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292
MEDDELANDEN’ OCH AKTSTYCKEN
or read, and a good memory, so that he could tell wherever such and
such an article stood in the Pietist, what year and number. In that
house, as well as several others, I had some of the experience of Paul
in Gal. 4: 15.
So far I have told you of occurrences in the poorer classes of the
community. Now I will touch upon what passes in richer and more
conspicuous circles. One of the most remarkable conversions that have
taken place in our country, during the last months, is that of a Mr.
Hedengren, well known among the higher classes. He was in the army
when he was a young man, and much courted on account of his riches,
his talents, and his fine singing. Having succeded to large estates, he
devoted himself to agricultural and farming pursuits, but at the same
time he got a political turn, and became a great champion for reform.
He was spoken of as such in the newspapers of the day. While he
acquired another sort of celebrity by having the finest horses and oxen
in Sweden, and having established a sort of farmers’ school at
Riseberga, his estate. His life seemed to be so interwoven with the interests
of this world, we could almost be tempted to ask: " How could God
convert him?" He had a beautiful wife, four sweet children, considerable
riches, and enjoyed trust and consideration in many public offices
assigned to him, among others that of being the principal person in the
government of the provincial bank. Yet we see how Christ divides the
spoil with the strong, (Is. 53: 12.) He began to humble him by severe
blows. In less than three months he lost all his four children, in different
complaints, so that his reason was altogether set to naught. If there
had been a contagious illness in the house, it would easily have been
explained; but this seemed so strange. He observed that there must be
some hand from on high, striking him these blows intentionally.
Downcast as he was, he began, like Saul on the way to Damascus, to
inquire over and over again, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?"
Then it seemed to him that he got the answer: "Go to the word of
God, there it shall be told thee what thou shalt do." Now he began
to read that old book, the New Testament—read eagerly, especially the
epistles of Paul, which appeared to him to be most talented; and when
he read the Epistle to the Romans the second time, and came to the
words, " Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without
the deeds of the law," a ray of light broke through his soul, so powerful
that he saw at once the lost state of man and the saving mercy of
God. The strong man burst into tears, he tasted unutterable things,
had from that moment another view of the word of God, and became
a new creature. He immediately began to give his testimony to the truth
and proclaim it so forcibly that hundreds have been drawn to Riseberga
to hear the preaching of the rich land-owner. Even a thousand persons
have sometimes gathered among the ruins of the old convent of
Riseberga to hear him. But in some quarters this was a signal of alarm.
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