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Doc. 10.) 113
BISHOP JESPER SWEDBERG .
pose the fittest person, but certainly always the one of whose
fitness and merit he was himself convinced. His own words
are : “When his Majesty asked me for a suitable clergyman
for some pastorate, and I mentioned one whom I knew well
,
saying, he was of the olden times and neither frivolous nor
trifling, then he was quickly called, and appointed by a royal
order. Thus many a one, not knowing how it happened, re
ceived a rich and fine living."
Let us now follow Swedberg to the place where he re
mained the shortest time, but where he spent his happiest hours.
This was at Vingåker, whither he removed before the summer
of 1692. We have already seen how soon his affections en
twined around the members of this country church . As for
the rest we may let Swedberg himself describe his relations
with these people, and the satisfaction he experienced there.
"The affection and love which existed between the congregation
and myself can scarcely be described. They sufficiently mani
fested their good-will towards me by pulling down the old
dilapidated parsonage, and building in its stead a new one
with many comfortable rooms, without any expense to myself.
I received there so many marks of kindness and affection,
that scarcely a day passed without their providing me richly
with everything necessary for housekeeping. At first this
pleased me very much, but it afterwards fairly oppressed and
scared me.” It went so far that he could with good con
science say to them , “ You have entertained me as an angel.”
And we may safely add, they had good cause for doing so.
In their affection for him he had a rich compensation among
other things for the benefits he bestowed on the widow and
children of his predecessor. He not only allowed them the
use of the parsonage-house, fields, and meadows, with every
thing belonging thereto for a year, but he surrendered to them
a half of the income, and paid all their taxes. “Nor did I
lose anything by doing so," said he; " for I am firmly con
vinced, that more blessings and riches accrue from the prayers
and petitions of widows, and of the fatherless and afflicted,
than from the largest pastorate.”
Before accompanying Swedberg to the new and more ex
tended sphere of action to which he was soon called by the
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