Omaha daily bee., 1893-06-04
THE. COMMON HERITAGE.
Great Jubilee observation-disclosures Facts

"Teat Oupuee ElctB
of General Interest-WhRt 1t Signifies.
Rock ISLAND, ILL.,, May 1910 the Editor
Of THE BEE: Throughout the Lutheran
Scandinavian congregations the present year
is year of jubilee. Two previous centen-
malls of a similar nature have been observed,
viz, 1903 and 1893. All of the numerous local
celebrations during the present year will
reach grand climax in the great jubilee to
be celebrated Mt .Augustana college on the
9th Of June. This is national in it's charac-
ter, being authorized by the Lutheran
Au yustana synod of the United States of
America. AS this celebration marks an
event of highest Importance, not only to
Lutherans, but to all protestant Christians,
it may be of interest to recall some historical
facts connected with it.
Christianity was first introduced into
Sweden in the year $50, A. d., by Ansgarius,
"thc apostle of the north !" who was called
into that country by the Swedes themselves
BY the twelfth century Christianity was
generally professed in Sweden and the
Swedes had become devoted Catholics. Tho
national church enjoyed great liberties until
the year l24S when, through papal usurpa-
tlons, she became vassal to Rome In
course of time the church became very rich
and period of corruption and tyranny fol-
lowed. In the time of Gustavus Vasa Q523-
1860 the doctrines of the r formation were
first preached in Sweden by CLAUS and Laur-
entius Petri, two brothers, who were disci-
pies of Luther: The king did all in his
power to spread these doctrines. Several
Important auxiliary events, among which
may be mentioned the confscation to the
crown Of the valuable domains of the Catho-
lie church at the diet in 1927, and the trans
lation OF the New Testament into Swedish in
1926 and of the whole bible in 1901, power
fully aided this movement
The reformation was carried on with mod
GRAFTON, the object being not TO destroy the
old church, but to cleanse her of her corrup-
tons. Under sway Of this motive even the
| episcopacy, which long before had been es-
tablished in the Swedish church, was al
| lowed to remain and was perpetuated with
| proper ''apostolical succession" John Ill,
| son of Gustavus Vasa, in his reign 1855
| 1892 made an attempt to harmonize the
| Swedish church, his object being to unite
| the Roman Catholic the Lutheran and all
| the reformed churches into one church. The
! Lutherans earnestly protested against this
union, King John, hoping that the pope
| would favor the proposed union, embraced
| the Catholic faith, but the pope declined his
terms. Then tho king banisned all the
Jesuits from his realm, closed the Catholic
| churches and urged the heir apparent, Sigis-
| mund, to renounce the Catholic faith, which
| the latter refused TO do. At the time of
King Johns death Sigismund, who had been
| elected king OF Poland, was at the Polish
! capital During his absence the Lutherans
in Sweden urged upon Duke Charles, the
| brother of John, to call diet for the pur-
| pose OF adopting some resolutions OF protec-
| tion to the evangelical faith, which Sigis-
| mund should be requested to approve before
the Swedes would acknowledge him as their
king. The diet, accordingly, was called, and
assembled at Upsala on the 25th of Fcbru-
airy, 1893. The duke and his council, four
| bishops, more than 800 ministers, many
noblemen. merchants and farmers were
present The sessions continued till March
20. King Johns work was un-
done. The unaltered Augsburg con
| fession was unanimously adopted and all
| present declared that they were
ready to die in defense of it, Then the
| president OF the assembly exclaimed
| "Sweden is now one man, and we have all
one God" The act of the diet, preserved to
this day in a valuable silver box in the royal