Emphasis Preaching Journal

Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-82) was an Italian nationalist patriot and hero. Garibaldi's exploits happened around the time of the American Civil War. Much of the time he was a wanted outlaw and his life depended on his "nerve." Legend says that once he walked into a government prison in Rome to gather intelligence from a confederate being held there. Garibaldi is said to have approached his friend's cell, gotten the information, and exited the prison untouched! Another time, Garibaldi went to ground at an inn in France. One night a barfly recognized Garibaldi and mentioned the price on his head to other rogues in the tavern. Garibaldi found himself surrounded by twenty or thirty delighted would-be bounty hunters. The French-born Italian soldier and sailor must have learned something from his stay in America, for he merely invited his hopeful captors to sit down and have a friendly drink before calling the authorities. That's what taverns are for, and everyone was agreeable. Garibaldi regaled the group with stories of his derring-do, the swash in his buckle, and also his goals, aims, and purpose. Slowly, his cause became their cause. Ownership turned to zeal. Finally the king's soldiers got there, only to find their quarry defended by staunch new friends. The soldiers lost the skirmish. Garibaldi won new friends and took them with him across the border to Italy. -- Mosley