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398 A History of Sweden
and their wishes, assuring them of the king’s willing-
ness to furnish them the needed help.
This letter brought great joy to the settlements. It
was answered by Charles Springer. This notable man
had been in the service of the Swedish ambassador in
London, had there been abducted, carried to Virginia,
and sold as an indentured servant for five years. While
there he heard of his countrymen on the Delaware, and
as soon as he was liberated, he went to them. He was
a man of high character, good education, and earnest
piety. He soon became a leader at Christina, as reader
he conducted the services in the church, and was now
urged to answer Thelin’s letter.
In this letter a full account is given of conditions in
the settlements, the fertility of the soil, the occupation
of the people, their relation to the Indians, the Dutch,
and the English. Two pastors were asked for and a
goodly supply of books: Bibles, Postils, Handbooks,
Devotional books, Catechisms, and Primers. They
promised to support the pastors and to pay for all the
books.
In response to this letter three clergymen were sent :
Andrew Rudman, Eric Bjork, and Jonas Aur6n. The
first two were to serve as pastors, and the last named
was sent by the king to make a survey of the land,
prepare a map of it, study the conditions of the coun-
try and then return and report to the king. The books
were sent as a donation from the king. In this dona-
tion were included five hundred copies of the Indian
Catechism translated by Campanius and not published
until now. Aur&n’s report was never made, for before
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