Two Pastors Who Appreciated Russell’s Writings

IN 1891, Charles Taze Russell, who did outstanding work among true Christian worshipers of Jehovah, visited Europe for the first time. According to some reports, during a stopover in Pinerolo, Italy, Russell met Professor Daniele Rivoire, a former pastor of a religious group called the Waldenses.a Although Rivoire remained closely associated with the Waldenses after he left the ministry, he kept an open mind and read many publications that C. T. Russell wrote.

In 1903, Rivoire translated Russell’s book The Divine Plan of the Ages into Italian and had it printed at his own expense. This was well before an official Italian edition was published. In the book’s foreword, Rivoire wrote: “We place this first Italian edition under the Lord’s protection. May he bless it so that, in spite of its imperfections, it may contribute to magnify his most holy name and encourage his Italian-speaking children to greater devotion. May the hearts of all those who, by reading this book, appreciate the depth of riches, wisdom, and knowledge of God’s plan and love, be grateful to God himself, by whose grace publication of this work has been made possible.”

“It Seemed as Though Scales Fell From My Eyes”

Another Waldensian pastor who esteemed Russell’s publications was Giuseppe Banchetti. Giuseppe’s father, who had converted from Catholicism, gave him a Waldensian education. In 1894, Giuseppe became a pastor and ministered to various Waldensian communities in Apulia and Abruzzi and on the islands of Elba and Sicily.

The authorized Italian edition of Russell’s Divine Plan of the Ages was published in 1905. Banchetti wrote an enthusiastic review of the book. It appeared in the Protestant periodical La Rivista Cristiana. “For us,” wrote Banchetti, Russell’s book “is the most illuminated and sure guide that any Christian may find to undertake a profitable and blessed study of Holy Scripture . . . As soon as I read it, it seemed as though scales fell from my eyes, that the way to God was straighter and easier. Even apparent contradictions for the most part disappeared. Doctrines once difficult appeared simple and perfectly acceptable. Things hitherto incomprehensible became clear. The admirable plan of the world’s salvation in Christ appeared before me with such awesome simplicity as to induce me to exclaim with the Apostle: O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!”​—Romans 11:33.