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98 [ Doc. 10.
SWEDENBORG’S ANCESTRY.
during the spring -floods, a mill-stream near the estate overflowed
its banks, when the mill was in rapid motion, and it was then
that Swedberg was in danger of losing his life. He and one of
his brothers were standing near the mill. The brother climbed
upon one of the beams which went across the stream, and defied
Jesper to follow him . Not to be out-done by his brother, he
made the attempt, but fell into the stream , and his feet went
under the wheel so that the mill was stopped. After great
exertions he was extricated, but he was then without signs
of life. Animation was, however, at length restored ; and
his strong belief in the guardianship of angels, which, as far
as we know, he, more than any other Swedish author, upheld
and exalted, no doubt dated from this period, when he re
solved “ never to forget either morning or evening, to com
mend himself to God’s keeping, and the protection of the
holy angels."
From what we have stated, it may readily be concluded,
that Swedberg had the benefit of early and excellent instruction
in the home of his parents. Afterwards he was sent to the
school at Fahlun. Here he was in danger of being frightened
away from his books and studies, the teacher, as then too
frequently happened, being a drunkard, who ruled by terror,
rather than by wise guidance and kind words. But the desire
for learning and the love of books were too strong in the
young scholar to be beaten down by the rod of Ale-Peter, as
the boys called their teacher.
For sons brought up under the care of parents of this class
no vocation or office has usually such great attractions as that
of the minister. Even in the sports of his childhood, Swed
berg used to imitate the functions of that which he was
destined one day so worthily to fill, and the duties of which lie
was to discharge with such deep earnestness. He read the
Bible devoutly himself, and zealously to the people that used
to come together "for hop picking,” as well as on other
occasions. “It used to be my greatest delight,” he writes of
himself, “ to preach to these people.” In the autumn of 1666,
when he was thirteen, he was sent to Upsal. The three years
he spent there under the care of the incompetent preceptor
S. Elfving he regretfully regarded as having been entirely lost.
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