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WESTIN, JiREV FRÅN C. O. ROSENIUS
343
write to you and give you some news respecting ourselves. As soon as
that information arrives, I shall communicate it to you.
To the praise of the Lord and the joy of those who wish for the
coming of His kingdom, I can say that the good seed is apparently
growing among us. During the recently elapsed year, the movement has
been manifold, manifesting a mighty struggle between the kingdom of
light and the powers of darkness. We have not lately witnessed so many
and so vehement attacks of the enemies of our Lord and his Anointed,
as last year. These attacks, either bursting out in public or private
speeches, or circulating in books and newspapers, have been directed,
partly against our most holy faith, our confession of Christ, and partly
against the activity for the spread of the Word, which is more and
more widening in this country, and has its centre in the Evangelical
Fatherland Institution. But, praise to the Lord! all things must serve
Him. All this has only contributed to awaken attention and search for
the Truth; and this awakening and search have been increasing. This
is what can be said in general.
I may also tell you about some changes, which have taken place
in some of the institutions belonging to the National Church. During
the last year we have obtained new texts for public services on the
Sabbaths. Since the introduction of Christianity into our land, we have
had, as you perhaps know, fixed texts for every Sunday, and the same
every year. Now two new series of texts, or portions of the holy
Scriptures, have been selected, to alternate with the old ones, so that
we are now to have the same text only every three years. In this way
a more considerable part of the Bible will be read publicly, reflected
upon, and impressed on the souls of the people. As a consequence of
this arrangement, we think already to have noticed a more lively interest
in the public services.
At the present Diet an important change in the government and
legislation of the National Church is just now discussed. Hitherto all
the matters of the Church have been decided by the four States (or
Houses of the Legislature), the same representation which treats of all
the worldly matters of the realm. Now the King has made a proposition,
according to which he wishes to give our Church a representation of
mitting it, the Rev. George Scott, now stationed at Birkenhead, England, says :
" I cannot forward dear Rosenius’ letter without a word from myself.—We think
much about you. pray much for you and your afflicted country, and though
surrounded by an atmosphere of Liverpool strongly impregnated with Southern
influence, yet I rejoice to think that the firmness of your Government on the
slavery question is causing a decided reaction, of which we had proof in the great
meeting last Saturday. Oh, that peace may soon return, peace sustained by liberty,
and settled on enduring principles. God’s thoughts are not as our thoughts, and
His judgments are a great deep.’’
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