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394 VIII. THE MODERN PERIOD (A.D. 18121910).
nobles had ceased to have special powers or duties besides
its position as a branch of the legislature. But it was
otherwise with the house of clergy, which had been accus
tomed to special discussion of Church questions, and to
take the lead in them without much interference from the
other estates. The question of a separate Church council
had constantly been mooted, and it now naturally became
a question of pressing importance. It must, however, be
noted that the formation of a general Church council had
been determined at least two years before the four estates
adopted the project of law proposed by De Geers. The
"
royal ordinance
"
creating the Church council is dated
1 6th November, 1863; the law affecting the Riksdag was
not passed until December, 1865. But it is possible that
if the new parliament had not been created the Kyrko-mote
would not have been summoned.
I regret that I am unable to tell you what were the in
fluences which decided the method of the formation of the
Kyrko-mote which now took its place as a constitutional
body representing the national Church side by side with
the Riksdag. But I will take the opportunity of sketching
the relation of Church and State in Sweden as it now
exists, making use of Professor Holmquist s article already
several times quoted, and other authorities.
"The
King of Sweden" (writes Dr. Holmquist)
"
is
at the same time the highest earthly ruler of the Swedish
Church. Therefore, he must always profess the pure
evangelical doctrine, as far as it is accepted and explained
in the unaltered Augsburg Confession and in the Resolu
tion of the Upsala Council of 1593. Further, the king,
in the exercise of his power in the Church, must always
seek for information and counsel from a separate
minister for Church affairs (Ecclesiastik Minister) and from
the whole Council of State, all members of which must
make profession of pure evangelical doctrine. And in
respect of Church legislation his power is limited both
by the Riksdag or parliament and the Kyrko-mote or re-
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