Evening star., 1942-12-05

Jewish campaign and expressed
solidarity with the Norwegian
churches which recently presented
a joint protest against the treat
ment of the Jews.
Only on one other occasion have
the Swedish churches been SO
aroused. This was when Bishop
Eivind Berggrav, primate of the
Norwegian Church, was placed
under house arrest. But the pres
ent protest Is even more voluble
than the Indignation which church
leaders expressed when Berggrav
was imprisoned.
The nationwide protests came to
head when the Swedish bishops
issued a joint pastoral letter de-
nouncing the "un- Christian hatred
being spread in different countries.
Hatred is the most terrible, the
most appalling among the dark
forces let loose over this miserable
world" the bishops said.
Jesus condemned hatred in every
form without exception.
Hatred blinds and hardens.
Hatred leads to perdition.
"If we want to be Christian we in
earnest must fight hatred of all
sorts"
The bishops praised the resist
ance Of the Norwegian Church, say
ing: 1--WE were deeply moved as
we listened to the fearless Chris
tian exhortation and words which
our Norwegian oppressed sister
church directed to those in power
in her country not to rebel against
the Lords clear words by the use
of deeds OF violence in blind race
hatred"
The pastoral letter concluded by
calling upon all Christian Swedes
to pray daily for the sufferers and
to give them further support.
Earlier, Bishop Gustaf Aulen, one
of the nations foremost religious
leaders, decried "the horrible infec-
ton of racial persecution which is
spreading toward Scandinavia"
The language used by the Swedish
churchmen is of surprising vigor
for leaders of neutral country,
and reflects the pent-up emotions
of Scandinavian religious leaders
in the face of the Nazi persecution
of religion and the Jews.
For example, Bishop Gustaf Au-
len, one of the nations foremost
religious leaders, decried "the hor-
rible infection of racial persecu-
ton which is spreading towards
Scandinavia
There appears to be no limit. "
he said, ito the depths to which
hatred-blinded people will sink"
Before an overflow congregation
in the Gothenburg Cathedral, Dean
Ole Nystedt offered a prayer for
Norway's Jews. declaring that
"Swedens church cannot stay silent
when such things happen close to
our frontiers. If we kept silent
the stones would cry to high
Heaven"
Wholehearted Endorsement Of the
stand taken by the Norwegian
churches was expressed by Bishop
John Cullberg, who said: Our
hearts bleed for these martyrs
for their tormentors we perhaps
may say, Lord, forgive them, for
they know not what they do"
The head of the Missions Leagues,
Axel Anderson, described the per-
secution of the Jews in Norway as
the worst atrocity in this war"
A leading Baptist churchman de-
clared that Norway has never had
a so-called Jewish problem-these
actions are inspired by strangers to
the Norwegian way of life"
In addition to these and other out
spoken statements on the Jewish
situation, the Swedish Lutheran
Church officially made known it's at
titude with regard to the persecution
OF the clergy in Norway when church
leaders refused to invite Premier
Quisling to send an envoy to the
enthronement of Manfred Bjork-
qulst as Stockholms first bishop.
The enthronement ceremonies were
attended by all of Sweden's bishops
and by representatives of the