Litchfield enquirer., 1876-07-27
THE LITE or A PASTOR IN LAP
 LAND.


 THE LITE or A PASTOR IN LAP
 :. LAND.
 The life of Pastor in the North is largely occupied with the cares of this life. He has during the Summer months to attend to his glebe, and to catch fish, and to shoot birds to serve as his Winter supplies; and when Winter comes he has to drive wood from the forest for fuel and to travel twice a year to the two Spring fairs, which are held at the nearest village. The Pastor of Quikk- jokk only leaves his post thrice year, and then his journeys extend no farther than Jokkmokk, once to spend Christ mas, and on the other two occasions to obtain tho necessary supplies, which, if rot then obtained, can only be pro- cured afterward at great expense from the coast. Besides his glebe he has small salary to enable him to eke out his living, and though banished, as it were, from the world, is, not uninterested in it's concerns, and keeps up, not only that taste for botany which is so common among educated Swedes, but also pays some attention to archaeology. His spiritual duties are light, and in Summer confined to the preaching of sermon on Sunday to the lew inhabitants of Quikkjokk. On the day after our ar- rival we went to the little church, and increased his congregation to twenty five for that day. The whole service was in Swedish, and did not differ from that in other Swedish churches. He wore the usual dress of Swedish Pas tor, viz., tight-ftting black coat, with thickly-plaited silk train depending from his shoulders. He also had small bands, and carried in his hand the white pocket handkerchief without which a Pastor never appears in the pulpit, and which is twisted round two fingers and allowed to hang over the side of the pulpit. After reading prayers at the altar, over which hung an oil painting representing the infant Christ, the gift of Swedish traveller, the Pastor left the church, and, returning shortly with Bible and psalm-book wrapped .in the white handkerchief, ascended the pulpit and preached an excellent sermon to an inattentive audience. After service he showed us the few treasures of the church, viz, few vestments and beau tiful gold communion cup for uSe on nlgn uays, pewter cup pe1ng uSeu on other occasions. A coffee-pot to contain the communion wine, and silver platter for the bread. were also shown us. In the church, besides the picture over the altar, there was on the walls coarse colored print of St. Joseph and an engrav- ing of the late King. Above the door, in a glass case, was an epitaph of the child of 8 former Pastor, written on paper, and other ornament there was none. Spring and Autumn, or rather the two extremes of Winter which correspond to these seasons, form the busy time of Herr Berlin's year. At these periods of the year the Laps, to the number of three
 
 ing fjells and forests and the church ser vice is partly in Lap and always includes a Lap sermon. Formerly on these occa- sions the Laps were much given to relg- ious excitement, dancing, singing, and jumping wildly about in the church, but now for long time thefr religion has peen of quieter type, as well as more potent in influencing their ordinary life. This is in great part due to the exertions of the successive Pastors, who in Autumn and Spring hold regular catechetical classes for the instruction of yonng and old in the doctrines of Christianity. The Pastors Winter duties also include the teaching of Lap school which is main- tained at the expense of the State, and in which six Lap boys and girls receive good education for three years gratis. Food and clothing are also provided, and in return the children help the Pastors wife in the household work. The school room is garrett in the parsonage, the walls of which are hung with large maps of Europe, Scandinavia, and the Holy Land, and diagrams of mathematical figures, weights, and measures. There was also small collection of specimens of natural objects, to enable the teacher to explain the meaning of their names in the school lessons; and to show the children what cube was, there were number of squares of wood, which, when laid over the top of one another, formed cubic foot. In addition the Pastor hada small orrery, representing the movements of the earth, and the moon, and hs told us that he succeeded pretty we'll with the children in insulting the elementary doctrines of astronomy into their minds. but. that he utterly failed to persuade their parents that the earth was revolv- ing round the sun. The school was also attended by the children in the neigh borhood, and ..the Pastor was evidently a man who took great pains with his work, and the children rarely ;leave the school without being able to read and write, as well as to count, though unfortunately they have. in after life few opportunities to make use. of this instrpction. It is evident that stationary schools could not supply the want of 2 thinly peopled country; and accordingly, for the bene- fit of the scattered settlers, circulating schools have been established. A num- Der of teachers are sent out, who pass from one settlers house to another- never staying more than three months nt one place-and teach all the children who can be collected, and for the time ho;nc. Gor.r, .,n.A-- 1,e 4i.., ea.,a:I.r