW, like Paul, they felt that they must 
 see Rome. S-O they went thither. 
 There was already a good deal of splendid 
 work being done here by the Waldensian and 
 other Societies, but Mr. Nardi was led of the 
 Lord to open a hall for special Evangelistic 
 work. And as the cafes were open night 
 after night and filled and thronged with the 
 people, why not have a Gospel hall open every 
 night and let the Word of God have free 
 course? He took the hall near the great Ca- 
 thedral Santa Maria Maggiore, where the 
 people passed continually. They were at once 
 attracted by the singing and the Scripture 
 texts that were painted in large letters on the 
 walls, making it very attractive. "Sala Evan- 
 gelica" (Gospel Hall) was painted in large 
 letters over the door. Night after night the 
 hall was filled, much to the surprise of the 
 ministers who thought a prayer-meeting, and 
 preaching on Sunday, were all that was 
 needed. 
 
 Every one hundred years is set apart by 
 the Pope and called ''Holy Year," when pil- 
 grims come from all over the world to bring 
 
56 Michele Nardi 
 
 presents, and this happened to be that year. 
 When the pilgrims passed the hall on Via Ca- 
 vour, and saw that it was a meeting place, 
 many stopped, thinking i* was a meeting in 
 connection with the "Holy Year." Here many 
 for the first time heard the Gospel, and others, 
 after hearing the ''Good News," asked for a 
 book that told about these wonderful things. 
 There were many to whom it was a "Holy 
 Year" in the truest sense of the word, for 
 they found their Saviour and took His Word 
 back to their homes. 
 
 Sometimes, as they entered, they would 
 bow and "cross themselves" and come to kiss 
 Mr. Nardi's hand (which he always drew 
 away quickly). 
 
 Many were converted here who are still 
 faithful. 
 
 Mr. Nardi presented the Gospel with such 
 simplicity and power that the people were 
 surprised and attracted and held, for he knew 
 his Bible and spoke with authority. He 
 preached faithfully the Second Coming of 
 Christ, and exhorted them to watch and pray 
 as His coming would be soon. He also 
 preached the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and 
 the whole counsel of God. As he often said, 
 
The Italian Evangelist 57 
 
 "It is more than the A, B, C's. We must press 
 on to know Him." 
 
 The Italians who attended these meetings 
 were of the better class. Among them were 
 some of the King's guards who came down 
 from time to time, who, however, never sat 
 down, but always stayed and remained stand- 
 ing. 
 
 Those who were converted during these 
 meetings were taken in as members of the 
 Protestant Churches, but mostly in the Wal- 
 densian Church. 
 
 The work was turned over to the Walden- 
 sian Society, who kept the hall open as a Bible 
 Depository and held services twice a week. 
 The open Bible was always in the window so 
 that the passersby could read it. Mr. Nardi 
 spent about a year at this place when he felt 
 they should move on to other points. 
 
 It was during this time in Rome that the 
 young girl they had taken from the convent 
 in New York became thoroughly converted 
 and consecrated herself to the Lord. We will 
 let her tell her own story of her conversion. 
 
 I 
 
 N the year 1897 Mr. and Mrs. Nardi were 
 stopping in New York on their way to Italy. 
 
58 Michele Nardi 
 
 My mother, whom they had known, asked 
 them to come to see me, for I was in a Roman 
 CathoHc Convent. They came, and in the 
 course of conversation Mrs. Nardi asked me 
 if I would hke to go to Italy with them. I 
 replied that I would be glad to go. Arrange- 
 ments were made accordingly, and on the 
 fourteenth of August of the same year I ar- 
 rived in Italy. 
 
 It was understood that I should follow such 
 religious duties as was possible, although it 
 was Mr. and Mrs. Nardi's aim and desire to 
 show me the better way. 
 
 To this end I was asked to read the Scrip- 
 tures at family worship, and also I read a 
 great deal to Mrs. Nardi from the best of 
 religious papers. I was so strictly Roman 
 Catholic, that I would make my mind wander 
 during the reading of the Bible, and repeat my 
 own prayers, while Mr. and Mrs. Nardi 
 prayed. I know, for I felt it, that they both 
 prayed much for me concerning our religious 
 differences, and this touched me very greatly. 
 But, on the other hand, I loved and believed 
 firmly in my religion, and prayed much for 
 their conversion. 
 
 What appealed to me from the very begin- 
 
The Italian Evangelist 59 
 
 ning, was that, apparently it was easy for them 
 to be good, and that joy and peace was ever 
 theirs, whereas with me it was always a strug- 
 gle, and hard work to do the right thing. 
 
 Soon I began to get interested in the read- 
 ing of the Bible and also in the reading of cer- 
 tain articles, especially anything treating on the 
 Second Coming of Christ. All else was fa- 
 miliar to me, in some form or other, but here 
 was something that the Catholic Church did 
 not know, or teach. The blessed hope of 
 Christ's return was what awakened me to ex- 
 amine and see if, after all, what I had been 
 taught was really true. 
 
 To this end, after Mr. Nardi showed me 
 that there was no difference between the Ro- 
 man Catholic and the Protestant Bibles, I be- 
 gan to compare my Catholic books, where 
 there were Bible references, with the Bible. I 
 found that these teachings did not correspond 
 to the references, and so little by little I felt 
 shaken in my faith in the Catholic Church. I 
 took great pleasure in reading the testimonies 
 given, how people were saved, sanctified, and 
 healed. The more I read, the more I desired 
 just such a wonderful experience as was de- 
 scribed. I was tired of trying and trying to be 
 
6o Michele Nardi 
 
 good without succeeding, and I finally began 
 to pray that God would save me also. 
 
 Sometimes Mr. Nardi would let me ask the 
 blessing at table, and also take part at family 
 worship. But with all this I did not feel free 
 in my conscience to ever go to the Protestant 
 Church. 
 
 After praying for some time, seeing that I 
 did not have any wonderful experience, I gave 
 up and became rather bitter within. 
 
 Just about this time a minister gave me a 
 history of the Reformation to read. I was 
 very much interested in it, and it enlightened 
 me much as to the errors of the Roman Cath- 
 olic Church and their origin. 
 
 On the first of October, 1899, I went to 
 Rome with my faith badly shaken, and yet 
 hoping to find there something better. It is 
 generally called the holy city, and I surely ex- 
 pected the Roman Catholic religion to be at 
 its highest perfection, especially as the Pope 
 dwells there. But one day I happened to go 
 to the Vatican, and as it was some holy day, 
 mass was being celebrated. I drew near and 
 took notice of all my surroundings, and to my 
 horror, at the most sacred moment of the 
 service, while the people were on their knees 
 
The Italian Evangelist 6i 
 
 on the outside of the altar devoutly bowed in 
 prayer, the priests, of whom there were sev- 
 eral, were laughing, joking, among themselves. 
 That was the last straw, and I understood that 
 the Roman CathoHc reUgion was false through 
 and through. 
 
 On the evening of October i6th I was read- 
 ing to Mrs. Nardi an article on ** Behold He 
 Cometh," at the close of which there was a 
 special appeal to the reader, saying: if the 
 Lord came that night would the reader be 
 ready? I asked Mrs. Nardi if I should be 
 saved that night and the Lord came, would 
 He take me also with Him? Mrs. Nardi an- 
 swered : ''Yes, even to the eleventh hour !" I 
 told her I thought the Lord did not want me, 
 for I had been praying in the past, and He 
 did not answer; in that I did not have an ex- 
 perience like the ones I read of. 
 
 Mrs. Nardi then told me how she was saved, 
 and concluded, that I was not to look for feel- 
 ings but take it in faith. We knelt in prayer 
 and, since I did not want to pray, Mrs. Nardi 
 prayed for us both. I kissed her good night 
 and went to my room. 
 
 I was preparing for bed, when very dis- 
 tinctly I heard these words: "If you were to 
 
62 Michele Nardi 
 
 die, where would you go?" I looked around 
 and, of course, I was alone. I concluded it 
 was my imagination, so proceeded to go to 
 bed. And again: 'If you were to die this 
 night, where would you go?" By this time I 
 began to feel nervous, but still I would not 
 give in. A third time the same words, and 
 this time they brought me down on my knees. 
 I do not know what I said, except that I cried 
 to God to save me. I arose from my knees, 
 and the enemy said: "Well, what do you think 
 you have done? You are just as lost as be- 
 fore." I immediately began to say to myself : 
 **The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth me from 
 all sin and unrighteousness." 
 
 This continued for some time, until I re- 
 membered reading that we must accept by 
 faith, and testify to the finished work. So I 
 went right into Mrs. Nardi's room to tell her, 
 and I said: "Mrs. Nardi, I am saved." And 
 she answered "Amen !" 
 
 We both sang: "Praise God from Whom all 
 blessings flow," etc. I said good night and 
 went to bed. 
 
 The next day I knew I was a new creature 
 in Christ Jesus, for I then felt even as a little 
 child, and joy, peace, and quietness filled my 
 
The Italian Evangelist 63 
 
 being. The assurance of salvation that I had 
 read about, but never before experienced was 
 mine, and quietly all through the day I in- 
 wardly praised God. 
 
 To God is all the glory and praise, and 
 gratitude and love to Mr. and Mrs. Nardi who 
 were instrumental in leading me to the truth 
 as it is in Christ. 
 
 Mrs. Rosin a M. Allegri. 
 
 Among the first fruits in Rome of Mr. 
 Nardi's preaching was Mrs. Galli, whose tes- 
 timony is here given : 
 
 At the close of the year 1898, we moved 
 from Messina, Sicily, to Rome, because 
 mother's health and mine also, was much 
 shaken. For a month or more the ground had 
 trembled continually by earthquakes. That un- 
 fortunate city was devoted to end in the way it 
 did ! We came to Rome hoping to feel better 
 in mind and body, but did not gain. For 
 though the fear of earthquakes was gone, our 
 hearts were not at ease; something was miss- 
 ing. Mother and I were alone, — no friends, 
 no parents, (father had died) to encourage us. 
 We passed our time remembering the happy 
 days in the past when we lived in America 
 
64 Michele Nardi 
 
 (I was born in San Francisco, Cal.) with my 
 mother's parents and dear father. Mother 
 remembered also her friends especially a 
 faithful Christian lady. We had lived, so to 
 say, without religion, although called Catho- 
 lics. 
 
 One evening we heard the bell ring. I ran 
 to the door and before me stood a smiling gen- 
 tleman arm in arm with a lady, who asked for 
 us. That gentleman and the lady were Mr. 
 Nardi and his wife, and we shall ever remem- 
 ber them as angels coming from heaven to us. 
 Mr. Nardi told us that he had come from 
 America, where he knew some of our acquain- 
 tances, and they had given him our address. 
 Shortly after this, he quietly asked us if we 
 frequented Rome's beautiful church and if 
 wc went to see the Pope. Freely we answered 
 that a visit to see the artistic pictures and sta- 
 tues in the Roman temples was enough for us 
 and nothing more, for we had never cared for 
 religion, at least what the priests taught, and 
 vould never go to them. Then Mr. Nardi 
 pulled out a little book from his coat pocket 
 (it was the Gospel) and told us it was the 
 teaching of God, the only teaching worth obey- 
 ing. He asked us to read it attentively. Then 
 
The Italian Evangelist 65 
 
 he informed us that we could hear the ex- 
 planation in a little hall just a few steps from 
 our door where meetings were held every 
 evening. His words, when speaking of the 
 divine love of the Father, entered our himgry 
 souls as balm. We went to the meetings, and 
 afterwards to the Temple (the Waldensian 
 Church on Via Nazione) and three months 
 later we were accepted as members. We still 
 belong to that church until we shall be united 
 to all the believers in our Father's house in. 
 heaven. From the beginning, from the very- 
 first evening in that little hall, the words of 
 eternal life were real food for our souls. Our 
 lives were renewed, our health did not occupy 
 us any more. For three years Mr. Nardi and 
 his wife lived in Rome, and many happy, holy 
 hours we spent together. After that many 
 trials came to us, mother's sickness, and other 
 troubles, earthquakes also, but, Glory to our 
 Lord, that deep, settled feeling of peace and 
 spiritual joy poured into our hearts from the 
 loving brotherly heart of Mr. Nardi never left 
 us. Lately we expected to Hve again united 
 in this Rome, but our Father called him in the 
 heavenly house where he is awaiting us. 
 His will be done! 
 
66 Michcle Nardi 
 
 Naples and Capri 
 
 MR. and Mrs. Nardi visited Naples, and 
 for eight months preached the Gospel 
 faithfully in a hall (opened by a Count P — ) 
 every day at noon. Mr. Nardi also preached 
 in the Waldensian Church in this place. 
 
 They spent a few months also on the Island 
 of Capri with Count P — who had a beautiful 
 castle here and a nice chapel inside of it 
 where meetings were held daily. 
 
 While in Naples, they received a letter 
 from some Christians in the mountains who, 
 while in America, had found Christ. They 
 invited Mr. Nardi to come and see them, but 
 as Rev. Mr. Gai was going that way on some 
 business in the interest of the Waldensians, 
 Mr. Nardi asked him to visit them, which he 
 did. He found a number of people there who 
 wore the name Christian on their hats and 
 also on their houses so that the priests would 
 not bother them. They had evangelized the 
 whole village, and now there is a nice church 
 and school in that village under the Walden- 
 sian Society. 
 
 Other Towns Also 
 
 A DEAR friend who was in Switzerland 
 at this time, hearing that they were in 
 
The Italian Evangelist (iTj 
 
 Italy, invited them to visit her. They took 
 this opportunity to visit the Itahan work of 
 Berne, Basil, and Bienne, spending a few- 
 months very profitably among the Italians, 
 preaching in the Evangelical Halls, and doing 
 personal work. They also had much spiritual 
 blessing in fellowship with a Christian friend 
 from America. 
 
 On their return to Italy they visited Turin 
 and attended the Waldensian Synod then in 
 session at Torre Pelhce. Mr. Nardi was 
 asked to preach at the old historical church 
 Ciabas where in the time of persecution it was 
 "fight or flight," and they decided to fight for 
 the faith once delivered to the saints. The 
 Lord was with him in much power on that 
 afternoon, as all testified who heard him. 
 
 Then followed a visit to Milan where spe- 
 cial meetings were held in the American Bap- 
 tist Church. The Italians here were very re- 
 ceptive and it was touching to see their appre- 
 ciation of the Gospel messages in the fulness 
 of the Spirit. 
 
 They also visited Mr. Nardi's birthplace 
 near the Adriatic Sea, and spent about a week 
 in the home of his cousin who was Arch 
 Priest, having fifteen priests under him. 
 
68 Michele Nardi 
 
 There, in his own home, with his parents and 
 other members of his family, they had an op- 
 portunity to witness daily for "The Truth." 
 There were about sixteen in all with the assis- 
 tant Chaplain. Mr. Nardi asked him if he 
 had a Bible. He brought it forth, and, open- 
 ing it, Mr. Nardi explained it to them, all 
 assenting that it was true. He gave them 
 tracts to read, one by Moody "Filled with the 
 Spirit" which had been translated into Italian. 
 The mother of the priest was so touched by 
 this tract that she read it to the women of 
 the Church, as she was at the head of the 
 Society among them. They called on the Fa- 
 ther confessor of Mr. Nardi's mother, an old 
 priest, who was so glad to see them that he 
 had the best of wine brought for them ; but 
 as they had no use for it, he was quite disap- 
 pointed. They returned the compliment by 
 getting out the best of their "Wine," and he 
 was much interested in what they told him, 
 and especially of the coming of Christ. 
 
 Only in eternity shall it be known what was 
 accomplished during these weeks of service. 
 
The Italian Evangelist 69 
 
 Rome Again 
 
 RETURNING to Rome, for a time they 
 held services in the hall of the Y. M. C. 
 A. As the English Baptists had rented a hall 
 at Via Borgo Nuovo, just at the foot of the 
 Vatican and next door to the palace of the 
 Prince Torlonia, where many of the Cardinals 
 lived, and were waiting to open the hall, Mr. 
 Nardi offered his services, and meetings were 
 held every night. There was a large window 
 where the Bible was always kept open with 
 other Scripture texts which the monks and the 
 nuns on their way to St. Peter's could not 
 help but see. They could also hear the Word 
 of God as it was read and the Gospel Hymns 
 that were sung, for the doors of the hall were 
 always open. 
 
 They were told by others that some of the 
 Pope's coachmen attended these meetings. 
 The soldiers also stopped in, for which some 
 were punished by their officers: and others, 
 to avoid suspicion, dressed in citizens clothes 
 and returned again and again to hear the Gos- 
 pel. 
 
 One young man, a soldier who was stationed 
 as a guard in the prison, came and heard the 
 
/O Michele Nardi 
 
 Gospel and one evening asked Mr. Nardi for 
 a book exactly like the one he was preaching 
 from. Mr. Nardi gave him his own Bible. 
 This young man was baptized afterwards and 
 joined the Baptist Church. 
 
 This man was a constant reader of the 
 Bible while on guard in the prison, and the 
 prisoners, seeing him read the book, asked 
 him what he was reading. He said, the Gos- 
 pel. They asked him if he would not leave 
 the Book with them when he went out, for 
 they would like to read it. He knew that even 
 if he gave them a scrap of paper, he would be 
 punished for it if found out ; but he was willing 
 to leave the Book and take the punishment. 
 But he was protected by the One in whom he 
 put his trust. Thus God in His own way 
 opened the way for the Gospel to be heard by 
 those in prison. The priests were the only 
 ones allowed in the prisons as spiritual advis- 
 ers, so that it was impossible for the mission- 
 aries themselves to enter with the Bible. The 
 above-named young man and others would 
 read the Bible aloud while on their beat, so 
 that not only were they profited themselves, 
 but the prisoners were also blessed by the 
 Words of Life from the Blessed Book. 
 
The Italian Evangelist 71 
 
 While in Rome Mr. Nardi visited a Mission 
 at Civita Vecchia (Old City) where the Bap- 
 tists had had a Mission for many years. Mr. 
 Nardi preached here for several weeks. The 
 boys caused a great deal of trouble at first, but 
 through prayer and tact they were won to be 
 his staunch friends to the great surprise of all. 
 
 He also held meetings twice in connection 
 with Mr. Newberry, an Independent Mission- 
 ary, who also had Missions in Monte Carlo and 
 other places on the Riviera. 
 
Chapter IV 
 BACK TO AMERICA 
 
 WHILE in Rome, they had the pleasure 
 of meeting many American friends 
 who were travelhng in Europe ; among them 
 was Rev. Mr. MacNair and his wife from 
 Philadelphia, (a Presbyterian Minister) who 
 was much interested in the work among the 
 Italians of America. He thought Mr. Nardi 
 should return to America and evangelize the 
 Italians there; because when they were con- 
 verted and returned to Italy, they were much 
 used of the Lord. But before leaving Italy 
 Mr. Nardi visited many other parts of that 
 country in the mountains and smaller towns. 
 But he did feel that it was the leading of the 
 Lord for them to return to America. They 
 had now spent five years in Italy. 
 
 Crossing over to Paris where they stayed 
 a week, they sailed from Havre on the St. 
 Louis and arrived in New York Oct. 12th. 
 
 They were met at the steamer, and Mr. 
 Nardi was invited to preach the next day, so 
 
The Italian Evangelist 73 
 
 their work began as soon as they arrived in 
 America. They went about visiting the 
 churches even as far as Chicago and intended 
 to go as far as Oklahoma where they had 
 heard there were many Italians. But he re- 
 ceived a letter from the East asking if he 
 would come to Hammonton, New Jersey, 
 where there was a little church among the 
 Itahans with divisions among them, for they 
 thought Mr. Nardi could bring them together 
 again. 
 
 After much prayer he was persuaded that 
 it was a call of the Lord ; instead of going to 
 Oklahoma, they returned East. 
 
 Up to this time in their sixteen years of 
 experience, they had not worked in connec- 
 tion with any committee. After arriving at 
 Hammonton, N. J., they began work among 
 the little flock, and by much prayer and wait- 
 ing upon the Lord, harmony was soon estab- 
 lished and new ones were added to the 
 Lord. As these were nearly all farmers, they 
 could not have so many meetings; but they 
 visited them in their homes. 
 
 Beautiful Vineland was a few miles dis- 
 tant, so they went there and secured a hall 
 and had very good meetings. Dr. Moore, a 
 
74 Michele Nardi 
 
 retired Presbyterian Minister, became so in- 
 terested that he afterward built a beautiful 
 Italian Church and a parsonage next door. 
 
 Philadelphia 
 
 FOR a few years they labored in this vicin- 
 ity. But while still Uving in Hammonton, 
 Rev. Mr. MacNair, whom Mr. Nardi met in 
 Rome, wrote asking him to come to Philadel- 
 phia and open a tent work among the Italians 
 there. This would be the first attempt 
 of work of this kind, as he had always 
 spoken in churches, halls, or in the open air. 
 They then came to the city, and, standing on a 
 box in a Chinese grave yard at Tenth and 
 Kimball Sts., they started the meetings in the 
 open air before the tent was erected. There 
 w^ere two missions among the Italians in the 
 vicinity (a Methodist and a Presbyterian) 
 but the pastors were both absent. The very 
 few members of these Missions came out and 
 helped to sing Italian Hymns, and this drew 
 the crowds. This was the beginning of a great 
 work among the Italians of Philadelphia. 
 
 The Evangelistic Committee of the Presby- 
 terian Church soon furnished a large tent 
 holding more than a thousand people. At the 
 
The Italian Evangelist 75 
 
 closing Rally of this Campaign, which was a 
 phenomenal one, over a thousand converts of 
 different nationalities were present. Dr. J. 
 Ely and Jno. A. Converse asked the Italians if 
 they wanted this work to go on or to stop. 
 They all rose to their feet and enthusiastical- 
 ly said "Let it go on." The lot was pur- 
 chased, and a corrugated iron building was 
 erected seating twelve hundred people. Meet- 
 ings were held night after night, and a Sunday 
 School with good workers reached out after 
 the children. Good workers were employed 
 who held sewing schools and Mother's meet- 
 ings and every thing conducive to the further- 
 ance of the Gospel. Noon-day meetings were 
 held for the factory girls next door. 
 
 New Jersey 
 
 AFTER some months work, Mr. Nardi 
 felt that he should return to his work 
 in New Jersey. Rev. A. Pirazzini from 
 Providence, R. I., was called to take charge 
 of the work in Philadelphia. 
 
 They located in Vineland. Mr. Nardi had 
 kept up his meetings in Hammonton during 
 the months that he worked in Philadelphia, 
 
y6 Michele Nardi 
 
 preaching in the morning and returning to 
 Philadelphia for the afternoon and evening. 
 In Philadelphia they wanted him to give up 
 his work in New Jersey, but he was so at- 
 tached to it that he refused to do so. 
 
 In Vineland they found many Italians from 
 the northern part of Italy as well as many 
 from the southern part. They owned their 
 own homes, and some had fine farms and were 
 very open to the Gospel. A congregation was 
 soon gathered ; and when the new church was 
 built and then dedicated on a Thanksgiving 
 Day, several Italian pastors from New York, 
 Philadelphia, and other places were present. 
 One of these pastors was married that day in 
 the afternoon, which was their first wedding. 
 Those who were present will never forget that 
 blessed day. 
 
 Ere long a young couple from Italy, Rev. 
 Mr. Stasio and wife, came to Vineland and 
 helped in the work by preaching in Hammon- 
 ton, helping Mr. Nardi in Atlantic City and 
 other places where they evangelized. 
 
 During the summer, Mr. Nardi again 
 preached in the second Italian tent in Phila- 
 delphia, in a different locality from the prev- 
 ious summer. This was a novelty for them to 
 
The Italian Evangelist yy 
 
 gather night after night to sing hymns and 
 listen to the preaching of the Gospel. 
 
 Among those who were converted during 
 these campaigns were fourteen young men, 
 who are now preaching the Gospel. 
 
 After about five years of preaching in the 
 corrugated iron building, a beautiful brick 
 church was erected. 
 
 In a recent letter from Dr. Ely to Mrs. 
 Nardi, he writes : 
 
 Mr. Nardi was not a man of publicity, being 
 so retiring and gentle in his spirit. He effected 
 the agencies which appear rather than being 
 affected by them. He was truly a modern St. 
 Paul. He stood alone with God, and walked 
 with Him. 
 
 Before the world he sincerely and truly rep- 
 resented God, and before God he carried the 
 burdens of the world. When he began the 
 work at loth and Kimbal streets, I remember 
 well how most of our Committees and such 
 wise men as Mr. Wanamaker expressed their 
 conviction that it would be no use : the Italian 
 people, they thought would all go back to their 
 original faith. But when Nardi and the Lord 
 showed them all that he was able to demon- 
 
/S Michele Nardi 
 
 strate the powei of God in their midst, time 
 has proven him right and the others wrong. 
 
 I think where Mr. Nardi made his great im- 
 pression upon me was when he prayed. In all 
 his work was the spirit of reality ; but when 
 he prayed, every one was made to feel that the 
 man was holding direct and immediate com- 
 munion with God and was unconscious of the 
 personalities of the people. Like his Master 
 his meat and drink was to do the will of God. 
 Surely he must at this moment be enjoying as 
 few others have the capacity to enjoy the close 
 fellowship of Christ. You have nothing to re- 
 gret except the sense of his temporary absence. 
 
 Last Monday it was a great joy for me to 
 hear Frasco (I think this is his name) preach 
 before the Philadelphia Presbytery. 
 
 He is the boy to whom Mr. Nardi gave the 
 Gospel portion; and when in innocency he 
 showed it to the priest, it was taken from him. 
 After some time mourning its loss, he made 
 an endeavor to get another copy, and told his 
 story to Mr. Nardi and received an entire copy 
 of the Bible. This he held on to, and now 
 it holds him. 
 
 Few men have made their lives count as 
 Mr. Nardi has, and upon every remembrance 
 
The Italian Eveingelist 79 
 
 of him my courage in the Gospel strengthens, 
 and my hope of a joyful gathering aroimd the 
 throne of God is quickened into a happy anti- 
 cipation. There are indeed many things I 
 should like to tell about in regard to this man 
 of God, for he made an impression on my life 
 such as few others have done. As you know, 
 I consulted him about almost every move and 
 often took his opinion as a divine revelation. 
 Now I hope and pray that whatever message 
 you may send forward to the world may con- 
 tribute to the cause of our Lord, in Whose 
 work Mr. Nardi was so effective on earth, and 
 Whose service he so enjoys this moment, we 
 believe. 
 
 James B. Ely. 
 
 The boy to whom Mr. Ely refers is Michele 
 Frasca, who tells his own story as follows: 
 
 ON a Sunday morning in July of 1903, a 
 young man gave me a religious notice. 
 It said that in the evening at 7 130, there would 
 be an Evangelistic campaign opened at loth 
 and Kimball street. The preaching would be 
 illustrated by a magic lantern ; all Italians cor- 
 dially invited. 
 
8o Michele Nardi 
 
 Upon reading the notice, I immediately 
 made up my mind to go to that devil's meet- 
 ing and upset it, if possible, thus obtaining a 
 double indulgence for my soul in the life to 
 come. (It must be remembered that I was a 
 very strong Roman Catholic, especially in view 
 of the fact that I had recently arrived from 
 Italy.) 
 
 However, God had planned and disposed 
 otherwise. His thoughts and ways were not 
 like mine. It Providentially happened, or as 
 I now believe, it was Providentially arranged 
 that I should arrive at the meeting just while 
 the people were singing : 
 
 Cosi qual sono pien do pecento, 
 Ma pel tuo sangue chi in ha lavato, 
 E per rinerto felto al cor mio, 
 O Agnello do Dio, To vengo a Te ! etc. 
 That hymn took hold of me, and I, forget- 
 ting the purpose for which I had come, sought 
 for paper and pencil and hastily copied the 
 hymn from the screen. Little do I remember 
 about the night's sermon, except that it made 
 a favorable impression upon me, especially the 
 earnestness of the preacher, as well as the 
 clearness and simplicity of his message. But 
 
The Italian Evangelist 8i 
 
 that hymn, **cosi quol sono" followed me 
 home, in my sleep next day, in the barber shop, 
 everywhere I went, the words, "Cosi quol sono 
 pusi do peccato" followed me. 
 
 As often as I could attend the meeting I 
 went, especially on Sundays. In the mornings 
 I went to the Catholic church, and in the 
 afternoons and evenings to hear the Protes- 
 tant preacher. 
 
 In a short time I collected quite a number 
 of religious tracts. These I devoured in the 
 barber shop, and I always asked for more. I 
 well remember my eagerness to get to the 
 meetings. At times I used to hang at the back 
 of a trolley (not having the fare) in order to 
 get to the meeting sooner. Once I lost my 
 only cap by so doing. 
 
 On a Sunday afternoon, my uncle asked me 
 to go to Father Isoleri, the Catholic priest of 
 8th and Montrose st. church and ask him when 
 he could baptize his child. I went; the ar- 
 rangement was made, and as I was about to 
 leave the priest noticed a neat black book in 
 my hands, a little larger than the Catholic 
 prayer book. He asked "What's that book?" 
 "Father," said I, "It is a nice book, it speaks 
 about the blessed Mother, our Lord Jesus, 
 
82 Michele Nardi 
 
 and lots of other good things." "Let me see 
 it !" Oh, what a face he made ! ''My child," 
 said he, "you are on the road to hell, yes, in 
 hell itself. There is no hope for you, since you 
 have been reading this damnable Protestant 
 book." 
 
 Fear and trembling took hold of me, for 
 ever since I u^as a boy of four I had always 
 a holy terror of hell and the horned and fiery 
 inmates. To avoid hell and get a little comer 
 in Purgatory I not only said plenty of Aves 
 to all the saints visible in my native church, 
 but also to those invisible to make my position 
 sure. Now to be told that I was in hell, and 
 damned, made me cry : "What must I do to get 
 out of it?" 
 
 "I shall give you a catechism," answered the 
 priest, "and by memorizing the same you shall 
 escape hell." 
 
 "But, Father," I ventured, "I have been 
 studying it ever since I was a boy." 
 
 "My son," announced he, "Fll give you an 
 advanced one." So saying, he gave me a cate- 
 chism, but my New Testament he carefully 
 placed in his pocket. That night I did not at- 
 tend the preaching because I was too scared 
 and afraid of hell. However, for a week my 
 
The Italian Evangelist 83 
 
 mind kept saying "That was a good book. 
 There was nothing bad in it; why did the 
 priest take it away from me?" I could find 
 no answer to this and other questions, so I 
 resolved to go again to the Protestant meeting. 
 I went, and when it was over, I told the affair 
 to the preacher, and said, "Mr. Nardi, if you'll 
 give me a Bible, I'll promise you that the priest 
 will never see it, and I will read it every day." 
 He gave me a Bible, and the more I read it. 
 the clearer my vision became, and the firm 
 my conviction grew that there was an immens 
 gulf between the teachings of the Bible and 
 that of the Popish church. And yet I was not 
 sufficiently convinced of my new faith to break 
 away from my superstitious practices, so for 
 a year I kept on attending both churches, for 
 a tabernacle had taken the place of the tent 
 at loth and Kimball streets. 
 
 Out of these Evangelistic meetings there 
 were two results. One, my family, upon find- 
 ing out that I was attending the Protestant 
 services, complained to me and outside pres- 
 sure was brought to bear on my father. He 
 was basely accused of sanctioning my going 
 over to Protestantism because of the coal and 
 house rent he received as a reward. But 
 
84 Michele Nardi 
 
 knowing that every penny was earned by hard 
 sweat, he told me one day that either I should 
 abandon the Protestant church, or else leave 
 his house. I chose the latter. However, three 
 months later I was recalled home by my 
 mother. 
 
 The other result, indirectly due to Mr. 
 Nardi's influence, was my desire to serve the 
 Master and to make the gospel of salvation 
 which is the power of God, known to thou- 
 sands of young men like me, who lived with- 
 out God. At the age of fifteen I entered the 
 ministry with one purpose in mind: to follow 
 the example set before me by Mr. Nardi and to 
 tell my countrymen that through faith in the 
 Lamb that was slain on Calvary alone there 
 is salvation. 
 
 My spiritual father, Mr. Nardi, has now 
 gone to receive his crown, made up of thou- 
 sands of jewels. I thank God that he came to 
 Philadelphia and led me to Him who has 
 saved me and given me a purpose in this life. 
 My prayer is that I, like him, may be so used 
 to God as to carry on the work which the Mas- 
 ter Himself began. Michele Frasca. 
 
The Italian Evangelist 85 
 
 Tent Work in New York 
 
 DR. ELY, who went to New York City 
 on an Evangehstic Campaign, invited 
 Mr. Nardi to open tent work among the 
 Itahans in New York, where there were about 
 half a milhon. 
 
 Mr. Nardi then left the work of Vineland 
 and Hammonton in charge of Mr. Stasio. But 
 before going to New York, he went to Wash- 
 ington, D. C, to preach the Gospel to the Ital- 
 ians, who had been gathered together by Miss 
 Mauro, who spoke the language fluently. By 
 the first of January of that year Mr. Nardi be- 
 gan his work in New York. He spent a few 
 months preaching to different Italian Congre- 
 gations in New York City and thus became 
 acquainted with the need among his own 
 country men in that great city. 
 
 In the early spring he began his open air 
 work, and later, at 150th St. in the Bronx, a 
 large tent was erected, and the converted Ital- 
 ians from a Methodist Mission near by came 
 and helped in the singing. The first night, the 
 lights had not yet been installed, and the meet- 
 ing was held in the dark. A young Italian, 
 who came with others out of curiosity, was 
 
S6 Michele Nardi 
 
 so impressed by this service that he became 
 converted and is now a preacher of the Gospel 
 in the Baptist denomination. 
 
 The first tent was erected at Harlem on 
 ii2th St. Mr. Nardi made his home in ''Little 
 Italy" for the convenience of the work among 
 the Italians, and then he began to look about to 
 see where he could open a hall. An old cafe, 
 on io6th St. near First Ave., was rented. Be- 
 low is the report by the New York Presby- 
 tery concerning the work : 
 
 Toward spring the hall was so overcrowd- 
 ed that we looked about for an empty lot to 
 put up an Italian tent. Dr. Ely and Mr. Nardi 
 found one in the next block toward the river, 
 said by the police to be the worst block in the 
 city. The lot belonged to a Presbyterian, and 
 he gladly gave it without charge for this good 
 work. This was indeed a needy field. Within 
 a few months five murders had been commit- 
 ted on that very lot, and those who committed 
 the acts escaped and were never found. We 
 felt that this was just the place for the work, 
 so the meetings for adults and children were 
 begun. Some of the enemies to the truth went 
 on the roofs of the tenement houses and 
 
The Italian Evangelist 87 
 
 threw stones and other things down on the 
 tent, so that it was necessary for policemen to 
 patrol the roofs of the houses. After a few 
 days, a black hand letter was addressed to 
 Mr. Nardi asking a thousand dollars and 
 threatening his life if the money was not forth- 
 coming. But we gave ourselves to prayer, in 
 union with the workers of the committee and 
 the Lord protected us so "No evil came nigh 
 our dwelling." 
 
 About a month later another blackhand let- 
 ter was received at their own home, but Mr. 
 and Mrs. Nardi went on without noticing it, 
 and the Lord kept them and gave them the 
 favor of the people who came night after night 
 and asked them to stay there. But they in- 
 vited them to the next block to the hall when 
 the tent was taken down in the fall. 
 
 Mr. F. Pirazzini was engaged by the Pres- 
 byterians to continue the work and after some 
 years of service there is now a most beautiful 
 church building there. 
 
 Charlton Street 
 
 MR. NARDI was asked by Dr. Schauffler 
 to take charge of the work on the West 
 Side in lower New York on Charlton St. Mr. 
 
88 Michele Nardi 
 
 Nardi undertook the work and with the bles- 
 sing of God he continued there nearly six 
 years. This Mission was a little distance from 
 the Italian colony, but the Lord answered 
 prayer, and soon the place became too small 
 for the numbers who came. As the Mission 
 was thoroughly equipped with good workers, 
 there was nothing left undone to push for- 
 ward the work. 
 
 After three years, with the help of Mrs. 
 John S. Kennedy, a beautiful new building 
 was erected called "Charlton Memorial 
 Church" in memory of her sister. It is one of 
 the finest buildings of its kind in the city, with 
 thorough equipment of every description. 
 While pastor of this church, Rev. Mr. Antonio 
 Arrighi, who had been pastor of the Broome 
 St. Tabernacle for thirty years under the City 
 Mission, retired, and Mr. Nardi was asked to 
 undertake the pastoral work of this church 
 also. Services were held on Sunday at five in 
 the evening and a prayer meeting on Thurs- 
 day evening in the Broome Street Tabernacle, 
 and at eight o'clock on Sunday evening in the 
 Charlton St. Church with a prayer meeting on 
 Wednesday. This arrangement of services 
 enabled him to take the extra work, although 
 
The Italian Evangelist 89 
 
 it was an added strain. Something was going 
 on all the time in these two large churches in 
 the way of Sunday Schools, sewing schools, 
 young people's societies. Mother's meetings, 
 etc., etc., which kept about a dozen mission- 
 aries busy all the time. 
 
 We give here a copy of the printed report 
 of the Charlton Street Memorial Church. 
 
 For the first three months of this year, our 
 Italian congregation worshiped in Alexander 
 Chapel during the erection of our present 
 beautiful edifice. Those three months were 
 the last of the twelve months that we spent 
 with the Rev. H. Pritchard, pastor of the 
 Chapel. When we parted, a sweet memory 
 remained of how Americans and Italians may 
 worship together a whole year in true loving 
 fellowship. 
 
 Since the opening of the new building in the 
 month of April, a number of Italian pastors 
 and missionaries have visited our church and 
 all have given expressions of gratitude to God 
 and to the good lady who has so generously 
 given so great a gift to our Master's work and 
 to the Italians of America. 
 
 During the nine months of the year just 
 closed we proved how needful it was to have 
 
90 Michele Nardi 
 
 larger accommodations for each of the depart- 
 ments of the work, and especially for Sunday 
 evening meetings for adults. 
 
 The year began and closed without especial 
 perils, poverty or sickness. Here and there a 
 little help was given. We record one death. 
 We have had several baptisms and a wedding. 
 At every communion we have had some addi- 
 tions to the church and at all the services we 
 have had some encouragements. For instance 
 a few Sundays ago, a finely educated gentle- 
 man passing by the church, read the sign. He 
 entered the building and attended our evening 
 service. On taking him by the hand after the 
 meeting, he said, ''Curiosity brought me inside, 
 but the Spirit of God has touched my heart 
 very deeply, and instead of an unbeliever, I 
 am going out a true believer. I shall make 
 this place my spiritual home." He has kept 
 his promise, attending all the meetings and 
 reading God's Word given to him. Not long 
 since I asked a young lady what led her to 
 become one of us. She said, "Our big brother 
 had already begun to attend the Italian Evan- 
 gelical Church, and we soon found in him a 
 great change for the better. The pastor urged 
 him to invite members of his family to come 
 
The Italian Evangelist 91 
 
 to church. One day he asked me to attend 
 that evening one of their monthly social gath- 
 erings, and I went just to please him. Several 
 things were done, and said, but none of these 
 interested me ; the reading of God's Word and 
 the prayer at the opening and at the closing 
 of the meeting went with me, and I purposed 
 then and there to attend the Sunday evening 
 services. I spoke of them to my mother and 
 to my younger sister, and on the following 
 Sunday evening all four attended the meeting 
 and we have continued to go with great delight 
 during these four years." We have to thank 
 our God for several such testimonies during 
 the year. 
 
 During the past year two new Italian mis- 
 sions have been established, and have been 
 blessed with almost phenomenal results. The 
 one in East io6th street, in the colony known 
 as 'Little Italy," was opened November 7th 
 with the noted evangelist, Mr. Nardi, in 
 charge. He labored without compensation. 
 From the first the room, which accommodates 
 only 114, has been crowded to overflowing at 
 all the services on Sabbaths and weekdays. 
 The doors have been locked to prevent over- 
 
92 Michele Nardi 
 
 crowding, and sometimes policemen have to 
 be called to prevent eager people from forcing 
 an entrance. In June Mr. Nardi was succeed- 
 ed by Mr. Pirazzini, so that he could give his 
 time to the Summer Tent Work. These two 
 brethren preached every night from June ist 
 to September 15 to crowds in the Italian tent 
 and at the same time kept alive and flourishing 
 our mission. The interest does not abate. 
 Forty adults have been admitted to communion 
 after giving full proof of the genuineness of 
 their conversion. A hundred more, coming 
 out from Rome, and seeking the benefits of 
 evangelical preaching, would gladly enter our 
 church as communicants, but, mindful of the 
 unfortunate reputation of ''Little Italy," our 
 missionaries exercise extreme caution, requir- 
 ing the test of time, as well as the test of 
 courage under the frowns and anathemas of 
 the priests of Rome. No organization has been 
 attempted or asked for, but, at the request of 
 those admitted to the communion, their names 
 have been placed upon the roll of the New 
 York Church. Thus they come under the care 
 and discipline of the Session of that church 
 until they shall become a separate organiza- 
 tion. 
 
The Italian Evangelist 93 
 
 Last January a delegation of Italians from 
 the Bronx brought a petition, signed by forty- 
 three Italians, asking to be organized as a 
 Presbyterian church. They had listened to the 
 preaching of Mr. Nardi and Mr. D'Anchise. 
 Many of them had been members elsewhere. 
 They were Italians of the better class. That 
 petition is in the hands of a Special Committee 
 of this Presbytery. Meanwhile your Com- 
 mittee established a mission for them in Mor- 
 ris Avenue, with young Mr. D'Anchise in 
 charge. An old saloon was converted into a 
 chapel. The people rallied, bought furniture, 
 gas fixtures, a stove, hymnbooks and Bibles, 
 and have met the current expenses, except the 
 rentals. There has been no better or more 
 successful work under the care of your Com- 
 mittee than this. The room has never at any 
 time been adequate to the needs of the con- 
 gregation or the Sabbath-school. One twice 
 as large would be filled at once. Forty per- 
 sons have been received into the communion 
 of our Church and enrolled with the New 
 York Church pending the organization. 
 
 Your Committee cannot too strongly urge 
 the necessity of permanent and enlarged ac- 
 commodations for these two Italian congrega- 
 
94 Michele Nardi 
 
 tions and the church of the Bohemian Breth- 
 ren. They are under the pastoral care of 
 young men of exceptional piety and ability. 
 Surely no better use could be made of a mod- 
 erate amount of money than in providing 
 suitable houses of worship for these congrega- 
 tions. 
 
 The following report also is full of interest, 
 written by Mr. Nardi himself, on the work of 
 The Wect Side Italian Church. 
 
 AS we look back over the twelve months 
 of 191 1 and realize how the hand of the 
 Almighty guided us all along, we can say 
 heartily, "Praise the Lord!" Indeed it was a 
 year of great blessing in many ways. Our 
 people, the members and the friends who at- 
 tend our services, had no real poverty, for all 
 had more or less work. Neither was it a year 
 of much sickness ; rather a year of much in- 
 crease, for a number of healthy babies came to 
 make glad the homes and the church. Besides, 
 our fellowship with the pastor and the mem- 
 bers of the Alexander Chapel at 7 and 9 King 
 Street, where we worship for the time being, 
 has been one of the most peaceful and cor- 
 
The Italian Evangelist 95 
 
 dial association, two congregations, English 
 and Italian, worshipping together. In the 
 changing of place, we have lost none of our 
 members nor of our friends, but we have had 
 rather an increase from service to service. 
 
 Our young people have been very generous 
 in giving toward foreign missions as well as 
 for those at home. About two months ago Dr. 
 and Mrs. Glover of China, addressed our 
 Christian Endeavor Society. They told of 
 their seventeen years' experience in China — 
 of their school and orphanage and finally they 
 closed their discourse with the story of a little 
 baby, just bom, wrapped in paper and left to 
 die in a neglected place of the city. Mrs. 
 Glover opened the package, and as she had 
 supposed, she found it contained a little baby 
 at the point of death ; her husband being pres- 
 ent and being a physician, saved her life. She 
 is now one of the brightest in the institution. 
 Our young people asked the privilege of being 
 responsible for the maintenance of the girl for 
 at least this year, and they gave Dr. Glover 
 then and there twenty dollars, and we all en- 
 joyed it so much. 
 
 In closing this report, we must not forget 
 that among our members we have at present a 
 
96 Michele Nardi 
 
 very promising young man studying at Dr. 
 White's Bible Teachers' Training School, pre- 
 paring himself to preach the Gospel. Another 
 one of a very fine family, finished his course 
 at Dr. White's school last year. He is now the 
 associate editor of the Italian Evangelical pa- 
 per 'TAraldo" published by the Presbyterian 
 Board of Education. 
 
 It has been a year of great spiritual blessing, 
 for the Gospel has been preached in all its full- 
 ness and power, and we see its effects as we 
 visit in the homes. To God be all the glory. 
 
Chapter V 
 CLOSING MINISTRY IN ITALY 
 
 AFTER almost six years of work under 
 the *'New York City Mission," Mr. 
 Nardi again felt a longing desire to go to 
 Italy to preach the Gospel and to go even as 
 far as Tripoli, to preach the Gospel to the 
 Italians who were rushing into the new terri- 
 tory. Although it was very hard for them 
 to separate from the loving associations and 
 the dear people whom they loved so much, Mr. 
 Nardi resigned his charge, and Rev. Joseph 
 Brunn came to take his place. 
 
 The following accounts tell of the farewell 
 service : 
 
 Mr. Nardi's Farewell 
 
 ON the evening of April 30th the audi- 
 torium of Charlton Street Memorial 
 Church was filled with members of the church 
 and friends of the Rev. Michele Nardi, who 
 was holding his farewell service as pastor of 
 the ItaUan work of the church. Mr. Nardi 
 and Dr. Pirazzini spoke in Italian. There was 
 
98 Michele Nardi 
 
 also singing in Italian by three of the young 
 men of the church and in English by one of the 
 young women. Miss White, representing the 
 City Mission, spoke of Mr. Nardi's work, and 
 the Rev. Seth C. Craig, on behalf of the peo- 
 ple of Charlton Street, presented to Mr. Nardi 
 a gold watch suitably inscribed. To Mrs. 
 Nardi a travelling bag was given. The re- 
 cipients of these gifts thanked the people in 
 appropriate terms. It is difficult to express 
 the love which these two workers have for 
 the people of Charlton Street, which is recip- 
 rocated by those for whom they have labored 
 so faithfully for over five years. 
 
 On March 5th, at a meeting of the Commit- 
 tee on Italian Work of City Mission Directors, 
 Mr. Nardi presented his resignation as pastor 
 of Italian work at Broome Street Tabernacle 
 and Charlton Street Memorial Church, stating 
 as his reason for doing so the fact that he in- 
 tended going to Italy for the purpose of en- 
 gaging in evangelistic work there. After ex- 
 pressions of sincere regret at Mr. Nardi's in- 
 tention of severing his connection with our 
 Society, the following resolution was adopted : 
 
 "Resolved : That with great regret we ask 
 the Board of Directors to accept the resigna- 
 
The Italian Evangelist 99 
 
 Hon of the Rev. Michele Nardi as Italian pas- 
 tor of Broome Street Tabernacle and Charl- 
 ton Street Memorial Church, to take effect 
 May I, 1913, and that we express our high 
 appreciation of the faithfulness, fidelity and 
 fruitage of his five years of service in connec- 
 tion with City Mission." 
 
 At a meeting of the Board of Directors, 
 held on March 12th, Mr. Nardi's resignation 
 was accepted and the President was directed 
 to convey to him the regret of the Board and 
 their appreciation of the splendid service which 
 he rendered in connection with our two 
 churches for Italians. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Nardi leave our work with 
 the best wishes of their fellow-workers and 
 of those for whom they labored. We wish 
 them God speed and pray that the Heavenly 
 Father will lead and help them in the future as 
 He has in the past. 
 
 They then spent a few months in German- 
 town, Philadelphia, before leaving for Italy. 
 Here Mr. Nardi looked for the last time 
 upon the work he had started some years be- 
 fore, and witnessed faithfully to the power of 
 the Gospel in the churches of Philadelphia. 
 It was also a great joy to him to preach in 
 
TOO Michele Nardi 
 
 the "Whosoever Gospel Mission" (the rescue 
 Mission of Germantown), and he prayed for 
 that work until his last day. While in Phila- 
 delphia, he received a telegram telling of his 
 brother's illness, but he did not arrive at Pitts- 
 burgh at his brother's home until after he had 
 passed away. He then preached his brother's 
 funeral sermon and had the privilege of wit- 
 nessing both in Italian and in English while in 
 Pittsburgh. 
 
 Mrs. Nardi had been visiting relatives in 
 Pittsburgh and vicinity, so they both returned 
 to Germantown, where at the home of Mrs. 
 S. G. Beck they celebrated their twenty-fifth 
 wedding anniversary (a silver wedding). 
 Mrs. Beck had invited many of their friends 
 both in this country and abroad to share in 
 this celebration. The letters accompanying 
 the gifts were appreciated even more than the 
 gifts. They kept them and had the pleasure 
 of reading them while crossing the ocean. 
 Mr. Nardi often spoke of the letters with 
 much feeling. 
 
 On the 5th of July they went to New York, 
 and on the following Sunday Mr. Nardi 
 preached his last sermon to the dear people in 
 the Charlton and Broome St. Churches and 
 
The Italian Evangelist loi 
 
 they "sorrowed" most because of the words he 
 said to them "I shall see your faces no more 
 on this side." On July loth, 191 3, they left 
 New York Harbor on the Cunard Line and 
 sailed directly to Genoa, Italy. 
 
 The parting was a real blessing to all, 
 though sorrowful. There were many Italian 
 miinsters and missionaries and friends who 
 had gathered on board for a farewell service. 
 They sang some of the beautiful Italian 
 hymns and read the Scripture and had prayer. 
 
 A number of Catholic Bishops and priests 
 were also sailing, and seeing the blessed fel- 
 lowship we had, one of them asked one of the 
 Italians who this is, and he said "Father 
 Nardi." But he found out later he was not 
 one of their kind of "Fathers." 
 
 They had the opportunity on board to wit- 
 ness to Christ and give out tracts. But they 
 were not allowed to have a meeting. But there 
 were some Christian people on board, with 
 whom they had fellowship, and the journey 
 was very restful. 
 
 On July 24 they arrived in Genoa and were 
 met by the beloved Italian brother who had 
 labored with them in Rome some years before. 
 It was a happy meeting to see each other again 
 
T02 Michele Nardi 
 
 face to face, and to be associated once more 
 in the work of the Lord. 
 
 Their first destination was Rapallo on the 
 Riviera where they found a httle company of 
 behevers, who had been brought into the hght 
 through a dear friend, Miss Mauro, from 
 Washington, D. C, who had resided here with 
 her family a few years and had been much 
 used of the Lord among these people. Mr. 
 and Mrs. Nardi soon felt at home among them 
 as they found they were one in the Lord. As 
 Miss Mauro was residing in England at this 
 time, the little flock was glad to have Mr 
 Nardi preach to them which he did in the 
 power of the Spirit. 
 
 Rapallo is a beautiful resort, one of the 
 most beautiful places in Italy, where Germans, 
 and English, and Americans spend the winter. 
 Those who were Christians came to the meet- 
 ing on Sunday afternoun. 
 
 Mr. Nardi did not confine himself to Rap- 
 allo, but he preached the Gospel along the 
 Riviera and especially at Sarzano where there 
 was an Italian family who had labored with 
 Mr. Nardi in America. This brother opened 
 his home for Gospel meetings, and his house 
 being on the public road, he put in Mosaic on 
 
The Italian Evangelist 103 
 
 the door step the verse Jno. 3:16 where all 
 the passers-by had to read it. This town is 
 not far from Spezzia, so Mr. Nardi went 
 to and fro on the train and also visited the 
 brethren at Rome, and found many of the 
 first converts happy to see him again. It was 
 during his visit to Rome that the Temple in 
 memory of John S. Kennedy, the gift of his 
 wife to the Waldensian Society, was dedicat- 
 ed. The brethren of Rome made him promise 
 at that time that he would again return and 
 preach the Gospel to them. He had planned 
 to return there early in the fall, but God had 
 planned otherwise. 
 
 He returned to Rapallo in February, and 
 in April a Christian Doctor, a German, was 
 visiting Rapallo, and he told Mr. Xardi one 
 day that he would like to examine him. ''You 
 are a sick man, Mr. Nardi," he said. Mr. 
 Nardi laughingly said "Nardi is all right." 
 He did not realize that he was failing, but 
 went on preaching the same as ever. The 
 Doctor had told some of the English friends 
 that Mr. Nardi had hardening of the arteries, 
 but Mr. Nardi knew nothing of it. 
 
 Toward the end of June he began to fail, 
 but he did not give up and go to bed until 
 
I04 Michele Nardi 
 
 six days before he passed away. Peritonitis 
 had set in, but the Doctor gave out that the 
 hardening of his arteries was the cause of his 
 death. 
 
 During the last moments of his hfe on 
 earth he was growing more and more heavenly 
 and more matured in his spiritual life. 
 
 Once he said that though the pain was 
 great, it lifted him higher and higher into the 
 heaven. The nurse heard him pray that al- 
 though the pain was great, if the Lord wished 
 to have it be seven times hotter and even much 
 worse, he was willing to bear it. His power in 
 prayer was marvelous. 
 
 The Lord was evidently telling him that he 
 would take him home as many remarks that he 
 made during these months now show. 
 
 He preached his last sermon about ten days 
 before his departure, and took for his text 
 "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground 
 and die ; it abideth alone." 
 
 All who heard him said it was an inspired 
 message, especially when he put up his arms 
 and said "I am ready to go," and it seemed as 
 if he would be translated then and there." 
 
 On the last day of his life on earth he 
 asked the nurse in the morning 'Ts it six 
 
The Italian Evangelist 105 
 
 o'clock?" and she said "It is eleven." And he 
 said "Oh ! it is so long until six. I am going 
 home, I am already in heaven." And with 
 that a beautiful smile broke over his face. 
 Then he asked for his wife who was out of 
 the room at the time. She came and gave him 
 verses of Scripture one after the other. "Be- 
 hold now we see through a glass darkly," etc., 
 and others. When she quoted the verse 'When 
 all my labors and trials are o'er" etc., he said 
 "Amen." When she said "My darling Mich- 
 ele, I will be so lonely without you," he pressed 
 her hand to the very last until he had de- 
 parted. 
 
 A number of the brethren were about him, 
 and he had all the care that they could give 
 him. Much prayer had been offered for his 
 restoration, but the fruit was ripe for the 
 garner, so it dropped into the Kingdom. He 
 had often said that he wanted to go on before 
 and come back w^th Jesus on one of those 
 white horses spoken of in Revelation. The 
 Lord took him at his word. 
 
Chapter VI 
 
 FUNERAL AND MEMORIAL 
 SERVICES 
 
 THE funeral services were conducted on 
 July 23rd in the morning. He had passed 
 away on July 21st a little before 5 p. m. Dif- 
 ferent Italian ministers of Italy were present, 
 the one from Chiavari, a Baptist, from Genoa 
 a Methodist, also the Pastor of the *'Breth- 
 ren" from Genoa, and Rev. Mr. D'Anchise 
 from America. 
 
 Of this service Rev. G. D. Anchise writes : 
 Everything was conducted in a very simple 
 manner and the Word was preached in the 
 hall and in the cemetery. Before leaving the 
 hall Airs. Nardi sang a beautiful hymn in Ital- 
 ian, which greatly affected the whole audience. 
 Air. Nardi was laid in a lovely spot surround- 
 ed by olive trees, and a beautiful palm over- 
 shadows the grave. His wife adds, *'As he 
 was lowered into the grave 'Peace like a river 
 filled my soul, and the Lord spoke to me, say- 
 ing, "Yet a little while and he that shall come 
 will come and will not tarry." ' 
 
The Italian Evangelist 107 
 
 "I felt that I was not alone, for the Lord 
 had given me beside Himself many good 
 friends among both the English and the Ital- 
 ians of Rapallo. After a few days Mr. Phillip 
 Mauro and his daughter arrived, and we be- 
 gan to make arrangements for my return to 
 America. Then the War broke out, and we 
 were delayed. I wanted to see the tomb stone 
 set in place before leaving. As the grave was 
 in the part alloted to the Protestants, just 
 oposite the large entrance, we put verses on 
 both sides of the pure white marble head stone 
 so that all who passed by would have to see 
 them ; even those passing by on the street. 
 
 'The Catholics passing to their part of the 
 Cemetery must also see them. Rev. i : 5, 'Unto 
 Him that loved us, and washed us from our 
 sins in His own blood,' is the verse on one 
 side, and on the other, i Jno. 5: 11, 12, 'And 
 this is the record that God has given to us 
 eternal life; and this life is in His Son. He 
 that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath 
 not the Son of God hath not life.' This is on 
 the side toward the public street. 
 
 "The day before leaving Italy for America 
 I planted violets on the grave." 
 
 And thus this precious life was laid down 
 
io8 Michele Nardi 
 
 for the Lord and the brethren. He did not 
 feel that he was old, but still looked forward 
 to going to Tripoli, but the Lord had need of 
 him. 
 
 The people of Rapollo saw with surprise 
 the goodly throng of Protestants that ac- 
 companied our Brother Nardi to his last earth- 
 ly resting place. They never thought that 
 in those few months of residence among 
 them the dear, faithful servant of the Lord — 
 despising hardship and persecution — had 
 brought, under the Divine guidance and in- 
 spiration, so many of their countrymen to 
 Jesus. 
 
 In the beautiful little cemetery for the Pro- 
 testants, on the slope of the hills surrounding 
 the Gulf, many strangers were attracted by 
 the singing of hymns, and with tears in their 
 eyes they watched as the simple service pro- 
 ceeded, and the beautiful words of faith an- 
 nouncing the resurrection resounded among 
 the graves. 
 
 Those who were present promised to attend 
 the services of the little Church in Rapallo, and 
 I am sure that many others will follow the 
 same example. 
 
i\ 
 
 MiCHELE NARDI 
 
 UN SeftVC 
 
 BCL siquoRE qrsu'cRisTO 
 
 N&re j^^iVICNAMO RCL 1850 
 
 Si lOSOKMeNTQ'iKCiiiSTO 
 
 !l 2i LUCLiO iSU 
 
 CtSiJ CfirSTO CI HI AMiTi 
 
 E C) HA LAWTI 
 
 CGL sua SiNQUl 
 
 Af^QC.i.5 
 
 MICHELE XAUDIS (iKAVE 
 
The Italian Evangelist 109 
 
 Michele Nardi is living yet in that lovely lit- 
 tle city of the Eastern Riviera — living in the 
 heart of those that heard him announcing 
 with his touching voice and unsurpassed tone 
 of sincerity the blessed news of our salvation, 
 living as well, in the example of his life so full 
 of sacrifice and dedication to the cause of the 
 Master and the consolation of his fellowmen. 
 
 This will be true not only of Rapallo; but 
 also of S. Michele, S. Margherita, Ruta, Lar- 
 zana, wherever he spent the last energies of 
 his life preaching the Word of God. 
 
 Those that listened to his last sermon said 
 that he showed a marked preparedness to meet 
 his God. As in tender tones he described the 
 reality and happiness of being with the Lord, 
 all the congregation had the impression of 
 "hearing him speak from other worlds." 
 
 So will our last remembrance be if we 
 follow the example of our Master. 
 
 I am sure that for many years among those 
 fishermen that dropped the nets to take their 
 caps off while the funeral of our dear brother 
 was passing along the shore, there will be re- 
 peated an innocent story, that ''once in Ra- 
 pallo a good preacher saw the Heaven opened 
 
I TO Michele Nardi 
 
 and the Lord awaiting him while he was 
 preaching a few days before his death." 
 
 The Rev. Joseph Brunn also writes: 
 
 On August 5th I received a postal card 
 from the Rev. J. D'Anchise, dated Ra- 
 pallo, Italy, July 23d, in which I read, 'The 
 news that I am giving you is sad anid unex- 
 pected. Dear Mr. Nardi has finished his 
 course, and has gone to his Lord. This morn- 
 ing we held his funeral. We laid him on a 
 little hill in the cemetery of Rapallo, where 
 he will rest under the sun of his beloved coun- 
 try. Poor Mrs. Nardi is a living example of 
 faith and courage. Tell it to all his friends. 
 He died of peritonitis, worn by these last 
 years of hard work. A few days before he 
 died he wrote a letter full of new plans for 
 new work in other places. It is a noble hfe 
 that has passed ; may God raise up others like 
 him." 
 
 We thought Mr. Nardi well and, as usual, 
 active in his work. I cannot express in words 
 
The Italian Evangelist iii 
 
 the feeUng produced on me by the sad mess- 
 age. The cry came spontaneously from my 
 heart : My God, what shall we do without Mr. 
 Nardi? 
 
 Mr. Nardi was rightly called the Moody of 
 the Italians. His zeal, piety, sincerity and 
 faith are known to all. He founded many 
 missions and churches in Chicago, Pittsburgh, 
 "Vlneland, Philadelphia, and other places in 
 Italy and America. He was a real witness 
 at all times and to all people, in season and 
 out of season, but the congregation of the 
 Charlton Street Memorial Church is one of 
 the best monuments of his faithful labors for 
 his Master. It was most fitting that a memo- 
 rial service should be held for him at Charl- 
 ton Street, as it was held on Sunday evening, 
 September 13th. The edifice was crowded to 
 the doors before the service started. Ten 
 Italian ministers were present, and many more 
 would have been there had the service been 
 held at a more convenient hour. 
 
 The Rev. A. H. McKinney, the first speaker, 
 said in part: ''Mr. Nardi was not a perfect 
 man; there was only one perfect man, Jesus 
 Christ. Mr. Nardi was a man of tremendous 
 conviction. There were no ifs or buts in his 
 
112 Michele Nardi 
 
 knowledge of the Heavenly Father; his God 
 and his Christ were real and living. He car- 
 ried the force of his conviction to the hearts 
 and souls of his people. He was also a man of 
 great zeal; one could not know Mr. Nardi 
 without realizing that he was full of the grace 
 and power that comes from the Spirit of God. 
 He was also a man of unbounded patience ; he 
 was patient with the young and with the old. 
 It was because of this God-like quality that 
 people loved him." Dr. McKinney closed his 
 remarks by exhorting all to continue the work 
 laid down by this faithful servant of God. 
 
 The next speaker was Professor A. Piraz- 
 zini, of the Bible Teachers Training School. 
 He said: "Twenty years ago Mr. Nardi came 
 to Rome and opened a hall in one of the 
 aristocratic streets of the Eternal City. It 
 was a revelation to see officers of the army, 
 government officials and college professors 
 coming to hear this simple preacher of the 
 Gospel. Many of his converts are to this day 
 a power in the churches of Rome. Had Mr. 
 Nardi continued in worldly affairs he would 
 have died a millionaire, but he preferred the 
 unsearchable riches of Christ. Had he been a 
 Roman Catholic, he would be worshipped as 
 
MICHELE XAKDTS GRAVE 
 
The Italian Evangelist 113 
 
 a saint. He always selected hard places and 
 when he had the work well started he would 
 go to another.' 
 
 The Rev. A. DePietro, representing the 
 Italian Ministerial Association, also spoke 
 briefly. 
 
 During the memorial service a picture of 
 Mr. Nardi made by Mr. Eugene Manzo was 
 unveiled. Great appreciation was shown by 
 the people in their silent gaze upon the kindly 
 features of their former pastor and true 
 friend. 
 
 Dr. Schauftier, who could not be present be- 
 cause of other engagements, sent a letter which 
 was read. He wrote in part : "I have ever had 
 Mr. Nardi in fond remembrance. I learned to 
 know him as one of the most Christian men 
 I ever met. His one thought was for the 
 glory of his Master and the spiritual welfare 
 of his fellow-men, especially those from Italy. 
 His memory is fragrant and blessed/' 
 
An Appreciation 
 
 I SHALL ever be grateful to God for having 
 known my beloved friend, Michele Nardi. 
 It may v^ell be said of him that through the 
 faith which was his and which moulded and 
 affected his entire life — though being dead he 
 yet speaketh. No life that is lived in God can 
 die. It continues its blessed existence not only 
 in that glorious land beyond, but it continues 
 to be a living factor in the world, among those 
 who had the privilege of seeing the glory of 
 that life. 
 
 As I think of my friend who has only passed 
 beyond the vail, I cannot help but think more 
 clearly of my blessed Lord and Master whom 
 he served and loved. There was that abandon 
 in him to the Lord's work that closely linked 
 him to the Divine Son of God. He was a 
 man who never thought of self — nor did he 
 deem any task too arduous if he might accom- 
 plish the work which God had committed to 
 him. He was clearly a servant of the Most 
 High. He considered his life as belonging 
 to God and as a thing to be used for his glory. 
 He never looked upon himself as the hired 
 man of any committee or organization ; he had 
 his commission for service from God, and the 
 financial assistance which was given him he 
 
The Italian Evangelist 115 
 
 accepted as a gift from God that he might do 
 His will. He was no time server — ^he ex- 
 pected his Lord to come — but it mattered not 
 to him when He should come. His life was 
 constantly lived as in the presence of God. 
 
 I shall never forget my first meeting with 
 him in the city of Naples over seventeen years 
 ago. He loved to be in the house of God. 
 Even as God's Son at 12 years of age was in 
 the temple doing his Father's will, so our 
 friend was attracted always to the places 
 where God's people gather. 
 
 For the moment it seemed but a mere chance 
 that I should meet this man of God who 
 could speak English and with whom I could 
 communicate. But as time went on, I con- 
 cluded that in the working out of the lives of 
 God's people there is no chance, but that all 
 events tend toward one end — and that is the 
 accomplishment of God's holy purpose in the 
 World. 
 
 I was a stranger in a strange country, not- 
 withstanding the fact that a quarter of a cen- 
 tury prior to that I had passed through that 
 city of contrasts on my way to the then, to me, 
 unknown America. I can never express the 
 joy I felt in meeting an Italian- American 
 
Ii6 Michele Nardi 
 
 Protestant in that city of beauty and supersti- 
 tion. Our conversation, as we walked through 
 the Neapohtan streets, was, as might be sup- 
 posed, of God, His work for the salvation of 
 man, and Italy's need of the Gospel. The 
 warm, frank, sincere heart of Brother Nardi 
 shone through his face and words. I was 
 attracted to him, and a true friendship began 
 upon that night which will continue through- 
 out eternity. 
 
 It has been said, and I believe justly so, that 
 the Spirit of God is communicated from soul 
 to soul. The souls that are on fire, tJiat are 
 burning with the zeal of God — set other souls 
 aglow. This certainly was true of Brother 
 Nardi. No one could be with him ever for a 
 day without loving him and at the same time 
 without catching somewhat of his spirit. I 
 had the pleasure of seeing much of him during 
 my six months stay in Rome. And I saw 
 then the great devotion of the man to the 
 cause of God. Night after night, and day after 
 day, he was ever about his Father's business. 
 Preaching was his life — but the power of his 
 preaching was not in his finished literary style, 
 not in his use of classic words, but in the fact 
 that he had a message, and that message was 
 
The Italian Evangelist 117 
 
 given with his whole being. He really 
 preached as a dying man to dying men. He in- 
 carnated in his own hfe the substance of his 
 preaching. Men could not help feeling the 
 reality of his Christian Hfe. His was a Hfe 
 given over completely to God for the service 
 of men. He never considered his own interest 
 or personal comfort. Whatever was for the 
 welfare and advancement of the kingdom— 
 that was his meat and drink. 
 
 Then, too, while he had his own personal 
 doctrinal views, he was able to work with any 
 one who loved God and His service. I shall 
 never forget how, when I was just beginning 
 my work in Brooklyn, I was compelled to pass 
 through some very difficult experiences. Bro- 
 ther Nardi, like his divine Master, always 
 ready to help those who needed help, offered 
 to come over and help me in a series of meet- 
 ings which lasted five weeks. For all those 
 nights, rain or shine, he came from his home 
 uptown in New York to assist me during that 
 memorable season of refreshment. How our 
 people loved to hear him, to see him, to speak 
 with him ! 
 
 In these days when there seems to be so 
 much apathy and indifference to religious mat- 
 
ii8 Michele Nardi 
 
 ters, we hear it said that rehgion has lost its 
 hold. But those who say this never have 
 known what living religion really means. 
 When religion is lived and incarnated — that is, 
 when the love of God is truly seen in the life 
 of a servant of God, it will always appeal. 
 Brother Nardi never attempted any religious 
 movement without getting results, without im- 
 pressing people with the idea that he was a 
 servant of the most high God, that he had a 
 message which was vital to his own life and 
 therefore of infinite value to those to whom he 
 spoke. 
 
 He was pre-eminently a founder of church- 
 es. He has established and built more Protes- 
 tant-Italian churches than any other man 
 living or dead. To see Mr. Nardi at his best, 
 to see his face shine with the glory of God, 
 one had to see him as he was conducting a 
 meeting during one of his great tent cam- 
 paigns. I shall never forget my visit to him 
 while he was laying the foundation for the 
 big church in Philadelphia. Other men had 
 worked there, others had attempted to reach 
 the Italians, but all agreed in saying — ''this is 
 an awfully hard field" ; all saw great difficul- 
 ties ; all saw impossibilities. They all, like the 
 
The Italian Evangelist 119 
 
 spies of ancient times, said in their reports : 
 "The people are really in need of God, but 
 they are very much opposed to God." 
 Brother Nardi was of the Caleb and Joshua 
 type. He believed that the thing that seemed 
 impossible to men could be accomplished in 
 God and through His Spirit he opened his tent 
 — the first to be opened in this country or any 
 country for the purpose of reaching Italians. 
 The results were beyond anything the Protes- 
 tant people of Philadelphia could ever have 
 expected. Night after night for three months 
 that man of God held that great audience of 
 six or seven himdred and fed it upon the 
 Word of God and drew out of it a group of 
 elect souls who formed the foundation for the 
 church that is now rendering such fine service. 
 This same solid work was repeated in three 
 different places of New York City, and as a 
 result of his untiring efforts and consecrated 
 work three beautiful churches have been built 
 in this city. 
 
 Brother Nardi's character and spirit shone 
 through everything he did. He was a con- 
 sistent Christian. His life was an open book. 
 You always knew where he stood on any ques- 
 tion. No one ever felt a sense of uncertainty 
 
T20 Michele Nardi 
 
 about this man. His yea was yea and nay 
 was nay. There were those who took advan- 
 tage of his sincere and open soul, but he would 
 never change his method of life. He had such 
 boundless confidence that *'all things work to- 
 gether for good to them that love God" that 
 he could not be turned aside from what he 
 considered to be his duty, no matter how often 
 he was deceived and disappointed. As I talked 
 matters over with him, he would give a hearty 
 laugh and say, ''Well, God knows it all and 
 He can fix it all up — He can make it all right." 
 To him God was a reality, a God who really 
 reigns in this world and who governs the af- 
 fairs of men in wisdom and holy love. He 
 felt he could place implicit trust in that God. 
 He was indeed as a little child, and therefore 
 he lived constantly in the kingdom of God. 
 He practiced the presence of God. 
 
 Throughout the length and breadth of this 
 land and throughout Italy, where Italian 
 churches are to be found, there the name of 
 Brother Nardi is held in deep reverence. It 
 is worth while to live as he lived. Some say 
 he departed before his time, he consumed him- 
 self in the work of God. Of him it may in 
 truth be said, **The zeal of the Lord hath 
 
The Italian Evangelist 121 
 
 eaten him up." But I do not share in that 
 view. He did a work which no other man did 
 in this country in ItaHan evangeUzation — his 
 life has gone into the very texture of the life 
 of our Italian churches. What more could be 
 desired? He might have lived a few years 
 more. His friends might have had the pleas- 
 ure of his presence a little longer. But then 
 if he had spared his hfe, he might not have 
 done what he did. ''He that loseth his life for 
 my sake shall find it, but he that seeketh to 
 save his Hfe shall lose it.'" Because he poured 
 out his very life's blood, he brought his life to 
 a close rapidly. He followed the example of 
 his Lord, shared in His suffering, and so laid 
 down his life. But that after all is his greatest 
 glory. He never sought glory. He would 
 often say to me, "Let others have the glory if 
 I can do the will of God." But now God 
 crowns him with glory. The eternal word of 
 God cannot be other than true. "He that en- 
 dures unto the end shall have the crown of 
 life." 
 
 I am grateful to God for the intimacy which 
 I enjoyed with this man of God. He has been 
 and still is a constant inspiration to me. I 
 shall never forget the seasons of prayer we 
 
122 Michele Nardi 
 
 had together with his dear wife who shared to 
 the last all his noble endeavors. To be with 
 these servants of God even for a short time 
 now and then was like breathing the pure air 
 of the mountains in summer time. I feel that 
 I owe much to the holy and self-sacrificing ex- 
 ample of my friend and brother, Mr. Nardi. 
 
 The cause of Italian evangelization has lost, 
 in the death of Brother Nardi, its foremost ad- 
 vocate. I for one feel that his going home to 
 be with God, in whose company he lived while 
 here on earth, makes it all the more imperative 
 for me to give myself more fully to the cause 
 of Christ. I am sure that I express the senti- 
 ment of many of my brethren when I say that 
 Brother Nardi though absent in the flesh is 
 still living among us and that his beautiful and 
 devoted example makes us all long to imitate 
 him in his love and devotion to his Master. 
 Brother Nardi has become a permanent influ- 
 ence in the lives of his brethren. I may be 
 permitted to close this unfinished and inade- 
 quate testimony to my friend by applying to 
 him the words of St. John (Rev. 3:12). 
 
 "To him that overcometh, will I make a pil- 
 lar in the temple of my God, and he shall go 
 no more out: and I will write upon him the 
 
The Italian Evangelist 123 
 
 name of my God and the name of the city of 
 my God which is New Jerusalem which Com- 
 eth down out of heaven from my God, and I 
 will write upon him my new name." 
 
 Antonio Mangani. 
 
 Some Personal Recollections 
 
 IT is of a very few persons, in our days, that 
 it may be said: 'To have known him was 
 to love him!" Our beloved Michele was one 
 of this blessed company. I always remember 
 the first time I met him : it is more than eigh- 
 teen years ago. I was sitting in my office in 
 the Y. M. C. A. of Rome, Italy, of which I was 
 general secretary. It was a time of peculiar 
 trials in my own life, a time of deep searchings 
 of the heart, a time of spiritual lonesomeness 
 when the need of a real friend, a friend of 
 mature Christian experience and deep human 
 sympathies, a friend wise in counsel, is felt 
 more than ever. As brother Nardi entered 
 my office, he opened his mouth and said: 
 "Praise the Lord!" the blessed words that 
 were always on his lips as a true expression 
 of the faith which filled his soul, and was the 
 secret of his blessed hfe. I felt immediately 
 that he was the friend I needed whom God 
 
124 Michele Nardi 
 
 was sending me, and my heart went toward 
 him, as if I had known him for years. 
 
 Later on we discovered that there were 
 other things in common between us, besides 
 our mutual interests and sympathies, yet I can- 
 not say that our friendship became any 
 stronger than it had been from the first. We 
 found out that we were both born in the prov- 
 ince of Ravenna (N. Italy) which, as all Ital- 
 ians know, has always been productive in polit- 
 ical agitators and martyrs, but is fiercely an- 
 tagonistic to religion, chiefly because Roman- 
 ism is the only form of religion known, and 
 the Romagnoli hate the priests bitterly. How 
 it made our hearts glad to think that we were 
 both ''brands plucked from the fire" and that 
 if God saved us. He was able to save the 
 Romagnoli as well as any other people. Years 
 later we also discovered that we had family 
 traditions in common, and traditions of the 
 most sacred character. When brother Nardi, 
 as a young lad, had enrolled among the vol- 
 unteers of Garibaldi, he took part in the bat- 
 tle of Mentana which was fought against the 
 Papal army, backed up by the troops of Napo- 
 leon III, in the year 1867. He was among 
 those who assisted my father's brother when 
 
The Italian Evangelist 125 
 
 he fell wounded on the battlefield, as he was 
 leading the company to which our brother 
 Nardi belonged. But our Michele's modesty 
 was such that I did not know of this for many 
 years. One day, in the city of Philadelphia, 
 Pa., where I was pastor at the time, he hap- 
 pened to see a picture of my uncle which had 
 been taken a few months before he fell in the 
 battle of Mentana. He looked at it intently 
 for a few moments, then he exclaimed: "I 
 knew that man, I saw him fall ; he was my of- 
 ficer at Mentana !" and thus the whole story 
 came out. 
 
 There are persons who attract us at first 
 sight, but, on more intimate acquaintance, we 
 lose much of our good opinion of them. Our 
 dear brother was of the very opposite kind: 
 the more you knew him, the more you dis- 
 covered his sterling qualities. His public life 
 and his private life, his preaching and his 
 practice were in wonderful harmony and beau- 
 tifully complemented each other. As a mis- 
 sionary, he labored more than any of the older 
 or younger ministers who have ever adorned 
 Italian Protestantism either in Italy or in 
 America. The churches which he organized 
 from the start, or which he built up and saved 
 
126 Michele Nardi 
 
 from collapse, may be counted in more than 
 two figures. In this country his missionary 
 activities stretched far and wide, from New 
 York to California, north and south, wher- 
 ever Italian colonies are to be found. In Italy 
 his labors covered practically the whole coun- 
 try from Sicily to Piedmont, at different times. 
 I have had the privilege to succeed him in 
 Philadelphia, Pa., after he had carried on a 
 great Evangelistic campaign among the Ital- 
 ians for several months. He had been sowing 
 the good seed in such a way tliat, after a few 
 months, one of the largest (if not the largest) 
 Italian Protestant Churches of this country, 
 the "First Italian Presbyterian Church" of 
 Philadelphia was organized. Later on the 
 "Second Italian Presbyterian Church" in West 
 Philadelphia, and the flourishing Church of 
 Germantown, Pa., were established as branch- 
 es of the "First Church." Now both are in- 
 dependent congregations with beautiful build- 
 ings of their own and are led by young pas- 
 tors, two of whom were converted in the 
 "First Church." I am sure that such results 
 could not have been obtained, in such a shon 
 time, without the original impulse given by our 
 beloved brother, whose prayers never ceased to 
 
The Italian Evangelist 127 
 
 help, even when he was absent in body. The 
 establishment of the Italian Department of the 
 Bible Teachers' Training School in New York 
 City, which, during the seven years of its ex- 
 istence has sent more than ninety Italian 
 young men and women throughout the United 
 States as Bible teachers, missionaries, or as 
 ordained ministers of many different denomi- 
 nations, was due to a large extent to the wise 
 counsels and advice that our beloved brother 
 gave to the Rev. Dr. W. W. White, the Presi- 
 dent of the School. And the influence of the 
 personality of Brother Nardi upon the charac- 
 ter of many of these young students, whom he 
 often visited at 541 Lexington Avenue, where 
 the beautiful home of the school is located, 
 was indeed incalculable, especially in the case 
 of those (nearly 35 of them) who had been 
 formerly priests in the Romish church, and 
 who saw in our brother's character that of a 
 real saint, such as they had never conceived 
 before they knew him. But if Brother Nardi 
 had not studied many books, he was intimately 
 acquainted with The Book m such a way, that 
 very few men could surpass him. And he also 
 had a profound knowledge of the world, and 
 of men, and this knowledge helped to make 
 
128 Michele Nardi 
 
 him a wise and indeed a great winner of souls. 
 His language was at all times plain, forceful 
 and picturesque. His pulpit illustrations were 
 nearly always the result of his own observa- 
 tions, and of such a character that his hearers 
 seldom forgot the truths they were intended 
 to convey. When I was associated with him in 
 Rome, Italy, where the standard of intellectu- 
 ality is of the highest kind, I have ofter heard 
 college professors, officers in the army, and 
 other such prominent persons, declare that 
 they preferred to listen to the plain sermons of 
 our dear brother, rather than to the more elab- 
 orate pulpit deliveries of the prominent 
 preachers of the city ! They all knew and felt 
 that he believed every word he said, and the 
 effect of this was that they forgot whatever 
 literary imperfection there might have been in 
 his addresses. Somebody has called our 
 friend "The Moody of Italy!" It has been 
 my privilege to count the great American 
 evangelist among my personal friends. It was 
 he, indeed, who in God's providence was 
 instrumental in giving me the courage to stand 
 before an audience and to testify for Christ, 
 when my previous experience had been such 
 as to make me think that my natural timidity 
 

 a: 
 -'A 
 
 
The Italian Evangelist 129 
 
 made me unfit to serve God as a Preacher. 
 So I can bear testimony that the spirit of 
 Brother Nardi was very similar to that of D. 
 L. Moody, but since it has been my privilege 
 to meet and to listen to Dr. John Henry Jow- 
 ett, I have felt that not only spiritually, but 
 physically as well, the two marvellously re- 
 semble each other, and this impression is 
 shared by several mutual friends. Whenever 
 I have the opportunity to attend the Fifth 
 Avenue Presbyterian Church and to listen to 
 Dr. Jowett, I seem to hear the voice and see 
 the face of il caro Michele, and my eyes moist- 
 en as I think that my beloved friend has now 
 departed. And yet, wherefore weep? Our 
 friend is alive and waiting to meet us ! The 
 goal is the same for him as for us. Dear 
 Michele! thou hast only preceeded us. May 
 we, following thy blessed example, be ever 
 watching and waiting when the Bridegroom 
 shall come ! And then thou also shalt appear 
 with Him in glory and we shall hear thee 
 say once more, as when on earth: Traise 
 the Lord!" And we shall join with thee 
 praising Him for ever and ever! 
 
 Rev. Prof. Agide Pirazzini, D. D. 
 
130 Michele Nardi 
 
 Some Characteristics of Michele Nardi 
 
 MV first recollections of Mr. Nardi go 
 back to the winter of 1900 1901, when, 
 being a soldier in Rome, I used to attend the 
 meetings held by him in a fine and central hall 
 in Via Cavour. The impression received at 
 that time and which was strengthened in New 
 York where I had the privilege of knowing 
 him more intimately, is that ^Michele Nardi 
 was an exceptionally consecrated man. 
 
 When I think of him, six things, among 
 others, make me say : I well perceive that he 
 had been with Jesus. 
 
 1. His attitude towards his wife, who, hav- 
 ing become both blind and deaf, was depend- 
 ing almost entirely on him. He never showed 
 the least impatience ; but always the most re- 
 spectful attention, the most tender help. 
 
 2. His happiness. Whenever I met Mr. 
 Nardi at home, in public meetings, in society, I 
 found him of good cheer and bright. His motto 
 as well as that of his noble companion was : 
 "Praise the Lord!" This was continually on 
 his lips and reported on the first page of every 
 copy of the Bible or portion of the Scripture 
 he distributed and in every letter he wrote. 
 
The Italian Evangelist 131 
 
 3. His sincere, his ardent desire to evange- 
 lize. I do not think that, after his conversion, 
 Mr. Nardi ever made a new acquaintance 
 among his countrymen v^ithout giving him a 
 message from the Gospel. This explains how 
 he could start, and bring to quite a prosperous 
 condition so many ItaHan missions. It was 
 not only because, not having had an evange- 
 lical preparation he felt he could not preach 
 for years to the same congregation that he 
 moved so often from one field to another; it 
 was because of his great wish to evangelize as 
 many people as possible. I remember him say- 
 ing to me one day, in his apartment, in the 
 beautiful church building (the gift of Mrs. 
 John S. Kennedy) recently erected in Charlton 
 Street: "Don't you think that this is a fine 
 house to live in? I am not going to occupy it 
 very long. It is for my successor." And yet his 
 audience was growing, growing. He was plan- 
 ning to go to Tripoli to conquer for God, with 
 the two-edged sword of His Word, that place 
 newly conquered by the Italian guns. God 
 had disposed differently. 
 
 This points out a new characteristic, 
 
 4. His readiness to go wherever the Lord 
 called Jiim. Where there was need of the 
 
132 Michele Nardi 
 
 Gospel, that was his place, no matter if it was 
 not the least attractive. "Do not be like those 
 who are looking for the tine churches," he said 
 on one occasion, to the Italian students of the 
 Bible Teachers Training School, ''Work faith- 
 fully where you are . . . Wait . . .The Lord is 
 the One who must call you. He is the One 
 who must say to you: 'My friend, come up 
 higher.' " 
 
 5. His spirit of prayer. The time he and his 
 wife spent on their knees, only God knows. 
 And his were not selfish prayers. I mean, he 
 did not pray only for his own work. There 
 was no Christian work with which he did not 
 feel in sympathy, and for which he did not 
 pray with all his heart. 
 
 6. His profound conviction that ''the Gospel 
 is the power of God unto salvation/' For every 
 voice that said to him : "They will not be per- 
 suaded, they will not be converted to the God 
 of Jesus Christ," another voice, far stronger, 
 responded : "And still God has converted me. 
 I was indifferent, I thought only of making 
 money, I was enthusiastic about the career 
 that was opening before me, when God, sud- 
 denly, by means of His Word, drew me to 
 
The Italian Evangelist 133 
 
 other thoughts ... of that man proud of him- 
 self and full of earthly dreams He made a 
 servant of Jesus Christ! What He did to 
 me will He not do to others?" 
 
 Rev. p. Griglio, 
 Pastor of Waldensian Con- 
 gregation of New York. 
 
 A Tribute from Italy 
 
 WHO does not remember that ascetic 
 figure, enlightened, from time to time, 
 by a smile of infinite sweetness, which revealed 
 the man of God, rich with the true evangelical 
 piety ? 
 
 Michele Nardi in the solemn prayer meet- 
 ing held the evening before the inauguration 
 of the new church in Piazza Cavour, poured 
 our his mystic soul in fervent supplication to 
 God, and this was the last time that here, in 
 Rome, we heard that indefatigable pioneer of 
 the Gospel. 
 
 He fell asleep in the Lord, last Tuesday, in 
 Rapallo, where because of the mild climate, he 
 had looked for a little relief from the disease 
 with which he was afflicted. To the end he 
 
134 Michele Nardi 
 
 gave testimony to the hope that was in him, 
 leaving there a nucleus of believers without 
 ecclesiastical or denominational aim. 
 
 Michele Nardi was one of the most notable 
 examples of how the grace of God can raise up 
 a living witness of the Truth that is in Jesus 
 Christ. He was the genuine type of the Ital- 
 ian-American, who had his birth on Italian 
 soil but was bom of the Spirit in the United 
 States of America. 
 
 He was hardly twenty-one years old when, 
 about forty years ago, he emigrated. Natural- 
 ly gifted and having a special talent for busi- 
 ness, he soon found himself at the head of 
 various enterprises for the building of roads, 
 bridges, etc., in almost uninhabited regions. 
 He, with his gangs of workers, was living a 
 camp life far from the great centers, lodging 
 in improvised shacks that were always pushed 
 farther on, a true nomad life with the only 
 purpose of making money. In this he was 
 successful. 
 
 Nichele Nardi up to that time was not oc- 
 cupied with nor had interest in the things of 
 God. He was born in the midst of Roman- 
 ism, but the Catholic church with its hostile 
 
The Italian Evangelist 135 
 
 attitude to the national aspirations, had made 
 him, as many others, indifferent in the 
 matter of religion. But when he realized his 
 privilege to become a child of God, he did 
 not hesitate to sacrific his brilliant future of 
 a fortunate enterpriser of probable wealth, 
 and he abandoned business in order to retire 
 in one of his shacks and there to mediate on 
 the Word of God. Like St. Paul in Arabia, 
 he spent much time in meditation and prayer, 
 attending only the school of the Great Master. 
 When he came out from his retreat, he was 
 an apostle and remained so to the end. 
 
 Necessary data is lacking to follow step by 
 step Michele Nardi in his apostleship in the 
 United States; it is enough to say that when- 
 ever he met our poor emigrants, he preached 
 the Gospel to them, and this became the in- 
 strument, in the hands of God, for founding 
 Italian evangelical churches in the United 
 States of America. Although Nardi was not 
 a partisan of any church, he especially worked 
 in connection with the Presbyterians and fin- 
 ally he had charge of the work in the Charlton 
 Street Memorial Church, New York City, the 
 beautiful building due to the generosity of 
 
136 Michcle Nardi 
 
 Mrs. John S. Kennedy. He was a sincere 
 friend of the Waldensian Church whose pro- 
 gress he had always in his heart. We honor 
 his memory as that of one who fell in the 
 breach, and so to his life companion, always 
 serene, we say: ''He is not dead, he sleeps 
 . . . He rests from his labours but his works 
 follow him." 
 
 Rev. a. Muston, ex-President of the Wald- 
 ensian Board of Evangelization, in *'La 
 Luce," July 30, 1914. Translated by Rev. 
 P. Griglio. 
 
 A Tribute 
 
 SOMEONE else has written or will write a 
 biography of this great man. This is only 
 a tribute to his memory. 
 
 We are apt to remember always the first 
 and the last meeting with a friend. I met Mr. 
 M. Nardi a few years ago for the first time, 
 and immediately I felt that what I had heard 
 of him was less than the truth. I remember 
 his penetrating glance, the ardor of the saint 
 radiating from all his person. Every word. 
 
MRS. MIOHELE XAKDI 
 
The Italian Evangelist 137 
 
 every act, was clear-cut and bore the mark of 
 great decision and of an unyielding will. 
 
 Mr. Nardi, in the prime of his life had 
 been a successful business man, and he be- 
 came a successful evangelist. I do not know 
 if Italy has ever had another evangelist who 
 may be compared to Nardi. His way of 
 expounding the Scriptures was simple, power- 
 ful, dramatic. Every word aimed at finding 
 the way into the innermost heart of the hearer. 
 He seemed without physical strength, but the 
 moment he began to speak you saw the vigor 
 of a lion. His prayer — I cannot forget his 
 prayer — was a talk with God. 
 
 Masterful also was his way of constraining 
 the attention of indifferent and even sneering 
 ones. I remember when we were in Nyack 
 for a short vacation, Mr. Nardi was talking of 
 the coming of the Lord. It was a private con- 
 versation. One of the listeners said rather 
 flippantly, ''It will be nice when He will 
 come." The man Nardi was transformed, he 
 became terrible ; with a great agility he stepped 
 forward and, pointing at the unfortunate in- 
 terrupter, cried aloud, rather thundered: 
 "But not for you ! You tremble !" A thun- 
 
138 Michele Nardi 
 
 derbolt would not have scared more the world- 
 ly man he was addressing. 
 
 In speaking of Mr. Nardi allow me a last 
 scene. A few friends went to see him when 
 he was sailing for Italy; alas — the last time. 
 We had a service on the steamer, then we 
 waited the departure from the pier. It seems 
 now; we were gazing at that fine couple — he, 
 the tall, slender figure, and his beloved wife, 
 the noble Christian blind woman, Mr. Nardi's 
 most powerful human helper. As the steamer 
 went slowly away and we were saluting each 
 other, I thought of those two old people going 
 again to evangelize Italy, and I said to myself, 
 who knows whether we shall see each other 
 again this side of the river; and when the pas- 
 sengers were no longer distinguishable, we 
 departed. I thought : We are like travelers 
 who during the trip lose sight of each other, 
 but some day we will find ourselves side by 
 side on that morning on the eternal shore. 
 
 Rev. G. Petrelli. 
 
 L 
 
 A Personal Letter 
 
 AST evening I received a postal card 
 from Mr. D'Anchise telling me of dear 
 
The Italian Evangelist I39 
 
 Mr. Nardi's going home. I cannot tell you 
 how I felt. It was a thunder bolt from a clear 
 sky— and it shocked me. I could not help to 
 cry to God from the bottom of my soul, "My 
 God, what shall we do without Mr. Nardi. 
 What Mrs. Nardi will do without him?" And 
 it seemed as if God answered my cry, saying, 
 "I wanted my servant in My glory and I, even 
 I, your God, will take care of you all." 
 
 What shall I say to you, dear Mrs. Nardi? 
 I cannot find words to say anything. My heart 
 is too sore. I can only pray for you. I know 
 exactly how you feel I have been there. But 
 God gave me His wonderful peace, and healed 
 my wounded heart, and He will do the same 
 for you; I know He will. 
 
 Mrs. Brunn and our children are praying 
 for you, and if you will return to America, 
 do not forget that our house is yours ; we have 
 a spare room waiting for you. We would be 
 glad and fortunate to have you with us. 
 
 On September 13th we shall hold a Me- 
 morial Service for Mr. Nardi in the Charlton 
 Street Church. I wish you could be here then. 
 Drs. Shauffler, Makinney and Pirazzini will 
 speak, and I hope Dr. D'Anchise will be 
 
140 Michele Nardi 
 
 here to tell us about Mr. Nardi's last days. 
 I will send you a full report of the meeting. 
 
 In closing, dear Mrs. Nardi, let me exhort 
 you to look up to the Lord, where Mr. Nardi 
 is waiting for us, where we shall be united 
 with the dear Lord for ever, where there shall 
 be no more sin, no more sorrow, no more pain, 
 no more separation. "Forever with the 
 Lord." 
 
 Rev. Joseph Brunn. 
 
 A Memorial 
 
 ONE of the greatest sorrows of my life 
 was when I had to be parted, even 
 though for a little time, from a faithful and 
 dear friend, an apostle of the Lord Jesus. I 
 have known Nardi for over 15 years, but I 
 had the privilege to know Brother Nardi in- 
 timately in this city of Rapallo where we met 
 in June and July, 1914. He was a man of 
 strong character, of simple faith, a man of 
 charity and love. He loved the brethren and 
 the believers with whom he prayed; he loved 
 the young people who heard him gladly; he 
 loved the common people, and he was greatly 
 
The Italian Evangelist 141 
 
 moved when praying for them. He was a 
 man of prayer, mighty in the Scriptures, 
 sanctified by the spirit of Jesus, constantly in 
 communion with the Master, an apostle whom 
 Italy and the world needed. With equal fa- 
 cility he preached in several languages, and 
 succeeded in gathering around him Christians 
 of different nationalities who, in the Christian 
 Meeting-hall of Rapallo edified each other in 
 the presence of their beloved pastor, and with 
 joy and simplicity of heart partook of the 
 Lord's Supper. He had a melodious voice 
 and filled with the Spirit, he preached not only 
 by his words but by his whole life. His ritual 
 was the Gospel, his catechism the Gospel, his 
 theology the Gospel, and when we were think- 
 ing he was ''the right man" for the little flock 
 left to him by dear Brother Mauro, the Lord 
 called him to Himself. He always was ready 
 and watching like a true servant of God who 
 knew the Father's voice, answered the call 
 without hesitancy and without surprise, leav- 
 ing his dear wife, so tried already, to travel 
 alone the rest of the journey with equal 
 strength of character, faith and trust in God. 
 
 Rev. Paolo Gay. 
 
142 Michele Nardi 
 
 Tribute 
 
 WHEN I heard of the death of Mr. 
 Nardi, I was deeply touched; for I 
 knew what a great loss it meant to Italian 
 Evangelization. Though I am not a convert 
 of Mr. Nardi's preaching, I had the opportun- 
 ity to hear him many, many times, and his sin- 
 cere preaching of the Gospel left in me a deep 
 impression. I felt the message was straight 
 from God through him, for no one could do 
 as he did unless God was with him. 
 
 I am sure there is not a work in the United 
 States and Italy carried on among the Italians 
 where the name of Mr. Nardi is not severed. 
 
 The sixty or more churches which were 
 built through his untiring efforts will remain 
 as monuments to his memory and a watch- 
 tower of light to those who are living in dark- 
 ness. We can truly say of Mr. Nardi : "He, 
 being dead, yet speaketh." 
 
 Now he is with his Master enjoying the 
 reward of his labors, where we shall meet him 
 and join him in the song of Moses and the 
 Lamb. 
 
 Joseph F. Piretti. 
 
The Italian Evangelist 143 
 
 An Appreciation 
 
 1HAVE learned with deep sorrow of the 
 home going of your beloved husband and 
 that I really feel as if a member of my family 
 had been stricken. I never knew a sweeter, 
 purer, more heroic figure than Michele 
 Nardi. Like so many of our Alliance people 
 the revelation of Jesus transfigured him, and 
 he will ever stand in my mental picture gal- 
 lery as a companion picture to the radiant 
 faces of John Cookman, Henry Wilson, A. J. 
 Gordon, Dr. Barnet, Nellie Griffin, and others 
 I could name. His soul was absolutely spot- 
 less and heavenly. His mind was keen, his 
 ministry marvelously owned of God. He was, 
 indeed, a Christian hero. I can scarcely sym- 
 pathize with you, dear Blanche. It seemed 
 fitting that he should be glorified, and soon 
 we shall see him coming and hear him shout 
 again. 'Traise the Lord." 
 
 Rev. a. B. Simpson. 
 
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