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Jean the Piedmontese, having passed over the Splugen, directed their steps to Glaris, where the excavators had already commenced levelling the ruins and preparing the ground for the masons. Some days were spent in resting, after their long and fatiguing journey. Having erected some rude wooden huts to lodge in, and come to terms with the contractors who had undertaken to rebuild the town, each had his work assigned to him. Jean, with others, was employed in rebuilding a large house which had been only partially destroyed; but first of all they tried the solidity of the walls, which still remained standing, by striking them in various parts with their hammers. "This house has been built scarcely more than five years," said Jean, to his comrades; "look what splendid stones these are, and yet they are all charred on the inside by the flames; let us see how far the mischief extends." As he spoke, a vigorous blow of his hammer displaced several, and greatly to his astonishment, and that of his companions, out fell a book. Jean picked it up, and in a tone of surprise and joy exclaimed, "A Bible !" The other workmen gathered round him, and Jean, opening it, read aloud these words, "The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.”* "What happiness!" said he; "I have so long been wishing for a Bible; I do not deserve it, however, for some years ago a Swiss lady gave me one; but when I went home our priest saw it, and, like a coward, I let him take it from me: certainly, if I may judge by the sad example of immorality he set us, it was not to read it he wanted it; as for this one, it shall never go out of my possession again."

As most of the men who surrounded him could not read, they did not think of disputing his right to the precious book, a treasure which, in their ignorance, they could not appreciate. After a careful examination, and from the manner in which the stones had been placed, it was unanimously agreed that the Bible had been placed there purposely. The marks on the back could not have been caused by hammering the stones which hid it from sight, or it would have been knocked to pieces.

Jean received the Bible as a direct gift sent to him by God in his great mercy. On Sundays he read it aloud to as many of his companions as would listen to him. As yet

*Prov. xi. 18.

he knew it too little to be able to explain it to them, and he therefore had the good sense to begin with the part he could understand best, and felt to be of most importance-the Gospels and the Psalms. Advancing by degrees from the known to the unknown, he began at last, under the teaching of the Holy Spirit, to understand a great portion of God's truth. The Divine words contained in the Bible have a clear meaning for all who read them in simplicity of heart, with faith, accompanied by prayer; so did their truths become impressed on the souls of Jean and of his fellow workmen.

Following the advice of a minister of the gospel, whom he applied to for guidance and counsel, Jean employed his leisure moments by holding a gratuitous reading-class in the hut in which he lodged. Hard work is a bad preparation for study, and many of these Italian workmen preferred carrying heavy stones to learning the alphabet.

"Come, take courage," said Jean to them; "your heads have had nothing to do, so let your arms and legs rest for a while, and let them work in their turn."

The most persevering came regularly, and made fair progress. Jean rewarded each of these with the gift of a New Testament, for which purpose a supply had been sent to him by a lady. What happiness when the day came that they were able to read and understand a chapter by themselves! Jean, in humble imitation of the Baptist whose name he bore, spoke much to his scholars about the fall of man and the necessity for repentance, knowing, by experience, that if once man feels himself to be a sinner, the want of a Saviour will soon be felt likewise, and he saw with gratitude that his hearers took an interest in what he told them. Many of the Italian workmen, when they heard of the discovery of the walled-up Bible, came to see it, and looked upon it with reverence, as having been specially preserved by God.

It was a fine, dry summer, and the work advanced rapidly. Jean rejoiced already in the prospect of carrying back his savings to his family. When the foggy days and long nights of November came, most of the Italians began to think of returning to their distant homes. Some few were glad, for the sake of their food and lodging, to accept employment from the farmers for the winter season, and so escape the long and fatiguing journey.

Our friend Jean was glad and thankful, after a perilous

journey over the mountains, to find himself once more in his own home, and with his wife and children, who were delighted to see him again; but their joyful meeting was not unmixed with pain, for during his absence a serious accident had happened to his wife. Coming down from the mountains, one day, with a heavy bag of chestnuts on her back, she fell and broke one of her arms, which, for want of medical assistance, was never set, and hung at her side, useless for life. With part of his savings Jean bought a goat. By God's blessing he had not had a single day's illness, and there would be no want of necessaries for his family during the winter. Each member had worked hard, and a good store of wood, hay, and chestnuts had been gathered.

During the long, dark evenings the father had plenty to tell. He spoke of the town which had been destroyed by fire, and told them the wonderful history of his dear walled-up Bible. He had no longer any fear in reading it aloud to them, for his country had just acquired her liberty. Some of his neighbours came in occasionally to listen to a chapter, and found it much more interesting and intelligible than they had expected. Before the end of the winter the story of the Bible was known to every one in the village, including the priest, who knocked one day at Jean's door and asked to see it.

"I will show it to you, willingly, sir," said Jean, "but only on condition that you do not take it away, as it was a gift to me from God himself."

"Ignorant fool!" replied the priest; "you do not know all the harm this book does when it falls into the hands of people in your class of life."

But the power of the priesthood had diminished; the Italian people were beginning to assert their right to think for themselves in matters of conscience and belief; and the various states, so long divided and oppressed, were uniting their forces to drive the Austrians beyond their frontiers, and to curtail the temporal power of the pope. Knowing something about this, Jean refused to let the priest take his Bible, and the latter was obliged to give up the point, and left the house, threatening to excommunicate him, to the terror of his wife and children.

An English gentleman having heard of Jean's firmness on this occasion in resisting the demands of the priest, sent to ask him if he would undertake to sell Bibles in

Lombardy for a few weeks. Jean had not yet left the Roman Catholic church, and still attended mass, but he had read in his Bible that "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works."* He accepted the offer with pleasure and gratitude, and notwithstanding his wife's fears of the malediction of the priest, he started with a load of Bibles on his back.

Though he had many difficulties to contend with, Jean at first sold his books rapidly. He was well received in most places, especially in the large towns, when he opened his pack in the market-place and displayed his merchandize. His explanations, though simple, were listened to attentively enough. Encouraged by success, though it was out of his way, he determined to go to Lugano, the chief town of the canton of Tessin, where he had many acquaintances among the working masons. It was fair day when he arrived, and he was soon surrounded by a crowd more inclined to laugh at him than to buy his goods. Amongst the bystanders there was a young man who said to him, scoffingly and profanely, that if he wanted a Bible he could have one for nothing, as he had built one up in the wall of a house at Glaris five years before; and though since then the town had been completely destroyed by fire, he was sure the devil had taken care of it for him.

"That Bible was preserved by a miracle," replied Jean. And he related how God and not Satan had placed it in his hands.

"Show it to me," cried Antonio, for it was he; "I shall know it again by some marks I made upon the cover with my hammer."

Jean took it out of his pocket and handed it to Antonio, who was astonished, and not a little startled, to see it safe and sound.

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Every man who worked with me at Glaris last summer will tell you the same story," added Jean. "Come, buy another Bible from me; and, instead of walling it up, read it, and learn to be a Christian.”

But the slight impression made upon Antonio had passed

away.

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Let me alone with your Bibles," he cried,

* 2 Tim. iii. 16.

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want them here." And, assisted by his companions, he assailed poor Jean, upset his table, and hunted him and his books out of Lugano.

Bruised and disheartened, Jean returned home, and having made up his accounts and honestly paid all the money he had received for the books he had sold to the agent for the Bible Society, he took his trowel and started again for Switzerland. It happened that summer that Antonio was employed in the same town and at the same building as Jean. Struck by the respect universally paid to the good man, he learned at last to love him, and tried to make up to him for his former unkind conduct. Jean forgot the past, and received his advances kindly; but one day Antonio, climbing up a steep ladder with a heavy stone upon his back, made a false step, and fell from a height of fifty feet to the ground. He was carried to the hospital, and there the poor fellow lay for weeks on a bed of suffering. Jean, who had often reasoned with him on his bad habit of drinking, which, no doubt, had weakened his limbs and impaired his health, often went to see him; but as he could only spend a few minutes at a time with him, having to go to bed early, that he might get sufficient rest to be able to get up again in time to commence work at four o'clock, he lent him his precious Bible, having first made him promise to take the greatest care of it. Antonio received it with great indifference; but one day, tired of doing nothing, he opened it, and having once commenced he went on reading it, and with the help of some Christians who often visited and prayed with him during his long illness, he little by little began to understand its precious truths. His heart, which had so long been closed to the things of God, was softened; he felt that he was a sinner, and sought for help and salvation from Him "whose blood cleanseth from all sin." It was six months before he could put his foot to the ground, or drag himself about with crutches his thigh had been broken by the fall, and he was lamed for life. His kind visitors had persuaded him, as he could never hope to resume his employment as a mason, to devote the long hours of his forced inactivity to study.

Antonio is now master of a Protestant school in Italy, and is married to Jean's eldest daughter, who has also been led to a knowledge of the truth, and following the example of her father and mother, has renounced the errors of the

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