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HANDLINGAR TILL GEORGE SCOTTS VERKSAMHET I SVERIGE I 6
7
ing the right of holding divine service in the Swedish language.
Nearly all the journals took the opportunity of attacking the
Missionary and his operations in the most unmeasured terms, but their
attacks failed to influence the Diet, and the Motion met with no
support. A violently intolerant Clergyman however, who had
previously professed strong attachment to the Missionary, and
approbation of his work, promising never to oppose him or threw
difficulties in his way, continued, partly in a so called religious paper
issued by him, partly in the political journals to put forth the most
scurrilous libels against his personal character. But the people
generally seemed »to care for none of these things», and some more
earthly and popular topic was necessary to bring on the wished for,
and by many long expected persecution.
This was soon furnished. On the 24th Sep[t]. 1841 nearly two
months previous to the Missionary’s return from the journey to
America of which the Committee took full cognizance, to which
sanction was given, and a faithful report of the nature and
immediate results of which was duly presented, and received without
expressed animadversion, an anonymous letter appeared in a paper
called Freja, purporting to give a report of what the Missionary had
said respecting Sweden, at Brooklyn and containing the most gross
mistatements. The fire was now kindled. The Swedes are proud,
or more correctly vain of their nation as the birth place of Charles
the 12th, Gustavus Wasa & Gustavus Adolphus, the scene of much
hospitality, & the seat of an undivided Church; and they could not
brook the idea, that such a nation should be represented as in need
of religious sympathy, or the aids of Christian benevolence. The
nation was now touched in a tender point, and an impression most
unfavourable to the Missionary was produced, and deeply fixed ere
he could be aware of it, or take any step to palliate the evil. It
was declared, that he could not return to a nation he had traduced
and great excitement prevailed when it was known he had actually
arrived.
The opportunity was now given for the bursting forth of the
long expected persecuting spirit, and day after day furnished new
proofs of its prevalence. The evident design of the adversaries was
to take advantage of this flood tide of popular commotion to sweep
away the whole Methodist establishment, and they hoped the
government might be intimidated so as to fall in with their wishes. A
few extracts from the two leading opposition papers will make this
clear. The first to be named, the »Dagligt Allehanda», though not
the most powerful has been the most indefatigable in launching
forth all kinds of abuse and stirring up the worst passions of men.
On the 12 th Nov. an exhortation was put forth to all who had
anything to communicate tending to unveil this Methodist to
furnish the Editor therewith, in consequence a second anonymous letter
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