EVANGELICAL CHIJRCH OE ITALY* 
 
 SURPRISE FESTIVAL 
 
 IN HONOR 
 
 of Rev. JOHN R. MAC DOUGALL, M. A. 
 
 on 25 th May, 1S91. 
 
 ('Translated from the Italian by the Rev. Henry Piggott, of Rome.) 
 
FLORENCE, 1891. — Printed by G. Barbkra. 
 
CHIESA SCOZZESE, 
 
 ll, Lung’ Arno Guicciardini, 
 
 FLORENCE, December 1891 . 
 
 Dear Christian Friends, 
 
 I liave consented to the English Report of the Surprise Festival, 
 only for the purpose of passing on the honor and earnest gratitude of 
 these dear Italian Converts, from myself to all my Friends and Helpers, 
 without whose aid and sympathy and prayers, I could not have done 
 anything in Italy. 
 
 The Lord has been lovingly kind to me, in raising up such a pha¬ 
 lanx of staunch, loyal and true Friends, during these 34 years of my 
 missionary work in this land. 
 
 1 wish I could express my thanks, otherwise than in words, which 
 yet are not vain words, and in intercessions for your welfare, which 
 I believe the Lord graciously answers. 
 
 I cannot expect to be much longer continued in this delightful occu¬ 
 pation, and I have a profound and solemn sense of the little that has 
 been accomplished, compared with what was planned and expected. 
 God has seen fit to employ us as sowers beside all waters. In His own 
 time He will send forth the happy reapers, to gather in the golden 
 harvest, and sowers and reapers will rejoice together in the land of larger 
 opportunities and more effective service. 
 
 With kindest regards and best wishes, 
 
 Ever yours sincerely in Christ Jesus, 
 
 John R. Mac Dougall. 
 

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 in 2019 with funding from 
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 https://archive.org/details/surprisefestivalOOevan 
 
The 25 th of May, 1891, was a red-letter day in the annals of 
 the Evangelical Church of Italy (formerly Free Italian Church). 
 On it the entire Church united, either by Delegates personally 
 assembled, or by epistolary or telegraphic representation, in a 
 solemn and loving Festival of recognition of the great services 
 rendered to it by the one man, to whom, more than to any other, 
 is due, under God, its present high position on the field of Ita¬ 
 lian Evangelisation, — the Rev. John R. Mac Dougall, M. A. of 
 Florence. Twenty years having just reached their full term since 
 M r Mac Dougall first took up the cause of the then imperfectly 
 organised and struggling Church, it was felt that the fitting time 
 had come for attesting that profound sense of gratitude for his 
 toils and sacrifices, which had been ever growing in the hearts 
 of both Pastors and people. Other circumstances too combined, 
 as will appear in the course of the following narration, to render 
 the moment opportune, not only for the discharge of a debt of 
 gratitude towards man, but for raising a solemn Eben-ezer to 
 God, in thankfulness and hope. 
 
 The Place. — The Festival was held in the Church of the Flo¬ 
 rentine Congregation in the Via dei Benci. This Church once 
 formed part of the Convent of S* James; and is now, together 
 with other attiguous rooms of the ancient Convent, the property 
 of the Evangelical Church of Italy. There was peculiar fitness in 
 the selection of this locality for the demonstration. It was the 
 first acquisition made, and that through the exertions of M r Mac 
 Dougall, on behalf of what was then known as the Free Church 
 of Italy. And in this very year, on the Evangelical Church of 
 
Italy, as there localised , has been conferred, by Royal Decree, a 
 juridical existence, — an event of immense importance for the 
 community, in relation to all questions, present and future, of 
 proprietorship. On the evening of the 25 th the spacious interior 
 of the Church, usually hare and simple almost to austerity, was a 
 perfect scene of enchantment. Lights were everywhere ablaze; the 
 walls were tapestried with garlands; flowers were scattered about 
 in profusion. A platform was raised in the apse, in front of the 
 pulpit, for the Presiding Commission; pulpit and platform were 
 alike gay with flowers. In front of the platform, stretching out 
 towards the centre of the Church, stood a table hearing the gifts 
 that had been prepared by the Committee and by the Florentine 
 Church. 
 
 The Invitation. — It having been decided to give to the Fe¬ 
 stivity a private, or better, a family character, a Circular of In¬ 
 vitation had been prepared by the Secretary of the Committee, 
 and sent round to all those who were entitled to attend. The 
 Circular thus explained the object of the gathering. 
 
 " It is our desire to express to him (the Rev. M r Mac Dou- 
 gall) the gratitude of all our Churches and of all our labourers 
 in Italy; the more so that now, after twenty years of unwearied 
 toil, of unsurpassed abnegation and sacrifice, prosecuted with ever 
 growing love and zeal, he is on the point of entering upon a period 
 of calmer and more restful life, without abandoning, however, this 
 spiritual daughter of his, that was born and has grown up under 
 his eyes. We desire to offer to him a unanimous testimony of 
 the lively and indelible sense of obligation with which we all, 
 workers and private members, render praise and glory to God 
 for having raised up so pious and zealous a servant, to become 
 in His hands the first and chief of all human factors, in the po¬ 
 sition at present held by the Evangelical Church of Italy, both 
 throughout our beloved Fatherland, and in other Countries.” 
 
 The Response in Person. — Of the responses to the above In¬ 
 vitation that poured in by post or telegraph more will he said 
 anon. It is the gathering itself that first claims description. On 
 the platform were those members of the General Committee, who 
 had been designated as a Commission for the organisation of 
 the Festivity. These were the Rev s Damiano Borgia, President , 
 Cav. Saverio Fera, Secretary , Serafino Beruatto and Lodovico Conti, 
 Counsellors , and M r S. Y. Cecchi, Hon. Member and Treasurer — 
 five out of the nine composing the Committee. The remaining 
 
— 7 
 
 four, the Rev 8 Francesco Lagomarsino, Vice-president, and Santi 
 Stagnitta, Counsellor, with the Hon. Members Cav. D 1 ' K. Roenneke 
 of Rome, and M r W. Haskard of Florence for the moment absent 
 in England, though hindered by distance or necessary economy 
 from being present in person, all felt, spoke and acted, in fullest 
 sympathy, through the hearts, lips and hands of their delegates 
 of the Commission. To the left of the Church and of the pre¬ 
 siding Commission were arranged a select number of the older 
 scholars of the Italian Evangelical Institution, one of them bearing 
 the beautiful banner of the Institution ; on the right stood the 
 invited friends, Italian and foreign; the body of the building was 
 occupied by a large representation of the local Church, and of 
 the families of the children. Of friends, though all publicity had 
 been avoided, there was a goodly array, and many more, espe- 
 j daily of Ministerial Colleagues of other Churches, would have been 
 present, but for an unlucky mistake, through which several invi¬ 
 tations were delivered too late. In fact on the following day, by 
 letter or word of mouth, declarations of regret for this untoward 
 circumstance, which had prevented their attesting in person their 
 hearty sympathy with the object of the Meeting, were received 
 from the Rev s D r P. Geymonat, Professor in the Waldensian Col¬ 
 lege, Bart. Pons, Editor of the Italia Evangelica, D 1 ' W m Burt 
 and Prof. V. S. Ravi, respectively Presiding Elder and Pastor in 
 the Methodist Episcopal Church, G. Luzzi, Waldensian Pastor, 
 Od. Jalla, Agent of the Italian Publication Society, and A. Pe- 
 tocchi, Pastor of the Baptist Church. And many other similar 
 messages would, doubtless, have come to hand from more distant 
 friends and colleagues, but for the care taken by the Commission 
 to keep the whole demonstration secret from the beloved friend 
 in whose honour it was designed. 
 
 Arrival of M 1 ' Mac Dougall. — In fact to the Rev. J. R. Mac Dou- 
 gall had been sent a simple invitation, to kindly favour with his 
 presence a Festival in the Church of S 1 James. And with such 
 * successful secrecy had the Commission conducted its operations, 
 that not only not to himself, but not even to his wife and daughter 
 had there oozed out the slightest intimation of the conspicuous 
 part assigned to himself in the proceedings of the evening. Of 
 his surprise on finding at the door of the Church the Commission 
 waiting to give him a formal reception, and within the building 
 so gay and bright a show, such troops of friends and peals of 
 acclamation, nothing need be added to the words uttered by 
 
himself in the address, which will he presently reported. Writing 
 subsequently to various Pastors and Evangelists, he says: 
 
 ff I was so surprised and confounded by such unexpected ge¬ 
 nerosity, that for many days afterwards I seemed to be living in 
 a dream.” 
 
 The Meeting. — At a quarter to nine the President of the Com¬ 
 mittee, the Rev. Damiano Borgia, rose to open the proceedings 
 of the evening. To his right was seated M r Mac Dougall, to his 
 left Cav. Fera, the Secretary; on the platform beside the already- 
 named members of the Commission, were to be seen the Rev 8 Andre 
 Viollier, Pastor of the French Reformed Church, Gustavo Fischer, 
 Pastor of the German Evangelical Church, T. H. Eager of the 
 American Baptist Mission, Pastor Reith of Glasgow, and others. 
 The Chairman gave out the Italian translation of Luther’s famous 
 hymn, Ein feste Eerg, which, to Luther’s equally famous tune, was 
 sung with full heart and voice by the entire Assembly. A fervent 
 prayer followed from the Rev. Ludovico Conti of Rome, and then 
 the Chairman, after reading the fifth chapter of the first Epistle 
 to the Thessalonians, delivered a discourse, of which the following 
 is a somewhat abridged translation. 
 
 Speech of the Rev. Damiano Borgia, Chairman, — rt Beloved 
 Friends and Brethren in Christ: — The Festival which we cele¬ 
 brate this evening is simple, modest and domestic, but for our 
 Church, solemn, — a Festival of Christian gratitude to our worthy 
 and beloved friend, the Rev/J. R. Mac Dougall. 
 
 ” We are met in a building sacred to the worship of God; yet 
 no one will fear lest our Festival of gratitude should be a pro¬ 
 fanation of the place. It is here rather that it ought to be held, 
 here in this first of so many similar buildings, acquired for our 
 Church by the zeal and influence of our revered friend. 
 
 ” Nay, the spirit that has moved us to commemorate this 
 20 th anniversary of M r Mac Dougall’s connection with our Church, 
 has the fullest sanction of the Gospel. Is it not our duty to ma¬ 
 nifest our gratitude to the friends, who have spent their lives in 
 labours rf more abundant ” for the work of God in Italy ? 
 
 ” What says Paul in the words we have just read? We be¬ 
 seech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and 
 are over you in the Lord, and to esteem them very highly in love 
 for their work’s sake.” In this festive celebration we are but car¬ 
 rying out the counsel — the supplication of the Apostle. 
 
 ” Some will say: Honour and glory to God alone ! True, and 
 
— 9 — 
 
 thus we have done, and will ever do, — to God first, and above 
 all and everyone, the glory and the praise. But the Lord Himself, 
 by the mouth of the Prophet Isaiah, has stigmatised as " base, 0 
 those who ct behave themselves proudly against the honorable ” 
 man. As we would not be flatterers, so neither would we incur 
 the reproach of baseness; but would be true and just, and cohe¬ 
 rent with the precepts of the Gospel; and therefore full of Chri¬ 
 stian gratitude to the generous friend, who has done so much for 
 our beloved Church and for the Evangelisation of Italy. 
 
 ” It is, in fact, but a sacred duty that we are this evening ful¬ 
 filling. When, in 1870, our Church reconstituted itself under new 
 forms and on new Ecclesiastical lines, we all felt at once the need 
 of a man, who, under God, should be over us, as father, friend, 
 counsellor and helper. We prayed God to provide us with such 
 > a man. And in that same General Assembly of 1870 our lamented 
 Gavazzi exclaimed: " The man exists; he is M r Mac Dougall! ” At 
 the word and on the spot the Assembly nominated him Treasurer 
 of the Church, and Secretary for its foreign relations. 
 
 ” Informed of the nomination, M r Mac Dougall was for some time 
 perplexed whether to accept it or no. He knew but little of the 
 Free Italian Church, and sought information. He soon found that 
 it was a poor Church, destitute of everything, of halls, of schools, 
 of well trained agents. Yet, in spite of all, on a happy day for us, 
 he decided to accept our invitation. The decision once taken, he 
 threw himself amongst us body and soul, and was soon laden with 
 a burden of work, which hardly any other man would have been 
 able to bear. He deprives himself of the sweets of domestic life, 
 shuts himself up in his study, writes, prints, publishes reports and 
 circulars, keeps up an enormous correspondence both with our own 
 labourers and with friends innumerable all the world over. He 
 foregoes his summer rest, and starts upon deputation work. Nay, 
 instead of spending his months of repose in his own country, he 
 traverses the Ocean, and goes to America to beg for us our daily 
 * bread, and to multiply friends and deepen sympathies for the 
 Evangelisation of Italy. And are we to be so ungrateful for all 
 this, as not even to say to him: Thanks, M r Mac Dougall ? 
 
 15 Year by year, on returning to Italy from these Deputations 
 abroad, he recommences his round of toil, incessant, continuous, 
 daily. Two o’clock of night has struck ; — four, the dawn breaks, 
 and the sun comes to greet him yet in his study. He has not 
 seen his bed, nor closed an eye; a mountain of letters is lying on 
 
— 10 — 
 
 liis table, attesting the labours of the night. Such excess of toil 
 breaks him down; he falls sick; doctors protest, friends and family 
 supplicate ; yet for twenty long years he continues to sacrifice 
 himself for the work, for our work. And are we not to show, that 
 we are not altogether unworthy of so much affection ? No, we 
 cannot be so ' f base, 15 and because we cannot, we are assembled 
 here for the Festival of to-night. ” 
 
 After alluding to the spontaneous way, in which the idea of 
 such a commemoration had arisen simultaneously in the minds 
 of Pastors and people throughout all their Churches, and explaining 
 the delays that had prevented its being carried into effect at the 
 more convenient epoch of the General Assembly, Signor Borgia 
 concluded as follows : 
 
 " We are not here alone. In spirit are gathered with us all 
 our fellow-workers, and the members of our various Churches, as > ^ 
 is attested by the numerous telegrams, presently to be read, by 
 which they have sought a present and immediate share in the 
 festivities of the evening. 
 
 ” Thanks to all the many friends, assembled here in person. 
 
 I see many brethren and sisters of the Church that worships within 
 these walls ; you are the representatives of all the members of our 
 Churches scattered throughout Italy. I see, and with peculiar 
 pleasure, many children from our Florence Evangelical Institute; 
 you are the representatives of all the children in all our various 
 Schools ; to you also thanks ! And may you ever be grateful to 
 those who do you good. 
 
 ” And you, M r Mac Dougall, beloved and revered friend, kindly 
 accept these simple attestations of affection. They are a very 
 little thing, nothing, as compared with the benefits you have con¬ 
 ferred on us, with the sacrifices you have made for the work in 
 Italy. But your generous heart will see in this Parchment, in 
 this Album, in these Addresses of our Churches, the lively and 
 sincere expression of the love and gratitude felt by us all, old 
 and young, Ministers and people. The reward of your work, / 
 righteous and ample, awaits you on High, for " your labour shall 
 not be in vain in the Lord.” 
 
 ” Twenty years of toil have passed amidst vexations, troubles, 
 sorrows. We do not forget your toils, nor your sufferings ; yet 
 we would fain ask with good King Hezekiah, that a dilation of 
 other twenty years of life amongst us be conceded to you, yea, 
 and after that another, could it so be. At all events we earnestly 
 
— 11 — 
 
 pray that God may abundantly bless both yourself and your be¬ 
 loved family, and that for many years yet, a life so precious to 
 the cause of the Gospel in our Fatherland, may be preserved to 
 our Church, for the salvation of many souls and the glory of God 
 the Father and of Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Amen." 
 
 Address of the Secretary, Cav. Saverio Fera. — The discourse 
 of the President of the Committee was received, as may well be 
 imagined, with lively acclamation. He was followed by the Secre¬ 
 tary, Signor Fera, on whom had devolved, in great measure, the 
 preparations for, and organisation of the Festivity. After alluding 
 to the difficulties he had had in so conducting matters, that the 
 scene of the evening should come upon M r Mac Dougall as a 
 joyful surprise, he proceeded as follows : 
 
 ff My task is now finished ! Yet, in another sense, it does but 
 , now begin; for to me falls the honourable charge of presenting 
 to our illustrious friend the unanimous expression of the senti¬ 
 ments of our Committee and our Churches, — which, after being 
 read here, it is the universal desire should be given to the press, 
 in public testimony of his great and generous services. 
 
 ” I lay then before you, Rev. M r Mac Dougall, first of all the 
 Order of the Day, passed by acclamation in the sitting of the 
 Committee, held on the 13 th January 1891 ; it is conceived as 
 follows: 
 
 cf The Committee of Evangelisation of the Evangelical Church 
 ” of Italy, at the close of this most solemn of its sittings, after 
 ” the noble utterances of all its members here present, and fervent 
 ” prayer uplifted to God, determines : To present to the Rev. John 
 15 R. Mac Dougall, M. A. an attestation of the profound affection and 
 ” imperishable gratitude of the whole Evangelical Church of Italy; 
 ” and accepts the proposal concerted by all, that the presentation 
 ” take the form of an Honorary Inscription on Parchment, and 
 ” of an Album, containing Addresses from all the Churches of 
 ” the Mission, and Photographs of all the Labourers ; and that 
 % ” it be made publicly in one of the sittings of the next General 
 
 ” Assembly.” 
 
 ” I also present you with the telegrams sent from all our 
 Churches to the present Meeting, in testimony of their participa¬ 
 tion with us in this day of festivity, and of the common acclaim 
 in which they unite with us, in greeting the faithful Friend and 
 Benefactor of the Evangelical Church of Italy.” 
 
 Signor Fera then proceeded to read six and twenty telegrams, 
 
— 12 — 
 
 various in form, but one in the sentiments of affection, grati¬ 
 tude and reverence which animated them. They came from the 
 following places, taking the names in alphabetical order: Bari, 
 Bassignana, Bergamo, Bologna, Carrara, Chiavenna, Fara No- 
 varesc, Forano Sabina, Genova, Livorno, Luserna San Giovanni, 
 Milano, Montefiascone, Mottola, Napoli, Palermo, Pisa, Pistoja, 
 
 Boma, Savona, Sondrio, Spezia, Torino, Udine, Venezia, Viareggio. 
 Resuming his discourse, Signor Fera then said: 
 
 tr One telegram is wanting, that of the Church of Florence, as 
 from the Album also are wanting the Addresses both of the same 
 Church and of the Florentine Evangelical Institute. This was 
 inevitable, if our scheme of taking you this evening by surprise 
 was to be carried out. But the Church will to-night speak for 
 itself through a Commission appointed for the purpose, and con¬ 
 sisting of the Evangelist, Sig. Augusto Lenzi and the Treasurer, 
 
 Sig. Francesco Cateni. Nor is the Evangelical Italian Institute 
 willing to remain a silent spectator; but, as in duty bound, has 
 sent here a noble band of representatives, chosen from its older 
 pupils, both boys and girls, and a Commission from among these 
 will be presented to you by the first in time and place of its 
 Teachers, Sig. R. Nannoni. 
 
 ” I have yet also two other telegrams to consign to you. The 
 one is from our Colleague, Rev. Gabriele Martinelli, who, though 
 exercising his pastorate in another country, is a recognised member 
 of our Ministerial Body. From the two independent parishes of 
 Bondo and Castasegna, in the Canton Grisons, he sends another 
 voice to make unison with the concert of affection and gratitude 
 resounding here to-night. The other telegram is from that sin¬ 
 cere and constant friend and unwearied co-worker, by both your¬ 
 self and us so deeply loved, and who, like yourself, and perhaps 
 from you, has learned also to love the poor little Evangelical Church 
 of Italy, — the Rev. D r Cav. K. Roenneke, Chaplain to the Imperial 
 Embassy of Germany in Rome. His precious and expressive te¬ 
 legram reads as follows: ( 
 
 " To John Mac Dougall, companion in brotherhood, in service, 
 
 ” in labour, in warfare, and coheir and partner of the promised 
 ” grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and Christ Jesus, 
 
 ” our Lord. Roenneke.” 
 
 ” And here I might draw to a close, if a dear Colleague (Silva 
 of Bologna) had not added to the prose of the telegrams a brief 
 poetic effusion, which, while doing credit to the head and heart 
 
— 13 - 
 
 of the writer, at the same time so well interprets the sentiments of 
 all of us to-night, that I cannot refrain from reading it. 
 
 To The Rev. John R. Mac Dougall, M. A. 
 
 The Spirit of holy zeal and love 
 To guide the erring hack to God, 
 
 Of Hope, which soothes beneath the rod, 
 
 And springs direct from heaven above ; 
 
 Of Faith, which resting on the Lord, 
 
 Fills with immortal work each hour, 
 
 And rules each wish with living power 
 Has been thy Teacher, Guide and Lord. 
 
 As grateful children press around 
 The Father, whom they love so well, 
 j So we with crown and festival 
 
 Greet thee to-day with joyous sound. 
 
 From every lip one prayer ascends, 
 
 May Christ’s own Church in Italy 
 Have ever such a friend as thee! 
 
 (.Translated by M rs W m B. Thorpe.) 
 
 ” And now permit me, reverend and dear Sir, to say one word 
 on my own account, in expression of my admiration for the 
 work you have accomplished during this not insignificant period 
 of twenty years. With singular “abnegation, at the cost of more 
 than ordinary sacrifices, with robust faith in your ideal of a truly 
 Italian Church, with exceptional constancy and firmness, you have 
 kept your hand on the helm of the ship. To us Italians this is 
 a strange phenomenon. Such fixedness of purpose we are not 
 unused to see and admire in your own strong Northern lands, in 
 Germany, Switzerland, England and your native Scotland. But 
 here, among us!... Twenty years of strife with difficulties, with 
 % oppositions, and worse things still, ah! much worse, without losing 
 faith in one’s ideal, without turning aside to right or left, without 
 going back upon one’s steps! These friends, who are here with us 
 this evening, have all of them received on entering a copy of the 
 excellent Report (on the work of the Evangelical Church of Italy), 
 presented by our beloved President to the 9 th International Con¬ 
 ference of the Evangelical Alliance, recently held in Florence. At 
 the close of that Report is a Tabular View of all the Churches and 
 
— 14 
 
 stations, that constitute to-day the Evangelical Church of Italy. That 
 synopsis is a medal of honour on your breast, a Diploma of Service, 
 conferred on you not by us alone, but by the whole of Italy; for 
 all that you have done for us, you have done for the Evangeli¬ 
 sation of Italy at large. And this you have done without bringing 
 in a new Church-name, without imposing regulations, without com¬ 
 pressing the spontaneous development of our religious life. Your 
 supreme wish was to evangelise Italy, and you have been ready 
 for any and every sacrifice, if only you could help those who were 
 aiming at the same object. Our gratitude is a small thing; a 
 small thing the gratitude of the united Evangelism of Italy. The 
 Lord Himself will give you your just and merited recompense, in 
 the day in Avhich he will place in your hand the palm of victory, 
 and garland your head with the crown of glory, and grant you 
 to shine in His Kingdom as the stars for evermore. This is our 
 prayer for you, the prayer in which the whole Church of Italy 
 unites. God grant you its fulfilment! Amen.” 
 
 The presentation. — The discourse of Sig. Fera was followed 
 by the official presentation of the Memorial Gift. Of this the 
 preparation had been entrusted to the Rev. S. Beruatto of Yenice, 
 with the sole instruction that it was to be made artistically worthy 
 of the occasion. And by the admission of all, most admirably 
 has he executed his mandate. The entire Memorial is harmonious 
 in style, and that style the ornate Italian Gothic of the 14 th century, 
 so dear to English lovers of Art, and especially so to the family 
 of the Treasurer, who in questions of art are amateurs of the 
 purest taste. 
 
 There exists in Venice, in the famous Church of the Miracles, 
 a painting of Carpaccio, the ablest disciple of the celebrated 
 Tiepolo, representing the Study of S t Jerome. The Saint is there 
 seated upon a chair, marvellous for the beauty of its symmetrical 
 lines and for its rich imitation of velvet tint and texture. Si¬ 
 gnor Beruatto, who had already produced in the workshops of 
 his Institution a copy of the Chair in wood, that had sold for ( 
 
 500 francs, took it for the model of a light and elegant table, 
 lined with dark red velvet. On this he rested the four bronze 
 feet of a casket of walnut-wood, with open carved work of exqui¬ 
 site design, within which lies an Album of large dimensions and 
 covered with golden plush. On the upper side of the Album 
 the plush forms the frame-work to a Parchment, illuminated in 
 Gothic style, after a model taken from the precious collection of 
 
15 — 
 
 parchments in the Civic Museum Correr, in Venice, with the 
 legend: 
 
 AL REVERENDO SIGNOR 
 
 JOHN RICHARDSON MAC DOUGALL, M. A. 
 
 LA 
 
 CHIESA EVANGELICA d’ ITALIA 
 CHE PEI PRIMI E PIU DIFEICILI SUOI VENTI ANNI DI VITA 
 
 LO EBBE 
 
 APOSTOLO CONVINTO, DIEENSORE FEDELE, INSUPKRABILE AMMINISTRATORE 
 
 RIVERENTEMENTE OFFRE 
 MDOCCXCI. 
 
 (. Anglice, and disregarding the inscriptive distribution of the 
 lines : To the Rev. M r John Richardson Mac Dougall, M. A. the 
 Evangelical Church of Italy, which, during the first and most 
 . difficult twenty years of its existence, had in him a convinced 
 Apostle, a faithful Defender and an incomparable Administrator, 
 reverently offers, 1891.) 
 
 Around this central legend are the exquisite miniatures of five 
 of the principal cities of Italy: Rome, Naples, Milan, Florence, 
 Venice, connected by a tracery in Gothic style, designed expressly 
 for the purpose. The Album contains the Photographs of all the 
 Ministers and other labourers in active service, and also, by express 
 desire of the Committee, those of its faithful friend, Rev. D 1 ' Karl 
 Cav. Roenneke, and of its excellent Treasurer, Signor Sebastiano 
 Cecclii, both Honorary Members. 
 
 But where, it will perhaps be asked, are the Addresses so zeal¬ 
 ously drawn up and numerously signed by the various Churches, 
 in attestation of their love and reverence ? Surely these have not 
 been omitted from the Memorial! By no means. At first sight 
 it might appear as if the precious casket contained nothing but 
 the Album. But the forepart of the casket drops, and a novelty 
 appears in view. Uplift the Album, and lo ! fitted accurately into 
 the bottom of the casket a Book, elegantly bound in cloth and 
 % parchment, and bearing in gilt letters the following legend : 
 
 TO 
 
 JOHN R. MAC DOUGALL, M. A. 
 
 THE 
 
 EVANGELICAL CHURCH OF ITALY. 
 
 In this Book are bound together the originals of all the Addresses 
 of the various Churches, with thousands of signatures of Christian 
 
16 — 
 
 brethren and sisters, and other admirers of M 1 ' Mac Dougall’s 
 person and work. Some of these Addresses are simple and un¬ 
 adorned both in expression and get-up, though full of sincerity and 
 heart; while others, those for instance from Naples, Palermo and 
 Udine, are truly artistic in form and richly dight; there are even 
 some in Latin, — the one from Chiavenna, for example. 
 
 In fact, it is a casket resembling the mythological vase of 
 Pandora, wrought by Vulcan for Jove, to which Venus gave Beauty, 
 Minerva Wisdom and Mercury Eloquence. Yet, not in its intrinsic 
 costliness or elaboration consists its appraisement, either for donors 
 or receiver, but in its monumentalising an affection, which no 
 revolution of events or of years can ever change, an affection which 
 after this brief life of earth will endure and be glorified in the 
 country of the Redeemed. 
 
 Presentation and Address of the Florence Church. — After the 
 Memorial of the United Churches had been duly presented, came 
 the turn of the local Church in Florence. A delegation consisting 
 of Sig. Augusto Lenzi, the Evangelist of the Church, and of Sig. Fran¬ 
 cesco Cateni, its Treasurer, stepping forward, handed to M r Mac 
 Dougall a Family Bible (in Italian), luxuriously bound for the 
 occasion and enclosed in a suitable case. This presentation in 
 person and the discourse which followed, filled up the lacuna in 
 the Addresses, left purposely by the omission of any from the 
 Church in Florence, lest by some mischance the secret of the 
 evening should come prematurely to the ears of M r Mac Dougall, 
 and its keen edge be taken off the pleasure of the surprise. The 
 incription on the Bible was as follows : " The Evangelical Italian 
 
 Church in Florence to the Rev. J. R. Mac Dougall, M. A., in attesta¬ 
 tion of imperishable gratitude for what he has done during 20 years, 
 in promoting and supporting its works of Evangelisation and Be¬ 
 neficence, and in remembrance of the Festival, held in the Chapel 
 in Via dei Benci, for the purpose of presenting to him a Memorial 
 of filial gratitude, on the part of the Committee, of the Pastors 
 and Evangelists and of the Congregations of the Evangelical Church 
 of Italy, 25 May, 1891. — The Pastor, Saverio Fera; Evangelist 
 and Secretary, Augusto Lenzi; Treasurer, Francesco Cateni.” 
 
 On this followed a brief discourse from the Evangelist Si¬ 
 gnor Lenzi, who said among other things : " I could have wished 
 
 that this privilege had devolved upon another, inasmuch as, having 
 so recently assumed my present charge, I am perhaps too little 
 qualified to speak of all that M r Mac Dougall has done for our 
 
— 17 — 
 
 Florence Church. Hardly, however, had I arrived here, when a 
 unanimous voice, a cry from the heart, reached my ear. It was 
 the voice of the poor he had benefitted, blessing his name. These 
 are the brethren who have charged me to present you with this 
 Bible, as if to express their gratitude to you for having brought 
 the Bible to them, and to tell you how much they love you. Permit 
 me also, M r Mac Dougall, personally to pay a debt of gratitude. 
 To me you have ever showed yourself an affectionate father. In 
 a foreign land, in circumstances of great distress, I received from 
 you once and again liberal help, comfort and counsel. I rejoice to 
 be able publicly to testify my gratitude.” 
 
 The children’s offering. — The well-known hymn: Hold the Fort, 
 was now sung by the children of the Evangelical Italian Institute; 
 and after that, a Commission composed of the scholars, Tito Del 
 j Taglia, Mario Nannoni, Ida Lastrucci and Pia Orefici, offered to 
 M r Mac Dougall, in the name of their companions, a beautiful 
 Bouquet of Flowers, tied with a rich tri-colored riband. The 
 Commission was led forward by the Senior Teacher, Professor 
 Raphael Nannoni, who accompanied the presentation with the 
 following Address: 
 
 " I am more delighted than I can tell, to have the opportunity, 
 on this happy day,, of offering to the Rev. M r J. R. Mac Dougall 
 the homage of affection and gratitude, tendered to him from the 
 bottom of their hearts by the Scholars of our Evangelical Insti¬ 
 tute. These Schools owe their life to his paternal care. Here in 
 this Building everything speaks of him; there is not a nook or 
 corner, that does not contain some token of the love and interest 
 he has ever shown for our Scholastic work. 
 
 ” It is therefore only just, that we should take our part to-day 
 in this demonstration of respect and gratitude for one, who has 
 conferred such services on the Christian instruction and education 
 of our country. Accept, generous Sir, the affectionate homage, 
 which these Schools of the Evangelical Italian Institute of Flo- 
 * rence offer you. May the Lord shed abundantly His gracious 
 benedictions upon yourself and your family, and preserve you for 
 many long and happy years to our consolation and the increase 
 of the cause of Christ in Italy.” 
 
 The pupil, Ida Lastrucci, then recited, as Italian children know 
 how to recite, a few lines of verse, which have been thus translated: 
 
 Why, on this happy festal day 
 Do our young hearts so quickly beat? 
 
18 — 
 
 Why are they filled with filial love, 
 
 Which brings ns grateful to thy feet? 
 
 Because we know thou lov’st us well, 
 
 And fain would know us good and wise, 
 
 And see’st us tread the narrow way, 
 
 With anxious, loving, watchful eyes. 
 
 The Father of this School art thou, 
 
 Where we are taught the Saviour’s love, 
 
 Where His own Word is daily read, 
 
 So that its light our souls may move. 
 
 And thus it is that on this day, 
 
 I)o our young hearts so quickly beat, 
 
 And fervent prayers of love arise, 
 
 Whilst we crowd grateful round thy feet. 
 
 {Translated by M rs W m B. Thokpe.) 
 
 Discourse of Signor Beruatto. — A brief discourse followed from 
 the Bev. Serafino Beruatto, of Venice, Member of Committee. He 
 spoke as follows: 
 
 ff If I have ever desired to be possessed of a name, of a title, 
 of any importance and authority in the world, it is certainly on 
 the present solemn occasion, so that greater weight and worth 
 might be given to my few poor words of affection and admiration, 
 for the friend and benefactor whose name is in all our hearts 
 to-day. 
 
 ” He has brought to the work which God has confided to him 
 amongst us, those excellent qualities, which have made his own 
 people the first in the world: good faith, courage, disinterestedness, 
 activity, constancy. Others have spoken of various of these virtues, 
 allow me to dwell for a moment on the last, which is for me the 
 compendium of all. 
 
 ” The loyal constancy of M r Mac Dougall is superior to any 
 elogium of mine, yet I would fain make public mention of it, 
 inasmuch as his devotion to the work of the Lord in Italy, and in 
 particular his affectionate interest in the Free Italian Church, has < 
 
 never for a moment quailed or failed, for any troubles, or defections, 
 or petty strifes, or rage of foes, or calumnies, or griefs; nay, rather 
 it has led him to undertake the more strenuously the defence of 
 those, amongst our labourers, who might at any time be the 
 special objects of hostile attack. 
 
 ” And it is in this virtue of his, that I find the secret of the 
 success of our Mission, and the cause of that filial and devoted 
 
— 19 — 
 
 love, with which he is regarded by all our Ministers and by all 
 our Congregations. And it is in following this noble example of 
 his, that our beloved Evangelical Church of Italy may hope to 
 continue its holy Mission of Evangelisation, and to see better 
 days of revival and consecration/' 
 
 Discourse of Signor Conti. — The Rev. Lodovico Conti of Rome, 
 also Member of Committee, then spoke as follows: 
 
 " M 1 President, Dear Brethren: — Invited by our worthy Pre¬ 
 sident to add my word or two to the present festive commemo¬ 
 ration, let me say at once that I feel too deeply moved to be 
 able to do so worthily. The name of M r Mac Dougall calls up 
 in me too many affecting memories. I remember when I had 
 the pleasure of first making his acquaintance before 1860, soon 
 after his arrival in Florence, and how I began my labours with 
 j him for the cause of Christ, by receiving and distributing tracts 
 and copies of the Word of God. I remember that it was he, who 
 first thrust me out into the field as Preacher of the Gospel; if 
 to-day I have the privilege of announcing Christ and Him Cruci¬ 
 fied, I owe it to the urgency with which he constrained me to so 
 noble and sacred a Mission, when I shrank from it as unworthy and 
 insufficient. From that time forward my relations with M r Mac 
 Dougall have been close and intimate, and I can testify that 
 during all these 30 years he has ever laboured for the Lord, 
 ardently, constantly, with enthusiasm and true consecration. He 
 came from his noble Scotland with a heart burning with zeal; 
 he made himself an Italian, gave his love to Italy, and, persuaded 
 that the Gospel alone could make her great and free, consecrated 
 to this holy ideal all his strength, his faculties, his entire self. 
 He made the acquaintance of the Free Italian Church, born in 
 Italy and among Italians, he sympathised with us, he became 
 one with us in our holy enterprise. During these 20 years in 
 which we have worked side by side, how many struggles, how 
 many difficulties! He has divided with us our griefs, our joys 
 ^ and our prayers. I can conceive of nothing more justly due, more 
 worthily won, than this Festival of grateful hearts. I am happy 
 to take part in it. Accept, dear M r Mac Dougall, the assurance 
 of my filial affection, and with mine, that of us all, together with 
 our earnest prayer, that God may preserve you to our love for long 
 years yet to come, and concede His choicest blessings to yourself, 
 your family and the work -that still lies before you, for the good 
 of our beloved Italy and the glory of our common Lord.” 
 
— 20 - 
 
 Rev. J. R. Mac Dougall’s Reply. — M r Mac Dougall now arose, 
 and with deep emotion and amidst signs of the liveliest attention 
 and sympathy, replied as follows: 
 
 ff Dear M r President Borgia, and dear Brethren and Sisters: 
 
 This is for me a very great surprise. I thought I was coming here 
 to the ordinary annual gathering of the Church, and I find instead 
 a Festival in my honour. So little suspicion had I of anything 
 of the kind, that I had actually prayed my family, with whom I 
 had arranged to go this evening to an appointment of a week’s 
 standing, to wait for me till 9 o’clock. So you see I have come 
 here as innocent as a lamb. I knew well the ability of our bro¬ 
 ther, Cav. Fera, in the transaction of business, but that he should 
 be able to keep secret, for all these months, the preparations ne¬ 
 cessary for the splendid demonstration offered me this evening, is 
 certainly more than I could have believed even of him! : 
 
 ” The fervid imagination of the Italians is well known to all the 
 world, but who could have supposed that the feeble services ren¬ 
 dered by me these 20 years to the Evangelical Church of Italy 
 could have been so courteously exaggerated! 
 
 ” There is a great truth often on my lips, and it is this: that I 
 have received more benefit from my contact with the Italian Evan¬ 
 gelicals than I have been able to confer upon them, with all my 
 enthusiasm and consecration to their interests. 
 
 ” I am troubled that, deeply affected as I am at this moment, 
 it is impossible for me to reply worthily to the brethren who have 
 been the promotors of this magnificent Festival. 
 
 ” The words spoken by yourself, dear M r President, those of 
 Cav. Fera, the hymns and recitations of these children, the di¬ 
 scourses of Beruatto, Conti, Lenzi and Nannoni, and the many 
 telegrams that have been read here this evening from Churches 
 and Friends, have filled my heart with the sweetest emotions of 
 gratitude and love. I could have wished that I had been able 
 to prepare an eloquent reply, had eloquence been my forte. Let 
 my excuse for these broken words be the circumstances, in which f 
 I find myself, and simply accept the assurance of my profound 
 gratitude for all these memorials of affection and esteem, which 
 will remain in my family, to testify perennially that the Italians 
 are not ungrateful, no indeed, to anyone who makes himself 
 one with them in sympathy and labour for the advancement of 
 the Reign of Christ. 
 
 ” With regard to what was said by Cav. Fera, viz : that my 
 
21 
 
 services have been rendered, not to one Evangelical Denomination 
 only, but to Italy at large, I can solemnly declare, that it lias 
 always been my aim to aid in the Evangelisation of the entire 
 country and by whatsoever means. General Beckwith used often to 
 say to the Waldensians, that if he loved and aided their Church 
 in particular, it was for the sake of his great love for Italy as a 
 whole. And so, all those who really know me, know well, that the 
 Evangelical Church of Italy has never been with me an end in 
 itself, but a means to an end, and that end the Evangelisation 
 of Italy, as this also is with me hut a means to another and a 
 higher end, — the supreme one of the glory of God. 
 
 15 It has been a great pleasure to me to note during these 20 years 
 the progress made by our beloved Church. We have had many 
 tribulations, but God has always been our Helper. And here let 
 me, from the depths of my own experience, give a word of encou¬ 
 ragement to young workers for the Lord. Be first assured that 
 the work you are engaged in is for the glory of God, and that to 
 promote that glory is your own supreme motive — then go forward 
 without the shadow of a fear. The Lord will always come to your 
 help. He will never suffer any work that is truly His to fall to 
 the ground. He will ever sustain, and very often in most mar¬ 
 vellous ways, His faithful servants. The story of our Church is 
 a luminous proof of this sacred truth, — a truth deeply graven on 
 my own heart. 
 
 ” I have no fear then for the future, if we are only faithful 
 to the Lord, and place our confidence in Him. 
 
 ” Again I thank you all most heartily for your sympathy, your 
 generous words, and your gifts of this evening.” 
 
 As may be imagined, the Address of M r Mac Dougall was greeted 
 with enthusiastic applause; and spoken from the heart, it went 
 straight to the hearts of the entire audience. 
 
 Addresses of the Rev 8 J. H. Eager and N. Andre Vollier. — 
 Then followed two brief closing words from two of the brethren 
 ^ present, representing other Denominations. First the Bev. J. H. 
 Eager, of the American Baptist Church, said: 
 
 ff Two words only! I am delighted to be here this evening. 
 My heart is deeply moved. What I have seen and heard has 
 suggested to me two thoughts. — First , that there is no better 
 or finer thing in the world, than to dedicate our faculties and 
 life to the service of the Lord. Herein lies the secret of true joy 
 arid contentment: the source of all real honour for time and for 
 
— 22 — 
 
 Eternity. Witness the present Festival convened to honour one, 
 who has laboured much for the Lord’s work in Italy. Secondly, 
 the present scene carries my thought forward to another, to that 
 glorious Festival above, in which Christ Himself will honour those 
 who have honoured Him, confessing their name before His Father 
 and the holy angels, and recompensing them according to their 
 works. Our brother has received here this evening some part 
 of his recompense, but the highest and best awaits him and us 
 yonder. My heartiest congratulations with him and with you.” 
 
 The Rev. N. Andre Vollier, Pastor of the French Reformed 
 Church, came next and last, speaking as follows: 
 
 " M r President: — At once in my own name and in that of my 
 dear Colleague, the Rev. Gustavus Fischer, Pastor of the German 
 Evangelical Church, I wish to express the pleasure we both feel 
 in being present at this Festival, and in being able thus to demon¬ 
 strate our sympathy with the Rev. M 1 ' Mac Dougall. 
 
 ” Most heartily do we congratulate him in having been the 
 object of so splendid a celebration, and the Evangelical Church of 
 Italy for having conceived the idea. Happy indeed are those la¬ 
 bourers for Christ, who, though aiming at another and a higher 
 recompense, receive such testimonies of affection as those you have 
 given to M r Mac Dougall; happier still are the Churches who know 
 so well how to testify their gratitude. Again, in my own name 
 and that of M r Fischer, I express to M r Mac Dougall our fraternal 
 sentiments, and our auguries and prayers that God’s continued 
 blessing may rest upon his health and labours.” 
 
 Conclusion of the Festival. — The Missionary Hymn of the Ita¬ 
 lian Collection (N° 135) then followed, and after that a fervent 
 prayer from Sig. Beruatto, on which, the Apostolic Benediction, 
 pronounced by the Chairman, brought to its close a Christian Fe¬ 
 stival, whose unique character and all-pervading tone of affection 
 and gratitude will ever be a gracious memory for all who took 
 part in it; while to M r Mac Dougall himself it will remain as a 
 precious token of recognition from the Church, to which he has Q 
 consecrated so large a part of the best years of his life, as a con¬ 
 solation and stimulus to be recalled in future hours of difficulty 
 and discouragement, and as a foretaste of that blessed Reunion 
 of Christ’s Redeemed above, in which every pure and loyal service 
 " shall be found unto praise and honour and glory ” for evermore. 
 
 To the Italian Report of the proceedings of the evening, pu¬ 
 blished by the Editors of the Organ of the Church, ft II Piccolo 
 
- 23 
 
 Messaggiere,” and of which the above is for the most part a free 
 and slightly abridged translation, are affixed the following Signa¬ 
 tures of * Friends and Colleagues, ” comprising the Pastors, Evan¬ 
 gelists and Elders at present connected with the Evangelical Church 
 of Italy, and chief promoters of the Memorial Addresses and Pre¬ 
 sentation. 
 
 % 
 
 Lagomarsino Francesco. 
 Martinelli Gabriele. 
 Borgia Damiano. 
 
 Conti Ludovico. 
 
 Fera Saverio. 
 
 Angelini Luigi. 
 Beruatto Serafino. 
 Blasi Giovan Battista. 
 
 CONTINI INNOCENZO. 
 
 Girola Angelo. 
 
 Mariani Pietro. 
 Mazzetti Lorenzo. 
 Stagnitta Santi. 
 
 WlGLEY RAFFAELE. 
 
 Borzi Giovanni. 
 Beltrami Antonio. 
 
 Lenzi Augusto. 
 
 Manin Fabio. 
 
 Silva Giuseppe. 
 
 Spigno Giacomo. 
 Grisanti Giovanni. 
 Allegri Giovanni. 
 Lucciietti Giov. Pietro. 
 Maggi Paolo. 
 
 Zamperini Alberto. 
 Yalentini Francesco. 
 Parodi Pasquale. 
 Zuliani Pietro. 
 Acquarone Davide. 
 Marini Michele. 
 Bardella Achille. 
 
- 24 - 
 
 A SUGGESTION. 
 
 Our excellent Friend, Rev. M r Mac Dougall, has closed the twentieth 
 year of his labors on behalf of the Evangelical Church of Italy, in a 
 singularly humanitarian and Christian way, namely, by collecting £, 1000 
 Sterling, in aid of the Fund, henceforth, by decision of the recent general 
 Assembly, to he called the Mac Dougall Fund, for the Orphans, Widows 
 and Old Age of the Ministers of the Church. In this way the handsome 
 sum of francs 28,288. 47 have been added to the existing capital. 
 
 We feel sure that this fact will provoke a genuine enthusiasm, and 
 that we shall hear the echo of Christian gratitude from the- heart of 
 every one, who reads the foregoing pages, towards the generous man, 
 who, as a father, thought of providing for those, who otherwise would 
 be deprived of the means of subsistence. 
 
 We believe that the best way of showing admiration and gratitude 
 is the following, which we shall be excused for suggesting: Let every 
 reader of this narrative, ivho has not yet done so, send a gift, large or 
 small, to increase the Mac Dougall Fund , and so cause the Orphans’ and 
 the Widows’ and the Aged Evangelists’ hearts to sing aloud for joy. 
 
 Gifts may be sent to any of the following gentlemen: 
 
 Rev. John R. Mac Dougall, our Hon y Treas r , 11, Lung’Arno Guic¬ 
 ciardini. 
 
 M r W m Haskard, Treas 1 ' of the Fund, 3, Piazza Antinori. 
 
 M r Sebastiano Cecchi, General Treasurer, 3, Piazza Antinori. 
 
 Rev. Cav. Saverio Fera, Secretary of the Evangelisation Commit¬ 
 tee, 7, Via dei Bench 
 
 Florence, 25 th December 1891.