The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-06-11

attended by invitation his coronation
banquet at Stockholm in 1921. Then
arose Gustavus Vasa, the defender Of
Swedish nationality, who became the life
and soul OF the new religion and made
converts of his countrymen, not by per-
suasion and logic, but by thesword. The
Reformation in Sweden was entirely and
exclusively the work OF the crown: Vasa
made himself the head of the church as
Henry VIII. did in England. He crushed
the liberties of the people and established
despotism. Lord Molesworth truly
says that the whole of the northern
people of Protestant countries lost their
liberties with their change of religion.
Vasa marched through Sweden at the
head of foreign troops and forced the
people to renounce the faith. The
Swedish historian, Fryxell, relates that
on one occasion be collected 1900
troops and rode at their head into the
Valley of Dalarna, where the people
we're surrounded by the soldiery, and
loaded cannon was pointed at them to
bring them to submission, 1.-THE King
himself in glistening armour, surrounded
by his body guard, taking his place in
front Of the assent IDLY" The people
we're rebuked by one of the lords who
said that unless they Immediately hum
bled themselves and promised amendment
not one of them would escape alive. The
terror-stricken people "fell on their
knees, imploring the Kings mercy for
Gods sake" It was by such convincing
arguments that Professionalism was firmly
established in Sweden. And in face of
this fact the North asserts that the mo-
mentous change took place with but
very little friction! A recent writer de-
clares that the Swede has no freedom Of
mind in his own country, no power Of
dissent, no religious opinions, from the
established church; although federation
normally exists, man not baptized,
confirmed and instructed by the clergy
men of the established church cannot
partake of the sacrament, nor marry nor
hold office, nor exercise any act of major
ity as citizen-in fact he is an outlaw.
The mass of the nation, he says, rs in a
state of pupilage, living like soldiers in a
regiment, under classes of oligarchies of
privileged bodies, and religion is super
stitious observance of church days,
forms and ordinances, with a blind ven.
GRAFTON for the clergy. Our authority is
Samuel Laing, Scotch Presbyterian,
who further says that under this pres
sure in Sweden upon industry, property,
liberty, free opinion and free will, edu~
cation is but source of amusement or
of speculation in science, without inhu-
ence on private morals or public affairs.
Mark the words, "a blind veneration for
the clergy" If that be SO, where is the
boosted independence Of thought we
hear so much about? If the Scandina-
VANS of old Catholic days were too inde7
pendent to pay homage to their spiritual
guides, why is it that the Scandinavians
of to-day, with reformed creed, pay
"blind obedience" to their Lutheran
ministers? The North will say that the
Scotchman is prejudiced and that he
does not state facts as they really are.
But be that as it may, what we have said
in this article is from Protestant author
ity and no other. The historians of Swe-
den in spite of prejudice cannot conceal
the fact that Lutheranism in that coun-
try and in Norway was forced upon the
people by brute force and not by an ap-
peal to their intelligence. 1t was mat
ter of life and death to them, and they
preserved their lives by FORGETTING their
religion. We defy the North to prove
otherwise.
A DrvTCyxy M rLr r0hyrrcr4