Wilmington daily commercial., 1874-07-14

the more to be noted because one or more ex.
celent plates of it are in existence, and because
1t is pre-eminently the ''0id Swedesn church.
Notwithstanding that Sweden in 1866, lost all
possession Of the territory on the Delaware
which her colonists had entered upon in 1858
so that s'New Sweden had an existence OF but
seventeen years-still her theological authorities
maintained an intimate oversight of the Swedish
churches, here, sending them ministers, books,
supplies, and aid generally, down almost to the
present century. The record Of this
maintained intercourse is both interesting and
remarkable. After stuyvesant captured the ter
ritory and put 1t under the Dutch flag when
subsequently, the Dutch were themselves con-
quered by the English thus, from 1866 until
Penn finally reorgsuized the government, fixed
the titles, and established order, there was pc
Rod when the Swedes were in alangushing con-
dition, and their places of worship fell into neg
lect. Their pastors and religious teachers did |
not always maintain an unexceptionable walk. |
| But, after this period had continued, growing |
rather worse with time, until about 1880, the sit
uation of affairs was brought to the notice of
| Charles XI Of Sweden, and ultimately three ed |
ucated ministers, Andrew Rudman Eric Bork |
and Jonas Auren, were sent over, and the reyi- |
val of the churches was effected. Ru3man took
the charge at Wicaco, Bork that at Christina, and
Auren went to the settlement at Penn's Neck, i'll
New Jersey. From that time, down to the uni
on of these churches-and the others Of their
faith and form Of worship-with the Protestant
Episcopal church, they looked to Sweden en-
tirely for their ecclesiastical direction. Hence,
it happened that in November. 1T49, there came
to Philadelphia as Provost of the several Swe-
dish churches ON the Delaware, the pastor Is
rael Acrelius who, in consequence Of the recent
! death of Rev. Peter Tranberg, had been direct
ed by the Archbishop OF Upsaa to proceed to
Wilmington, and assume the charge of the
! Christina parish. Here he began to preach,
late in 1749, and here remained just seven
years, departing in November, 1856, for Sweden,
where, as stated earlier in this article he pub
lished his book in 1859.
e Aerelius was learned and able man, per
i son OF strong convictions, great energy. and good
= powers of observation. His history includes not
/ only connected and complete narrative Of the
{ existence Of the three principal churches
i Christina, Wicaco. and Pennss Neck from
v the arrival Of Rudman, Borck, and Auren in
g 1897 down to and including his own period of
a service, but it gives also mass OF other and
d more general information. He sketches the
first settlement, and the civil and political histo-
ry down to 1755 gives careful description OF
u the people, their manners, habits OF life social
IL and material condition, &c, at the time Of his
> residence here and adds, in two additional
II chapters his observations made in visits to the
ID Dunkers at Lphrata, and to the Moraviaas, al
le Bethlehem.
I'd The value of the work of Acrehus is highl,
I'd estimated, and in most respects justly so. H
T. descriptions OF the people and their manners
Is and his records of the churches are no doub
to thoroughly Trustworthy his sketch Of the pre-
l. yious history OF New Sweden aocords with th
st facts otherwise known to us but in numeIou
tn other particulars we may be obliged to discrul
IL mate amongst his statements. The eXtrem
- devotion to the royalty of Sweden, which
dc manifested in his nc obsoquous dedication q
no his book to Queen lrica. ''the most mighty an
Or most gracious, supplemented By his want
ny confidence in slch forms Of popular organizi
iu- ton as were rapidly springing up, in the Co
ng onIes. He considers Cromwell not much
ne 'Protector" "Usurper and lie INDUCES
Oh gentle contempt for the Assembly Of the color
lists, which Penn at once convened OH his arriya
in the expectation that all of them "would soc
iH' become statesmen Z" The efforts OF the Qua
vs. ers to obtain legal remission of oaths, and 9th
" legislative notifications, and especially The
ei course toward the Indians, and in regard to Wa
NC he mentions with dispeasure and desc.ib
with great uufAlliess, aud though lie is in n
merous places very complimentary to Penn, Il
10 il otlies-, snaris at him yicioazly The Mora
ians receive but moderate justice at hs Ian.
~. and the annotators, Mr. Townsend Ward, a
Rev. Wn. NJ. Reiehe who assisted the trans
''U tor, find it necessary to make numerous supp
mentary corrections of the authors text in
ken ference to his description Of bethlehem.
,eo- Did our space permit we should like to 81
of from this volume some few at least Of its 81,
ans mass Of interesting details concerning tic p
: l. pie WHO dgclt a hundred and twenty years Il;
where we do now New Castle had then
houses, and Wilmington 260 Dager had /
"Lewi-towu, county town of Sussex, one iii
dled and twenty eight miles from Pldladelpl
a'is o. Capa Henlopen, has l00houses, and is inha
anu tauts are mostly plots'-a description t
eoi would not be very far wrong in this day. y
are mngton like Philadelphia, always keeps
spes own sea-going vessels, though when they d
eeei in foreign ports, they all regarded as fl
- " u Philadelphia There We're already numer
helT iron-works, and in the list Of exports form 7
aueipAia tor tue year lt02 were 4,4al tons
o7.i baI-iron 295 tons of pig iron, aud ls9 tons
lieiS iron rods. The iron-worhs at ''Sippi," Pn
''ie'l pio,J regarded as the best in Amor
u u "snowdens North East belongs TO a c
ans pany in England, and is worked BY Mr.. Ba
- with great success.'
now 1t would interest our lady readers 10 hear
'la our author says on the dress Of tile female
eii.7 1856, amongst our predecessors for already
y ne were tao gay, too fashionable ana too extr
'epes giant. The yonng people wanted to be like .
'eis. sons Of quality !" the servants seen
UNI! parages III crdias Iwgs made Of nairl;
'ue girls ''hooped skirts, fine STUFF shoes,
'i-si, other iiuery." A description of the COO
? anu would be read, no doubt, by housekeer
but are obliged to omit even a summai
con it, ami with it, also, the elaborate list Aert
esfi! gives Of what they drank. Tie temperance
saders would be panied unless encouraged
tile greater 7obfiey Of the present day--to
his specific catalogue Of forty-four several
Of intoxicating liquor, all Of which were in
'SiSe, from French wine down to all sorts Of "drc
: anu and including hot rum, "enstomary at fu
oiiilei ais whitewater, mixed with rum, which