"Sunday, June 24th, I preached to a good and attentive congregation. I had the Sunday-school at half past eight and the preaching at ten in the morning, and prayer-meeting at four in the afternoon. At this last service I went to a farm called Baziglia. It is named for a place in one of
the valleys of Piedmont—a place which is noted as a fortress during the persecutions of the Waldensean Church. It was the refuge of the Waldenseans when they reconquered their native country after their exile in Switzerland, Germany, etc., and in memory of that famous place, two or three families gave to their farms the same name. The Fourth of July was celebrated here at the school-house. There were forty-four children. I spoke to them of the independence of the United States of America, its founders, its Declaration of Independence, etc. For July and August it is impossible to have the day school; it is too hot, but I will continue the night school, D.V., at least for two or three nights a week. The Sunday-school will go on as usual—no vacation for the Sabbath school."
The old fortress of Baziglia witnessed many heroic efforts of the early Waldenses, both in defense and attack. The name is very dear to the children of the earlier heroes, who have established Valdese in this land, and so named some of their farms and homes Baziglia. The glimpse given us in the quotation above, of the life in this Waldensean colony, is an impressive picture and a most hopeful prophecy. These Waldenses can not prove "dangerous foreigners" who come to our shores with earnest Christian plans and purposes, and read the Declaration of Independence to their children on their first Fourth of July in America!
Photographs of the buildings at Valdese were recently sent to our office. Among others was one of the manse and one of the school-house. These two buildings are of especial interest to our constituency, because we help the pastor and teacher. Over the school-house in which our pupils gather was floating the stars and stripes. These earnest people who celebrate the Fourth of July, who read publicly our Declaration of Independence, who plant the stars and stripes on the top of their school building, are the kind of foreigners that we need, and they certainly merit our most cordial assistance in the beginning of their life in our land.
In church polity the Waldensean Church differs slightly from our Congregational sisterhood. The local church is independent in the direction of its affairs. They have a "Board of Evangelization" which has supervision of their churches. Dr. Tron, a member of this board and president of the American branch, has properly great influence with the local church. The Waldensean Church naturally looks to Dr. Tron and Dr. Prochet for counsel and direction. This church at Valdese recognizes itself as in fellowship with our great Congregational body, and especially with the local churches of North Carolina.
This new and interesting field has opened more and more largely during the past year, as additional colonists have come to our shores. Despite the financial embarrassment of our treasury, we rejoice that we have been able to assist these brave and patriotic Christian people in establishing themselves in this mountain region of the South. We believe the opportunity of assistful co-operation with them is one that God has opened to
us. We have every confidence that the descendants of Pilgrims and Puritans will rejoice in the privilege of assisting those in whose hearts there is the same passionate desire for religious freedom, and who are the children of equally heroic stock.
NOTES FROM THE MOUNTAINS.
BY MISSIONARY WALTON.