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3- IMPORTANCE OF THE UPSALA AGREEMENT. 263
meagre abstract ... is enough to demonstrate that in pre
senting it to the imperial Diet, the reformers had been in
fluenced by a strong desire to keep within the boundaries
of the Latin Church, and to approximate as closely as
possible to doctrines already received." Similarly Pro
fessor Richard, of the Theological Seminary of Gettys
burg, Pennsylvania, has recently written of the framers of
this confession that
"
it was their intention, by repudiating
heresy, and by affirming the Catholic doctrine, to vindicate
their right to remain in the Church."
10
On the other
hand, by adding to it the Church Order of 1571, the
Swedes affirmed their belief that for themselves at least an
episcopal polity was the best, and the one to which they
wr
ere determined to adhere.
The wisdom of the first course was quickly demonstrated
by the extraordinary call soon made upon Sweden to take
the lead in the Thirty Years War. Gustavus Adolphus,
who was born in the year after the Upsala-mote, was un
doubtedly the saviour of Northern Europe from forcible
subjection to the papal monarchy, and he took that position
in virtue of the work done at the council. The wisdom of
retaining the episcopal polity, and with it the higher posi
tion of the ministry, could only be proved by longer ex
perience. But there is one evidence of it which must occur
to every student of Swedish history, the lead taken by the
bishops in all literary and scientific pursuits, and educa
tional and social projects, as well as in history and
theology. Professor Schiick s History of Swedish Litera
ture bears remarkable testimony to the debt which the
country owes them.
In this way Sweden was prepared for the advent of King
Sigismund. Before he landed Duke Charles had received
from the Council of State a promise to obey him in every-
10
See Charles Hardwick s Hist, of the Articles, etc., pp. 16
and 25, Cambridge, 1859, and The Confessional History of the
Lutheran Church by James W. Richard, D.D., quoted in
Journal of Th. Studies, vol. n, p. 591, 1910,
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