The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1925-02-04
prepared by tho National Geographic So
ciety. Washington. D. c.

prepared by tho National Geographic So
ciety. Washington D. c.
Norway, where the nine hundredtf
anniversary of the establishment o.
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 a seafaring life.
Nowhere else in the world have the
Inhabitants of so northern a 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 I'M
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 Outstanding
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 propitating the
sun and natural forces. But through
contact with the people Of the south
those Norwegians who left home saw
superior culture and a 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 Christisaity
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
gotiate a treaty. When he went he
was confirmed as Christian by the
bishop of Winchester ana agreed never
10 attack England again.
From this time Olav determined to
gain the throne Of a united Norway !
and give to his people the religion
and culture that he admired In the
,outh. His was the Introduction Of {
into Norway, but his {
Methods were largely colored by COM 6
,ulsion so that the later date of the ]
egal establishment of the faith Is that s
N which the present Norwegian cele- {
ration is based. [
An example Of what this virile early t
methods were to be came /
N his journey to Norway when he
topped at the Farce islands. Like t
he Mohammedans propagating their (
aith by the sword, he forced the jarl T
f the islands to acknowledge his over t
ordship and he and his subjects to be t
aptized en- masse. Il
In Norway Olav was received with b
because of his military I
xploits, and crowned king Imme-
lately he began proving himself an Il
politician in achieving G
IS aims. In each community he d
estowed gifts and lands on the local d
ristocrats In return for their accept W
nee of Christianity. After the lead | 81
rs adopted the faith their subjects d
sually followed. Olav banished ac- D
We opponents Of the new regime. t,
ito numerous communities, whose II
.aders were opposed to his innova- d
on, he marched with a strong force e,
soldiers, summoned the jRrls before g
I'm and gave them the option of ST
rmed conflict or baptism. E
Soon Norway was nominally and SUI W
critically Christian. But on CLAWS OF
cath In battle the kingdom was dis II