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56 II. CONVERSION OF SWEDEN (A.D. 8301130).
ing to the standard of any age of Christendom. His
missionary zeal and courage, his uncomplaining patience,
his generosity, his spirit of foundation, whether at home
or abroad, his austere self-discipline and his diligence in
the work of his calling were all striking features of his
character. He struggled hard and successfully against
two faults, a temptation to vainglory and to discontent,
the latter caused by his failure to achieve actual martyrdom,
a death which he thought had been promised him in a
vision in early youth. His relations with Ebo, who might
so readily have been regarded as his rival, seem to have
been more than friendly. He clearly regarded Ebo as his
counsellor and inspirer. Fie evidently felt the great im
portance and future possibilities of their joint mission, and
he seems to have done his best to leave it as a legacy to be
fostered by the whole Church of Germany.
Before his death he drew up a short account of the work
of the mission, and sent a copy of it to each of the bishops
in that part of the empire which was ruled by Lewis, King
of Germany (840 A.D. 876 A.D.), who was the third son of
the Emperor, Lewis the Pious, with the following touching
letter. It will be observed that he makes no mention of
himself in it, but only of Ebo and others who had helped
the work :
"
In the name of the holy and undivided Trinity,
Ansgar, Archbishop by the grace of God, to all the pre
lates of the Holy Church of God, that is to say, to those
dwelling within the realm of King Lewis.
"
I desire that you should know that in this little book is
contained how that Ebo, Archbishop of Reims, inspired
by the divine Spirit, in the days of our Lord Emperor
Lewis, with his consent and that of a synod gathered from
almost the whole Empire, w7
ent to Rome and there
obtained from the venerable Pope Paschal public licence
to preach the Gospel in the parts of the North ;
and how
afterwards the Emperor Lewis promoted this work and
showed himself bounteous and kind towards it in all ways ;
and the other circumstances which have attended this
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