His travel plans by steamer to a new port abruptly changed, and George B. Taylor found himself with a day to spend in a seaside Italian town. While he was trying to fill the hours before his train ride, he met two soldiers and began to talk with them. One soldier had recently lost his mother and was dealing with this grief. Before parting, George wrote down their addresses and promised to send them Bibles — which he did. “I wondered if I had been allowed to miss the Friday night steamer in order to have this interview,” George wrote in a letter to family.

This exchange was a glimpse into the daily life of George, pioneer missionary to Rome and surrounding cities. He loved the painting, sculpture and architecture of Italy, but his great passion was missionary work. He took every opportunity to share the gospel. Because of his belief in the evangelical work, he longed to see a chapel built that could serve as the headquarters of Baptist work. He spent years raising the funds and making preparations for the first Baptist chapel in Rome, which was dedicated in 1876. The building would also serve as a home for his family and another missionary family. From the little chapel, plans would continue to grow an evangelical presence in Italy.