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 Foreign Mission Fields. 
 
 COMPILED BY 
 
 MRS. O, W. SCOT T. 
 
 PRICE, . . FIVE CEJVT!», 
 
 
 WOMAN'S FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY, 
 METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, 
 
 36 BROMFIELD STREET, - - - BOSTON, MASS. 
 
ITALY. 
 
 \ 
 
 FACTS 
 
 IN 
 
 Questions and Answers 
 
 FOR 
 
 MISSION BANDS AND JUNIOR LEAGUES. 
 
 BY 
 
 MRS. O. W. SCOTT. 
 
 BOSTON, MASS.: 
 
 WOMAN’S FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY 
 METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, 
 
 36 Bromfield Street. 
 
/. 
 
 THE COUNTRY. 
 
 II. 
 
 THE PEOPLE. 
 
 III. 
 
 THE GOVERNMENT. 
 
 IV. 
 
 EDUCATION AND LITERATURE. 
 
 V. 
 
 RELIGION. 
 
 VI. 
 
 PROTESTANT MISSIONS. 
 
ITALY. 
 
 THE COUNTRY. 
 
 1. Q. Where is Italy? 
 
 In the south of Europe. It extends, in 
 a boot-shaped peninsula, into the Med¬ 
 iterranean Sea, being bounded on the 
 east by the Adriatic Sea. 
 
 2. Q. What is its area? 
 
 One hundred and fourteen thousand 
 four hundred and fifteen square miles. 
 The islands of Sicily, Sardinia and Elba 
 belong to Italy. 
 
 3. Q. What is its population? 
 
 In 1897 it was 31,290,490. 
 
 4. Q. What is its capital? 
 
 Rome is its capital and chief city. It 
 has been famous for many centuries and 
 possesses great historic interest. 
 
 5. Q. Mention some outline facts. 
 It was founded by Romulus 753 B. C. 
 
 That section of Italy is of volcanic 
 
4 
 
 origin. The “City of the Seven Hills,” 
 the “Mistress of the World,” has for its 
 foundations enormous beds of lava pro¬ 
 jected from the Alban Hills in bygone 
 ages. It is situated on the famous Tiber, 
 a rapid muddy stream subject to mar¬ 
 vellous and sometimes destructive 
 freshets. It contains a large number of 
 churches, among them the celebrated 
 cathedral of St. Peter. 
 
 6. Q. Mention other principal cities. 
 
 Florence, which was the former capi¬ 
 tal ; Naples, the largest city, is famous 
 for its beautiful bay; Genoa, for being 
 the birthplace of Columbus. Venice is 
 a city of great attractions, is built upon 
 many small islands, and canals largely 
 take the place of streets. The principal 
 commercial cities are Venice, Leghorn, 
 Genoa, Naples, Messina and Palermo. 
 
 7. Q. What is the length of Italy’s 
 coast line? 
 
 Adore than 2,000 miles. Much of this 
 is bold and rocky, while other portions 
 are low, level and marshy. 
 
5 
 
 8. Q. What are its mountain 
 
 ranges? 
 
 The Apennines, a broad mountainous 
 belt, giving sublime scenery; and on the 
 north between Italy and Switzerland and 
 Austria rise the majestic Alps. 
 
 9. Q. Name its rivers. 
 
 There are but two important ones, the 
 Po and the Adige, although the Arno 
 and the Tiber are better known. In the 
 southern portion of Italy the rivers 
 terminate in swamps, which are the 
 source of disease. 
 
 10. Q. What are used in irrigating 
 the land? 
 
 Canals were constructed in the mid¬ 
 dle ages, which have greatly benefited 
 agriculture. 
 
 11. Q. Are there lakes in Italy? 
 
 There are numerous lakes, most of 
 
 them in the north, some of which are 
 celebrated for their picturesque scenery. 
 Maggiore and Como are among these. 
 
 12. Q. Has this country mineral 
 wealth ? 
 
 Its mineral wealth has been known 
 
6 
 
 for many ages. There are mines of 
 lead, silver, copper, iron, bronze, alum 
 and sulphur. Ancient pits and ruins of 
 founderies are discovered, showing 
 former mining industries. 
 
 13. Q. Is the soil fertile? 
 
 Every part of the country is capable 
 of great productiveness. In many places 
 the Apennines are cultivated in terraces 
 almost to their summits. Abundant 
 harvests are the rule, and even the 
 marshy sections may be reclaimed as 
 they were formerly under cultivation. 
 
 14. Q. What are the principal pro¬ 
 ductions? 
 
 There is a variety of agricultural prod¬ 
 ucts. Wheat, corn, barley and oats, rye, 
 rice and all sorts of vegetables abound. 
 Luscious fruits—oranges, lemons, cit¬ 
 rons, figs, almonds, dates—are found in 
 central and southern Italy. The olive is 
 indigenous, and its culture is a growing 
 industry. 
 
 15. Q. What is another industry? 
 
 The culture of grapes for the manu¬ 
 facture of wine. 
 
7 
 
 16. Q. What is the most important 
 product? 
 
 Silk, which is exported in large quan¬ 
 tities. The mulberry tree grows in the 
 basin of the Po, and much attention is 
 given the silkworm. 
 
 17. Q. Mention other industries. 
 
 The manufacture of straw goods, 
 
 earthenware, glass, artificial flowers, 
 jewelry, macaroni and many fancy arti¬ 
 cles. 
 
 18. Q. What animals are found? 
 
 Not a large variety of species, but 
 
 those common to Europe, such as 
 horses, cattle, sheep, swine, goats and 
 mules. The sea furnishes a variety of 
 shell and other fish for food. 
 
 19. Q. What is the climate of Italy? 
 
 In the north, cold weather is known in 
 
 winter, frosts beginning in November 
 and lasting until March or April. The 
 centre of the country rarely sees frost, 
 and snow appears only on the mountain 
 tops. In the south snow and ice are un¬ 
 known, save on the top of Mount Etna, 
 and tropical plants flourish. The skv 
 
8 
 
 of deepest blue is celebrated in song and 
 story, and the wonderful atmosphere at¬ 
 tracts health seekers. 
 
 20. Q. Mention one detraction. 
 
 There are frequent earthquakes and 
 volcanic eruptions in southern Italy and 
 Sicily. Mount Vesuvius, near Naples, 
 and Etna, on the island of Sicily, are 
 well-known volcanoes. 
 
 THE PEOPLE. 
 
 21. Q. What does history tell us of 
 the ancient dwellers in Italy? 
 
 In the vicinity of Rome are indica¬ 
 tions of a prehistoric age, in which sav¬ 
 age nomadic tribes wandered through 
 the dense forests. It is thought that this 
 race made Saint Peter’s hill a kind of 
 sacred spot a thousand years before 
 Saint Peter was born. Then came an 
 agricultural people called Latins. They 
 had a divinity called Saturn, “the good 
 sower.” Then came Sabines, Pelasgi- 
 ans, Etruscans; but the history of Rome 
 and that of Italy began with the “Wall 
 
9 
 
 of Romulus,” a fragment of which still 
 remains. This wall, built bv Romulus 
 and his men, enclosed about twenty- 
 four acres, and made possible the build¬ 
 ing of a city, conquest and dominion. 
 
 22. Q. Describe the Italiana of to¬ 
 day. 
 
 The Italian of to-day is rather slender 
 than stout, but strong and agile. He 
 has a dark complexion, expressive 
 countenance, sparkling eyes, black hair 
 and a grave gait. Many of the women 
 are fine looking, with beautiful eyes and 
 features. 
 
 23. Q. Are the Italians of to-day 
 like the Romans of old? 
 
 Many of the characteristics remain, 
 but circumstances and changed condi¬ 
 tion have had a paralyzing effect. 
 
 24. Q. How large a proportion is 
 of other nationalities? 
 
 About 350,000, composed of German, 
 French, Jews, Greeks, Albanians, etc. 
 
 25. Q. For what are Italians noted? 
 
 Their love of music and art. After the 
 
 age of military greatness came that of 
 
10 
 
 literature, art and science, and even the 
 common people did not escape its im¬ 
 press. 
 
 26. Q. Describe the music of the 
 people. 
 
 One peculiarity is that, light 
 hearted as the Italians are, their songs 
 are almost invariably written in a minor 
 key. But these are sung by men, 
 women and children with correctness 
 and spirit. The wandering musicians, 
 common to the city streets, are nearly al¬ 
 ways good singers. Even the venders 
 of fruit and fish, the umbrella mender 
 and the old clo’ man have musical 
 calls which produce a sort of harmony 
 peculiar to the country. 
 
 27. Q. Are the people industrious? 
 
 The people of northern Italy are ex¬ 
 tensively engaged in manufacture. Agri¬ 
 culture, vine raising, wine making and 
 silk weaving employ many of the inhab¬ 
 itants of lower Italy, while the learned 
 professions are the same as in our own 
 land. But the nature of the Italian is 
 ease-loving, and there is a large class, es- 
 
11 
 
 timated as one-fifth of the population, 
 who toil not nor spin. Many of these 
 gain a livelihood by begging. 
 
 28. Q. What is said of the beggars 
 of Rome? 
 
 There are established beggars, who 
 make of their business a kind of guild, 
 and frequently grow wealthy. Others 
 make capital of some deformity or dis¬ 
 ease. “To have no legs at all is to stand 
 on the best footing with fortune.” This 
 large percentage of mendicants shows a 
 lack of national pride and integrity. 
 
 2Q. Q. What is said of home life in 
 Italy? 
 
 The affectionate nature of the people 
 tends to make home ties very strong. 
 Children are merry and happy, but as 
 they grow older they—especially the 
 girls—feel the effects of the lax system 
 of education and morals which prevails 
 in all Italian cities. 
 
 30. Q. How does this influence 
 them? 
 
 The Italian girl has but one ambition, 
 —to marry a rich man who can give her 
 
12 
 
 ease and luxury. Money is the one mark 
 of aristocracy. This is not because her 
 nature is sordid, but is the result of de¬ 
 fective training. 
 
 THE GOVERNMENT. 
 
 31. Q. What is the government of 
 Italy? 
 
 Italy was constituted a kingdom in 
 1861. King Humbert I, born in 1844, 
 the eldest son of Victor Emmanuel, came 
 to the throne January 9, 1878. 
 
 32. Q. Has the king absolute con¬ 
 trol ? 
 
 The executive power is vested in him 
 and is exercised through responsible 
 ministers. There are two Houses of 
 Legislature. The Senate is nominated 
 by the king. The deputies are elected 
 by ballot. 
 
 33. Q. Is the government firmly es¬ 
 tablished? 
 
 The political life of Italy is like a 
 troubled sea which cannot rest. Citi- 
 
13 
 
 zens over 25, with certain qualifications, 
 may vote in a parliamentary election, but 
 out of 8,000,000 voters but 3,000,- 
 000 take the trouble to do so. Among 
 the people there is great discontent be¬ 
 cause of poverty and excessive taxation, 
 the latter being due to immense sums 
 spent on the army and navy. 
 
 34. Q. Has the present government 
 introduced reforms and improvements? 
 
 Previous to i860 Italy was divided 
 into a large number of petty states, and 
 it was not until 1876 that it was fully 
 united. We may say, then, that all im¬ 
 provements have taken place during the 
 past thirty years. “The cleansing of 
 Rome” has done away largely with the 
 terrible “Roman fever.” The Tiber is 
 dredged; omnibuses and trains are seen 
 everywhere; iron bridges span the river; 
 telegraphs, telephones, electric lights, 
 etc., are common, and a system of 
 schools has been established by the gov¬ 
 ernment. 
 
14 
 
 EDUCATION AND LITERATURE. 
 
 35. Q. Is Italy known as a land of 
 education? 
 
 She was long the foremost nation of 
 Europe in literature, art and education, 
 and has given birth to some of the great¬ 
 est men of modern times. 
 
 36. Q. What is said of her libraries? 
 
 The principal public libraries are the 
 Vatican and Minerva at Rome, and one 
 at least in the cities of Naples, Venice, 
 Milan, Turin, Florence, Parma, etc. In 
 some of these are immense literary treas¬ 
 ures. 
 
 37. Q. Name some other attrac¬ 
 tions. 
 
 There are museums, cabinets of art 
 and wonderful picture galleries, making 
 Italy the Mecca of artists. Literary and 
 scientific societies have existed ever 
 since the fourteenth century. Observa¬ 
 tories are found in the principal cities. 
 
 38. Q. Is the language of all Italy 
 the same? 
 
 Only the written language. Among 
 
15 
 
 the common people are various dialects 
 almost as unlike as different tongues. 
 It is in Tuscany that the Italian lan¬ 
 guage is spoken in its purity. 
 
 39. Q. What educational privileges 
 are found? 
 
 The universities of Italy once had a 
 world-wide reputation such as a few in 
 Germany now enjoy. There are a large 
 number of these, one at least in each of 
 seventeen principal cities. Beside these 
 there are other schools of high grade, 
 while elementary education is com¬ 
 pulsory. 
 
 40. Q. Is this new law effective? 
 
 The latest report says that only 25 per 
 
 cent of children between six and twelve 
 attend school. In every 100 marriages 
 37 bridegrooms and 52 brides cannot 
 write. Among the young men drawn 
 for the army and navy a large percentage 
 can neither read nor write. 
 
 41. Q. Is this fact receiving atten¬ 
 tion ? 
 
 It is. All departments of the govern¬ 
 ment from the king down see the neces- 
 
16 
 
 sity of a more practical and widespread 
 education. One deputy has dared to say 
 that the remedy for ignorance and im¬ 
 morality will be found only in schools 
 where an education may be acquired 
 “founded on the Bible.” 
 
 42. Q. Where is there a special 
 lack in practical instruction? 
 
 In schools for girls. There has been a 
 sentiment, so common in both papal and 
 heathen countries, that girls needed little 
 learning. Their great charm in Italy 
 has been to know little and to think less. 
 But the queen and noble ladies are striv¬ 
 ing to better these conditions. 
 
 43- Q- What is one peculiar hin¬ 
 drance? 
 
 The fact that .men in trade or earning 
 six or eight pounds per month would 
 feel degraded if their daughters or sisters 
 were educated to think or act for them¬ 
 selves, or to do anything toward self- 
 support. 
 
 44. Q. Mention another hindrance. 
 
 It is stated in a late report on female 
 education that much harm springs from 
 
17 
 
 the influence of nuns, which is felt even 
 in government schools. 
 
 RELIGION. 
 
 45. Q. What is the religion of 
 Italv? 
 
 The Roman Catholic faith is nominal¬ 
 ly the state religion, but since the estab¬ 
 lishment of the kingdom the temporal 
 power of the Pope has been greatly di¬ 
 minished. 
 
 46. Q. What condition prevailed be¬ 
 fore that? 
 
 The Pope claimed unlimited power 
 both in temporal and spiritual matters. 
 
 47. Q. Who is the Pope? 
 
 He is the head of the Roman Catholic 
 Church in all the world. The present 
 Pope is Leo XIII. He was born 
 March 2, 1810, and elected Pope Febru¬ 
 ary, 20, 1878. His home is in the Vati¬ 
 can. He is regarded as the regular suc¬ 
 cessor of St. Peter. 
 
 48. Q. What is the Vatican? 
 
18 
 
 It is the papal palace at Rome, one of 
 the most magnificent in the world. It 
 is attached to St. Peters Church and 
 contains rare statuary, a large museum, 
 a picture gallery filled with paintings by 
 the old masters, and a library in which 
 is the most valuable manuscript collec¬ 
 tion in the world. There are in the pal¬ 
 ace 4,422 rooms. 
 
 49. Q. What has been the spirit of 
 the Roman Catholic Church toward 
 Protestant missions in Italy? 
 
 Previous to 1870 it meant imprison¬ 
 ment to preach the Gospel in Rome, and 
 death if persisted in. The Bible was not 
 circulated among the people until that 
 date. On entering Italy tourists were 
 compelled to have their trunks searched 
 for contraband Bibles. 
 
 50. 0 . What has been the result of 
 such religious training? 
 
 As in other purely Catholic countries, 
 while churches were numerous and 
 splendid, and the power and wealth of 
 the few unlimited, the masses of the peo¬ 
 ple were ignorant and poor. 
 
19 
 
 51. Q. What are they taught to 
 worship? 
 
 The object of special adoration is the 
 Virgin Mary, while saints in large num¬ 
 bers are supposed to intercede for the 
 faithful. There are holy shrines and pic¬ 
 tures and images innumerable in the 
 churches. Among the last is “the most 
 holy Bambino," which is kept in one of 
 the churches, and copies of which are 
 found in many others. Bambino means 
 baby, and this is an image of the baby 
 Jesus, which they believe was carved from 
 a piece of the true cross. This modern 
 doll is covered with precious gems, and 
 its stiff little fingers are hidden by costly 
 rings. Its head wears a massive crown 
 covered with jewels. The poor people 
 believe that the sight or touch of this 
 image will cure their sick children, and 
 it is sometimes called “The Little Doc¬ 
 tor.” During the season devoted to 
 Christmas festivities this doll is displayed 
 ten days in a manger, and there are cere¬ 
 monies of great magnificence in all the 
 churches. This is only one instance 
 
20 
 
 showing how the people of Italy are kept 
 from Jesus. 
 
 52. Q. Are these images still wor¬ 
 shipped? 
 
 Yes; there is no change noticeable in 
 the churches. 
 
 53 - Q • What improvement did 
 come when church and state were di¬ 
 vided? 
 
 The government began at once to es¬ 
 tablish public schools all over the land, 
 and further persecution of Protestants 
 was forbidden. The Bible was issued by 
 their own publishers, and thousands of 
 copies were circulated in a short time 
 after the Pope’s temporal power was di¬ 
 minished. 
 
 PROTESTANT MISSIONS. 
 
 54. Q. What churches have estab¬ 
 lished missions in Italy? 
 
 The Waldensians, faithful through 
 long persecution, stand first in numbers, 
 having 5,596 members. The Italian 
 Evangelical Church has 1,765, the 
 
Methodist Episcopal 2,326, the Wesley¬ 
 an Methodist 1,505, the Baptist 790. 
 There are other evangelistic agencies at 
 work, both native and foreign. 
 
 55- Q- When did the Methodist 
 Episcopal denomination begin its work? 
 
 In 1871 under Dr. Leroy Vernon. 
 
 56. Q. How has it prospered? 
 
 It was organized into a conference in 
 1881. It includes Italy and also has ap¬ 
 pointments in Switzerland and Austria. 
 There are in the conference three Amer¬ 
 ican missionaries, 25 native preachers, 21 
 local preachers, 2,326 members, 1,098 
 children in Sunday-school. In Rome is 
 a boys’ school, young ladies’ and girls’ 
 schools, industrial and theological 
 schools. 
 
 57. Q. Is there steady progress? 
 
 The presiding elder of Rome district 
 
 writes: “There are many more who 
 would come to our services were it not 
 for continual persecution, the loss both 
 of work and bread, and the many influ¬ 
 ences which corrupt Italian society to¬ 
 day.” Under these circumstances a gain 
 of 331 members is given for 1898. 
 
22 
 
 58. Q. What effect have Protestant 
 missions had upon the Catholic Church 
 in Italy? 
 
 A note of warning has been sounded 
 through their papers, beginning, “The 
 second decade of the twentieth century 
 will see a Protestant population of 
 Romans.” The priests have also set on 
 foot efforts to reach the classes who are 
 being brought into Protestant missions. 
 
 59. Q. What gives the Methodist 
 Episcopal Church an advantage in 
 Rome? 
 
 A very fine location and building in 
 which are a preparatory school, theolog¬ 
 ical seminary, and two chapels, one for 
 Italian, the other for English service. 
 It is in the centre of the city, quite near 
 the government buildings and the Vati¬ 
 can. 
 
 60. Q. What work has the Woman’s 
 Foreign Missionary Society connected 
 with the above church done in Italy? 
 
 Its first work was begun in 1877 by 
 employing three Bible women under 
 charge of Dr. and Mrs. Vernon. In 1887 
 as many as thirteen Bible women were 
 
23 
 
 at work among—usually—the poor 
 families. Much good was done by these 
 faithful women. 
 
 61. Q. What step of progress was 
 taken in 1885? 
 
 The first missionary of the society, 
 Miss Emma Hall, was sent to Rome. 
 After careful preparatory work a home 
 and orphanage were established, in 1888. 
 Among the many pupils has been a 
 granddaughter of Garibaldi. In 1893 a 
 desirable property for a girls’ home 
 school was secured, and in May, 1894, it 
 was dedicated. This house was first 
 built for a nunnery, or nun’s school, and 
 is at the west end of the city. It has a 
 large garden abounding in a variety of 
 fruit. 
 
 62. Q. How many departments of 
 work are being carried on ? 
 
 The Isabella Clark Creche is estab¬ 
 lished for the reception and care of chil¬ 
 dren from two to seven years of age. 
 The rooms are open from 7 A. M. to 7 
 P. M. This has been a success from the 
 beginning. Next comes the kinder¬ 
 garten, then the Sunday-school with 
 
24 
 
 more than 50 children every Sunday 
 afternoon. The girls’ school teaches not 
 only the usual studies but dressmaking, 
 embroidery, machine sewing, etc. These 
 girls sustain an Epworth League. The 
 school for the higher education of girls 
 is also well patronized, and its success is 
 well assured. The Bible is read and 
 taught in these schools, and the teachers 
 say, “Our aim is not to force, but to win 
 them to Christ.” Miss Hall and three 
 missionary teachers are the care takers in 
 this great enterprise. 
 
 63. Q. What is the outlook for 
 Protestantism in Italy? 
 
 Bishop Goodsell sums up the many 
 difficulties and slow progress, making a 
 not altogether hopeful picture, but gives 
 the following wise and true statement: 
 “Religion has been so long an avoidance 
 of penalty rather than a love of good that 
 the truth can hardly reach the adult, and 
 has a future only when buried in the 
 heart of a child.” So in Italy, as every¬ 
 where, our Lord comes to his own “as 
 a little child.” 
 

 
 
 
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