Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - II. Meddelanden och aktstycken - Brev från C. O. Rosenius till Amerika, av Gunnar Westin
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266
MEDDELANDEN’ OCH AKTSTYCKEN
as Mr. Lagerblad. The attendance of the " conventicles " has been
constantly increasing in number; no house is large enough now; a number
of the people stand outside. So long as we had fine weather they
could be held out of doors, " in some green pastures;" but now the
poor people often stand in rain and cold till it makes ones heart ache
to see them. At the conventicle last Saturday evening, a thought arose
in the heart of a wealthy peasant; ’we could build a large barn, in
which we could hold our meetings under a friendly roof when they
close the churches and schoolhouses on us!’ Who inspired the man with
that thought ? It was scarcely uttered, when it met with the sympathy
of the whole assembly. In faith these believers now strengthen each
other’s hands, (I Sam. 23. 16,) and the thought grows in the meantime
into great dimensions. To-day it has been expressed in words that the
house built plainly but tastefully ought to cost about 55 pounds
Sterling, ($275) and this sum to be divided into 200 Shares, that many may
partake in it. Many would else be ready to give £5 ($25) each, and you
must know that among these are peasants and farmers who a short time
ago were known as regular misers. They already begin to speak about
choosing a committee; but they prefer calling it a choice of "Elders
of the church," as it sounds more scriptural and reminds one of the
first Christian churches. But to such an end it is necessary to know
who are members of the Church, and a signature is therefore required
from every one according to the advice of Luther, (see the Evangelist
friend of the Church1 No. 10.) In short, it appears as if all at once we
had here the germs of the future " Free Lutheran Presbyterian Church
of Sweden." Ought we not to acknowledge that the Spirit of the Lord
is mightily at work in our country ? " If this work be of God you
cannot overthrow it." Acts 5 ...
So far our well-known zealous friend of religious liberty, Mr.
Bergman, has written in this letter, and in the northern parts the people
are leaving the Established Church in great numbers. They are fined
for administering the Sacraments among themselves. Latterly judgment
has been passed on them in a severe manner in one of the
Law-courts,-—but it is not yet known, if it will be confirmed in the higher
courts. The people however do not mind it at all. In three places
especially the separation is going 011 in a most decided manner, in the
province of Norrbotten near the town of Pitea, in Helsingland near the
town of Hudiksvall, and in the province of Dalarna and the parish of
Orsa. Government again seems bent on trying the old injudicious
system of employing constraint to check religious movements. It is in
all probability the time in which the Lord means to break all these bonds
and barriers that seem to hinder His work. May He lead us in the way
1 A Monthly periodical, which Mr. Rosenius edits. [Här avses tydligen
Evangelisk Kyrkovän, som icke redigerades av Rosenius utan av H. B. Hammar.]
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