Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1924-07-25

prepared by the National Geographic So
ciety, Washington. ID. c.
Norway, where the nine hundredth
anniversary of the establishment of
Christianity is being celebrated this
summer, gained its faith, strangely,
through piracy; and the piracy of this
virile people in the Dark ages came
almost inevitably from its geographic
situation, which forced the Norwegians
into seafaring life.
Nowhere else In the world have the
inhabitants Of so northern land had
the opportunity to utilize the sea the
year round. For Norway is In the
latitude of northern Siberia, bleak La
brador and Alaska. Though half of
Norway is above the Arctic circle, the
land is in effect removed far south
by the warm Gulf stream. Even the
| fjords which penetrate far into the
western side of Norway remain un-
frozen in winter save in their inner
most reaches. Off the coasts are al
most inexhaustible supplies of fish,
| In the great forests of the land is
excellent timber for boat and ship
building. Every factor seemed to in
vite and urge the Norwegians sea-
ward, and they have been answering
the call Of the sea from the earliest
times.
The celebration of the Christianizing
of Norway uncovers one Of the most
picturesque stories to be found in his
tory of the wholesale changing Of a
peoples ways of life by the wills Of a
few strong men. The Norwegians of
the Ninth and Tenth centuries forsook
fishing as their major sea activity and
became pirates, going In great fleets
| Of galleys to sack the coasts of more
southerly Europe, where prosperity
had reached considerable heights.
They were heathens, sacrificing to
Thor and Wooden, and propitiating the
sun and natural forces. But through
contact with the people Of the south
those Norwegians who left home saw a
superior culture and higher religion,
which shook somewhat their old be
liefs.
The sons of the greatest leaders in
Norway all served their apprentice
| ship as warriors on the Viking ex-
petitions to the south. One of them,
Olav Tryggvason, who was to be one
of the greatest of Norwegian kings,
grew up almost wholly away from
home, taking part in one expedition
after another against the coasts Of
Friesland, France, England and the
smaller islands around Britain. A
religious hermit, whom Olav is said
to have met on one of the Scilly is
lands, converted him to Christianity
and baptized him.
Christians by compuIsion.
Adopting the religion of the English
did not prevent Olav from leading an
expedition that almost captured Lon
don in 994. The English king, Aethel-
red, invited Olav to his palace to ne
yotiate a treaty. When he went he
was confirmed as Christian by the
bishop of Winchester and agreed never
20 attack England again.
From this time Olav determined to
gain the throne Of united Norway
and give to his people the religion
and culture that he admired in the
south. His was the Introduction of
Christianity into Norway, but his
methods were largely colored by COM
pulsion so that the later date of the
legal establishment of the faith Is that
on which the present Norwegian cele-
hration is based
An example Of what this virile early
Norweglans methods were to be came
on his journey to Norway when he
stopped at the Farce islands Like
the Mohammedans propagating their
faith by the sword, he forced the jarl
of the islands to acknowledge his over
lordship and he and his subjects to be
baptized en- masse.
In Norway Olav was received with
reclamation because OF his military
exploits, and crowned king. Imme-
diately he began proving himself an
accomplished politician in achieving
his aims. In each community he
bestowed gifts and lands on the local
aristocrats in return for their accept
ance of Christianity. After the lead
ers adopted the faith their subjects
usually followed Olav banished ac-
five opponents Of the new regime
into numerous communities, whose
leaders were opposed to his innova-
ton, he marched with strong force
Of soldiers, summoned the jarls before
him and gave them the option of
armed conflict or baptism.
Soon Norway was nominally and SUI
perficially Christian. But on CLAWS
heath 10 battle the kingdom was dis