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ANNALS
OF THE
SWEDES ON THE DELAWARE,
FROM THEIR
FIRST SETTLEMENT IN 1636,
TO
THE PRESENT TIME,
BY THE
REV. JEHU CURTIS CLAY, D. D.
Rector of Gloria Dei Church, Philadelphia.
SECOND EDITION, CORRECTED AND ENLARGED.
PHILADELPHIA:
H. HOOKER & CO., EIGHTH AND CHESTNUT STS.
1858.




Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1834, by
JEHU CURTIS CLAY, in the Clerk's Office of the District.Court of the
Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
MI'Farland & Thomson, Printers,
311 Walnut St.




PREFACE.
THIS book is presented to the public under
the following circumstances. The compiler,
descended on the mother's side from Swedish
ancestors, felt a desire to look back into their
history, and to know more than h6 did of the
occurrences connected with their first settlement on this soil. He had observed that the
geographers and historians of America, while
they had been very particular in detailing the
circumstances connected with the arrival and
settlement of the English on the James River,
and of the Pilgrims in Neew England, had scarcely mentioned that there was ever such a colony
as the Swedes on the Delaware. HI-e was at a
loss to know why this was so; especially as
their arrival here was about thirty years after
that of the English in Virginia, and but about
sixteen or seventeen years after the settlement
of New England; and that, therefore, their
being among the first colonies that came from
Europe to America, and the very first that
settled Pennsylvania, claimed for them a more
particular notice. It is true, Proud in his




4                PREFACE,
History of Pennsylvania, Smith in his History
of iNew Jersey, and Hollhes in his American
Annals, have spoken of the arrival of the
Swedes on the Delaware. And, some may ask,
what more do we wish to know of them? As
much more-their many descendants now living, if no others, will answer-as may throw
light on their early history, show the relation
in which they stood to the people around them,
the connection they had with, and the protection they received from, the country whence
they came; and the various changes, civil and
ecclesiastical, through which they had to pass.
Of all these matters their own historians have
given full and interesting details. To those
details the present writer has given much of his
attention; and deeply interested as he has been
himself in the inquiry, he has been led to think
it would be a gratification, to at least the many
amlong us who derive their descent from Swe
dish ancestors, to have the most prominent
points of the history of their forefathers selected from the volumes and manuscripts where
they lie embedded with much that is of no
value, and offered to their perusal.
The writers to whom we are chiefly indebted
for information concerning the first settlement
and subsequent history of the Swedes on the
Delaware, are Thomas Campanius, grandson
of the Rev. John Campanius, who came over as
chaplain with Governor Printz, in 1642; the




PREFACE                  5
Rev. Israel Acrelius, who was for: some time
provost of the Swedish Churches in America,
and pastor of that at Christina; and the Rev.
Andreas Rudman, of whom a full account is
given in the following pages. These works
were all written in the Swedish lanoguage, and
for that reason their contents have been little
known to the American reader. Within the
last year, however, the public have been favored with a translation of Campanius, by the
learned Peter S. Du Ponceau, LL.D., which he
undertook at the request of the Historical
Society of Pennsylvania. Of the work of Acrelius there has been no published translation;
though there is a manuscript translation of it,
in part, in the possession of the Historical
Society of New   York, which was furnished
them, at their request, by the late Rev. Dr. N.
Collin. The other work here referred to, that
of the Rev. Mr. Rudman, is in manuscript,* and
belongs to the library of the Wicaco Church.
Of this also there is a manuscript translation,
in part, by Dr. Collin. Acrelius refers in his
work to this manuscript of AMr. Rudman, and
appears to have drawn liberally from it. It has.
furnished to the eompiler of these annals most
of what, in the following pages, he offers to the
public. The only originality he claims for the
"This work is entitled "Transactions relative to the
Congregation at Wicaco, collected from some writings andi
verbal narratives."
A2




6                -PRErACE.
work is, in generally presenting the facts which
are detailed in his own language.
These annals are given to the public, not as
atfull account of all that has been written concerning the Swedes in America, but as presenting the most striking facts in their history, or
such as the author thought would most interest
his readers. He has little idea that they will
be much read beyond the Swedish portion of
the community, or the many descendants of
those of whose early history they treat. To
such he h6opes the work will not be found altogether undeserving of notice. He offers it to
them and to others, as a faithful narrative of
past events; and such as, they will be pleased
to find, represents their ancestors to view as
an honest, industrious, and religious people.
It may be thought by some of the readers of
these annals, that too much space is occupied
in them  by details relating to the Wicaco
church. But it must be remembered, that this
church claims a particular notice from its great
antiquity, being perhaps the oldest edifice of the
kind still open for public worship, and in good
repair, any where to he met with in our country.  The Swedish church at Wilmington
(formerly Christina) was, the writer is aware,
built two years before that of Wicaco, (1698,)
but that, he regrets to say, has been for some
time abandoned as a place of worship, and is




PREFACE                     7
in a state of dilapidation.*   It was at Wicaco
that our ancestors, in times long since departed,
met from   distant parts of the country to pay
their weekly adorations to the God' whose
never failing providence ordereth all things both
inl heaven and earth."      In the same venerated
spot many     of their descendants still meet,
when "the sound of the church-going bell"
summons them to its services.      In what Swedish bosom is not the name of      Ticaco hallowed    And to   whose mind will not all that
relates to so ancient a church afford at least
some interest.
J. C. CLAY.
Philadelphia, Nov. 28, 1834.'-Since the above was written, a legacy of some six hundredc
dollars has been left by a member of this old church for the
purpose of putting it in a condition fit to hold worship in.
The present rector, the Rev. Charles Breck, thus writes
to me: "The old church is in good repair and constant
use. Through the liberality of Henrietta M. Allmond, the
vestry were enabled to restore and improve the old church,
so that it was opened for divine service on the 21stAugust,
1842. In the summer of 1856, it was again thoroughly repaired,"painted, etc. and the services regularly established
there, through the great liberality of the lamented Alexis
J. Dupont."








TABLE OF CONTENTS,
CHAPTER I.
Settlement of North America. English. Dutch. Swedes.
First Colony on the Delaware. Menewe. Hollendare.
Printz. Rising. Indians. Swedes' first mission among
them.
CHAPTER II.
Swedes and Dutch disagree. A naval force sails from New
Amsterdam. The Swedes subjugated. Brief authority
of the Dutch. Subdued by the English. Penn's o9nion
of the Swedes. Their character as a religious: people.
TorTIIls.  Campanius. Lock. Fabritius. Without a
clergyman. Lay readers.
CHAPTER III.
Gloomy prospect. Divine Providence. Andrew Printz.
Letter of Thelin. Joy of the Swedes. Their answer.
Its effect in Sweden.
CHAPTER IV.
Missionaries provided. Preparations for the voyage. Difficulties and dangers. Arrival in Chesapeake Bay. Joy
of the colonists. The Archbishop's letter. Letters from
missionaries.
CHAPTER V.
New Churches. Difficulties at Wicaco. Settled by lot.
New Difficulty. Rudman leaves. Settlement of disputes. New Church. Active zeal of clergymen.




10                   CONTENTS.
CHAPTER VI.
Sandel arrives. Rudman at New York; at Oxford; at
Christ Church. Ordination. Death of Rudman. Address of Swedes to legislature. Duties of vestrymen.
Biork recalled. Arrival of A. Hesselius and Lidenius.
CHAPTER VII.
Property of Wicaco Church. Parsonage burnt. Rebuilt
Sandel recalled. Order of Divine service. Preaching.
Catechising of congregation.  Sympathy between the
Swtdish and English Churches. Grievances. Letter to
Swedish Envoy. Meteorological and other memoranda.
Stratagem of Governor Evans. Indian incursions..
CHAPTER VIII.
Arrival of Lidman and S. Hesselius. Arrangement of
ministerial duties. Church repairs. New ministers.
CHAPTER IX.
Death of Parlin. Norderlind. Wrangel. His popularity
as a preacher. Kingsessing and Upper Merion churches
built. Goeranson. Hultgren. Collin. His account of
Swedish mission.
CHAPTER X.
Discontinuance of the mission contemplated. Proceedings
of vestry in relation thereto. Further proceedings after
the death of Dr. Collin. First choice of a rector by the
three congregations.
CHAPTER XI.
Brief review of missions. Merging of Swedish in the Protestant Episcopal Church.  Their close resemblance.
Government by Bishops. Liturgy. Apostolic Succession.
CHAPTER XII.
Twenty-fifth anniversary sermon of the present rector.
Extracts. Condition of congregation twenty-five years
ago. Changes. Statistics.  Baptisms. Confirmations.
Communicants. Marriages. Sunday Schools. Visitors
to ch'ch, low received. Conclusion.




SWEDISH ANNALS.
CHAPTEP IL
IT is known to every reader of history that
North America was discovered a short time
before the year 1500. And yet it was a century afterwards before any plan for its colonization proved successful. This was no doubt
owing, in a great measure, to the disturbed
state of Europe at that time, when the work of
the Reformation was making a rapid progress,
and engaging the attention of the different
powers there, either for its advancement or its
suppression. Another hindrance to the earlier
colonizing of this continent was, the difficulties
and dangers incident to such an undertaking,
and the certainty that though wealth might
be the reward, the way to it must be through
many perils, and the endurance of many sufferings. In the progress of time, however,
there would be found some bold and adventurous enough to risk every thing for the prospect
of gain; and especially, where a few had acted
as pioneers, and had already triumphed over




12            SWEDISH ANNALS.
incipient difficulties. There was much, too,
in the character of the age, as the Reformation advanced, or spread itself over Europe,
that favored the colonization which had been
so long delayed. Where the church was to be
reformed, there would naturally be many opinions as to the mode of doing it, or the extent
to which it ought to be done. The reformers,
therefore, were not only hostile to Rome, from
whom they all agreed in thinking it was right
to separate, but hostile, in many instances, to
one another, because they did not reform after
the same manner. The consequence was, a
resort to persecution, the remedy of an age
not yet sufficiently enlightened to see its fallacy, for the extirpation of error, and the propagation of the truth. To those who thus
suffered for their opinions, the new-discovered
country presented itself as an asylum, where
they might " sit under their own vine, and under their own fig tree, with none to make them
afraid;" and while the thirst for gain led
many to brave all the perils and privations of
a new settlement, they were braved by others
for the sake of liberty of conscience, and freedom from persecution.
The first permanent settlement made on the
shores of this continent was in Virginia, in the
year 1607, when a company of one hundred
and five English adventurers came in a vessel
commanded by Captain Newport, sailed up the




SWEDISH ANNALS.           13
Powhatan or James river, built a fort, and
commenced a town, which, in honor of their
sovereign, they called Jamestown.
The next permanent settlement was by the
Dutch, about the year 1614, on the Hudson
river, discovered a few years before (1609) by
Henry Hudson, an Englishman in the Dutch
service, while in quest of a north-west passage
to India. In settling on this noble river, the
Dutch built two forts, one at Albany, and the
other on Manhattan island, where the city of
New York now stands. The country was
called New Netherlands, and the settlement on
Manhattan island was named New Amsterdam,
which names they retained till the conquest of
the country by the English. The governors
who administered the colony during the time
the Dutch had possession, were M1enewe, (or
Minuit,) Van Twiller, Kieft, and Stuyvesant.
The Dutch authority ceased in 1664, when the
whole territory became subject to the British
crown.
The third permanent settlement on this continent was in New England, in the year 1620,
when one hundred and one Puritans, for the
better enjoyment of liberty of conscience,
having sailed for Hudson's river, were taken
by the master of the vessel as far north as
Cape Cod, and landing, built the town of Plymouth.
In what year the first permanent settlement
B




14           SWEDISH ANNALS,
was made on the shores of the Delaware, those
who have treated of the early history of America seem not to have possessed the means of
very accurately determining. That the Dutch
were the first to settle on the eastern or Jersey
shore of that river, all have agreed in admitting. And there is little less doubt that the
Swedes were the first to occupy the western
or Pennsylvania shore. As early as 1623 or 4,
the Dutch built Fort Nassau, on the eastern
shore, but soon abandoned it. Afterwards, or
in the winter of 1630-31, a colony, consisting
of thirty-four persons, was brought over by
Captain De Vries. Returning for a short time
to Holland, he left the colony under the charge
of an inexperienced individual, and they were
all, in 1632, exterminated by the Indians. De
Vries returned in December of the same year,
and entering the Delaware, found no signs of
the colony he expected to meet, save their
skulls and bones strewed over the face of the
ground. We date, therefore, the first permanent settlement of the Dutch on the Delaware,
about the year 1633. This appears to be the
earliest period claimed for them by their own
historians.*
It was in the reign of that illustrious king,
Gustavus Adolphus, that an attempt was first
made to plant a colony of Swedes in America.
William Usselinx, a Hollander, had formed so
- See Moultou's History of New York.




SWEDISH ANNALS.           15
favorable an opinion of this country, representing it as a fine, fertile land, in which all
the necessaries and comforts of life were to be
enjoyed in overflowing abundance, that he presented to the king the idea of a trading company, urging its establishment by such reasons
as the following:First, That the Christian religion would by
that means be planted amongst the heathen.
Second, That his Majesty's dominions would
be enlarged, his treasury enriched,.and the
people's burdens at home diminished.
Third, That it would produce to the nation
many positive advantages, and a very profitable trade; and that the Swedes possessed all
the means for carrying it on with advantage.'Upon this representation, a company was
established, with power to trade to Asia,, Africa,
and the Straits of Magellan. The king issued
his proclamation, or edict, dated at Stockholm,
the second of July, 1626; in which he offered
to people of all conditions liberty of shares,
by subscription, according to their ability, or
inclinations. The proposal was received with
general satisfaction. The king's mother, and
Prince John Cassimir, married to his sister, the
members of his majesty's council, many civil
and military officers of high rank, the bishops,
and other clergymen, many merchants and
citizens, country gentlemen and farmers, became subscribers. Ships and all necessaries




16           SWEDISH ANNALS.
were provided. An   admiral, vice-admiral,
commissaries, merchants, etc., were appointed.
The work was ripe for accomplishment, when
the German war, and soon after, the king's
death, put a stop to the proceedings, and for
the present defeated the intention of sending
to America a Swedish colony.
It does not appear that the idea was afterwards revived of renewing the plan of a trading company, at least upon the extensive scale
at first contemplated. That of a colony was
not suffered long to sleep. The Rev. Mr. Rudman, who many years afterwards bore so prominent a part in what concerned the Swedes
in America, has related the following, as the
manner in which a colony from Sweden was
first planted here. This information he professes to have received from many individuals,
particularly from one styled by him " Old Captain Israel Helms."
"Before," says he, "the Swedes came into
the river, some Hollanders were here. They
had a fort on the eastern shore, at the place
now called Gloucester, which the Indians
named Hermaomissing. This they named Fort
Nassau. The commander of it was Menewe.
Quarreling with the people, he left them, and
returned to Holland. He was. there impeached, tried, and dismissed from his office. Profiting by his knowledge of the country, he
went to Sweden, and informed some of the




SWEDISH ANNALS.           17
principal gentlemen, that the Dutch had settled on the east side of the Delaware, but that
the whole of the western side was unoccupied,
except by the Indians. Hie urged to a settleIment there, offering to conduct the enterprise.
The project was well received, and, in particular, was favored by the prime minister, Count
Oxenstiern. IHe laid before the Queen, Christina, the plan of a colony. She was well
pleased with it, and gave (1636-7) her orders
for the execution. A ship called the Key
of Calmar, was fitted out from  Gottenburg.
Menewe was appointed commander of the
colony. They arrived safely, obtained from
the Indians a grant of land on the river, from
the mouth of it, or Cape Henlopen, to the
falls,* and there fixed stakes and marks. The
old people informed me, that they often had
seen these. The purchase was formally stated
in writings, under which the Indians put their
marks. The document was sent to Sweden
and preserved in the archives, when I was at
Stockholm.
"The people settled on the creek still called
Christina, and erected a fort at the mouth of
it; naming both in honor of their queen.
Magnus Kling, their surveyor, formed a map
of the country, with all its creeks and streams.
This I also saw in the archives before my de* Trenton falls.
B2




18             SWEDISH ANNALS.
parture; and Mr. Auren made a small copy of
it, which we brought with us.    Menewe did not
disturb the Dutch on the other side.     He died;
and Peter Hollendare succeeded him.         After
ruling the colony for eighteen months, he returned to Sweden, and became commander of
the naval arsenal at Stockholm."*
It has been remarked by Dr. Collin, who
seems to have made himself familiar with all
the Swedish works that could throw any light
on the first settlement of the Swedes in America, that the ship Key of Calmar, was accompanied by a smaller vessel, called Bird Grip,
(Griffin,) carrying, like the other, people, provisions, ammunition, and commodities for trade
* The only inaccuracy in the above statement, appears
to be in the declaration, that Peter Menewe (or Minuit according to the orthography of some) had been the commander of Fort Nassau before his return to Holland. He
was in fact the first governor of New Amsterdam, (now
New York.) What led to his removal from that station is
not accurately known. When first appointed, and for some
time afterwards, he appears to have given satisfaction to
those by whom he was employed. But upon the arrival
of Van Twiller, who had been sent over on business relating to the concerns of the company, dissatisfaction towards
Menewe soon began to show itself, and being displaced,
Van Twiller was appointed to succeed him. Mr. Rudman,
it must be remembered, came to America about sixty years
after the first arrival of the Swedes. Drawing, as he did,
much of his information of the circumstances connected
with their settlement here from traditionary sources, it was
easy to substitute Fort Nassau for Fort Amsterdam, as the
place of which Menewe had been the commander.




SWEDISH ANNALS.                 19
with the Indians. The time, the Doctor thinks,
of this first arrival is not certainly known, but
supposes it must have been in 1636 or 7, "because," says hbe, "the fort on Christina creek
was begun early in 1638,* as appears by the
protest against it by Wilhelm Kieft, the Dutch
commander at New       York, to Renewe, dated
6th of May in that year.
- Campanius has mentioned the year 1631 as that in
which Fort Christina was built. And he has been followed
in this by Smith, in his History of New Jersey, p. 22, and
by Holmes in his American Annals, sub ann. 1631; who,
without due examination, have fixed on this as the year
when the Swedes first landed in Pennsylvania. It is only
necessary to look at one fact, to show that this opinion is
founded in error. It is generally admitted that the Swedes
came here in the reign of their Queen Christina. It is said
that Menewe "laid before Queen Christina the plan of a
colony," etc. And the first fort built was named after the
queen. Now Christina was not queen in 1631, nor for some
time afterwards, her father Gustavus Adolphus having lost
his life in the battle of Lutzen, in November 1632.
The Swedes also found the Dutch here, or on the eastern
side of the river. But the Dutch had no fixed settlement
here until after 1632.  It must have been, therefore,
after this period that the Swedes came over. How soon
after is not accurately known. The remonstrance of Governor Kieft, against the building of their, first fort, seems
to determine it in favor of the year 1637. It was certainly
not later than 1638; and as the building of a fort was, no
doubt, their first undertaking after their arrival, it is not
probable it was earlier than 1636. It is the opinion of
Acrelius, that the originial Swedish colony came over in
1638. And the Encyclop. Americana, guided, perhaps,
by his authority, has, under the article Pennsylvania, fixed
on the same year for their arrival.




20           SWEDISH ANNALS.
After the return of H:ollendare to Sweden,
John Printz, a lieutenant colonel in the army,
was sent over as governor. He came in the
year 1642, in the ship Fame. Two other ships of
war called Svan (Swan) and Charitas being in
company. With him came the Rev. John Campanius, as chaplain of the colony, who has
left behind him a very minute account of the
voyage, which the reader may see in the "Description of the Province of New Sweden,"
published many years afterwards by his grandson, Thomas Campanius Holm; the latter name
having been added because of Stockholm being
the place of his residence.
The instructions of Governor Printz, dated
Stockholm, August 15, 1642, contain twentyeight articles, embracing his duties in relation
-first, to the Swedes-secondly, to the Europeans living in their vicinity-and thirdly, to
the Indians. Of these instructions the following is a compendious view. In relation to the
Swedes, he was to promote by the most zealous endeavors, a sincere piety, in all respects,
towards Almighty God; to maintain the public
worship, conformably to the doctrines and
rites of the national church; to support a proper ecclesiastical discipline; to urge instruction
and virtuous education of the young; to administer justice according to the Swedish laws;
to preserve, as far as practicable, the manners
and customs of Sweden; to promote diligently




SWEDISH ANNALS.           21
all profitable branches of industry-such as
the culture of grain-the procuring of good
breeds of cattle, in addition to those sent from
Sweden-the raising of tobacco as an article
of export to the mother country-trafficking
with the Indians for peltry-searching for metals and minerals in different parts-looking
after valuable kinds of wood-ascertaining
what kinds of mulberry trees are best suited
for the silk worm-what is the character of the
native grapes, and their suitableness for wineand whether whale and other fisheries may be
carried on with advantage, etc., etc.
Secondly, with respect to the Dutch and
English in their vicinity; with the first named
he was to cultivate a friendly intercourse, but
positively to deny their pretended right to any
part of the land on the west side of the river,
purchased by the Swedes from the Indians, and
to prohibit Swedish vessels from passing their
fort, Nassau: and he was authorised, if all
friendly negotiation proved fruitless, to repel
force by force. Those Dutch families who
had settled on the west side, under allegiance
to the crown of Sweden, were to retain the
granted privileges, but to be advised and persuaded to remove further down from the vicinity of Christina Fort, yet not driven away
if anxious to remain. The governor was to
continue the friendly commercial intercourse
with the English in Virginia, then compre



22           SWEDISH ANNALS.
bending Maryland, which had already been
begun, by supplying their colony with grain,
cattle, and other useful articles. Some English families, embracing about sixty persons,
having settled in the preceding year, (1641,)
on Ferken's creek, (now  Salem,) and the
agents of the company having, as her majesty's subjects, bought from the Indian owners
the whole district from Cape May to Racoon
creek, in order to unite these English with the
Swedes, the governor was to act faithfully and
kindly towards them. And as these English
expected soon, by further arrivals to increase
their number to several hundred; and seemed
also willing to be subjects of the Swedish government, he was to receive them under allegiance, though not without endeavoring by
gentle means, to effect their removal.
Thirdly, Respecting the Indians; the governor was directed to confirm, immediately after
his arrival, the treaty with that people, by
which they had conveyed to the Swedes the
western shore of the Delaware, from Cape
Henlopen to the Falls of Sanhickan (Trenton,)
and as much inland as gradually should be
wanted. Also, to ratify the bargain for land
on the east side above mentioned; and in these
and future purchases, to regard them as the
rightful owners of the country. -le was to
treat all the neighboring tribes in the most
equitable and humane manner, so that no in



SWEDISH ANNALS.          23
jury, by violence or otherwise, should be done
to them by any of his people. He had also
in charge to accomplish, as far as practicable,
the embracing of Christianity by them, and
their adoption of the manners and customs of
civilized life.
Governor Printz chose Tinicum, then called
Tenackongh, and Tutaenungh, for his residence. He erected a fort on the shore, to
which he gave the name of New Gottenburg.
A decent church was also built there of wood,
which was consecrated by Campanius, Sept. 4,
1646. The trade of the Swedes being interfered with by the Dutch, the fort at Elsingborough, called by the Swedes Helsingborg,
was erected by Printz, to command the river,
but became untenable from the great multitude
of musquitoes, and was nicknamed Myggenborg, or Mosquito Fort. Upon the erection of
this fort, the Dutch left Fort Nassau, opposite
Tinicum, and took possession of Sandhuken
(now New Castle) on the west side, where they
built Fort Cassimir. The governor protested
against it, as encroaching on Swedish ground,
but had not sufficient force to prevent it. He
made proper representations to his government on the subject, and requested a speedy
reinforcement; but weary with the delay, and
apprehensive of violence from the Dutch, from
the hostile disposition manifested by them, and
their near neighborhood,* he resolved on re* Five miles from Fort Christina.




24           SWEDISH ANNALS.
turning to Sweden, and in 1652 left the country, after a residence in it of ten years. He
had become unpopular by the exercise of a too
rigid authority.
In the mean time, John Claudius Rising had
been sent from the mother country as commissioner and assistant to governor Printz. On
his arrival, the governor had already sailed for
Sweden, and had left his son-in-law, Mr. John
Pappegoia, as deputy-governor in his place.
He also, two years afterwards, returned to his
native country, and left the government in the
hands of Mr. Rising. With this last named
gentleman came Peter Lindstrom, engineer
and surveyor-general, with several military
officers and other agents. Mr. Rising immediately offered to the English and Dutch, and
also to the Indians, a renewal of the former
friendship.  During  the  administration of
Printz, other vessels, besides those above mentioned, arrived at different times, from the
mother country. These were, the Black Cat,
with ammunition and goods for the Indiansthe Swan, a second time, with people, in 1647;
and afterwards the Key and the Lamb.
Soon after Mr. Rising became governor, he
invited ten of the Indian Chiefs to a friendly
conference. It was held at Tinicum, on the
17th of June 1654. He saluted them, from the
Swedish Queen, with assurances of her favor,
put them in mind of the purchase of the lands




SWEDISH ANNALS.           25
already made, and requested a continuation of
their friendship. IHe distributed various presents among them, and gave a good entertainment to them and their company. They were
much pleased, and assured him of a faithful
affection. Mr. Campanius has given a very
particular account of this conference, in which
he represents one of their chiefs, named Naaman, as making a speech, in the course of
which "he rebuked the rest for having spoken
evil of the Swedes, and done them an injury,
hoping they would do so no more, for that the
Swedes were very good people." lIe also observed that "the Swedes and the Indians had
been as one body and one heart, and that
thenceforward they should be as one head, at
the same time making a motion as if he were
tying a strong knot; and then made this comparison, that as the calabash was round without any crack, so they should be a compact
body without any fissure."
Campanius represents the Indians as having
been frequent visitors at his grandfather's
house. In the conversations he there had with
them, we are told, "he generally succeeded in
making them understand that there was one
Lord God; that he was self-existent, one and
in three persons; how the same God made the
world from nothing, and created man from
whom all other men had sprung; how Adam
afterwards, by his disobedience, had sinned
c




26           SWEDISH ANNALS.
against his Creator, and involved in the p'enalty of that sin all his descendants; how God
sent upon earth his only Son, Jesus Christ,
who was born of the Virgin Mary, for the redemption and salvation of Mankind; how he
died upon the cross, and was raised again the
third day; and lastly, how after forty days he
ascended to heaven, whence he will return at
a future day to judge the quick and the dead,
etc."  The Indians took so much interest in
these instructions, and seemed so well disposed
to embrace the Christian religion, that Mr.
Campanius was induced to learn their language, that he might the more effectually bring
them acquainted with these great truths. He
translated the catechism into their language;
and, if he did not convert many of them to the
Christian faith, they at least acquired so much
knowledge of it, as to be led to see and admire
its great beauty and excellency.
The above facts suggest the remark, that the
Swedes may claim the honor of having been
the first missionaries among the Indians, at
least in Pennsylvania; and that, perhaps, the
very first work translated into the Indian language in America, was the translation of Luther's Catechism, by Campanius.




SWEDISH ANNALS.           27
CHAPTER II.
Notwithstanding Governor Rising's disposition to live upon good terms with his Dutch
neighbors, the Swedes were soured by the encroachments they had made upon their territory, in building a fort at Sandhuken, or Newcastle; and finding remonstrance useless, soon
came to the determination to drive the Dutch
back to the eastern side of the river. They
accordingly, in the year 1654, took Fort Cassimir by storm, and expelled the Dutch; after
which, the fortifications were greatly strengthened and improved by the engineer, P. Iindstrom, and it was named Trefalldigheet, or Trinity Fort.
The Dutch had too good an opinion of their
own numbers and prowess, not to feel disposed
to retaliate on the Swedes the injury they had
received in the loss of their fort. Yet they
went to work with caution, resolving, when
they gave the blow, to make it the more felt
from its being sudden and unexpected. -There
seems to have been a want of good faith, or
at least the practice of some deception on
the part of the Dutch, as we are told by
Campanius that "the differences appeared to
have been amicably settled in the year 1654,
between the Swedish governor John Rising,




28           SWEDISH ANNALS.
and the Dutch governor Peter Stuyvesant."
This amicable settlement seems to have been
only a cloak to preparations for more effectual
hostility; for "the next year, on the 30th of
August, the Dutch sailed from Manhattan, or
New Amsterdam, (now New York,) with seven
ships, and six or seven hundred men, under
the command of the said Stuyvesant; and fell
unawares on the Swedish settlements." Assailed under such circumstances, and by such
a force, resistance was of little avail. One
Swedish fort after another fell into the hands
of the invaders, who "laid waste the houses
and plantations, killing the cattle, and plundering the inhabitants of every thing they
could lay their hands on." The officers and
principal people were made prisoners, and carried to New Amsterdam, while the Dutch retained possession of the country.
That the Swedes were in a state so unprepared for the attack made upon them by the
Dutch, was owing to the mother country being
but little able to assist them, on account of the
expensive wars in which she was engaged at
Iomle. The Dutch were fully aware that all
the reliance of the Swedes was on their own
resources; and while they looked to this for an
easy conquest of their territory, no doubt calculated also that here they would find subsequent
imtpunity. In justification of the hostility he
liad committed, Stuveysant pretended that what




SWEDISH ANNALS.           29
he had done was in the name of the West India
Company of Amsterdam, and that he had not
conquered a territory of the Swedish crown,
but that of a company. Yet he very well knew
that these people were living under the laws of
Sweden, and under the guardianship of the
Swedish crown; and that, consequently, any
insult or injury offered to them, was an offence
against the government under whose protection
they were placed.
In 1656, or about a year after the conquest
by the Dutch, a Swedish ship called Mercurius,
arrived in the river. This the Dutch wished to
prevent going up; but the Indians, who loved
the Swedes, interfered in their behalf, and in
defiance of the others conveyed the ship by
their fort. "'Among the passengers in this
vessel," says Mr. Rudman, a was Andrew
Bengtson, sen.* yet living, who, this 6th day of
April, 1703, gives me this verbal account."
As it was not in the power of the mother country, on account of the wars in which she was
engaged, to prevent the conquest of New Sweden by the Dutch, so, for the same reason, was
she unable to carry into effect her disposition
to recover what she had thus lost. It was not
long, however, before the face of things here
was entirely changed; and they who had dispossessed the Swedes, by the exercise of a high-His descendants (the Bankson family) are still living
in Philadelphia.
C2




to:SWEDISH ANNALS,
handed authority, were themselves dispossessed
by the English, who claimed the right of first
discovery to most of the-North American continent. It was in 1664 that a British force
arrived from England, and, attacking the Dutch
in their strong hold at New York, soon put an
end to their authority, bringing them and the
Swedes under allegiance to the British crown.
The manner in which Pennsylvania became
settled by the English is well known. The
large territory comprehended under this name,
was granted by Charles II. to William Penn, in
compensation of a large suml owed by the
government to his father, Admiral Penn, Penn
came over in 1682, and founded the city of
Philadelphia. The Swedes, who were owners
ofthe soil, opposed the undertaking, but by
kind promises and other means were, after a
while, induced to agree to it. "The city,'
Mr. Rudman says, " had a poor beginning, but
attained admirable improvement in twenty
years."* Penn offered the Swedes a portion
of land, where they might live together, and
enjoy their own customs; but they preferred
remaining as they were, which their descendants, in Rudman's time, seem bitterly to have
regretted.
About this time an imposter, who bore the
-* About the time of Mr. Rudman's arrival, in 1697, Philadelphia and New York were spoken of as clever little
towns.




SWEDISH ANNALS.          31
name of Koenigsmark, arrived among the
Swedes, and having gained many adherents,
especially among the Finns, raised a sedition,
though with what object does not appear. This
man was apprehended, branded, and exiled.
His followers were fined, and some lost their
land.  The disturbances occasioned in this
manner seem to have lessened the good opinion
Penn had formed of the Swedes. He continued,
however, his good offices towards them; and
having before this returned to England, sent
them books and catechisms, and,a folio Bible
for their church.
In a letter written by William Penn to England the year after his arrival, he thus speaks
of the first settlers of the country: " The first
planters in these parts were the Dutch, and soon
after them the Swedes and Finns. The Dutch
applied themselves to traffic, the Swedes and
Finns to husbalndry. The Dutch have a meeting place for religious worship at Newcastle,
and the Swedes one at Christina, one at Tinicum, and one at Wicaco, within half a mile of
this town. The Swedes inhabit the freshes of
the River Delaware. There is no need of giving
any description of them, who are better known
in England thanl.here; but they are a plain,
strong, industrious people, yet have made no
great progress in the culture or propagation of
fruit trees, as if they desired rather to have
enough than plenty or traffic. But I presume




32           SWEDISH ANNALS,
the Indians made them the more careless, by
furnishing them with the means of profit, to
wit, skins and furs for rum, and such strong
liquors. They kindly received me, as well as
~the English, who were few before the people
concerned with me came among them. I must
needs commend their respect to authority, and
kind behavior to the English. They do not
degenerate from the old friendship between
both kingdoms. As they are a people proper
and strong of body, so have they fine children,
and almost every house full; rare to find one
of them without three or four boys, and as
many girls: some six, seven, and eight sons.
And I must do them the justice to say, I see
few young men more sober and industrious."*
It was a feature deserving of notice in the
character of the early Swedes inhabiting this
country, as will more fully appear in the sequel
of these annals, that in the attention they-paid
to other concerns and interests, they never appear to have lost sight of those relating to God,
and the worship due to him. As a religious
people they are presented to us in a most favorable light, and may well be held up as an
example for the imitation of their numerous
descendants still occupying the soil so long ago
inhabited by their ancestors. In coming to this
new country, they did not forget that their residence in it was to be but for a season, and
- Clarkson's Life of W. Penn, vol. i. p. 309.




SWEDISH ANNALS.          33
that there was another, and a heavenly country
for which it was their duty to make preparation. They accordingly brought with them the
ministers of religion, to instruct them and their
children in the knowledge of things divine. In
the time of Menewe there was a clergyman
here of the name of Reorus Torkillus, who came
perhaps with the first colony, as he died in
1643, aged thirty-five years. The Rev. John
Campanius, as we have seen, came over in 1642.
lie returned to Sweden in 1648, became rector
of a considerable parish, and lived to the age of
eighty-two years. Laurence Lock and Israel
Holg came while Printz was governor. A
chaplain came with Rising, and went home
after the conquest by the Dutch. A clergyman
also arrived in the same ship with Mr. Bengtson
in 1656, but did not remain long. Lock continued in the country, having charge of the
church at Tinicum and Christina, and died in
the year 1688. From him many families descended, and several are yet living in West
Jersey, near the Delaware. They were among
the best members of Racoon church.
As long as the Swedes were in possession of
authority here, and lived under their own laws,
there appears to have been frequent intercourse
between them and the mother country; at least
frequent for that time, when a voyage across
the Atlantic was considered as formidable an
undertaking as one to China is at the present




34           SWEDISH ANNALS.
day. But when their colonial character ceased,
and the Dutch, and afterwards the English, became masters of the soil, the intercourse between them and their friends at home, was in a
short time, entirely dropped, and they were left
to get along in the best way they could. In
matters relating to their temporal concerns,
the stood in need of little assistance. But for
a supply of clergymen they were entirely dependent on the mother country; and soon felt
how much they were likely to suffer, in this
respect, from the interruption that had taken
place to the intercourse between them and their
native land. For many years the Rev. Mr.
Lock was the only clergyman they had. As
already remarked, he preached in the lower
parishes. The upper inhabitants had, by order
of government, erected a block house at Wicaco, for defence against the Indians. As the
distance to Tinicum rendered an attendance
at public worship there very inconvenient,
this block-house was converted into a church.
To get a place of worship was easier than to
find a clergyman to occupy it. They applied,
for this purpose, to the Rev. Jacob Fabritins, of
New York, who accepted a call to Wicaco,
where he preached his first sermon on Trinity
Sunday,* in the year 1677.t
* Mr. Fabritius preached in the Dutch language, which
the Swedes, from the intercourse they had with that
people, and the close affinity between the two languages,
well understood.
t See Appendix A.




SWEDISH ANNALS.          35
Mr. Fabritius preached for the Swedes for a
period of fourteen years, though for nine years
of that time he was entirely blind. Being at
last disabled from further service through the
infirmities of old age, the people were under
serious apprehensions lest they should be left
without a minister. To prevent so great an
evil, they had, while Mr. F. was yet able to
officiate, twice written to Sweden, representing
their want of a pastor. These letters, it appears,
were never received.  Discouraged by this
failure, they applied to the Lutheran Consistory
at Amsterdam, to procure for them a minister,
by ordaining and sending them some Swedish
student of theologywho might be in that city;
or, if no such person could be obtained, to correspond in their behalf with some ecclesiastical
body in Sweden. This letter was written in
1691.*
The reason of this application of the Swedes
to Holland rather than to England, was, their
ignorance oftheEnglish language, and the little
intercourse they had had with the latter nation;
as well as the greater probability, as they
thought, of getting a Swedish minister through
the former channel than the latter. Here again,
however, they were destined to meet with disappointment. No preacher came, and the prospect became very dark and gloomy. The Rev,
* See Appendix B.




36              SWEDISH ANNALS.
Mr. Lock had died in 1688, and MIr. Fabritius
four or five years afterwards, so that they were
now   entirely without a clergyman.      In this
extremity they resolved still to keep their
churches open, and appointed two worthy and
pious men to perform for them the office of'
Lay readers; who, besides the prayers and
psalms, read homilies or sermons. The person
who officiated in this capacity at Wicaco was
Mr. Andrew     Bengtsen    or Bankson; and at
Christina they had Mr. Charles Christopher
Springer.*' This Mr. Springer wrote the letter to Thelin, presently
to come under our notice. He was a native Swede, and
had come to America by a remarkable providence. He was
in the family of the Swedish ambassador in London. Going
home one evening in a post-chaise, he was seized, and carried on board of a merchant vessel, in the Thames, botlnd
to Virginia. He was there sold as a servant for five years.
When free, he went to the Swedes, and by his capacity
and virtue acquired such an influence as to be appointed
justice of the peace in the district of Christina. He was
afterwards, for many years, a useful member of that church.




SWEDISH ANNALS.           37
CHAPTER III.
We here arrive at a most interesting part of
our narrative. The reader has observed with
what a holy and praise-worthy zeal the attention of the first settlers on this soil was directed
to the introduction and continuance among
them of the blessings of a preached Gospel; he
has seen that, after succeeding in this for a period of rather more than fifty years, they found
all efforts to have the vacant congregations
supplied with other clergymen, to administer
to them and their children the ordinances of
the church, ending in utter disappointment,
and a dark cloud resting on the future. Now
who that has observed the usual dealings of
God's providence in behalf of his people, where
they have been thrown into difficulties such as
the present, is not led to expect his interposition in behalf of these pious Swedes, thus striving to secure to themselves and their posterity
the privileges and blessings of the ministry of
his church? It is when human aid fails, that
divine assistance is not only most needed, but
is most looked for, and its exercise is most apt
to strike the eye of the observer. We know
there are some disposed to deny this doctrine
of a superintending providence, and to laugh
at the idea of God interposing in the affairs of
D




38           SWEDISH ANNALS.
men. But what will not man deny when acting under the impulses of "an evil heart of
unbelief?"  It is true, God acts through the
instrumentality of human means; as when he
made use of the brethren of Joseph for the accomplishment of those wonderful designs of his
providence brought about by the residence of
the latter in Egypt. But his controlling influence is not the less seen and felt in the world
because he makes use of subordinate agents for
the accomplishment of his purposes. Let the
means be what they may, we are sure of the
truth of the doctrine; as every one must be
sure of it who receives the scriptural declaration
that "God ruleth in the armies of heaven, and
among the inhabitants of the earth."
With regard to the Swedes, in the crisis of
their affairs at which we have arrived, while all
was dark before them, He, " without whom not
even a sparrow falleth to the ground," was preparing the way for a supply of their spiritual
wants, and in a short time afforded them the
deliverance they had been seeking. About the
time of which we are writing, a person of the
name of Andrew Printz, a nephew, as he said,
of Governor Printz, had come over in an Eng:
lish vessel to the Delaware, and being himself a
Swede, had become acquainted with his countrymen here, by whom he had been cordially
received. Meeting, on his return to Sweden,
with John Thelin, postmaster at Gottenburg, he




SWEDISH ANNALS.          39
mentioned to that gentleman his having met,
across the Atlantic, with some of their countrymen, whose condition he represented as very
comfortable in things temporal, but very forlorn
and destitute in a spiritual point of view. This
pious man was at once interested in their behalf,
and he resolved to lay their case before the
king, Charles XI. This led to the following
letter, which was addressed by Mr. Thelin to
the Swedes on the Delaware.
" Hon. Friends and Countrymen,' The occasion which leads me to write to-you
is, that when last year I was at Stockholm I
net with one Andrew Printz, who, I found, had
been in an English vessel to the West Indies.
Upon my questioning him whether he had a
prosperous voyage, he told me he had found
there a good land, and had also met with some
old Swedes in good prosperity, who had greatly
rejoiced to see one from their native country,
and had inquired who was now the reigning
king of Sweden: and that you, good friends,
had confidence in his majesty that if he were
made acquainted with your want of ministers
and godly books, he would provide for your
necessities. When he had related such things
to me, I took greatly, as did others, your condition to heart; and having good friends at his
majesty's court, I related these things to an
honorable lord, who again mentioned them to




4.0          SWEDISH ANNALS.
his majesty.  Whereupon his majesty took
therein a special and particular interest, and resolved that he would send unto you not only
ministers, but also all sorts of godly books;
and would willingly have used for an agent in
accolnplishing these. purposes the same man
who had related these things. But the Lord
knoweth what became of that man; for he could
not be seen nor heard of afterwards. Therefore
I now do take the boldness upon me, being
acquainted with an elderly woman here, who
says she has a brother living among you, Peter
Gunnarson Rambo, through whom this letter
may be received, that I may know from you
the truth of what has been related, and in what
way such ministers may be sent to you; desiring that you would let it be distinctly known
of what it is you-are in need.
" The aforesaid person has told me that you
live comfortably, and in a loving manner one
with another, and that you use the old Swedish
way in every thing, which it has much pleased
his majesty to hear. And surely the great and
special care which his majesty taketh for you
should rejoice our hearts; who being in close
friendship and alliance with his most excellent
majesty of England, your desires may be the
more readily carried into effect. Indeed, this
work. doth certainly come and spring from the
Almighty God, in whose hands are the hearts
of kings, so that.you may speedily send your




SWEDISH ANNALS.          41
answer, that it may be for your soul's health
and happiness. And we desire to know the
number of ministers and books which you desire
to have; and also how many you are in number, and how many churches you have. About
eight or ten years ago, the governor, William
Penn, petitioned the Swedish Ambassador at
London for ministers and books for you; but
for some cause or other, the request was not
carried into effect. Be not negligent in the
things which belong to your everlasting happiness; for you may certainly see that the Great
God doth as soon help through friends that are
humble as through those that are great and
powerful. I commend you to the holy protection of Almighty God, both in soul and body.
I shall expect to hear from you by the first opportunity that may offer, and remain your most
loving friend and servant.
JEAN THELIN
"Gottenburg, 16th Nov. 1692.
"P. S. I send a duplicate of this letter, that
you may be the more certain of receiving it."
The receipt of this letter caused great joy to
the Swedes, who determined on a speedy answer.
But as they were now living under the laws of
England, they deemed it prudent and advisable
to lay the whole matter before the English
governor, William Markham. The governor
expressed himself much gratified, and wished
D2




42           SWEDISH. ANNALS.
them not to delay answering the letter. He also
offered to write in their behalf to the Proprietor,
William Penn, and to Lejoncrona, the Swedish
minister in London.  With these favorable
tauspices, Charles Springer wrote for the Swedes
their answer to Mr. Thelin's letter. Upon the
receipt of it in Sweden, it was copied by many
persons, and drew tears from the eyes of many
who heard its contents. It was dated May 31,
1693, and was as follows:'H Ionored, loving, and much respected friend,
John Thelin, his majesty's loyal subject, and
Postmaster at Gottenbnrg,
("Your unexpected and welcome letter, dated
Gottenburg, 16th Nov. 1692, came to hand the
23d of May, 1693, and made us heartily rejoice that it hath pleased Almighty God, through
that young man Andrew Printz, to make known
our conditionm to our friends in Sweden. We
rejoice that his majesty doth still bear unto us
a tender and a Christian care. Therefore do we
heartily desire, since it hath pleased his majesty
graciously to regard our wants, that there may
be sent unto us two Swedish ministers, who are
well learned in the Holy Scriptures, and who
may be able to defend them an d us against all
false-opposers; so that we may preserve our
true Lutheran faith, which, if called to suffer
for our faith, we are ready to seal with our
blood. We also request that those ministers
may be men of good moral lives and characters;




SWEDISH ANNALS.           43
so that they may instruct our youth by their
example, and lead them into a pious and virtuous way of life.
" Further, it is our humble desire that you
would be pleased to send us three books of sermons, twelve bibles, forty-two psalm books, one
hundred tracts, with two hundred catechisms,
and as many primers; for which, when received, we promise punctual payment at such
place as you may think fit to order. We do
promise also a proper maintenance to the ministers that may be sent to us; and when this
our letter is gone, it is our intention to buy a
piece of land, that shall belong to the church,
and upon which the ministers may live.
"As to what concerns our situation in this
country, we are for the most part husbandmen.
We plough and sow, and till the ground; and
as to our meat and drink, we live according to
the old Swedish custom. This country is very
rich and fruitful, and here grow all sorts of
grain ing-reat plenty, so that we are richly supplied with meat and drink; and we send out
yearly to our neighbors on this continent and
the neigboring islands, bread, grain, flour and
oil. We have here also, all sorts of beasts,
fowls, and fishes. Our wives and daughters
employ themselvos in spinning wool and flax,
and many of them in weaving; so that we have
great reason to thank the Almighty for his manifold mercies and benefits. God grant that




44           SWEDISH ANNALS.
we may also have good shepherds, to feed us
with his holy word and sacraments. We live
also in peace and friendship with one another;
and the Indians have not molested us for many
years.
"Further, since this country has ceased to be
under the government of Sweden, we are bound
to acknowledge and declare, for the sake of
truth, that we have been well and kindly treated,
as well by the Dutch, as by his majesty, the
King of England, our gracious sovereign: on
the other hand, we, the Swedes, have been and
still are true and faithful to him in words and in
deeds. We have always had over us good
and gracious magistrates; and we live with
one another in peace and quietness. So that
we desire, as soon as this our letter comes to
hand, that a speedy attention may be paid to
our request; for we believe that God has certainly his hand in this christian work, and pray
that he may bring it to a happy termination."
With this letter was sent a separate account
of all the people, mentioning the heads of families, and the number of persons in each, and
a mark to distinguish those who were born in
Sweden.* It was thus headed-" An accurate
list of all the men, women, and children now
found living in New Sweden, at present Pennsylvania, on the river Delaware." Among those
See Appendix 0.




SWEDISH ANNALS.           45
born in Sweden, Peter Rambo and Andrew
Bonde (now Boon) had been in the country
fifty-four years.
The above letter to John Thelin was signed
by thirty persons. W1hen received by that gentleman, it was forwarded to the court. At a period when there was so little intercourse between
this country and Europe, and scarcely any that
wNas direct between here and Sweden, it took a
long time for an interchange of letters between
the Swedes of the mother country and those of
Pennsylvania. This may explain the long interval that elapsed between the writing of the
above letter, in May, 1693, and the date (Feb. 7,
1696) of the first measures taken in Sweden
towards furnishing the desired spiritual relief:
According to Campanius, there was no delay in
taking those measures; and he says, " as soon
as the letter arrived at Stockholm, his majesty,
Charles XI. of glorious memory, in order to
promote the preservation of our holy religion
among this small number of settlers in America,
wrote on the subject to the late Dr. Olaus
Suebilius, Archbishop of Upsal."
This interesting letter we here lay before the
reader:
"Charles, by the grace of God, king of Sweden, etc., etc.
" Or faithful and well-beloved Archbishop:
We send you herewith a letter from the Swedish colony on the river Delaware, to John The



46           SWEDISH ANNALS.
lin, the postmaster at Gottenburg, and by him
delivered to our department of state. From
which we have seen, with great pleasure, that
this people have a very pious zeal for the preservation to themselves and their children, of
the pure evangelical religion. We are by this
moved to grant them aid, and to favor their
petition for obtaining two clergymen  It is,
therefore, our pleasure that you will carefully
select for them such good and learned pastors
as they desire to have; and it is our will that,
as soon as they shall be ready for their voyage,
they be provided with a passage, and the necessary funds to defray their expenses. You will
also procure the bibles, homilies, common-prayer
and hymn-books, catechisms, primers, and spiritual treatises which are desired; so that the
ministers may take these books along with
them, which we will present free of expense.
We are persuaded that you will be solicitous to
procure faithful laborers in this vineyard of the
Lord. In so doing you will promote the glory
of God, and also give us great satisfaction. We
commend you kindly to Almighty God. Given
at Stockholm, the 18th of February, 1696.
CHARLES.
"By the King. C. PIPER."
On the receipt of this letter from his majesty,
the Archbishop laid the matter before the consistory and consulted the members of it. "He
afterwards," says the Rev. Mr. Rudman, "called




SWEDISH ANNALS.           47
me, without any previous notice, and by many
pathetic motives urged my acceptance of this
mission. I desired some days for consideration,
and agreed.  But, foreseeing the necessary
troubles of this enterprise, I requested of him to
laybefore the king my humble petition for leave
to return, in due time, and promotion at home.
He did so, and received the following answer:
"'Charles, by the Grace of God, &c. Trusty
and well-beloved Archbishop: We have received
your letter, dated the 21st inst., in which you
promise to procure, according to our mandate,
pious and learned clergymen, for preaching the
pure evangelical religion to the Swedish people
in America. We grant your request in their
behalf, that they may have permission to return
after some years, and obtain suitable preferment; as it would otherwise be a great hardship to leave their native country. You will,
therefore, assure them of this our gracious intention. Given at Stockholm, the 22d of February, 1696.
CHARLES.
"( By the King. C. PIPER.'"




-48          SWEDISH ANNALS.
CHAPTEEI IY.
The king having thus given his consent that
the ministers to be sent to America, should, in
due time, if they desired it,'be permitted to return to their native land, the Rev. Mr. iRudman
obtained leave to choose a suitable colleague.
Several persons were thought of, but at the suggestion of Professor Jesper Swedberg, the Rev.
Eric Biork, a native of the province of Westmanland, was selected as highly qualified for
this important work. The king saw fit to appoint a third clergyman to accompany the other
two, and fixed on the Rev. Jonas Auren, of the
province of Wermeland. He was commissioned
to view the country, and in a short time to return and make his report. These two were
accordingly ordained at UJpsal. The king provided for them the necessary outfit; and having
taken leave of their friends and relatives, they
felt anxious to be gone, but were for a while detained by the printer not being ready with the
Indian catechismis.
Before their departure, the following royal
mandate was issued:-" It is the gracious will
of his majesty, that the three clergymen, Andrew Rudman, Eric Biork, and Jonas Auren,
chosen by the Archbishop of Upsal, for the Swedish congregations in America, shall take with




SWEDISH ANNALS.              49
them the religious books, mentioned in the annexed catalogue, as a donation from the king,
with a declaration of his great satisfaction in
their prosperity, and their faithful constancy in
the pure evangelical religion. Given at Stockholm, the 15th of July, 1696.
CHARLES."
The books sent were the following:
30 Bibles; 10 printed by Vankis and 20 by Keiser.
6 Books of Homilies; 2 Cabinets of Treasures; 2 of Moellers; 2 of Lutheman's.
150 Manuals.
100 Religious treatises of different kinds, viz: 12 by Kellingius; Garden of Paradise; Atlice, etc.
100 Books of Common Prayer and Hymns.
2 Ecclesiastical Acts.
2 Church Regulations.
100 Catechisms of Archbiship Suebilius.
300 Compends of  do.     do.,
400 Primers.
500 Catechisms in the Indian language,
The king appropriated three thousand dollars
for the expenses of the missionaries; and the
director of the custom house was appointed to
provide a good ship for their passage. The ship
Palmboom, Captain Hogen, was selected for the
purpose. The three clergymen then waited on
the king, with the most respectful and affectionate thanks for his favors. He gave them his
hand, and said, " Go now, in the name of the
Lord, to the place whither I send you. God be
with you, and prosper your undertaking. If any
E




50           SWEDISH ANNALS.
opposition or injury befal you, return, and I will
remember you."  Then addressing Mr. Auren,
in whose father's house he had often been, he
said, "you will soon come back; salute your
parents." Auren went to Gottenburg to take
leave of his friends, intending to sail from that
port, and meet his colleagues in London. The
Rev. Messrs. Rudman and Biork embarked on
the 4th of August, 1696.
After encountering a violent storm in the
North Sea, and being in danger, in the English
Channel, of losing the ship on a shoal called the
Onion, on which the vessel struck several times,
they arrived safely in London on the 10th of
October. They had letters to the court requesting permission to proceed to America. There
was some hesitation in granting such permission, but it was after a while obtained. This
delay proved in the end of advantage to the
missionaries. They had engaged their passage
in the ship Happy Union, but being detained in
the manner just mentioneed, that vessel wfas
obliged to sail without them. This ship was
overtaken by a storm, and after losing sails,
masts, and rudder, with difficulty reached a port
in Portugal, and did not arrive in America until
a year after the landing there of the missionaries. The first opportunity these had of leaving
England was on the 4th of February, 1697, in
the ship Jeffris, Captain Cooper. After a long
detention in the Eglish Channel, waiting for




SWEDISH ANNALS.           51
their convoy, they put to sea, and in ten weeks
reached the coast of Virginia. Entering the
Chesapeake Bay they proceeded up to Annapolis in Maryland, where lived the governor of
that province, Francis Nicholson, who received
them with the greatest hospitality and kindness. After remaining there two weeks, they
took a shallop, and on the 24th of June, being
St. John's day, arrived in Elk river, and landing,
found some of their countrymen residing there,.
These immediately sent word of the circumstance to the Swedes in Pennsylvania, who,
going thither, received them with tears of joy,
and conveyed theml and their baggage to the
Swedish settlement. Before mentioning what
took place on their arrival there, we here give
the letter addressed to the Swedes in America
by the archbishop of Upsal.
"To the respectable Swedish congregations in
America, grace, peace, and blessing from
God the Father, through Jesus Christ.
"' Whereas, beloved friends, you have, with
a laudable zeal for the preservation of the pure
evangelical religion, and by it the promotion of
your spiritual welfare, supplicated his majesty,
my gracious king, to send over to you two pious
and learned clergymen; and whereas his majesty has been pleased to grant your humble
request, and has commissioned me to procure
two such clergymen, I have, in obedience to




52           SWEDISH ANNALS.
his mandate, and in compliance with my official
duty, selected the Rev. Andrew Rudman, Mlaster of Philosophy, and Mr. Eric Biork; who,
on examination, are -found competent to the
office, and who are known to be of pious and
orderly character, and willing to take upon
themselves this long and hazardous voyage.
They are supplied by the king's royal favor,
with the necessary funds for that voyage;
which I wish, by God's grace, may be safe and.
prosperous. I therefore recommend them to
you as proper teachers for the Swedish congregations. They will do their best to promote
your spiritual welfare, by preaching God's word
as contained in the Old and New Testaments,
teaching the Apostles', Nicene and Athanasian
creeds, and the true doctrines contained in the
Augsburg Confession of Faith, free fromi all
human superstition and tradition. They will
administer the holy sacraments according to
God's ordinances, and they will instruct your
children in the catechism. They will also, it
is hoped, set before you examples in all Christian graces and virtues, by a godly, sober, and
irreproachable life; that they may give a good
account to the Supreme Shepherd when he shall
come. On your part, beloved friends, I have
full confidence that you will receive these gentlemen as your true spiritual guardians, and
render them all the honor and obedience due
to their sacred function; also recompensinmr




SWEDISH ANNALS.           53.
their official labors by a sufficient maintenance,
according to the commandment of God, and
your own promise.
"Whereupon we commend you to the protection of Almighty God, with faithful wishes
of prosperity, increase in religious wisdom, and
constancy in the way of salvation.
C Given under our hand and the seal of the
Cathedral Consistory of Upsal, the 25th of June,
1696.
OLAUS SUEBILIUS,
Archbishop of Upsal."
As to what took place in the Swedish settlements, and in what condition the missionaries
found the people, we cannot do better than lay
before the reader the following extracts of
letters written by the Rev. Eric Biork to the
Rioght Rev. Superintendent, Doctor Israel Kolmnodin, dated Christina Creek, 29th of October,
1697.
" I had the pleasure of writing to you on the
4th of February, to inform you that we were
about to leave London. We went on board that
day, but were detained some time at Deal and
Portsmouth, until the convoys and the captains
could be cleared; at last, on the 22d of March,
we weighed anchor at Portsmouth, and having
passed Plymouth, the last land that we saw on
the 24th was the Lizard, and from that time wt
saw no land until we reached Virginia. I shall
E2




54           SWEDISH ANNALS.
not detain you with the particulars of our voyage, which was as usual, made up of storms and
fair weather, but shall at once tell you, that onl
the 31st of May, in the afternoon, we foundourselves in thirty-four fathoms depth, and
were delighted to see land before us, which we
were informed was Smith's Island. We tacked
about until the 2d of June, in the morning,
when we cast anchor in seven fathoms depth,
with joy and gladness. We went afterwards
to seek a safe harbor in James river, in which
we remained solme days, while the captain was
making his arrangements; thence, on the 10th
of June, we sailed by Maryland, Newport, Rappahannock, Potomac, Point Lookout, the first
point in Maryland, and Pautuxent to a town
on the river Severn, called Annapolis, where
resides the governor, Francis Nicholson, and
there we cast anchor, on the 19th of June. 
would fain relate to you all the attention that
we received fioml the said governor, but suffice
it to say that he treated us with the greatest
kindness and respect. Our gracious sovereign
and his royal family were duly remembered,
and had we been sent recommlended to that
gentleman directly from Sweden, he could not
have done more for us. We remained four days
in his house, during which time he did all in
his power to entertain us, and show us every
thing worth seeing; when at last we were
obliged to go on board our ship, to continue




SWEDISH ANNALS.          55
our voyage, he took all the trouble upon himself, to see every thing properly done; and
when we took leave of him, he accompanied
us part of the way, gave us a sum of money,
and sent two men with us, to put on board as
many bottles as they could carry, filled with
all kinds of liquors. The governor is a single
man, looks like a brave soldier, and is greatly
attached to his king, of whom he is a faithful
servant. On the 23d of June we went on board
with all our things; and we can never forget
the captain's goodness, who carried us through
such a long voyage without charging any
freight or passage money. At last, with a fair
wind, we sailed about seventeen English miles,
to a place called Transtown,* situated on Elk
river, at the distance of an English mile from
our Swedish settlement, where we joyfully
landed, returning thanks to God for having
safely brought us through such a long voyage.
" Before we had been there a day and a night,
the people flocked in great numbers to see us;
they came from a distance of ten or twelve
Swedish milest in order to conduct us to their
place of meeting. They welcomed us with
great joy, and would hardly believe we had
arrived until they saw us. They were, indeed,
in great want of spiritual assistance; for at the
* Probably Frenchtown.
t A Swedish mile is equal to 6Q English miles.




56             SWEDISH ANNALS.
same time that I, though unworthy, was appointed to this high office, they were deprived
by death of their venerable teacher, the Rev.
Jacob Fabritius; and since that time have had
nobody but their reader, Charles Christopher
Springer, a plain, honest, pious man, but devoid
of talents; however, by the grace of God, who
can produce great things out of little ones, they
did tolerably well with him, as he was very
zealous, and spared no pains to promote their
spiritual welfare, as I myself have always
witnessed.
"On the 27th of June, we had only a small
meeting of prayer and thanksgiving, at the
lower congregation.   On the 29th, we went up
to Philadelphia, a clever little town,* and
watited on the lieutenant governor, William
MAarkham, who, when he saw our credentials,
lrceived us with great kindness.
"On the 30th of June, we visited the upper
congregation at a place called Wicaco,t which
is the nearest to Philadelphia, and where the
" Then about fourteen years old.
-I Where the Swedish Church now stands, which was then
out of town. Wicaco, otherwise spelt Wicacoa, seems to
have been the Indian name given to this place. The Swedes
and many others, more fiequently spoke of their churches in
reference to the places where they were situated, than their
proper ecclesiastical titles. It was "Wicaco Church," not
Gloria Dei; "Christina Church," not Trinity, by which
these churches were for a long time familiarly known; and
ao of others.




-5- ~ ~ ~ 1
- ---------
-~~~~~P
-=. —=-~~ —__ QS








SWEDISH ANNALS.            57
Swedes have a church,* in which we gave them
an account of our voyage and objects, beginning
with their own letter to the postmaster at Gottenburg, then his royal majesty's orders given
thereupon, etc. etc. ~ We did the same thing on
the 2d of July, to the lower congregation at
Tranhook,t where they also have a church.
On the 11th of July, I, their unworthy minister;
clad in my surplice, delivered my first discourse
to them in Jesus' name, on the subject of the
righteousness of the Pharisees, (de julstitit Phari)eeor'utm.)
"And now, to say something miore respecting our congregations, I must confess that they
did not entirely comply with what they had
promised in their letter: the reason was, that
they were most uncomfortably situated, the
land which led to their church being then
overflowed with water, and yet they would not
abandon the place until they should have
ministers, to whom they could commit the
work, in which, through God's grace, I have
succeeded, and agreed with them to fix on a
more convenient place to build a stone church,
to be called Christina Church. I hope it will be
done in a year, for the congregations are rich,'This church was originally a block-house. It is not
known when it was built, but was first used as a place of
worship in 1677. It had loop-holes and occupied the site
of the present church.
tNear Christina.




58            SWEDISH ANNALS.
and easily persuaded by good reasons, such as
I have given them. In comparing the religions situation of these people, their divine servsice, attention to ordinances, and instruction
of their youth in the catechism, and other things,
with the cong're'ations in Sweden, I must say
that these are quite irregular, and that makes
us fear that we shall have great labor and difficulty; but we remember our oaths, which are
alwTays before our minds, and will endeavor to
bring them as nearly as possible to the state
of the congregations in Sw eden. This state of'
things is not to be wondered at; for their ministers, particularly the last, were old and
infirm, and could not pay proper attention to
the education of youth; but we hope, if God
grants us life, to mend these matters; so that
there will be churches, dwellings, and gardens
for the ministers; and that divine service will
be performed, the ordinances administered, the
youth taught their catechism, and regular examinations take place, so that those who come
after us will find that a plain, easy road, which
we now find rough and difficult. This difficulty
is so much the greater that we are alone, and
the young people are numerous; but we hope
that our superiors at home, will not let us sink
under the labor, particularly if God grant life
to our most gracious king, whom we never
cease to remember in our prayers. The country here is delightful, as it has always been




SWEDISH ANNALS.           59
described, and overflows with every blessing;.
so that the people live very well without being
compelled to too much or too severe labor. The
taxes are very light; the farmers, after their
work is over, live as they do in Sweden, but
are clothed as well as the respectable inhabitants of the towns. They have fresh meat and
fish in abundance, and want nothing of what
other countries produce; they have plenty of
grain wherewith to make bread, and plenty of
drink. MIay God continue them in the enjoyment of these blessings. There are no poor in
this country, but they all provide for themselves, for the land is rich and fruitful, and no
man who willlabor can suffer want.
" The Indians and we are as one people; we
live in much greater friendship with them than
with the English: they call the Swedes in their
language their own people; they were very
glad when we came, astheysee now that Sweden does not abandon them. They are also
very fond of learning the catechism, which has
been printed in their language; they like to
have it read to them, and they have engaged
Mir. Charles Springer to teach their children to
read it. Who knows what God has yet in
store for them, if our lives should be spared,
when we shall have acquired their idiom? We
shall spare no labor to attain that object. They
go mostly naked, but many of them are clothed;
they are very courteous in their behavior, and




60           SWEDISH ANNALS.
fond of obliging the Swedes; they take great
pains to help them, and prevent any harm happening to them. In order to forward our designs, I hope our spiritual fathers will assist us
with some of the newly printed books, particularly two church bibles, as those we have are
not fit to be used in divine service; there are
always opportunities between England and this
country. I cannot mention, without astonishment, but to the honor of these people, that we
hardly found here three Swedish books; but
they were so anxious for the improvement of
their children, that they lent them to one another, so that they can all read tolerably well.
None of the books that his majesty graciously
gave us are now out of use; they are distributed among the families, who bless the king
for that valuable present, for which they are
truly glad and thankful. May Almighty God
preserve his majesty, the royal family, and our
dear country, in peace and gladness. Though
distant from it we shall never cease while we
breathe, to offer up our prayers to Heaven for
its prosperity."
About the same time the Rev. Mr. Rudman
wrote to Professor Jacob Arrhenius, at Upsal.
His statements are in agreement with those of
the very interesting letter above quoted. We
here give some extracts. His letter is dated
20th of October, 1697.




SWEDISH ANNALS.            61
"Our ship arrived in Virginia, and from
thence we sailed to Maryland, where we left
her on the 23d of June, and proceeded tup the
Bay in a sloop to Elk river. There we immediately found Swedes, who heartily rejoiced at
our arrival. The news of it spread through the
whole country; the people came in haste from
a distance of more than thirty miles, and conducted us to their places of meeting, where,
after we had waited on the governor, they were
called together and ouar credentials were read
to them. Then we entered in God's name
upon our holy office, I officiating to the upper
congregations at WMicaco, and the Rev. Mr.
Biork to the lower at Christina.
"The churches are old and in bad condition.
Wherefore, with God's help we are endeavoring to build new ones. The low er one is at
Christina; the upper at Wicaco, or Passvynk.
The minister's garden and mansion house are
at the distance of four English riles't from
Philadelphia, a clever town, built by Quakers,
The population is very thin and sca.ttered, all
along the river shore; so that some have sixteen miles to walk or ride to go to church.
Nevertheless, they very regularly attend dcivine
service on Sundays, etc.
"The houses are built after the Swedish
*Near Point Breeze, on the Schuykill, where some wished
the new church built, as will be seen in the sequel.
F




642          SWEDISII ANNALS.
manner. The women brew excellent drink, as
in Sweden; they have also a liquor made of
apples or peaches, which they call cider, it is
very pleasant to the taste, and very wholesome.
In order to build our church, we are about
to raise the sum of four hundred pounds sterling; but that will not be difficult, they are so
very glad to have us among them; they look
upon us as if we were angels from heaven. Of
this they have assured me with many tears;
and we may truly say, that there is no place in
the world where a clergyman may be so happy
and so well beloved, as in this country.
" The English have received us extremely
well, and some of them even came to our meetings. We live scattered among the English
and Quakers, yet our language is preserved as
pure as any where in Sweden. There are
about twelve hundred persons that speak it.
There are also WTelshmen, who speak their
own mother tongue, besides Englishmen, Dutchmen, and some Frenchmen. Almost every one
can read, at which we are much rejoiced. God
be thanked for his goodness, which has never
yet been wanting to us.
"As to the government, it is very mild, and
the people live quietly under Governor William
Markham, who is exceedingly well-disposed
towards us. He has reproached us with not
going often enough to see him, and has left u8




SWEDISH ANNALS.           63
quite at liberty as to our church discipline.
There are many Swedes employed in the administration of this government; some of them
are counsellors, whom they call judges; many
of them are officers, captains, constables, ensigns, etc. There is plenty of work for us.
We are alone; our congregations are scattered,
our youth numerous, and but few that do not
require instruction. We have schools and
churches to build, etc. etc."




644           S   iWsEDISH ANNALS".
CIEAP'TER Y.
It was an important matter to have good
churches, in which the different congregations
mlight attend for divine worship, as those that
were found here were decayed, and scarcely
habitable. The first thing, therefore, that occupied the attention of these worthy missionaries
-was the erection, at once, of two commodious
edifices in which to hold divine service; one
for the lower congregation, and one for tihe
lpper. How the Swedes at Christina proceeded
with the work there, will appear from the folto-wing extracts of a letter written by the ev..
Mr. Biork to the lion. Charles Wystrol, dated
19)th of [NoCember, 1700.
"' Shortly after my arrival at this place, I
persuaded the congregation to agree in selecting a better place for a church than Tranhook,
to wit, Christina; and I immediately commenced the work in the,Lord's name, though
witl little money: but I never doubted, notwithstanding  mfy unworthiness, of divine
a2ssistance. I therefore made a bargain with
bricklayers and carpenters, and bound them
an1d me so strongly, that otherwise the work
would not have been finished in less than three
years, We laid the first stone at the north




SWEDISH ANNALS.           65
corner on the 28th of May, 1698.  The size
of the church,* inside of the walls, is sixty feet
in legth, thirty feet in breadth, and twenty
feet in, height.  The walls are of hard gray
stone up to the windows, and three and a half
feet thick; but above that only two feet.' There are four doors; a large one at the
west end, and a similar one at the south: there
are two smaller ones on the north side, one of
which leads into the vestry-room. There are
two windows on the north, and two on the
south, all of the same size; but there is a
larger one at the east eld, and a small one
over the western door. There is a small belfry
at the east end. The roof is arched with
logs, and plastered. It is covered with cedar
shingles.
"The pews in the church are made of fir;
the chancel is circular, and the inner banister,
as well as the pulpit, of walnut wood, well
turned. There is a large aisle, eight feet in
breadth, from the chancel to the large door,
ancd across the aisle from the north door to that
on the south. Between the chancel and the
first row of pews there is also a little way with
six pews on each side, to the cross aisle. There
are also long pews along the wall for the men,
from the south door to the east end; and there
- This church is still standing and occasionally occupied
for divine, service.  (1858.)
r2




66            SWEDISH ANNALS.
are seats in the chancel for the ministers. In
the lowelr part of the church, from the north
and south doors to that on the west, there is a
large aisle, with eight pews on each side."
The church thus erected, with a zeal and
ecterprise so praiseworthy, was, on Trinity
Sunday, in the following year, 1699, dedicated
to the service of Almighty God. On that occasion, the Rev. Mr. Rudman preached the sermlon,
having taken his text from Psalm cxxvi. 3:
"The Lord hath done great things for us,
whereof we are glad."  The name of Trinity
chureh was given to the building, in honor of
the Triune God. "Mir. Rudman and I," says
Mr.- Biork, "were clad in-white surplices, made
after our manner, as well as could be done;
but other church vestments could not be procured here. The Rev. Mr. Auren preached afterwards at the celebration of the Lord's Supper,
where we made a collection of about two hundred dollars; for there were many hundred.persons present, of all religions, whom I entertained afterwards with meat and drink in the
best manner I could. The neighbors all around
partook of the feast, and several carried provisions home with them."
Over the large window, at the east end of
tle church, iron letters were built in the wall,
with the following abbreviated Latin sentence:
Lux L. I. tenebr. oriens ex alto.*
ight springing from Heaven shincth in darkness,




SWEDISI ANNALS.               67
Over the large door, at the west end, in the
same kind of letters, is the following:
1698
Si De. pro nobis Quis contra nos.*
t Sub Imp. Reg. D. G. Ang.
WILL. III.
Propr. Will. Penn, Vice Gub. Will.
3Tiagnif. Reg. Suec. Nune Glor. Memor.
CAROL. XI.
Hue ableg:
E T B.
W S.
PL.
Over the door on the south side, was the word,
IMMANUEL
And on the north side, the following sentenlce:
Po]. M. CHRIST. 
The Swedes near Philadelphia conmmenced
tleir preparations for the building of a neat
llurch, at the same time with those of Chris11' God be for us, who can be agains us.
t Under the reign of William III, by the grace of God
King of England, William Penn, being Proprietary, and
William, [Markham] Vice Governor; Charles XI. one of
the illustrious kings of Sweden, now of glorious memory
sent to this plaee E. T. Biork, etc.' Christ. our king, has rule.




68           SWEDISH ANNALS.
tina; but the undertaking was delayed for a
year or two, on account of their not being able
to agree' among themselves as to where the
building should be erected. Those who resided
on the banks of the Schuylkill, and lower down,
wished the church to be built at a place called
Passyunk, (now Point Breeze,) where the clergyman resided on a glebe belonging to the
congregation. On the other hand, the Swedes
near to Philadelphia, and higher up, wished it
built at Wicaco, on the Delaware, half a mile
below the city, though now within its limits.
It was here the old church stood. It was now
considered not worth repairing. There was also
a burial ground here, in which the Swedish families, on both sides of the river, had for many
years interred their dead.  Neither Wicaco,
nor Passyunk was entirely central in its location;
and wherever the church might have been
built, a large part of the congregation would
have still had to travel several miles in getting
to it.
As far as MIr. RRudman himself, expressed an
opinion on this question, he preferred having
the church at Passyunk, as being more convenient to his residence. But he was not tenacious on this point, and was only anxious for
harmony and peace. Many conferences having
resulted in no decision of the question, a general
meeting of the congregation was finally called
on the 17th of May, 1698. A tedious discussion




SWEDISH ANNALS.           69
of the subject proving fruitless, the lower inhabitants proposed to have the matter decided by
lot. To this the upper members were at first
opposed, but through the persuasions of Mr.
IRudman were induced afterwards to agree.
Ifaving by prayer and singing invoked the
blessing of God on the undertaking, two pieces
of paper were prepared, on one of which was
-written TVicaco, and on the other Passyuznk;
tllese were shaken in a hat, and thrown upon
the ground, when, upon taking one up, and
opening it, the name of TWicaco appeared. Dissension at once ceased, and all joined in a cheerful hymn of praise.  At the same time the
agreement was ratified by the following perso1ns
signing their names to a suitable instrulent of
writing, viz: Andrew Rudman, Capt. Lorence.
Cox, Andrew- Bancson, Caspar Fish, Peter
ERambo, Gustavus Justis, Elias Toy, Michael
L-ycon, Charles Springer, Andrew Rambo,
lMatthias Morton, Gabriel Cox, John Cox, jr.
Hans Boon, Nich. Lycon, Richard Rhodes,
Gunnar Swanson, Christian Clweson, Laurence
1-olstein.
Jonas B3iurstroem, witness.
After the above settlement of the dispute in
relation to the site for the church, there was
difficulty and uneasiness in another form. The
family of Swan Swanson (then spelled Svan
Svanson) had given the ground on which the




70             SSWEDISH ANNALS.
old church stood,* and had lately increased it
part of an acre; but the congregation desired a
small addition down to the river, in order to
prevent ship-building in front of the church,
and the danger which would thereby be incurred from fire; they also wished for permission
to build a small house for the sexton, to guard
the church from injury.     With some difficulty
the first request was granted, the other denied.
This denial led to fresh dissatisfaction; in con*-As the question is often asked, by what tenure does the
Wicaco church hold its property, it is thought proper to
give the following information. That on which the church
stands, containing one acre and a half and five perches,
was given, as above remarked, by the Swanson family. The
deed is from Catharine Swanson, widow of Swan Svwansonl:
Swan Boon, and Brigita, his wife, one of the daughters of
Swan Swanson; I-Ians Boon, and Barbara, his wife, another
of the daughters; and Peter Bankson, and Catharine, his
wife, a third daughter.
Also, an acre of ground, north of the church, on which
the old parsonage stood, and the present one (built in 1832)
now stands, was given by Hans Boon, and Barbara, his wife,
"for the use, benefit and behoof of the minister of the Swedish congregation for the time being, and his successors forever."
There is a third deed, dated 19th June, 1719, from Marthat
Cock, daughter of John Cock and Margaret, his wife, one of
the daughters of Swan Swanson, to Peter Rambo, John
Stille, John Scute, and Jesta Jestason, for twenty-five acres
of land, lying near the Wicaco church, in trust, "for the
use, benefit and behoof of the minister of the Swedish congregation for the time-being, and his successors forever, in
the nature of glebe land, etc." These twenty-five acres were.
purchased by the congregation for ninety pounds.




SWEDISH ANNALS.            71.
sequence of which Mr. PRudman, in order to
accommodate both the upper and lower members of the parish, proposed that the new church
should be built at Passyunk, and the old one at
Wicaco be repaired, and that divine service
should be held part of the year in one, and part
in the other. This proposal was not acceeded
to. Mr. R. wearied with this unpleasant'state
of things, had for some time been threatening
to leave them. Accordingly, on the seventh
Sunday after Trinity, being the 31st of July,
1698, he concluded his sermon with a feeling
address, in which he reminded them of his unceasing parochial labors, and his repeated
efforts to unite them, but that having failed in
the object of his wishes, he had come to the
determination to leave them, and would take
that opportunity of bidding them farewell.'tie
soon after went to Christina, where he remained until the sixth of September.
After the departure of 1Mr. Rudmlan, Mr.
Biork visited the congregation, and preached
for them on the tenth Sunday after Trinity, the
Gospel for which day relates the weeping of
Christ over Jerusalem. His exertions had a
good effect. The congregation were brought
to a better mind, and sent deputies to Christina,
desiring a conference with the Rev. Messrs.
Rudman and Biork. These deputies were instructed to ask forgiveness, to submit the whole
matter in dispute to the decision of these cler



72           SWEDISH ANNALS.
gymen, to renew their subscriptions for the
church, and to secure future harmony by fining
any person ten pounds who should again cause
any dispute. We would not omit to remark,
that the Rev. BIr. Auren also had aided in restoring the people to a state of harmony and
peace.
Mr. Rudman, equally anxious with the congregation to see differences healed, went back
with the deputies, resolved to meet future difficulties with christian forbearance-" sensible,"
to use his own language,% "that the ministers of
God have little else to expect but trouble." lie
took advantage, without delay, of the present
favorable circumstances; procured a written
assurance of the ground to the river; obtained
the governor's consent to what was proposed to
be done, and for a bridge or ferry across the
Schuylkill, for the convenience of the people on
the other side; and made arrangements to bring
materials for the new church at Wicaco, from
the old one at Tinicum. All of which, on the
thirteenth Sunday after Trinity, was in proper
form proclaimed in the English language.
The same bricklayers and carpenters who
had built the church at Christina, were employed to build the one at Wicaco; and the
work went on so successfully, that on the second
day of July, being the first Sunday after Trinity, in the year 1700, every thing was finished;
and on that day the dedication took place, wh en




SWEDISH ANNALS.          73
the Rev. Mr. Biork preached from 2 Sam. v. 29:
"Therefore, now let it please thee to bless the
house of thy servant, that it may continue forever before thee: for thou, O Lord God, hast
spoken it; and with thy blessing let the house
of thy servant be blessed forever." On this
occasion there were a great many English persons and others present from Philadelphia,* for
whose benefit Mr. Biork delivered a summary
of his discourse in the English language.
"This church," says Mr. Biork, in one of his
letters to Sweden, "is of the same size as the
other, only that one of the corners is shortened
in order to make room for a belfry or steeple,
which has been begun at the west end, but
must remain some time unfinished, in order to
see whether God will bless us so far as that we
may have a bell, and in what manner we
can procure it. This church is built of stone
to the top of the foundation, but not so good as
that of which the lower church is built. The
buildings will cost us, according to our reckoning, about twenty thousand dollars, Swedish
money, and something more; of which I am
yet indebted in five thousand dollars, and my
colleague is in about the same situation. We
have nothing to rely on but the efforts of the
congregations to raise that money as well as
they can.' The church, now within the limits of the city, was then
some distance from it.
G




74           SWEDISH ANNALS.
"Thus, through God's blessing, we have
completed the great work, and built two fine
churches, superior to any built in this country,
particularly that at Christina; so that the English themselves, who now govern this province,
and are beyond measure richer than we are,
wonder at what we have done. It is but lately
that two governors, with their suites, have come
to this place, and visited our churches. The
one is Francis Nicholson, governor of Maryland, and our great patron; the other is named
Blackstone, and is governor of Virginia. With
all this we want some ornaments for our church,
which are not to be procured here, such as a
couple of bells, handsome chalices and pattens,
and chandeliers or lustres. We have also room
for a small organ. If we should obtain these
things through the generosity of those who are
able and willing to honor themselves by honoring their Maker, we shall consider it as a particular mark of divine favor, and their names
shall be recorded as benefactors of our church.
In the meanwhile, we are well satisfied with
the blessings that we have received from Almighty God; we hope he will preserve our
country from the war* that is impending, and
seems to threaten Sweden. We hope also that
in time we shall have obtained the things that
we most want, particularly books. I have at
L*The succession war for the crown of Spain, in which
England was engaged against France.




SWEDISH ANNALS.           75
last established a school here, with an able
teacher at the head of it, who also serves as
parish clerk, an office which I was before
obliged to perform. Things are not yet on
such a steady footing as I could wish, but I
shall do all I can, and no man can do more.
"Our congregations more and more require
our care and attention. IMy colleague and I
do all in our power to have divine service performed here as in Sweden; we instruct the people in their catechism; we travel from place to
place, and from house to house; in short, we do
all in our power to fulfil the important duties
that are imposed upon us."
The two churches being thus completed, it
was the next wish of the rectors, as the foregoing letter shows, to obtain the things of
which they stood most in need. The letter
speaks of a "a couple of bells, handsome chalices, pattens, and chandeliers or lustres.'" Nothing is said about a Baptismal Font, for each
church; yet no people laid more stress, than
the Swedes, on the importance of having their
children early dedicated to; the Lord in the
holy sacrament of Baptism. As, therefore, the
above letter is. silent on the subject of a Baptismal Font for each church, while the less important articles of-bells and chandeliers are mentioned, we may infer that this necessary article
had been provided, and been long in use in their
earlier churches. In the Wicaco, Chlurch there




76           SWEDISH ANNALS.
is now a large baptismal font, of marble, unlike
those belonging to the Episcopal churches in
this country, but such as is common in Sweden.
This font has been in the church from time immemorial. The probability is, it was brought
or sent over from the mother country at a very
early period.
I may here mention that there is still preserved in this church, on the front of the west
gallery, an  antique representation of two
cherubs, with their wings spread over what is
intended to represent the Holy Bible; on one
of the open pages of which is the following
passage from Isaiah, in Swedish characters:"; The people who walked in darkness have seen
a great light," etc.; and on the other page that
passage (also in Swedish characters) from the
New Testament, in which the angels, at the
birth of the Saviour, are spoken of as celebrating the event in the anthem  of-"Glory to
God in the Highest," etc.
The present Bell of the Wicaco church has
the following inscription upon it:
";Cast for Swedish Church in Philadelphia, styled
Gloria Dei, partly from the old bell dated 1643.
G. EEDDERLY, FECIT, 1806.
I to the Church the living call,
And to the grave do summon all."




SWEDISH ANNALS.           77
CHAPTER VI.
The king of Sweden having promised the
Rev. Mr. Rudman and his colleague leave to
return home after a few years, he, in the year
1701, with the advice of the archbishop, Dr.
Benzelius, appointed the Rev. Andrew Sandel
to come over, and take charge of the Wicaco
church. This gentleman left Sweden on the 21st
of August of that year; and after some detention in England, and the usual tedious passage
of those days across the Atlantic, arrived in the
Delaware on the 12th of March, following, and
had his first interview with Mr. Rudman on the
18th of the same month. Mr. Rudman's intention now was to return to Sweden; but the
Dutch inhabitants of New York and Albany
having been for many years without a preacher,
invited him to settle among them. Their destitute condition, and the fear lest they might
fall away from the pure faith of the Gospel, induced himto comply with their request. He accordinglypreached his farewell sermon at Wicaco on the 19th of July, and departed the next
day to enter upon the duties of his new charge.
How long Mr. Rudman officiated in New
York is not known. He found, however, that
o2




T8             SWEDISH ANNALS.
the climate did not agree with his constitution,
and his health becoming impaired, he took measures to procure for them a Dutch clergyman
to supply his place. A student of divinity, by
the name of Justus Falkner, arrived, who was
ordained in Wicaco church by the Rev. Messrs.
Rudman, Biork, and Sandel.* After leaving
New York, Mr. Rudman officiated for some
time at the English church at Oxford; and afterwards, upon the Bev. Mr. Evans leaving this
for England, he took charge of Christ Church
in this city. lie continued to officiate in that
until his death, which took place on the 17th
of September, 1708, aged forty yearss    His remains lie beneath the chancel in the Wicaco
Church. lie appears to have been much beloved by the Swedes of that period, and their
descendants will long hold in grateful remembrance his self-denial and faithfulness as a minister of Christ, The stone over his grave has
the following inscription:
* This ordination by presbyters, instead of by a bishop,
was the best their situation, or the circumstances in which
they were placed, enabled them to obtain. A sister church
wanted a pastor, and they had'to decide between letting
them go unsupplied, or giving them one with defective
orders. When persons were to be ordained under circumstances that prevented the presence of a Bishop, it was usual
for the Archbishop of Upsal to issue his mandamus to certain presbyters to act in his stead.




SWEDISH ANNALS.             79
This monument covers the remains of the Rev. ANDsrW
RUDMAN.   Being sent hither from Sweden, he first
founded and built this church-was a constant and faithful preacher in the English, Swedish and Dutch churches,
eleven years in this country, where he advanced true
piety by sound doctrine and good example. He died
September 17, A. D. 1708, aged 40 years.
The year after Mr. Sandel had taken charge
of the congregation, a meeting was called to
-take into consideration the state of the church
walls, which had perceptibly given way. A
large majority of the persons present were in
favor of strengthening them by means of iron
work; but before coming to any final conclusion, it was deemed advisable to consult on the
subject, some person of approved judgment. A
committee, consisting of Matthias Keen, Hans
Lycon, John Cox, and Peter Bankson, was appointed to consult with a Mr. Peter Deal, who
was thought a competent judge.    This committee reported that Mr. Deal was of opinion
that porches built on each side of the church,
would be the best means of strengthening the
walls. This plan, though more expensive than
the other, of iron clamps, was unanimously approved, especially as one wing would answer
for a vestry-room, and the other for a vestibule
or entrance to the church. A subscription was
at once opened for the purpose and the persons
present put down their names for ~109 4s. Mr.
Sandel complains that this building gave him a




80           mSWEDISH ANNALS.
great deal of trouble-many of the subscribers
being backward in making payment, though
the wardens were attentive to their duties. The
workmen were anxious to be paid, and he was
obliged, with one of the wardens, to go from
house to house to collect what was due.
On the 3d of February, 1704, John Evans,
a Welshman, arrived from England as governor
of the province; on which occasion the Rev.
AMr. Sandel, and fifteen of the oldest members
of the congregation, paid their respects to him.
In 1705 the upper inhabitants* made application for occasional services in their neighborhood in the winter season, because of their distance from the church. It was agreed that the
rector should officiate there twice during the
winter season.
Very soon after the church was built, arrangements were made for renting the pews. It
is proper to mention this, because in our time
there are a few persons, descendants of the ancient Swedes, who claim all the rights appertaining to membership, such as the right to
bury in the Swedish ground, the right to vote
at elections, etc. simply because their forefathers assisted in building the church, or
purchasing the ground, and independently of
any present payment of pew rent. This claim
is unreasonable and contrary to ancient usage.
- Meaning, I suppose, those at Upper Merion, or perhaps
tp the Delaware towards Bristol,




SWEDISH ANNALS.          81
It was never intended by those who built the
church, or purchased the lands belonging to
the church, that their posterity should enjoy
such rights absolutely, and without any restriction. At a meeting of the congregation,
held on the first of May, A. D. 1705, the following resolution was adopted:-" Those who, with
their families, remove from our congregation,
and cannot, or will not attend divine worship,
or will not submit to the rules of the church,
shall themselves and heirs lose their rights altogether." If rights, then, could be lost within
five years of the time when the church was
built, and by those who had helped to build it,
why should their posterity, at this late period,
hold such rights by a tenure admitting of no
restriction?
About this time (1705) another donation of
books was received from Sweden, consisting of
bibles, prayer books, primers, and spiritual meditations. They were a present from the reigning sovereign, Charles XII. They were equally
divided between the church at Wicaco and that
at Christina.
As my plan is to mention facts as they occurred, or in chronological order. it is proper
here to lay before the reader an address of the
Swedes, to the Legislature of the Province,
setting forth certain grievances which the document itself sufficiently explains,




82           SWEDISH ANNALS.
"To the Representatives of the Province of
Pennsylvania, met in General Assembly at
Philadelphia, this first day of June, 1709.
The complaint of divers of the freeholders
and others settlers of this Province;
Setteth forth:
"That whereas we, the Swedes, ancient
settlers and first inhabitants of this Province,
with great difficulty, hazard and loss" of
several of our lives, have at last obtained
peace and quietness with the Indians-and after
the changes that have happened by reason of
the divers sorts of governments, we have lived
peaceably and quietly, enjoying our lands and
estates, which we first settled, under our own
government. And since we are informed that
upon the surrendering of this province to the
crown of England, in lieu of Surinam to the
Dutch, it was agreed on both sides, that the inhabitants were in no wise to be disturbed either
in their lives, liberties, or estates; we after that,
being summoned to appear before the government, which then resided in New York, were
obliged to take patents or grants for what land
we held before, or desired after. But since this
Province has been granted to William Penn,
he and his officers called for our patents and
grants under pretence of renewing them, which
having obtained, would not return them again,
but instead thereof re-surveyed great parts of
our lands, and took it from some of us; others




SWEDISH ANNALS.              83
were required to pay greater quitrents than before; and because some of us refused the payment of such quitrents, being on some tracts of
land three or four times more than we ought,
or used to pay, when under the government of
New   York; we being, as we suppose, the
Queen's tenants, and not liable to pay any
at all to the proprietor-the collector, James
Logan, threatened to make distress upon our
goods for the said rents, using at the same time
many harsh and opprobrious epithets.
"We, therefore, presuming that the same justice which, under similar cases, is dispensed
by the Parliament of England, may be obtained
here, solicit from you our representatives, some
help in our distress, that we may have our
patents restored to us, together with all the
overplus of the quitrents which have been unjustly exacted from us these twenty years past.
For which we shall always pray:*
Zacharias Cock,    Gabriel Cock,
Eric Keen,         John Stille,
John Tanck,        Hans George,
Otto Earnest Cock,  Morten Mortenson,
Peter Peterson,    Gosta Gostason,
John Aretson,     Hans Bonde,
Matthias Nezelius,  Lors Mortenson,
Anders Bonde,      Olle Bonde,
Anders Mortenson,  Gabriel Friend,
Valentine Kock,    John Ellet,
Andrew Longacre,   John Hindrickson,
John Mortenson,    Matthias Keen."
*What was the result of the above application to the
Legislature, I have seen nothing to show. The grievance
complained of seems to have been such as required redress.




84:          SWEDISH ANNALS.
At a meeting of the congregation on the 18th
of iMay, A. D. 1710, the usual election for vestrymen took place. It may be of use to the
Swedes of our time to know what were then
considered to be the duties of vestrymen. These
duties were declared to be-" 1st. To take care
of the church, see to its repairs, and, if necessary, put up additional buildings.  2d. To
maintain the parochial ordinances and regulations enacted at the general meetings, and to
preserve order in time of divine worship. 3d.
To inspect the behavior of the people in their
respective districts, admonish those that misbehave, and proceed with them further, if necessary. 4th. To attend divine worship often, partake of the Lord's Supper, and be edifying
examples in all Christian virtues."
At the same meeting the following resolution
was adopted:-" Whereas some, when reproved
for their sins, and are not permitted to break
our church rules, hate both the minister and
the congregation, and abandon divine worship;
therefore resolved that such shall be several
times admonished, and warned against the
dreadful hazard of their souls; and if they persevere in their malice, shall have no right to
the privileges of the church; and if they die
without repentance, shall not be buried in our
cemetery."
In the month of May, A. D. 1712, two clergymen, Andrew Hesselius, master of Philoso



SWEDISH ANNALS.           85
phy, and Mr. Abraham Lidenius, arrived from
Sweden, sent by the Government and Bishop
Swedburg, to take charge of the church at
Christina, in place of the Rev. Mr. Biork, who
had been recalled to Sweden. His recall was
by Charles XII. in the following words:
" Charles, by the grace of God king of Sweden, etc., etc. To all whom it may concern,
greeting: His royal majesty, our beloved father,
of glorious memory, had a tender solicitude for
the welfare of those Swedish children that removed to the far distant country of America,
and particularly for their constancy in the true
evangelical doctrines, and the pure worship of
God. We have likewise the same pious and
laudable zeal. Having recalled the Rev. Eric
Biork, who in the year 1697, was by his aforesaid Royal Majesty sent to a Swedish congregation in that country, to be rewarded for his
long and laborious services, by some comfortable
situation in our kingdom; and being desirous
to provide this our congregation with a spiritual guardian in his place, we have appointed
a man renowned for his learning, official talents,
piety, and grave manners, our faithful subject,
the Rev. Andrew Hagvinius. We have also
commissioned the Rev.      as a colleague,
for aid in preaching and other clerical functions;
and sent a donation of bibles, and many books
of common prayer, to be distributed among the
congregations. Theywill, no doubt, be pleased
H




86           SWEDISH ANNALS.
and edified by the services of these clergymen.
These may also depend on a gracious promotion in Sweden, when they shall wish to return.
We also assure the congregations and the
Swedes living in the aforesaid country, of our
particular and permanent royal favor; commending them to the care of Almighty God.
"Written in our Head Quarters at Smorgonie, in Littaven, February 21, A. D. 1708.
CIIARLES."
Mr. IHagvinius, the clergyman mentioned in
the preceding document, died while preparing
for the voyage; in consequence of which the
Rev. iMr. Hesselius, above referred to, was
commissioned to take the place of the Rev. Mr.
Biork, with the other gentleman here spoken
of, as his assistant.
Doctor Jesper Swedburg, Bishop of Scara,
in the province of West Gothia, had been appointed superintendent of the Swedish Mission,
and recommended the aforesaid clergymen.
The following is an extract from the letter
which he sent by them to the congregation:" You receive now, my beloved brethren and
sisters in Christ, two pious and learned clergymen, with a stock of religious books. This
fresh proof of God's merciful goodness, and the
king's solicitude for your spiritual welfare,
merits your sincere gratitude, which you will
display in a truly christian life, and thereby




SWEDISH ANNALS.          87
insure the same blessings in future. I am conficent that these clergymen will faithfillly perform their duties, and shall be very happy to
hear that you have received them with hearty
affection. Having promoted their appointment
by a zealous recommendation, I shall always,
while God preserves my life, with the greatest
satisfaction employ all the means in my power
for your benefit. May God have you all in his
holy keeping; abundantly bless you and your
children, and finally grant us a meeting in
heaven with everlasting felicity."
The wish expressed in the foregoing letter,
that the congregation here would receive the
clergymen sent them "with hearty affection,"
was not in this, or in any other instance disappointed. It was a beautiful feature in the
character of the Swedes that they felt a deep
interest in the great concerns of religion, and
set a high value on the means of grace imparted
through the ministry of the Church. They
well knew how to appreciate the sentiment expressed by St. Paul, where he asks, "fHow shall
they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of
whom they have not heard? And how shall
they hear without a preacher?" They loved
their ministers as "ambassadors of Christ,"
commissioned and appointed to "beseech them,
in Christ's stead to be reconciled to God." And
this seems to have been universal among them,




88           SWEDISH ANNALS.
or nearly so. Long distances (ten or fifteen
miles) were often walked, that they might join
in the prayers and praises of the Church, and
hear from the lips of their ministers the precious
truths of the Gospel. But they had been well
trained up. Faithfulness in the clergy will
usually produce piety in the people. The Swedish missionaries were generally laborious and
faithful in the performance of their duties. And
that seems to be the general character of the
clergy in Sweden. J. Macdonald, in his travels
through Denmark and Sweden, in 1809, (vol. 2,
page 105) thus speaks of them: "The clergy of
this kingdom are a valuable and virtuous order,
and are usually allowed to be as active and benevolent as in the best governed States in Europe." The same writer says of the laity, that
a gentleman there is never seen intoxicated,




ii' —-—. —ill —---
j~~~l11 ~ c
7          _~7i;U  4lPLI  ~ _ _ __ _ _ __ _ _''U~~~~~~~~~~~~~s
_   lti~~48~~~








SWEDISH ANNALS.           89
CHAPTER VII.
For a considerable time after the new church
at Wicaco was built, the residence of the clergyman continued to be at Passyunk, four miles
below the church, on the Schuylkill. Among
the church records I find the following memorandum, in the hand-writing of the late Dr.
Collin. It purports to be' a translation from
the Wicaco church records."  The mnemorandum is as follows: The parsonage on Passyunk was bought by, or from Andrew Bengtson,
containing eighty acres of land, wthereof seventy
are situated near the minister's house, and ten
on Ponskon-hook. It cost in all sixty pounds.
Was slso bought by or from Captain Laurence
Cock, sixteen acres, of which the cost was ten
pounds. Afterwards was puLrchased on Wicaco,
as the church was built there, as a glebe, the
share of Valentine Cock, under a proper title,
as appears from the deed of purchase dated the
19th of September, 1698. The cost of this was
twenty-five pounds. The land was paid for in
the following manner: First was sold the parsonage on Tinicum for one hundred pounds,
agreeably to the consent of both congregations.
Of this the Christina congregation received
fifty pounds, and Wic:co the same amount. As
H2




90             SWEDISH ANNALS.
this money was not sufficient, the people resolved to contribute five shillings each family,
and to make a present of the surplus to the
church. N. B. This was done in Mr. Rudmanl's
tine. Mr. Sandel and the congregation bought
in 1719, from  Martha Swanson,* twenty-five
acres on Wicaco. Gunnar Swanson, who died
in 1702, left to the church one-third of his
estate."
This is a memorandunm of some importance,
and gives us a view of all the property, - suppose, ever owned by the church. I have never
seen the deed here said to be of the date of 19th
of September, 1698, and was before ignorant t
that so much land had been purchased at that
early period. A question here suggests itself:
What has become of all this land? And the
proper answer would seem to be-that a great
deal of it has fallen into other hands, through
neglect.  One of our late wardens,T recently
informed me that property which now yields an
income of several hundred dollars to the church
was a few years since not known to belong
to it, and was quite accidentally recovered
*-The deed says Martha Cock, granddaughter of Swan
Swanson.
t Further inquiry induces the belief that this purchase
of 1698 was never made. It appears that before 1719, the
church owned no property at Wicaco, except two or three
acres, on part of which the church is built.
Mr. William Jones.




SWEDISH ANNALS.             91
by him out of the hands of a person who, about
forty or fifty years ago had rented it as a grass
lot, and afterwards brought himself to believe that
he w as the owner.*
The parsonage house in Passyunk was accidentally burnt down in 1717, and was immediately rebuilt. We have in the old records a.
very particular account of who furnished the
timber, who cut it; who hauled it; who built
the walls; who cut the rafters; who carried
them to the ground; who put them up; who
bought the shingles; who shaved them, etc.
The reader whoo is curious in such matters, may see
all the particulars on application to the rector
of the church.
The 11th of November, 1717, is the date of
an instrument of writing, by which Charles
XII. of Sweden, recalled the Rev. M[r. Sandel
fromn his duties here, and appointed him rector
of Hiedemora, a town in IDalecarlia. The recall
was received on the 28th of May, 1718; but
private and parochial concerns prevented his
immediate departure. The latter had reference,
chiefly, to the purchase of the twenty-five acres
of land which about this time the church was
contracting for with Martha Cock, a granddaughter, as already mentioned, of Swan Swan- Of the ninety-six acres once owned by the church, on
the Schuylkill, and mentioned in the above memoradum, a
considerable portion has been lost throughposscssion of more
than twenty-one years!




92           SWEDISH ANNALS.
son, deceased. Iis last meeting with the congregation was on the 7th of May, 1719; on
which occasion the Rev. 3Mr. Ilesselius, of
Christina church, and the Rev. Ir. Lidenius
pastor of Racoon church, in Jersey, were present. These clergymen promised to perform
divine service once a month, during the vacancy.
And Arvid HIernboml  a studen t of good abilities, and who for some years kept school in the
parish, agreed witla them and the people to
keep the church open on the other Sundays by
acting as lay-reader.
TWe have no data from which to ascertain
with much precision whliat wTas the order of divine service among the Swedes, in the times
of which we are Twriting. Mr11. Sandel has mentioned that,' the forenoon service was observed
in the manner required by our (the Swedish)
liturgy, and as is customary in Sweden." He
also says that they had two sermions on Sunday: that they used the " T'-e Deum," to which
I suppose he refers, when he says they sang
"0 Lord we praise thee.' As to the preaching,
it seems to have been frequently from a portion
of the catechism. Mr. S. wTas in the habit, in
the summer season, of walking -through the
aisles, and examining the congregation on the
catechism, and on their knowledLge of the sermon he had previously preached. Such a practice in our time would be apt to make thin
churches.




SWEDISH ANNALS.                 93
Mr. Sandal speaks of the        harmony     and
friendship that existed between the Swedish and
English congregations, and that they had mutually officiated in each other's churches.*   "On
solemn occasions," he says, " as at the laying
of the corner stones of churches, they have
always invited ns, and conducted themselves as' The Swedish clergymen did not not confine themselves,
in their endeavors to be useful, to the particular churches
of which they had the pastoral charge. The Rev. Mr. Hesselius, pastor of the church at Christina, seems particularly
to have labored in a wider sphere than his own congregation. That excellent institution, "The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts," to which the Episcopal church in this country owes such a large debt of gratitude, noticed and rewarded the labors of Mr. IHesselius, as
appears from the following letter to him of its Secretary:
London, Mcay Sth, 1721.
Beverend Sir:
The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in
Foreign Parts, hath received a representation from the
clergy in Pennsylvania, setting forth, among other things,
the good services you have done by reading prayers and
preaching in the several vacant churches in Pennsylvania,
and have ordered me to acquaint you, that in consideration
of your past labors, they have presented you with the sulm
of ten pounds, for which you may draw on their treasurer.
They have also agreed to allow you ten pounds per annum,
in case you perform divine service and preach in the English language in the several vacant churches in Pennsylvania, at least twenty times in one year, and tranlsmit over
hither proper certificates thereof.
I am, Reverend Sir,
Your most humble servant,
DAVID HUMPHREYS, Sec'y.




94           SWEDISH ANNALS.
friends to our church. This year they undertook to enlarge their church, and though the
Presbyterians offered them the use of their
church, they asked to be permitted to worship
in Wicaco, which was granted them for three
successive Sundays. And for confirming the
unity that existed between the two congregations, a Swedish hymn was sung at the English
service. To preserve unity and confidence with
the English church, the present Bishop Dr.
Swedburg, has continually urged in his letters."
The Swedes, about this time, addressed a long
letter to " the Right Honorable Count Jyttenborg, the Swedish Envoy in London," on the
subject of the grievances which had led them in
1709, to lay their complaint before the Legislature of the Province of Pennsylvania. This
letter appears to have been designed merely as
a vindication of themselves against what they
conceived to be "misrepresentations of William Penn, and his'commissioners." An extract
will show the nature of the misunderstanding
between them and Mr. Penn:
May it please your Excellency,
"We are much concerned that Mr. Penn
should complain of us in such general terms as
renders it difficult to make any particular defence, as he seems to do in our case. We can
with all sincerity assure your Excellency, that
we and our predecessors, have been ready upon




SWEDISH ANNALS.          95
all occasions to serve Mr. Penn, and never, as
far as we know, gave him the least cause of
complaint. But the manifest wrongs we received, gave us frequent and just occasion to
complain. That this may appear, we respectfully ask your in.partial consideration of our
case and grievances, which in part may appear
to your Excellency in these following particulars, viz:
"When this country was surrendered to the
English, all the inhabitants were confirmed in
their lands, but required by the Governor of New
York (to whom they were then annexed) to take
patents out there for the same, and to become
tenants to the kings of England, under the rent
of a bushel of wheat per annum, for every hundred acres. But, may it please your Excellency,
when this province was granted to the present
governor by the late King Charles II. we find,
that lands held by the Indians, and not the lands
confirmed before to our predecessors, much less
the rents reserved to the crown of England,
were granted to Mr. Penn; who, nevertheless,
by an order under his hand and provincial seal,
dated the 14th of June, 1683, did require all
that had no patents, or were willing to have
their patents renewed,to send their certificates
of survey and old patents, to the surveyor
general's office; whereupon many of the said
patents and certificates were taken in, and have
been detained ever since from the owners; and




96           SWEDISH ANNALS.
instead of having patents npon the said certificates of survey, or the old patents renewed, the
governor and his commissioners caused the
lands therein mentioned, without any warrant
of law, or consent of the possessors, to be actually surveyed, and the greatest and best part
thereof patented to new purchasers under Mr.
Penn; and the rents of what was left, advanced
on some three, on others fourfold, more than
was reserved by the old patents,' etc.
We give the above complaint as we find it,
without comment. We are not sufficiently
versed in ancient law to know what were the
respective rights of Mr. Penn, as proprietor of
Pennsylvania, and of the Swedes as earlier
possessors of part of the soil. Non nostr'um
tantas componere lites. It appears to us, however, that they had some ground for complaint,
The Rev. Mr. Sandel, has noted some meteorological, and other occurrences which happened
in his time. He states that on Michaelmas-day,
the 10th of October, 1703, a quantity of snow
fell, that laid on the ground for twenty-four
hours; and that the oldest people said such ta
thing had not happened before in their time.
On the 18th of the same month, in the evening,
a hurricane arose, which did great damage. In
Maryland and Virginia, many vessels were cast
away, several driven to sea, and no more heard.
of. Roofs of houses were torn off, and large




SWEDISH ANNALS.           97
trees blown down. The same storm reached
to England, where also it was destructive.
In 1704, in the latter part of November and
December, and in January, 1705, there were
many great and lasting snow-storms. Few persons could remember so severe a winter.
The winter of 1708, was very cold; and it
continued so, very late. On the 5th of April,
the cold was so intense, that water thrown on
the ground at noon, immediately froze.
For six weeks, in June, July, and August,
1705, there was a great deal of bad weather.
The beginning of 1714, was uncommonly
warm. Mr. S. saw a wild flower in the woods
on the 8th of Feburary. The Spring was also
very mild. Some rye was in ear on the 10th of
April.
There was an appearance of locusts in 1715,
of which Mr. Sandel has given the following
account: " In May, 1715, a multitude of locusts
came out of the ground every where, even on
the solid roads. They were wholly covered
with a shell, and it seemed very wonderful that
they could with this penetrate the hard earth.
Having come out of the earth, they crept out
of the shells, flew away, sat down on the trees,
and made a peculiar noise until evening. Being
spread over the country in such numbers, the
noise they made was so loud that the cow-bells
could scarcely be heard in the woods. They
pierced the bark on the branches of trees, and
I




98           SWEDISH ANNALS.
deposited their eggs in the opening. Many apprehended that the trees would wither in consequence of this, but no symptom of it was
observed next year. Hogs and poultry fed on
them. Even the Indians did eat them, especially when they first came, boiling them a little.
This made it probable that they were of the
same kind as those eaten by John the Baptist.
They did not continue long, but died in the
month of June.
The same year was very fruitful.  A bushel
of wheat cost two shillings, or two shillings
and three-pence; a bushel of corn, twenty-two
pence; of rye, twenty pence. A barrel of cider
cost six shillings.
It is elsewhere remarked, that in the latter
part of November, 1732,;" ice made the river
impassable;" and that in January 1733, there
was much snow.
Mr. Sandel is not the only one who has related the following "stratagem" of Governor
Evans. In 1706, May 27th, he caused a false
report to circulate, that the French were coming
up to Philadelphia, with a view to take the
town by storm, and that they were already
high up the river. This report produced great
fear and consternation. Having collected his
soldiers, he caused ramparts to be erected on
Society-hill,* where he placed field pieces. He
-*Mr. Watson, in his ANNALS OF PHILADELPHIA, speaks
of Society-hill as a place miuch resorted to, in former times,




SWEDISH ANNALS.               99
ordered the soldiers to keep themselves in
readiness, as the enemy would be up with the
next tide. The people were very much alarmed.
The Quakers conveyed their wives and children
into the woods; their moveables they either
carried off, or hid in wells. Those that lived
near the town carried their goods into the
swamp, and also hid themselves there.     Many
women in a delicate situation, miscarried, in
consequence of their fright. This false alarm
was raised to see what course the Quakers
would take, and whether they would fight.
Such conduct in a governor, needs no comment.
Another circumstance, not connected with
our Swedish story is the following: In 1715
the Indians living on the border of the Mississippi, made an incursion into the western parts
of South Carolina, and destroyed a great many
of the white inhabitants.  As soon as the alarm
on account of a spring there, called "Bathsheba's Spring."
I have in my possession a manuscript life of my greatgrandmother, Ann Clay, in which she speaks of this spring
in the following terms:-" Under Society-hill, she (her
maiden aunt) built a small house close by the best spring
of water, perhaps, that was in our city. This house she
furnished with books, a table, and a cup, in which she, or
any that visited her, drank of the spring. What name she
gave her new house I know not; but some people gave it
the name of Bathsheba's Bower, (her name was Bathsheba
Bowers.) As for the spring, it has ever since borne the
name of'Bathsheba's Spring."'




100          SWEDISH ANNALS.
was given, the people of the adjacent country
fled from their homes to Charleston; but as that
town could not contain them all, many took
passage in the trading vessels, and went, some
to Barbadoes, and others to New England and
Philadelphia. The massacre was occasioned
by the bad faith observed towards the Indians
by the traders living among them.




SWEDISH ANNALS.         101
CHAPTER VIII.
The next pastor appointed for the church
Gloria Dei, (Wicaco,) was the Rev. Jonas Lidman. His appointment was in the following
terms, viz.
" We, Ulrica Eleanora, by the grace of God
Queen of the Swedes, etc. etc. make known,
that as by the promotion of the Rev. Andrew
Sandel, the office of pastor in the church of
Pennsylvania is become vacant, we have appointed for the same our well-beloved Master
in Philosophy, Jonas Lidman, ordering all concerned to act accordingly.
" Stockholm, 2d of May, 1719."
With Mr. Lidman, or about the same time,
came the Rev. Samuel Hesselius. We find
them both present at a meeting of the congregation on the first Sunday in Advent, (about
the first of December,) 1719, and also the Rev.
Andrew Hesselius, of Christina. On that occasion the above letter of the queen, announcing
the appointment of Mr. Lidman to the Wicaco
Church, was read; and also letters from Bishop
Swedburg to the Swedish congregations in
general, and to the church Gloria Dei in particular. The bishop had, on the recall of Mr.
I2




102          SWEDISH ANNALS.
Sandel, recommended Mr. Hesselius as his successor, who was accordingly appointed by the
king, with Mr. Lidman. as assistant in all the
congregations, to aid where most wanted, and
to succeed in any that might become vacant;
but afterwards he had respectfully advised the
queen to appoint Lidman as ordinary pastor,
because he had taken the degree of Master in'
Philosophy, allowing Hesselius to be pastor extraordinary of the church, and assistant to the
other churches. The congregations promised
their best endeavors to support both pastors.
1720. A meeting was held on the 27th of
March, for the transaction of business, at which
four clergymen were present: the Rev. Provost
Andrew Hesselius, the Rev. Mr. Lidenius, of
Racoon and Penn's Neck, and the Rev. Messrs.
Lidman and Samuel Hesselius. The provost
proposed that the last named clergyman should
take charge of those portions of the congregation residing at Kalkonhook and Neshamani.
This was objected to by the lay members present, upon the ground that the Swedes living in
those places might thus become " weaned" from
the mother church at Wicaco. It being understood that one clergyman was competent to the
duties at Wicaco, it was then proposed by Mr.
Lidman, that as the people at Manating* were
* Supposed to be Morlatton, or Douglasville, four miles
above Pottstown, on the Schb.uylkill, where there was a
settlemlent of Swedes.




SWEDISH ANNALS.           103
at a great distance from the church, they, perhaps, would be glad of his services there, and
that he would cheerfully relinquish to him so
much of his salary as was furnished by that
part of the congregation. Marcus Hulings,*
and other "respectable" inhabitants of that
part of the country then present, earnestly
seconded this proposition, promising to contribute, to the extent of their means, towards
his support.   It was accordingly arranged
that the Rev. Samuel HIesselius should settle
at Manating.
At the annual meeting in 1722, the same clergymen were present, with the exception of the
Rev. Samuel Hesselius. At this meeting " the
provost preached an excellent sermon on the
duties of ministers and parishioners, to live in
reciprocal concord, and by faithful co-operation
to promote the kingdom of Christ on earth."
The subject of providing a Swedish School for
children was considered, but there being some
difficulties in the way, it was concluded that
they "would themselves instruct their children,
after they had learned to read English."
In 1723 Mr. Lidman complained of the insufficiency of his salary to his support, and
wished to receive some benefit from the church
land at Wicaco. It was resolved to fence it, to
* This Marcus Hulings was my great-grandfather, his
daugh-ter Magdalena, having married Matthias Holstein,
my grandfather.




104          SWEDISH ANNALS.
divide the part lying between the Moyamensing
and Passyunk roads into two parts, and to let
them as pasture grounds'; but "to reserve
seventy trees for the use of the congregation."
Two years afterwards it was resolved " to let
the pasture ground next to the church, to some
honest person, for the relief of the pastor."
In 1725, it was proposed by Mr. Lidman immediately to repair the church roof on the south
side, which was quite decayed. The congregation promised attention to it. Two years
afterwards, (1727,) we find the outer doors and
pews requiring speedy repairs. The next year
the same thing was advised of " the windows
and shutters of the church."
In 1730, the Rev. Mr. Lidman informed the
congregation that he had received a letter from
Bishop Swedburg, notifying him of his recall
by the king, and his appointment to a " good
parish in Sweden.." He suggested the propriety
of "presenting by him t to the king, and to
Bishop Swedburg, some articles of peltry, as
marks of gratitude for the favors received."
To which the congregation cheerfully agreed.
lie preached his farewell sermon on the twentyfourth Sunday after Trinity.
The Rev. J. Eneberg was appointed to fill
the vacancy until a pastor could be procured
from Sweden.
In 1731, the glebe in Passyunk was leased




SWEDISH ANNALS.          105
to Peter Cock and Mouns Cock, for four pounds
yearly.
In 1732, part of the church roof was blown
off. Boarding was procured in the city for the
clergyman, until a house should be built at
Wicaco.
It was agreed that any person in the country
who might want the minister's attendance,
should furnish a conveyance, as his keeping a
horse in town would be troublesome and expensive.
1733. On the seventh of January, the first
Sunday after Epiphany, the Rev. Gabriel Falck
first appeared before the congregation. The
Rev. Mr. Eneberg preached. After the service
he read Mr. Falck's commission from King
Frederick, dated Stockholm, 9th August, 1732;
also a letter of recommendation from Bishop
Swedburg. This connection of Mr. Falck with
Wicaco was dissolved the same year it commenced. What led to the dissolution the records do not show. I have seen it elsewhere
stated that he was deposed. The congregation
immediately applied for a successor, but the
letter was never received. Another letter was
written in 1736; in answer to which the Rev,
John Dylander was appointed to the rectorship.
He arrived in Philadelphia on the 2d of November, 1737, and preached his first sermon on
the 6th of the same month "to a very large
congregation." After service the Rev. Mr.




106              SWEDISH ANNALS.
Tranberg, pastor of the Racoon and Penn's
Neck churches, read the King's commission,
dated Stockholm, 27th May, 1737, and also the
letters of the venerable Consistory* of Upsala
to the congregation, dated Sth January, 1737,
signed by the Archbishop Johannes Steuchius,
and four members of the consistory, viz. Olof
Celsius, E. MIelander, Andreas Winborn, and
John Wisman.
The Archbishop made known in his letter
that he had been appointed by the king super~We have reference frequently made, in Swedish Ecclesiastical affairs, to the "Consistory of Upsala." From the
epithet "venerable," here applied to it, its authority would
seem. to have been of long standing. The first mention I
find made of the Consistory occurs in the reign of Gustavus
Adolphus, in 1623 and 1625. In the first of these years, the
king proposed that there should be such a body, to consist
of six ecclesiastical, and six lay members, before whom "all
complaints regarding cathedral chapters, or other ecclesiastical matters, referred to the king's majesty, and requiring redress, were to be laid." They were also to "watch over
purity of doctrine, and to have inspection and censorship
over printers and booksellers." The bishops and clergy not
liking the lay feature in this plan, the king, in 1625, offered
a new proposition, according to which the Consistory should
"consist properly of ecclesiastics, with some political persons, competent to the office, who should attend on the
king's behalf, yet without the right of voting." Neither
proposition proved acceptable to the Bishops and others,
and in the reign of Queen Christina, the subject was brought
forward in some new shape.-See HISTORY OF THE SWEDES,
by Geijer, Historiographer Royal of Sweden, etc.; pp. 233-234.
Translated by J. H. Turner, Esq.




SWEDISH ANNALS.          107
intendent of the Swedish mission, in the place
of Bishop Swedburg, deceased; and that at his
request the consistory were added, that they
might, in the event of his death, execute the
trust. He assured the congregation of his best
endeavors to promote their spiritual welfare.
The parsonage house at Wicaco was built in
1733.
At a meeting of the congregation, held on
the 25th of November, 1737, the wardens, among
other duties to which their attention was called,
were reminded that they were expected to " admonish parents to instruct their children in religious principles, to practise domestic devotion,
by morning and evening prayers; to reprove
those who lead a bad life, in idleness, ebriety,
discord, swearing, neglect of the divine word
and sacraments," etc.
At the same meeting it was reported, that
Jacob Bengtson had leased the two lots at
Wicaco for ~7 10s. per annum; and that Andrew
IRambo had leased the glebe in Passyunk for
~5 per annum.
In the spring of 1738, the Swedish members
at Kalkonhook (below Darby) wished to build
a church there, for their greater convenience
in attending divine worship, and solicited assistance from the members at Wicaco; which
the latter promised to give the following year,
when a suitable place for the church should have




108           SWEDISH ANNALS.
been chosen. The design fell through at that
time.
In the fall of 1738, expensive repairs to the
church were found necessary.
The congregation lost the Rev. Mr. Dylander
by death, after he had been with them     four
years. He died on the 2d of November, 1741.
He appears to have possessed great vocal powers, and to have delighted his hearers with the
sweetness of his music. His remains were interred beneath the chancel at Wicaco, and are
covered by a marble slab, with the following
inscription:
"'In memory of the Rev. JOHN DYLANDER, missionary from Sweden, and four years minister of this church,
who died November 2, 1741, SEtatis sue, 32.
"While here he sang his Maker's praise,
The listening angels heard his song,
And called their consort soul away,
Pleased with a strain so like their own.
"His soul attentive to the call,
And quickly listening to obey,
Soared to ethereal scenes of bliss,
Too pure to dwell in grosser clay."
The Rev. Gabriel Nesman was appointed to
succeed the Rev. Mr. Dylander.    He arrived
in Philadelphia on the 20th of October, 1743.
The vacancy in the pulpit of four years between
Mr. Falck's and Mr. Dylander's ministrations;




SWEDISH ANNALS.          109
and of two years between the death of the
latter, and the arrival of Mr. Nesman, had an
injurious effect upon the interests of the church.
For want of a pastor in their own church, many
of the Swedes attached themselves to other
churches, some going to "English churches,"
and others being led away by the eloquence of
Mr. Whitfield.  Mr. Nesman deplored this
state of things, and did all in his power to revive towards their own church the languishing
zeal of the Swedes. He also took an early opportunity of calling the attention of parents to
the early baptism of their children, and to the
propriety of this ordinance being administered
as often as possible in the church, and not in
private houses.
I find the following entry in relation to persons not regularly receiving the Lord's Supper.
"Persons not communicating twice a year, must
be admonished, first by the pastor alone, and if
regardless, again by him and the elders of the
parish; and if they still neglect, shall forfeit
the right of voting at the meetings of the congregation. Those who seldom or never perform
this Christian duty, and disregard faithful
warnings, shall be disowned, both by the pastor and congregation, and he shall not cultivate
friendship with them."
Another entry: "Whereas, the kings of Sweden have, from the first colonization to the
present time, graciously favored the congregaK




110          SWEDISH ANNALS.
tions with Swedish clergymen, gratitude and
prudence require us not to choose any in case
of a vacancy, but wait for the arrival of a successor, duly qualified by clerical ordination, and
royal commission; and in the mean time be contented with the aid that ministers of the other
congregations can give."
Mr. Nesman brought over a fresh supply of
Swedish books for the use of the different
churches.
1744. At the election for wardens and vestrymen this year, Jacob Bengtson, Peter Jones,
and Andrew Toy, were chosen in the place of
Benjamin Bengtson, Martin Garrets, and Lars
Bure, who, on account of advanced age, wished
to resign. In accepting their resignation, it was
provided "that they should retain the privilege
of voting with the new trustees on all occasions." The other members of the vestry were,
Peter Cock, merchant in Philadelphia, and a
native of Sweden; Hans Tate, and Jacob
Archer, both of Amasland. John Henderson,
of the latterplace, resigned the wardenship, and
Andrew Georgen was appointed in his place.
1745. The wardens and vestrymen this year
were, Andrew Bonde, John Garret, Jacob Bengtson, Elias Rambo, wardens; and Charles Grantham, Jacob Rambo, Andrew Justis, Morton
Morton, vestrymen.
1747. A resolution was passed to shingle the




SWEDISH ANNALS.          111
north side of the church roof. It was done the
following year.
1750. By a letter dated the 22d of February,
this year, the Archbishop (Benzelius) informed
the Rev. Mr. Nesman of his recall to Sweden,
and of the appointment of the Rev. OlofParlin,
as his successor. Mr. Parlin arrived in the ship
Speedwell, Captain Nicholas Stevenson, on the
7th of July, and was "very kindly received by
the trustees and members residing in the city,"
and afterwards with the same cordiality by those
living in the country. He preached his first
sermon on the 22d of July, the sixth Sunday
after Trinity, from Jeremiah i. 7:' Thou shalt
go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever
I command thee thou shalt speak."  The provost, Rev. Israel Acrelius, and rector of Christina, also preached from Matthew ix. 37, 38:
" The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord
of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers
into the harvest." On this occasion the Rev. Mr.
Nesman, and the Rev. Eric Unander, assistant
minister of the mission, introduced the new
rector, whose commission from King Frederick,
and the letters of the Archbishop, and the members of the Consistory, were read to the congregation by the Rev. Mr. Unander. In these letters the congregations were urged to continue
steadfast in their religious principles, and gratefully to remember the interest taken in their




112            SWEDISH ANNALS.
spiritual welfare by the kings of Sweden, in
sending them worthy ministers, the expenses
of whose voyages they paid, etc.
1757. In the spring of this year, the Rev.
Eric Norderlind was appointed assistant minister to Mr. Parlin, to officiate "in all the congregations."  On the 22d of December, of the
same year, Mr. Parlin died, of pleurisy, after an
illness of four days. His remains lie beneath
the chancel of Wicaco church, by the side of
his predecessors, Rudman and Dylander. On
the stone which covers his grave is a Latin inscription, expressive of the learning, piety, etc.,
of him whose name it records. He appears to
have been generally respected and esteemed, as
his funeral was attended by "a great number
of various religious denominations." The Rev.
Mr. Unander, of Christina, preached on the occasion in English; and on the 26th, the Rev.
Mr. Lidenius in SWedish from    2 Timothy, iv.
6, 7, 8: " For I am now ready to be offered," etc.
The following is the inscription on the stone
over his grave:
"Siste, viator, quisque et mortalis, funde lachrymas
in hoc corruptionis domicilio. Jacet in pace et quiete,
beate mortuus, vir eruditione conspicuus, a Deo doctus,
plur. reverendus, Dus. magister Olavus Parlin, Ecclesiarum Sueco-Lutherarum, quse Deo colliguntur in Boreali
America, prcepositus et pastor in Wicacoa meritissimus.
Natus Suecae, A. D. MDCCXVI, ordinatus Verbi Divini
minister, A. D. MDCCXLV. Adiit Americam 1750, ini



SWEDISH ANNALS.                113
vit societatem  conjugalem 1751, obiit die 22 Decem. Ao.
1757.
"He was an affectionate husband, a tender father, a
true friend, and during his christian warfare, a faithful
and valiant soldier of Jesus Christ; and in the last combat, strengthened by heavenly succours, he quitted the
field, not captive, but conqueror, and is numbered among
the children of God."
Translation of the Latin:
"Stop, traveller, who art thyself mortal, and drop a
tear upon this receptacle of corruption. Here lies quietly
and in peace, after a happy death, a man conspicuous in
erudition, taught of God, the most reverend, most learned
OLOF PARLIN, Provost of the Swedish-Lutheran churches
which are collected by God in North America, and placed
as most worthy pastor over that in Wicacoa. He was
born in Sweden, A. D., 1716, ordained minister of the
Divine Word, A. D., 1745, came to America in 1750,
was married in 1751, and died December 22, 1757."
Under the chancel floor is another stone, containing the following inscription:
"Siste, viator. ingemisce mortalium fatis.  Petrus
Kock, Suecus, qui Borealis oritur D. XVIII ante Calend.
Dec., A. R. S., CI381OCCIBll, et in occidente occidit D.
IIII ante Idus Septem. A. C    O C C X X X XVI I II.
Disce omnia in hoc orbe ad occasum vergere."
Translated thus:
"Stop, traveller, mourn over the fate of mortals. Peter
Kock, a Swede, born at the north on the 18th day before
the Calends of December in the year 1704, died in the west
the fourth day before the Ides of September, in the year
1749. Learn that all things in this world tend to death.
" If in this life only, we have hope in Christ, we are of
all men most miserable; but thanks be to God," etc.-1
Cor. xv.
K2




114             SWEDISH ANNALS.
I may as well mention in this place, that
under what was formerly the central aisle, are
two stones, bearing the following inscriptions:
"Here lieth the remains of MAGDALEN ROBESON,
eldest daughter of the late Rev. Andrew Rudman, commissary of the Swedish Mission; born 24 February, A. D.,
1699, married to Mr. Andrew Robeson, A. D. 1718, and
after his death, A. D. 1740, continued during the remainder of her life a widow indeed. Died 25 February,
1769, aged 70 years."
"In memory of ELIZABETH VANDERSPIEGEL, widow
of William Vanderspiegel, late of the city of Philadelphia, merchant; daughter of the late Andrew and Magdalen Robeson, and granddaughter of the Rev. Andrew
Rudman, died 23 February 1774, aged 52 years."
The oldest stone in the yard has the following:
"Here lyeth the body of PETER, the son 6f Andreas
Sandel, minister of this church, who dyed April ye 21,
A. D. 1708, aged 2 years and 4 months."
"Here also lyeth the body of ANDREAS, son of Andreas
Sandel, who died August 13, A. D. 1711, aged 2 weeks
and 2 days."
The remains of Alexander Wilson, the Ornithologist, lie in this yard. The stone that covers
his grave has the following inscription:
"This monument covers the remains of
ALEXANDER WILSON,
Author of the AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY,
He was born in Renfrewshire, Scotland, on 6th July, 1766,
Emigrated to the United States, 1794,
And died in Philad'a, of Dysentery on the 23 Aug., 1813,
AGED 47.
Ingenio stat sine morte decus."




SWEDISH ANNALS          115
CHAPTER IX.
By a letter dated 2d of January, 1758, the
archbishop and consistory of Upsal, were notified of the death of Mir. Parlin, and that Mr.
Norderlind would supply the church during the
vacancy. They also requested that the widow
and two small children of their late rector
might be recommended to some relief. In applying for a successor to Mr. Parlin, the congregation desired that their pastor might in
future be permitted to preach occasionally in
English, the Swedes and English becoming so
intermixed as to render necessary religious instruction in both languages.
1759. The Rev. Mr. Norderlind continued to
officiate for the Swedes until the spring of this
year, when the Rev. Charles Magnus Wrangel
arrived and took charge of the church. It was
in his time, or about 1763, that the churches at
Kingsessing and Upper Merion were built. He
was one of the most popular preachers the
Swedes ever had among them, and was usually
obliged, on account of the crowds who attended
his ministry, to preach in the open air. I have
heard him represented as possesing a most




116           SWEDISH ANNALS.
wining and captivating eloquence. He returned to Sweden in 1768, and was there made a
bishop. lie died in 1786.
The Rev. Andrew Goeranson, who was sent
over in 1766, entered upon the duties of his
office as rector, in the spring or summer of
1768. He contiued to officiate until the close
of the year 1779. He returned home in 1785,
and died in 1800.
1780. The Rev. Matthias Hultgren took
charge of the church in January of this year,
and continued to officiate as rector until the
spring of 1786, his last baptism having been
on the 30th of May of that year.
1786. In July of this year, the Rev. Dr.
Nicholas Collin, who was sent over in 1770, and
had been for some time officiating at Swedesborough, New Jersey, was appointed rector of Wicaco and churches in connection. He presided
over these for a period of forty-five years;
in which time he married three thousand three
hundred and seventy-five couples, averaging
about eighty-four couples a year. In the early
part of his ministry it averaged much more
than this. The number of couples married by
him in 1795 was one hundred and ninety-nine,
and in the following year one hundred and
seventy-nine.
Dr. Collin, during the whole period of his
ministry, was held in high respect by his con



SWEDISH ANNALS.               117
gregations.* He possessed considerable learning, particularly in an acquaintance with languages. The only work which he has left
behind him is a manuscript translation of Acrelius' History of New Sweden, which he undertook in 1799, at the request of the Historical
Society of New York, in whose possession it
now is.   He was a member, and for some time
one of the vice presidents, of the American
Philosophical Society.    And was also one of
the eighteen founders of the Society "for the
commemoration of the landing of William
Penn."   He died at Wicaco, on the 7th of October, A. D. 1831, in the eighty-seventh year
of his age.
The Rev. Dr. Collin has given, in the records
of the church at Swedesborough, the following
" brief account of the Swedish Mission from its
* To show the mistakes often made by foreigners in speaking of this country, the following extract is here given from
a late number of the Foreign Quarterly Review, under the
caption of " Swedish Periodical Literature." The Review,
speaking of the clergy sent from Sweden to supply the
spiritual wants of their colony on the Delaware, has these
remarks:-One of those then in America, Mr. Collin, preferred to remain in the colony, where the pension, to which'
he would have been entitled on his return homewas, in
the year 1825, still paid him from Sweden; and so highly
satisfactory does his determination of remaining appear to
have been, not merely to his flock, but to all who knew
him, that he has since, although a native Swede, had the
honor of being elected one of the representatives of Pennsylvania in Congress."




118          SWEDISH ANNALS.
commencement to its termination." It is a
document which has never before. been published. We present it to the reader as corroborative of many of the statements contained
in this book; as furnishing us with some new
facts; and because we think it will be gratifying to the many friends of the Doctor still
living, to read the result of his inquiries and
experience in regard to the interesting mission
in which he so long occupied a prominent position, and which his death brought to a final
close.
DR. COLLIN'S NARRATIVE.
"The first Swedish Colony in North America
arrived in the year 1634, and was followed by
three or four reinforcements during the succeeding years up to 1654. The Swedes acquired,
by a fair purchase from the natives, all the
western shore of the Delaware, from Cape
Henlopen to Trenton, and extending due west
to a distance of forty miles. Their first principal settlement was at Christina creek, where
they had a considerable fort, and a church.
After some years their establishments extended
along the river forty or fifty miles beyond Philadelphia, and they had a church at Tinicum,
where also the governor resided. The Low
Dutch had, some time before the arrival of the
Swedes, taken possession of North river, and
founded New Amsterdam, now New York.




I,. 








SWEDISH ANNALS.          119
They had also gotten a slender footing on the
eastern shore of the Delaware, and built a fort
called Nassau, where Gloucester now is. This
vicinity naturally created jealousy, which produced contest, and finally hostilities, that terminated in the conquest of the infant Swedish
colony, as it was not supported by Sweden,
which was at that time engaged in war with
several of the first powers in Europe.
"After the death of those clergymen who
accompanied the first colonists from Sweden,
the people became very destitute until, on their
humble address to Charles XI. King of Sweden,
the mission was instituted, which has continued without intermission to this time. The
mission was composed of three distinct rectorships, viz. Wicaco, with Kingsessing and Upper
Merion, in Pennsylvania; Christina, in Delaware; and Racoon, with Penn's Neck, in West
Jersey. The clergy consisted of the three
respective rectors, and in later times a minister
extraordinary, or common assistant. One of
the ordinary pastors was also provost, or commissary, having a degree of superintending authority over the whole mission. The minister extraordinary had from Sweden a yearly salary of
~33j sterling. The commissary office has had,
from the time of Mr. Sandin, ~50. The crown
gave to every coming missionary ~50 sterling,
to defray the expenses of the voyage, and an
equal sum on returning. While waiting for




120          SWEDISH ANNALS.
prefernient after their return, they had adequate pensions; the commissaries one-third
mnore than the others. They also obtained
very good employments, several having been
rewarded with the best rectorships in Sweden.
a Until the beginning of this century, Racoon
and Penn's Neck made parts of the congregations over the river, or on the Pennsylvania
side: the first of Wicaco, and the other of
Christina. In the year 1704, a church was built
where the present church of Swedesborough
now stands, and was endowed with the lands
yet preserved, viz. the hundred acres, of which
Swedesborough makes a part, and the marsh
meadow of six acres, four miles from thence
down Aacoon creek. Their first minister, Poll
fladius, was drowned in Delaware, A. D. 1706.
The second, Mr. Auren, died A. D. 1713.  He
was succeeded by Abraham Lidenius, who also
became pastor of Penn's Neck. A church was
erected there in A. D. 1717, and by Yagnet
endowed with four acres of land. From that
time both congregations have been united, and
both conjoined in the commissions of the
rectors.
"Bythe unwearied solicitude of Mr. Lidenius,
the congregations were, after eight years
consultation, prevailed upon to purchase the
glebe in Pilesgrove, which contains two hundred and thirty-five acres, and cost one hundred




SWEDISH ANNALS.          121
and fority-five pounds. In 1724, Mr; Lidenius
went home to Sweden, with his wife, Maria
Van Neaman, and three children.
"Peter Tranberg arrived in 1726, with Andrew Windrufwa, who, as assistant, had charge
of Penn's Neck until 1728, when he died. In
1741, Mr. Tranberg was promoted to the rectorship of Christina, where he died. This vacancy was in some measure supplied by William
Malander. This person had come to America
with Dylander, pastor of Wicaco, as schoolmaster. Being a student of divinity, he obtained
permission to preach and baptize children, and
would, by a mandate* of the archbishop, have
received holy orders from the said Dylander
and Tranberg, if the first-mentioned had not,
in the meantime, departed this life. During
the vacancy the Moravians created a schism,
and built the meeting house on Oldman's creek.
Pastor Naesman, from Wicaco, and Mr. Tranberg, from Christina, did, however, occasionally
supply the congregations.
" The Rev. John Sandin arrived the first of
April, A. D. 1748, with his wife and a young
child, after a tedious and perilous voyage. He
died after six months. Professor Kalm, who
at this time, by the king of Sweden's order,
travelled through: North America, resided for
the winter at Racoon, and preached in the
*It was no doubt under such mandate that Mr. Falkner
was ordained-page 78.
L




122          SWEDISH ANNALS.
church. He afterwards married Mrs. Sandia,
and went with her to. Sweden, encountering
on the passage a tremendous tempest.
tina church, and afterwards went home. John
":Eric Unander,, who came in as minister extraordinary, became in 1751, pastor -of.the-two
churches. In 1756 he was promoted to ChrisAbraham Lidenius, son of the above mentioned
Lidenius, succeeded as rector, after having, since
1751, served as assistant in these congregations
and those of Pennsylvania. He obtained his
recall, but in the meantime died in Pennsylvania. His successor, the Rev. John Wicsell,
became rector A. D. 1762. His active zeal for
the spiritual and temporal concerns of the congregations is yet remembered. By his exertions the parsonage house in Swedesborough
was erected, the lot leased, the marsh meadow
banked and tussucked, and the swamp near
Swedesborough cleared out for pasture. He
has also the principal credit for the charity
school house in Swedesborough. In autumn,
1773, he returned, and was promoted to the
important rectorship of Munklofp, in the central part of Sweden, where he is yet living,
(1786.) He was provost, or commissary, for
the mission during two years.
"Nicholas Collin arrived in 1770, the 12th
of May, as minister extraordinary, and officiated through the mission, but especially at
Racoon and Penn's Neck, until the departure




SWEDISH ANNALS.          123
of Mr. Wicsell. Since that time, until July,
1786, he was rector of these congregations, and
for seven years provost of the mission. By
letters to the archbishop and consistory of
Upsal, dated 8th July, 1778, I solicited, in
pressing terms, for my recall. I had then officiated for above eight years within the mission,
and was consequently entitled to preferment
at home. There was, moreover, a strong necessity for departure. The rents of the church
lands had, by the depreciation of the current
money, and the dearness of many necessary
articles, fallen to a tenth part of their usual value.
The congregations had suffered great distress
from the war; and many of the more able
members were, as is common in America, unwilling to contribute for the support of public
worship. There was no prospect of peace or
civil order for several years; and consequently
no hopes of relief. A temporary vacancy, though
prejudicial to the congregations, was therefore
inevitable: at the same time a saving of the
little church revenue after my departure, would
shorten this vacancy by adding to the support
of my successor. All this was fully represented in the above-mentioned letter, with an express declaration that, without a speedy alleviation of my sufferings, I should not even
wait for the recall, but depart in the following
spring. It must be observed, that my want of
subsistence would not have been grievous if I




124          SWEDISH ANNALS.
could have drawn my commissary salary: but
this was impracticable, as all communication
with Sweden was cut off by the dreadful disorders of those times. When the seat of war
was removed from the Delaware, I obtained,
at least, more tranquility, and therefore resolved to wait for my recall, repeating my
solicitation by several letters for two years.
My request was at last granted, by the king's
resolve of 22d November, A. D. 1782. The
reason of this delay was that the consistory
had not sooner presented my petition, because
his majesty had, by a previous order, signified
his pleasure that the American missionaries
should remain in their stations until the event'
of the war was known. In May, 1783, I received this recall. I should then with pleasure
have returned to my dear native country, but
personal concerns, and anxiety for my ecclesiastical trust, determined me to still continue
for some time; especially as the urgent plea of
necessity had now ceased with the return of
peace. I therefore informed the consistory of
my resolution to remain for a short period,'
until the congregations should be supplied
with a successor; declaring also that in case
the king was pleased to continue the mission,
I was willing to take upon me the charge of
Wicaco, Kingsessing and Upper Merion, which
churches were becoming vacant by the recall
ofthe Rev. Matthias Hultgren; as a new comer,




SWEDISH ANNALS,         125
however deserving, could not be useful in that
station because of the extinction of the Swedish language. I also expressed my readiness
to assist my successor in Racoon and Penn's
Neck, by all the influence I derived from long
service and personal connections.
On' this request his majesty was pleased,
by resolve of the 10th August, 1785, to appoint
me rector of those congregations, and also to
leave Racoon and Penn's Neck vacant, until
they should express their option of the king's
future regulation for the Swedish Mission.
This was-' That whereas the congregations
in their present mature state must be sufficiently able to support their ministers; and
whereas they had nearly lost the language of
their ancestors, which was a principal tie of
their connection with Sweden; therefore, the
congregations could not in future obtain any
ministers from Sweden without a formal, stipulation to defray the whole expenses. of the
voyage, coming and returning, and to afford
them a decent support during. their continuaInce in the ministry.' The king was pleased
to: ad, that future ministers, who might choose
to go upon these terms, should not be entitled
to the superior privileges of pension and preferments heretofore granted to the American
missionaries.
" The congregations of.Racoon and Penn's
Neck, yet feeling the disasters of a calamitous
L2




126          SWEDISH ANNALS.
war, and the first being moreover involved in
a most difficult enterprise of erecting the new
church, could not immediately comply with
these conditions.  I therefore informed the
archbishop that for the present a temporary
vacancy was eligible, and that I would, to the
utmost of my power, lessen the disadvantages
thereof.
"It must be remarked that the Swedish
government had already, in the year 1773, by
the ministry of the mission, proposed to the
respective congregations, a partial reform of
the former plan, to wit: that they should bear
the expenses of the voyage from London to
America, and from here again to that place,
for their pastors, the crown, as usual, defraying the remaining part. The intervening war
prevented any attention to this proposal. It
was laid before the respective vestries on the
restoration of peace. Those of Wicaco, with
its annexes, and of Christina, resolved to comply with the demand, in case they should request the favor of Swedish successors after
their present pastors. That of Racoon and
Penn's Neck promised to contribute according
to the ability of the less opulent congregations.
In the meantime the Swedish language decreased continually, by decease of the ancient
people. The clergy themselves were sensible
of the great disadvantages attending the usual
change of missionaries every seventh or eighth




SWEDISH ANNALS.         127
year; and represented the matter in its true
light to the archbishop and consistory. The
vestry of Wicaco, Kingsessing and Upper
Mierion received with grateful respect my appointment to their churches, and acknowledged
their great obligation to the king of Sweden
and his illustrious predecessors, for the long
continued care of their spiritual welfare, but at
the same time declined a continuance of this
favor, as the great change of circumstances
must hereafter make the mission a burden to
the crown of Sweden, without an adequate
benefit to the congragations, which had totally
lost the language of their ancestors. They
therefore signified their intention of providing
for themselves after my departure. The vestry
of Christina church expressed the same sentiments.  The congregations of Racoon and
Penn's Neck did not come to an immediate
resolution on this affair, but by my advice
waited until the debt incurred for the new
church was somewhat reduced, by the rents
falling due after my removal, and in the view
of knowing how long the mission might be kept
up in the other churches under the Rev. Lawrence Girelius and myself. The daily decay of
the Swedish tongue, by the death of ancient
and respectable members; the probability of
our speedy return to Sweden; the unpleasant
situation of a solitary missionary, and the
great expense of a probably frequent change




128          SWEDISH ANNALS.
of ministers, insupportable for the small rever
nue of their churches, finally determined their
coincidence in sentiment with their sister congregations.' The archbishop of Sweden, having submitted
to his majesty these sentiments of the congregations, received the king's final resolve, which
he communicated in a letter addressed to the
vestries of the churches that composed the
mission, dated Upsal, 25th June, 1789; of which
the following is the principal matter, accurately
translated:
"'The King, approving of the reasons that
induce the congregations henceforth to choose
their own ministers, rather than to be supplied
with Swedish missionaries at the expense of the
Swedish crown, has thereunto given his gracious
consent, and in consequence thereof permits
the yet remaining Swedish missionaries, the
commissaries, Lawrence Girelius and Nicholas
Collin, to return to their native country, as
soon as their circumstances may render it convenient. At the same time, the king from the
love he bears to the Swedish name, apprecates
unto all the members of these congregations, as
in great part descendants from Sweden, all
manner of felicity, spiritual and temporal; and
will have them assured of his royal favor. It
shall also ever be my sincere wish and ardent
prayer, that Almighty God may, with his graeo
and mercies, embrace the members of these




SWEDISH ANNALS.         129
congregations, jointly and separately, and that
the gospel light which was first kindled in
those parts by the tender solicitude of Swedish
kings, and the zeal of Swedish clergymen, may
there, while days are numbered, shine with
perfect brightness, and produce the most salutary fruits.
"'The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
love of the Father, and the fellowship of the
Holy Ghost, be with, and over you all, wishes
from a most sincere heart.
Your affectionate servant,
UNO VON TROIL.'
"During the vacancy I gave the congregations every attention consistent with my distant situation and multiplicity of business. At
Swedesborough I performed divine service
every third Sunday during the summer and autumn of 1786; and by longer intervals the two
following years. I likewise visited some worthy members in their sickness; and preached
some funeral sermons. Besides, I made frequent journeys for settling the business of the
new church. Penn's Neck could not possibly
obtain the same share of service, yet I officiated
for a few times at that church, and also preached
occasionally at houses on afternoons, after
finishing the service at Racoon.
"Having no doubt but that the Swedish government would take the above final resolution
upon the mission, I consulted with the vestry




130          SWEDISH ANNALS.
on the means of providing an American successor. We determined to make proposals to
the Rev. Christian Street, pastor of a Lutheran
church in Virginia. He paid a visit to Swedesborough in the fall of 1788, and expressed great
satisfaction in the honor conferred upon himdesiring some time for consideration. By letter
of the 1st September, 1789, he notified that he
must with regret decline the offer, because of a
precarious state of health, and the impossibility
of providing a successor in his congregations.*
This gentleman had been educated by Dr.
Wrangel, when rector of Wicaco, and afterwards ordained by the German Lutheran ministry. With a knowledge of the German tongue,
he has, being country born, a perfect expression in the English.
"After failing in this, I intended to try other
means for an auspicious settlement of the
churches. In the meantime, the vestry of
Swedesborough engaged the Rev. Mr. Croest
to give what service he could, and after a few
months' satisfactory trial called him to the
pastoral charge: which I hope and sincerely
pray.may promote the glory of God, and the
happiness of souls.
"In the mean time, Mr. Wades had, for a
German.
t Of the Episcopal Church, and afterwards Bishop of New
Jersey.-ED.;tAlso an Episcopal Clergyman.




SWEDISH ANNAtS.          131
twelve-month, served the congregation, by
agreement between him and them, without
any interposition of mine.
"The foregoing narrative sufficiently accounts for the gradual cessation of the Swedish
mission; first in Racoon and Penn's Neck, and
afterwards in the Christina church, by the return of Dr.* Girelius to Sweden in the month of
May last, with his wife and four children.
"Every person of reflection must be sensible
that the Swedish mission has in a considerable
degree contributed to the moral civilization of
this young country. This great blessing claims
the more gratitude from all concerned, as the
kindness of their mother country was perfectly gratuitous, and yet very troublesome.
The total expense of the mission, for near a
century, amounted to seven or eight thousand
pounds sterling. The missionaries have encountered great hardships by long and perilous
voyages; many years absence from a land
peculiarly dear to Swedes; by the indigent
circumstances of a new country, and by the
difficulties of a clerical charge where the interest of religion is not supported either by
law or public opinion. The pastors of Racoon
and Penn's Neck have always borne the
heaviest burden, from the insalubrity of a low)
* The Doctorate was conferred by the University of PeunSylvania.




182           SWEDISH ANNALS.
swampy and less improved country;* the scattered situation of the people for thirty miles in
length and twelve in breadth, and from the
scantiness of support, the revenue of the church
lands being small, and ministers never having
any regular salaries, but depending on the presents of a few generous members. My sufferings have been very severe. During the war
the rents of the church lands were insignificant,
by the incredible depreciation of the congress
money, which finally passed one hundred and
fifty to one specie dollar, and sunk in the hands
of the unfortunate holders. The congregations
did but little for my relief, because several of
the best members were distressed by the barbarous devastations of parties. From   these
causes, and from the failure of supplies from
home, I was at times in want of necessaries.
Yet this indigence, however disagreeable to
persons accustomed to the conveniences of life,
and placed in respectable stations, would have
been very supportable in a firm state of health.
But, unfortunately, my constitution, already
in the second year after my arrival much injured by the fever and ague, was every year
harassed by various painful disorders, and
finally so reduced that a change of place or
the grave seemed to be the only alternatives,
* The Swedes had been settled forty years on the western
shore of the Delaware before they began to improve the
Jersey shore.




SWEDISH ANNALS.          133
especially as I could not, as a Swedish missionary, have relinquished the fatiguing charge of
Penn's Neck.
" May divine grace enable the pastors of souls
in every nation to approve themselves in all
things as ministers of God;'in much patience,
in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings, by pureness, by knowledge,
by long suffering, by kindness, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of
God, by the armor of righteousness on the right
hand and on the left,' 2 Cor. 6;'then shall
they turn many to righteousness, and shine as
stars forever,' Dan. 12. May the incorruptible
seed which Swedish missionaries have sown in
these congregations, some times with joy and
sometimes with tears, produce abundant fruit
of the Spirit, in all goodness, righteousness,
and truth, (Ephes. 5,) and flourish an eternal,
glorious planting in the land of the living.
(Signed,)
NICHOLAS COLLIN,
Late Rector of Racoon and Penn's Neck, and Provost of Swedish Mission, yet Rector of Swedish Churches in Penna.
"4 Philadelphia, December 10 1791."




134           SWEDISH ANNALSi
CHAPTER X.
At the time Dr. Collin received his appointment as rector of these churches, the Swedes
began to feel the necessity, from the little
knowledge of the Swedish language remaining
among them, of having clergymen set over them
who had received their education in this country. This will appear from the following record of the proceedings of the vestry, in 1786,
in relation to Dr. Collin's appointment:*
"Whereupon the vestry do agree to receive
the Rev. Dr. Collin as their minister: but at
the same time reserving to themselves the right
of making any new appointment hereafter, as
shall be found more useful and beneficial to
the said congregations of Wicaco, Kingsessing
and Upper Merion.    And the Wardens of
Wicaco Church are authorized and required to
write to the archbishop of Upsal, to desire him
to thank his majesty of Sweden in the name
of the congregations, for his care and attention
towards them heretofore, and in the present
instance. But as the said congregations will
be better suited (the Swedish language being
* The foregoing statement of Dr. Collin also shows it.




SWEDISH ANNALS.               135
extinct) by the appointment of some suitable
minister from this side of the water, and as the
Rev. Mr. Collin has expressed a desire of returning to his native country shortly; whenever his majesty of Sweden shall think it proper
and convenient to grant him his recall, the
mission to these congregations will undoubtedly
cease."
It was not surprising therefore, when the
vestry, after the death of Dr. Collin, " proceeded to consider what measures it would be proper
and necessary to pursue,in order to supply the
existing vacancy in the rectorship," that they
should have " unanimously adopted the following resolutions:
" First. That the church wardens and vestrymen are of opinion that the mission from Sweden ceased upon the death of their late rector,
the Rev. Nicholas Collin.
"Second. That a meeting of the congregation shall be held in the church at Wicaco, on
Monday, the 14th day of November. A. D. 1831,
at 12 o'clock, noon, for the purposes specified
in the fifth section* of the act to confirm and
*"SEc. 5. And whereas it is represented to this house
that the Swedish language is almost extinct, and in consequence thereof the mission from Sweden may probably
cease to be continued, according to the ancient custom adnd
usage. In that case, and not otherwise, the. church wardens
and vestrymen of the said United Churches, for the time
being, shall convene together the congregations of the said
United Churches of Wicaco, Iingsessing. and Upper Merion,




~136        SWEDISH ANNALS.
amend the charter of the United Swedish
Churches, passed the 10th of September, 1787.
"Third.   That the acting warden cause a
notice of the said meeting to be pubished in
the United States Gazette and the American
Sentinel for three weeks before the time of the
meeting, and three times in the Saturday Evening Post."
Proceedings of the Congregational Meeting.
"The congregations of the United Swedish
Churches of Wicaco, Kingsessing, and Upper
Merion, convened at the church at Wicaco, on
Monday, the 14th day of November, 1831,
agreeably to public notice.
"On motion, Charles Wheeler, Esq. was
chosen chairman, and William Amies, secretary.
by notice given in one or more of the public newspapers in
this city, for at least three weeks successively, and a majority of the said congregation so met, (who are descendants
of, or intermarried with, the descendants of those ancient
Swedes whose names are upon record in the church books
of Wicaco,) as donors to, or purchasers of, the lands now
held and belonging to the said church, and who have heretofore attached themselves as members of the said United
Churches by serving in the office of vestrymen, or attendi ng divine service either by themselves or families, together
wvith a majority of the church wardens or vestrymen, shall
establish some rules or regulations for the future choice or
election of a rector and other minister or ministers to supply
the'said churches. Provided always that such rector and
other ministers shall be in the ministry of the Lutheran or
Episcopal Churches, and hold their faith in the doctrine of
the same."




SWEDISH ANNALS.           137
"The meeting being organized, Thomas M.
Jolly, Esq. offered the following resolutions,
which were respectively read and considered,
and on motion adopted:
"Resolved by the members of the congregation of the United Swedish Lutheran Churches
of Wicaco, Kingsessing and Upper Merion,
that the present and all future vacancies in the
rectorships shall be supplied as follows:
"First. The members of the congregation
shall meet in their respective churches, at such
time as the church wardens and vestrymen
may appoint, and vote by ballot for a rector.
"Second. The result of the voting in each
church shall be certified to the church wardens
and vestrymen, by the persons who receive and
count the ballots.
"Third. If it shall appear that any candidate has received majorities in all, or in any
two of the churches, the church wardens and
vestrymen shall declare such candidate duly
elected rector.
"Fourth. If no candidate shall have received
a majority of votes in more than one church,
the church wardens and vestrymen shall elect
the rector from the persons who are highest on
the several returns.
" Fifth. No person shall be entitled to vote
for rector who is not qualified to vote for vestrymen, agreeably to the charter and by-laws of
the corporation.
M2




138          SWEDISH ANNALS.
Sixth. The elections in the several churches
1hall be conducted under such regulations as
the church wardens and vestrymen may prescribe; provided, however, that they shall cause
notices of the time of holding an election to be
placed upon the doors of each church, and published in two of the Philadelphia, and one of the
Norristown papers, at least ten days before the
time fixed for such election.
" Resolved, That the assistant ministers for
the said United Churches shall be chosen, as
heretofore, by the rector, church wardens and
vestrymen."
The following resolution was adopted:
" Resolved, That a committee of three persons be appointed, to lay before the wardens
and vestrymen of the United Churches of Wicaco, Kingsessing and Upper Merion, the rules
and regulations adopted by the members of the
said United Churches this day convened for the
future choice and election of a rector, and other
minister or ministers to supply said churches,
agreeably to the fifth section of the supplement
to the charter, passed September 10, 1787, to
the end that they may sanction or reject the
same.
"The chairman being authorized, appointed
Thomas M. Jolly, Charles H. Clay, and Edward
Ewing, the committee, agreeably to the last
resolution, who having performed the duties
assigned them, reported, by their chairman




SWEDISH ANNALS.          139
Mr. Jolly, that the wardens and vestrymen
approved the rules and regulations adopted by
this meeting.
"On motion, the meeting adjourned.
(Signed,)
CHARLES WHEELER, Chairman.
WM. AMIEs, Secretary."
In pursuance of the above regulations, the.
Swedish congregations met in their respective
churches on the 5th of December, 1831, and
chose the compiler of these Annals rector; he
having received all the votes (sixteen) given
at Wicaco-all but one (thirty-seven) at Kingsessing-and all those (twenty-nine) given at
Upper Merion.




140           SWEDISH ANNALS,
CHAPTER XI.
We thus come to the close of the Swedish
Mission, which, having had its commencement
with the appointment of the Rev. Messrs. Rudman, Biork, and Auren, was continued for a
period of more than 130 years, with faithful
attention on the part of the church in Sweden,
to the spiritual interests of their countrymen
and brethren settled on these shores.
The mission embraces, as we have seen, three
different localities, viz.: Christina, now Wilmington, in Delaware; Wicaco, now included
within the limits of Philadelphia, having Kingsessing, near the Delaware river, six miles below, and Upper Merion, sixteen miles above, on
the Schuylkill river, in connection with the
mission; and Racoon and Penn's Neck, in New
Jersey. All these churches are now (1858) in
connection  with the Protestant Episcopal
Church in these United States. Upper Merion
is not yet formally in connection, or so as to be
represented, through her laity, in the convention of the Episcopal church. But she, like
the rest, gave her choice at once, when the
Swedish Mission ceased, in favor of an Episcopal clergyman to minister at her altars.




SWEDISH ANNALS.          141
The church at Christina, and that at Racoon
and Penn's Neck became connected with the
Episcopal Church as early as about 1790. The
long life of Dr. Collin continued the churches
at Wicaco, Kingsessing, and Upper Merion as
Swedish churches, until the close of the year
1831. He, too, however, constantly during his
ministry, used the prayer book of the Episcopal
church. And the many assistant ministers that
he had, during his long rectorship of forty-five
years, were always of the same church. After
his death, and the choice, as his successor, of
the present rector, there was at once, with the
universal approval of the congregations, an entire conformity to the doctrine and worship of
the Episcopal Church. The Bishop of Pennsylvania, regularly visited, and confirmed in
them.
In 1843, the three churches, included in what
had been the Wicaco Mission, dissolved their
connection by almost unanimous consent, as
one coporate body, and were formed into three
distinct parishes, each one having its own separate rector. In a short time after, Kingsessing (St. James') and Wicaco (Gloria Dei)
churches came formally into union with the
Episcopal church in Pennsylvania. At Upper
Merion, soon after they became an independent
parish, there was an effort made, by a few disaffected persons having little more than a
nominal connection with the congregation, to




142          SWEDISH ANNALS.
eject the rector and vestry having charge of
the church, upon the ground that being of the
Episcopal church they had no right to the position they occupied. It was the object of these
persons to change its character from a Swedish
Lutheran into a German Lutheran congregation. To secure this object, a law-suit was instituted and carried on, with considerable bitterness for some months; the result of which
was, the defeat of the prosecutors, and the settlement of the question at issue in favor of the
defendants, or of the rector and vestry in authority, as being the lawful successors of those
who had preceded them. A desire to avoid
further agitation, has, no doubt, been the reason why this congregation has not followed the
example set her by the other Swedish churches
in seeking a closer union with the Episcopal
Church.
The question has been sometimes asked:
how was it that all these churches, established,
as they were, by the Swedish Lutheran Church,
and presided over for so long a time by ministers ordained in and appointed by that church,
should so immediately upon the dissolution of
their connection with Sweden, have come into
union with the Protestant Episcopal Church,
rather than into union with the German Lutheran Church, the name and faith of the same
great reformer having been adopted by both?
The answer to this question is, that while be.




SWEDISH ANNALS.           143
tween the Swedish Lutheran and German Lutheran Churches there is no dissimilarity in
faith or doctrine, there is much dissimilarity
in regard to order or government. The Swe.
dish Church, though Lutheran in doctrine, is
Episcopal in government. In accomplishing
the work of the reformation in Germany, parity
in the ministry was substituted for Episcopacy
with its several orders. Not so in Sweden. The
reformers there, in adopting the doctrines of
the Augsburg Confession, etc. retained Episcopacy. In casting off the doctrinal errors of
the Church of Rome, they had no fault to find
with her Episcopal regimen.   They rejected
the former and retained the latter. They retained it not merely in name, but, as seems to
be well established, in the possession of the
true apostolical succession. The church in Denmark, during the reformation, lost that succession. It has retained the Episcopal name or
title, butas is generally admitted, their bishops,
so calked, were and are appointed under an
authority lacking the true Episcopal character.
No man, or body of men, can give what they
do, not possess. The Danes, at the time of the
reformation, having lost the succession, never
had it restored. Their bishops, therefore, are
such only in name, and not in reality.*
*John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, understood this
matter well, and therefore remonstrated, in the strongest
terms, against any of his followers assuming to themselves
the name of Bishop,




144          SWEDISH ANNALS.
But the Swedish Church isEpiscopal in reality
as well as in name. We do not make this assertion lightly, but think we have sufficient proof
to establish its truth. Much of the learning of
Sweden is shut up in a language but little
known in other parts of Europe and in our
own country. This makes it often difficult to
consult their authorities, as there are not many
instances in which Swedish works are translated.
In considering the subject of Episcopacy in
Sweden, it seems proper to notice briefly the
time and manner of the introduction of christianity into that country. We are told by their
historians, that in the early part of the ninth
century, the Swedes sent messengers to the
Emperor, Louis the Pious, announcing that
many of their people longed to embrace the
christian faith. Anskar, a Frank, who was
connected with a convent in Picardy, and was
a zealous preacher, had felt from childhood a
desire to devote himself to the conversion of
the heathen. Him the emperor consulted as to
his willingness to undertake the mission among
the Swedes. He cheerfully consented to it,
and chose as an associate in the same holy
undertaking, a pious brother of the same convent named Withmar. He was welcomed by
Biorn, the reigning king. He found' in those
regions christian captives, who had imparted
to some extent to the people, the knowledge of




SWEDISH ANNALS.         145
christianity. This first journey of Anskar to
Sweden was made in 829. -The next year was
the first of his christian labors among the
Swedes. Returning from Sweden, Anskar was
appointed to the archbishopric of Hamburg,
lately established for the conversion of the
north. But this place being soon after destroyed
by " the northern sea-kings," he was appointed
archbishop of Bremen. From this place he continued the work which he had begun, and when
no one else could be found to undertake the laborious and perilous enterprise, revisited Sweden
himself in the year 853. A church was founded
while he remained, and after he had finally departed, he continued as long as he lived to
make provision for supplying the Swedes with
instructors. After the death of Anskar in 865,
no christian teacher ventured for seventy years
to Sweden, and the people seem to have relapsed into idolatry.
Olave, styled the lap-king, was the first monarch of Sweden who embraced christianity. He
was baptized by the holy Bishop Sigfrid about
the year 1000. This good man had been invited
from England by Olave. He was the second
apostle of the north. Anskar was the first.
Sigfrid devoted a long life to the preaching of
christianity among the Swedes.
The first Bishop of Upsala was St. Henry,
(anno 1160,) of whose active exertions in propagating christianity, history has left some
N




146            SWEDISH ANNALS;
record. He was the first apostle of the Finns,
and suffered among them the death of a martyr.
The archbishopric of Upsala was established in
the year 1163. The bishops of Skara, Sinkoping,
Strengness, Westeras, and shortly afterwards
of Wexio and Abo, are mentioned as suffragans of his see. He was himself subordinate
to the archbishop of Lund, who bore the title
of Primate of Sweden.     The archbishopric of
Lund was afterwards abrogated.*
It was in 1519 that the doctrines of the Reformation   were   first preached in   Sweden,
Olaus and Laurentius Petri, otherwise named
Olave and Laurence Peterson, two brothers,
who had studied at Wittemburg, and were disciples of Luther, returned in the year just
mentioned to ther native country, and entered
upon the work of propagating the reformed
faith. The king, Gustavus Vasa, was himself
in correspondence with Luther, and did all in
his power to promote the spread of the Reformation.   The bold sermons of Olaus Petrit
4 See HISTORY OF THE SWEDES, by Eric Gustave Geijer, of
which his translator says: " The work possesses a European
reputation; all competent judges admit that the writer has
added one to the scanty list of great national histories."
t Mosheim, in his Church History, (vol. iv. p. 78,) speaking of the Reformation in Sweden, says, that the King,
Gustavus Vasa, "spread abroad through the kingdom the
Swedish translation of the bible that had been made by
Olaus Petri." He also says that, "in the year 1526, he appointed a conference at Upsal, between this eminent re



SWEDISH ANNALS.              147
at the elective diet of Strengness, had excited
general attention, and the king appointed him
minister, etc. of Stockholm, and      made   his
younger brother, Laurentius, professor in Upsala.*
The Reformation was carried on with the
same moderation in Sweden that it was in
England, the object being to get rid of the corruptions that had been introduced into the
church, and not to utterly destroy it, as having
nothing good remaining to it. We are told by
Professor Geijer (page 119) that there was
" caution used in changing the old observances
of the   church," and he quotes Olaus Petri
as saying in his Swedish Manual, published at
that time, that " most of the ceremonies were
allowed to stand which had been theretofore
used, and were not contrary to God's word." Under
the influence of this desire to retain whatever
was not contrary to God's word, and especially
former and Peter Gallius, a zealous defender of the ancient
superstition, in which these two champions were to plead
publicly in behalf of their respective opinions, that it
might thus be seen on which side the truth lay. The dispute, in which Olaus obtained a signal victory, contributed
much to confirm Gustavus in the persuasion of the truth of
Luther's doctrine, and to promote the progress of that
doctrine in Sweden."
* He was afterwards (1531) appointed archbishop, and
was the first Protestant archbishop of Sweden. He died at an
advanced age in 1573. He was succeeded by his son-in-law,
Laurentius Petri Gothus, who "was consecrated in 1575~
withofull hierarchical pomp."




148          SWEDISH ANNALS.
to retain all that was in agreement with it, Episcopacy was retained and perpetuated in Sweden.
Geijer, speaking of the Diet of Westeras, assembled by Gustavus Vasa in 1527, and of the presence there, among otherbishops, of Petrus Magni, or, as the translator has it, Peter Magnuson,
expressly says, that this Petrus Magni was
consecrated at Rome, by the king's special
request, and that this bishop so consecrated
" afterwards consecrated the bishops appointed
by the king."*
In agreement with the foregoing is the following article from the " English Churchman."
" The Church of Sweden is a daughter of the
Church of England. Sigfrid, the first Bishop
of Wexio, and Apostle of Sweden, had previously been Archbishop of York, and the mission he headed was the last sent out from
England before the Norman conquest. The
foundation, permanently, of the Swedish Church
may be assigned to A. D. 1000, or thereabouts.
The Papal usurpations began to be introduced
about forty years after, though with extreme
difficulty. In the sixteenth century the Reformation was commenced in the Swedish
Church, and consolidated in the synod of Upsala, 1593.
"As the Episcopal succession in Sweden
has been doubtfully spoken of by a writer in
the Ecclesiastic for November, 1852, the followF Page 116, note 3,




SWEDISH ANNALS.          149
ing extract is quoted from the Svenska Kyrkordnung of the Rev. Dr. IKnos, Professor of Theology in the University of Upsala:
"'That at the introduction of the Reformation the apostolical succession was preserved
is an historical fact, fully proved. Even Gustavus I. Vasa, deemed this of such great importance that he had the first Protestant
Bishops consecrated in Westeras Cathedral by
the bishop Petrus Magni, who had been solemnly
consecrated at Rome by a Roman Cardinal. From
this Petrus Magni is thus derived this preserved
succession, and ever since every Swedish Bishop
has been conseceated by a bishop already consecrated in this succession. Moreover, when
the attempt was made in the reign of John III.
again to Romanize the Swedish Church, the
adherents of the see of Rome expressed no
doubts as to the rightful Canonical Succession
of the Swedish Bishops. The distinct injunctions of all Swedish Church ordinances, that no
bishop shall exercise his functions until he be
consecrated thereto, and the many records of
actual Episcopal consecrations in existence,
are the strongest proofs that no change was
subsequently introduced in this respect.'"
The following letter, too, of the Rev. Geo.
Scott, who resided for some years in Sweden
as a Methodist Minister, and which was published in London in 1841, is confirmatory of
what we have above said on the subject of
N2




150          SWEDISH ANNALS.
Episcopacy in Sweden. Fas est et ab hoste
doceri.
"In passing through London on my way
to the United States of America, where at the
earnest solicitation of the Rev. R. Baird, I hope
to secure the sympathy and aid of various religious societies in behalf of Sweden, I heard
the remark made, that the Swedish Church had
not the proper apostolical succession, and
could not therefore be acknowledged as a genuine Episcopal Church. Now, as it happens that
a similar observation made some years ago by
a distinguished prelate of this country, led to
my carefully examining the historical facts of
the case, I beg, in a few words, to place the
result at your disposal, to make such use
thereof as you may consider proper.
" Ansgarius (Anskar) who, in 830, first introduced the gospel into Sweden, was a regular
clergyman of the then only Episcopal Church.
When only thirty years of age he was, by the
Emperor Louis, of France, appointed Archbishop of the Northern Churches, having his
seat at Hamburg; and three years after the
appointment was confirmed by the Pope, who
named him legate for the same part of Europe.
The whole management of the Northern
Churches was under the direction of the Archiepiscopal see of Hamburg, until 1152, when the
first Swedish Archbishop was appointed, having
his residence at Lund. That the Reformation




SWEDISH ANNALS.          151
effected under the energetic and politic reign
of the great Gustavus Yasa, did not in the
slightest degree disturb the line of Episcopal
ordination, will appear evident, not only from
the fact that previously consecrated bishops
continued in office notwithstanding the change,
but more especially from the following remarkable circumstance. A vacancy occurring in
the diocese of Westeras, just at the time when
the Reformation was in progress, the Chapter
nominated Petrus Mlagni, then residing as superior of a religious house at Rome. This
being done, the King addressed a letter to the
Pope, intimating the choice of the Chapter, and
requesting as a favor that Petrus Magni might,
at Rome itself, be consecrated to this Episcopal
office, which was done accordingly. On his
reaching Sweden, three other bishops elect
were in readiness, and by the newly arrived
bishop, assisted by others, consecrated to the
holy office; one of these three was immediately made Archbishop of Upsala, and was no
other than the famous Laurentins Petri, the
father of the Reformation in Sweden.
"I may at some future time, be induced to
give a more detailed account of the Swedish
Church, the history of which is full ofinterest;
but I could not refrain saying a few words now,
in correction of an error, which probably has
arisen by confounding the ecclesiastical affairs
of Denmark with those of Sweden.




152           SWEDISH ANNALS.
"In the former country the bishops were removed at the Reformation and superintendents
introduced; in the latter, the Episcopal succession, as that form is ecclesiastically understood,
is as clear and decided as in any part of the
world. I, of course, view this subject only in
its historical aspect, being perfectly convinced
that the true apostolical succession must be
made out in a very different way; but it is of
some importance to rectify an error, and it
may, with some in this country, place the Episcopal Church of Sweden in a more favorable
light to be told the truth on this point.
"Believe me, dear sirs, yours truly,
GEO. SCOTT.
"London, April 19, 1841."
Palmer in his Church iistory (p. 150) says:
" Episcopacy was never rejected by the Lutherans. They even retained the form of that
Ecclesiastical government in several countries;
and it is said that their Bishops in Sweden are
validly ordained."
According to the Swedish canons, framed
A. D. 1686, and which are still in force, a
priest cannot become a bishop without being conscecrated as such by bishops.
Among the Symbola of the Swedish Church,
is the Decree of the Council of Upsala, A. D.
1593, in which there is an acknowledgement
and approval of the church ordinance, passed
A.D. 1572. In this last it is expressly declared




SWEDISH ANNALS.          153
that the government of the church by bishops,
is an order or arrangement "proceeding from
God the Holy Ghost," and as such has been
"universally approved and received in the
whole of christendom, and as long as the world
stands must continue."*
In view of the truth so apparent that the
Swedish Church is Episcopal in its government,
while it differs but little from the Protestant
Episcopal Church in doctrine, it is not surprising that the Swedes on the Delaware, when
their ecclesiastical connection with Sweden
ceased, should with so much unanimity have
come into union with the Episcopalians around
them. They had, indeed, as all Episcopalians
have, a fraternal regard for their brethren of
the German Lutheran Church.    In faith or
doctrine there seems to be but little or nothing
to keep us separate from each other. Had
Luther been able to retain Episcopacy in Germany, in accomplishing that noble work which
has given him so prominent a rank among the
reformers of the church, we have no doubt
that the Episcopalians and Lutherans of this
country would long ere this have been one
people.
Luther substituted parity for Episcopacy not
from choice but from necessity. The Swedes,
in introducing the Reformation, had the Govern* See letters of Rev. G. Unonius on the Church of Sweden,
published a few years since in "The Gospel Messenger."




154          SWEDISH ANNALS.
ment with them, and were therefore able to
retain the Episcopal succession, or to exercise
an influence having such a result. Luther, on
the contrary, was opposed by the Government.
Reformation in Germany had to make its way
with the rulers generally, both civil and ecclesiastical, doing all in their power to suppress
it. The Lutherans therefore of that country
lost the Episcopal succession.




SWEDISH ANNALS.          155
CHAPTER XII.
On the last Sunday of December, 1856, the
rector of Gloria Dei church preached his twentyfifth anniversary sermon. He took for his text
Acts xiv. 27: "And when they were come, and
had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them." A
few extracts are here given from the sermon,
for the purpose of showing the present condition of the parish, or the effect produced by the
changes that have been made.
* * * "We come together to-day, as a church
or congregation, to take a review of the twenty-five years now coming to a close, in which
we have been associated as pastor and people.
Twenty-five years! It is a quarter of a century! They number almost the years of a whole
generation of men! * * When we revert to the
time when I first entered this venerable church,
to commence my labors among you, and remember who were then present, and look now at
the congregation here assembled, how many
are to-day absent who were then with us; absent as having been called, in the interim, into
the world of spirits. In proof of this, we may
merely refer to those who were the eight ves



156          SWEDISH ANNALS.
trymen of this church. Their names are familiar to some of you: John Douglas, Samuel
Thackara, William Jones, William T. Smith,
George L. Eyre, Matthias Coats, Charles Hidelius, and Henry Barry-all gone, except the
venerable and valued friend last named.*
* * * "Death is always busy in calling away
both old and young from this world to another.
It has been my lot, in the twenty-five years I
have been among you, to commit to the grave,
in the solemn services of the church-some in
our own yard, and some in others, besides funerals I have attended in company with other
clergymen-eight hundred and three persons,
of the various ages of human life.
* * * "( The church in which we here worship
is, as you all know, the oldest in Pennsylvania,
by many years, having been erected A. D. 1700.
During the one hundred and fifty-six years
that the message of salvation has been proclaimed within its sacred courts, it has had
twelve different rectors, averaging to each one
a ministry of thirteen years.
* * * "When your rector took charge of this
congregation, it was one of three congregations,
all united under one charter; the other two
being distant from this, the one six, and the
other sixteen miles. This required his absence
* Since then, Mr. Barry has been also numbered with the
dead.




SWEDISH ANNALS.         157
from this church two Sundays in the month,
* * * Assistant ministers, too, had to be employed, that each church might be open for service every Sunday.
"Under such a system, the prosperity and
growth of the church were retarded and hindered. It was, therefore, as the result has
shown, wisely determined, by the three congregations, to dissolve the connection, and to become three distinct and independent corporations. This was effected in the year 1843.
"The next step, taken two years later, was
to bring this church into connection with the
Protestant Episcopal Church in these United
States. This, too, we think, was a wise measure, and though meeting at first with some
little opposition, was soon acquiesced in by all
the members of the parish.
"In looking back at the accomplishment of
measures so important as these, and so certain
to produce dissatisfaction in some minds, I feel
rejoiced in being enabled to say that it occasioned little or no interruption in the harmony
and the kindly feeling subsisting between myself and those who dissented from me in the
policy or wisdom of those measures.
* * * "With regard to the union of this
church with the Protestant Episcopal Church
in this diocese and in the United States, it was
a measure that did not require any sacrifice
of principle, and that was demanded by cono




158           SWEDISH ANNALS.
siderations involving the growth and prosperity of the parish. The Swedish Church, with
which this church from its earliest origin had
been in connection, is, and always has been,
an Episcopal church. In making the change
it was only substituting an Episcopal supervision here at home, and which could be given
when required, for a foreign Episcopal supervision, which never had been and never could
be adequately rendered.
"And as it was before an Episcopal church, so
was it a church in the use of a Liturgy. Not
a different liturgy from that we now use, but
the same. The prayer book of the Episcopal
Church-between which and the Swedish
prayer book there is much resemblance-had
for a long time been in use here under the
former church government.
* * * "There has been a visible improvement in the growth and prosperty of the church
since the change we are speaking of took
place.
"Within the twenty-five years now closing
there has been much done to improve the property of the church. Within that period the
present parsonage has been erected,* a house
purchased for the residence of the sexton, a
two-story brick building put up for the accomodation of the Sunday schools, the organ now in
*The old parsonage, built in 1733, was torn down after
the churches were separated and the property divided.




SWEDISH ANNALS.          159
use purchased,* and the church itself, without
any thing having been done to change at all
its antique exterior, has, by important alterations and improvements, had its interior so
changed, and modified and enlarged-and I
may add beautified-by the erection of new pews
and side galleries, the re-opening of the window
in the rear of the pulpit, the enlarging of
the chancel, and the placing therein of a new
pulpit and lecturn, and in the mode of warming and lighting the church, as to adapt it to
the improved condition and growing demands of
the congregation.
"There has been expended in improvements,
since the commencement of my ministry here,
about twelve thousand dollars.
" Ve turn our attention now, for a few moments, to what God has done for us as regards the more direct results of ministeral
labors.
"And first, with respect to the attendance
that has been given upon the services of the
church. * * It has been a source of gratification to him who now addresses you that,
though the attendance here at the commencement of his ministrations was but small, there
has been a growth in the congregation that has
brought the number of families connected with
* As this work is going to press, the vestry have ordered
a new organ for the church.




160          SWEDISH ANNALS.
the church up to one hundred and sixty, comprising some six hundred individuals.
* * * " The whole number of persons, children and adults, to whom, in the course of my
ministry among you, I have administered the
holy srcrament of baptism, has been one thousand nine hundred and thirty.
* * * " Although the Swedish Church recognizes the importance of confirmation, and at
home is careful in seeing that her baptized
members have their attention directed to it, in
order to their renewing therein their baptismal
engagements, I have seen no evidence to show
that, before my own rectorship, it was ever administered in this church. The number of
persons confirmed since 1834, when confirmation was first administered here, has been two
hundred and seventy-five, averaging twelve to
each year.
* * * " My first administration of the holy
eucharist in this church was to about eight
persons. The present number of communicants
is one hundred and fifty.
* * *  The number of couples I have united
in the bonds of matrimony, during my twentyfive years ministrations among you, has been
one thousand three hundred and seventy-four.
" Let me speak, too, of our Sunday schools.
These constitute an important element in a
church's growth and prosperity. It is the
children of the church who are to take their




SWEDISH ANNALS.            161
parents' places in the congregation when the
latter are called away by death. And whether
the parents are of the church or not, if we can
train up their offspring in the way they should
go, and implant the principles of religion in
their tender minds, we shall be doing much to
advance the future growth of the congregation.
* * When I first came among you as yourpastor,
there was a male and female Sunday school
here in successful operation. It has been my
endeavor to sustain and carry forward these
important nurseries of the church. In this
work I have had, and still have, the aid and
co-operation of many faithful teachers.*  Our
school at present numbers twenty-three teachers, and about two hundred and fifty scholars.
Let me take this opportunity of expressing
to you the gratification it has always afforded
me in_ observing the attention shown by this
congregation to strangers, in the visits they
often pay to our church. It frequently happens
that persons visiting for a while our city, feel
desirous while here of attending some place or
places of worship, that they may spend the
Lord's day in the manner that God requires,
and to which they have been accustomed at
*One of the male teachers now devoting himself in our
school to the good work of training the young in the way
they should go, was a teacher in the same school at the
commencement here of my ministry. The labor of twentyfive years has not made him "weary in well doing."
o2




162          SWEDISH ANNATLS
home. What opinion must such persons form
of the christian courtesy or politeness of a congregation in which they find themselves ordered
out of the pew or pews into which they may
enter. Or suppose a person caring but little
about going to a place of worship, is induced
in some way or other to enter one of our
churches. He takes a seat, supposing, perhaps,
as well he might, that the followers of Christ
would be glad to see him coming to unite with
them in the holy services of the sanctuary.
But he finds himself mistaken. The renter of
the pew comes to the door and gives him to
understand that he is an intruder. He goes
into another pew and is treated in the same
manner. Indignant that persons having the
name of christians should act thus, he leaves
the church, and can never again be persuaded
to enter it, or, perhaps, to enter any other
place of worship. This is no mere fancy sketch,
but exhibits what is known to have occurred
in some congregations, and occurred with such
results as I have mentioned. I rej oice to believe
that in our own church visitors always receive
a welcome to its services.
** * * "Our connection for twenty-five years
as minister and people, has been marked by
much that awakens in me feelings of gratification and thankfulness, in the harmony, and
confidence and affection that have, with so
little interruption, subsisted for so long a period




SWEDISH ANNALS.          163
between us. We cannot look into the future
and say how much longer this connection shall
continue; but whatever may be its duration,
let our prayer be that God may continue to
prosper and to bless us, that the future in a
greater degree than the past may be marked
by his presence with us, and that the influences
of his spirit may lead us onward to the final
possession of that kingdom which he has prepared for those who love him. We may be
sure that we shall have that presence if we are
found faithful in the performance of the high
and holy duties committed to us. The absence
of prosperity from a church does not show want
of faithfulness in God to his promises, but
want of faithfulness in  ourselves, in the
right use of the means of grace vouchsafed to
us. Let it be my endeavor to preach the truth
as it is in Jesus, and yours to give it earnest
attention and obedience, that when called to
give an account of our stewardship, we may
hear from the lips of the Judge the sentence,
well done; enter ye into the joy of your Lord."'




APPENDIX.
Note A.-Page 34.
"We, the underwritten, church wardens of
the Wicaco congregation, salute our brethren,
and notify that the Rev. Mr. Fabritius has now
accomplished his official service promised for
the year now ended; we therefore make a
friendlyrequest to each individual, by our agent,
Jacob Yongh, that they may discharge their
just debts to him without refusal.  We also
are solicitous to procure a further continuance
of his services; and therefore desire that all who
are willing for this, may subscribe respectively
their voluntary contributions for his support,
with their names or marks.
"Wicaco, 10th August, 1684."
One thousand and seventy-seven gilders were
accordingly subscribed, making, in the currency
of the country, as Mr. Rudman remarks, " at
the rate of two gilders for a shilling, and four
bushels of wheat at half a crown, the sum of
~27 8s. 6d. This salary, with the aid of per



APPENDIX.             165
quisites was at that time pretty good, but it
was not well paid, and the old gentleman complained very much of the deficiency, especially
in his latter time, as I have heard from persons
of veracity."
Note B.-Page 35.
" The grace of God through Christ:
"Very reverend, very learned, very honorable Consistorial Senators of the unalteredAugsburgian Confession at Amsterdam:
"With a cordial and respectful salutation,
we of the Swedish nation, in Pennsylvania,
notify that the reverend and learned magister,
Jacob Fabritius, who in 1677, on our vocation,
commenced the clerical service, did, during five
years, while having his eye-sight, and for nine
years succeeding his loss of sight, diligently
and faithfully attend us, by preaching and administering the sacraments, according to the
orthodox Confession of Augsburg, and by an
exemplary life; but must now resign his trust
on account of blindness, and the infirmities of
age. You will easily judge, venerable sirs, how
forlorn will then be our situation! Like sheep




166             APPENDIX.
without a shepherd-sick, without a physician
-we shall be exposed to many dangers. We,
therefore, supplicate you, in consideration of
this, and our happy fellowship in the Lutheran
Communion, to provide us with a proper Swedish character, as we know that many students
of various nations are at Amsterdam, waiting
for promotion (ordination.) And as a laborer
is worthy of his reward, we stipulate for the
coming minister a yearly salary of one hundred
rix dollars, with a house and glebe for his
maintenance. If a qualified person is not found
at Amsterdam, we humbly request your kind
aid to procure a clergyman from Sweden, by
letters to the proper authorities."




APPENDIX.            167
Note C.-Page 44.
A list of the Swedish families residing in New
Sweden in the year 1693, with the number
of individuals in each family; taken from the
document left by Mr. Rudman.
Heads of Families.  Persons. Heads of Families.  Persons.
*Peter Rambo, Sen..  2 Lars Bure,...  6
Peter Rambo, Jun...  6 Lars Johanson,..  6
John Rambo,..  6 Dirich Johanson,..  5
Anders Rambo,.   9 John Johnson,.. 2
Gunnar Rambo,..  6 Peter Steelman,..  4
Captain Lars Cock,..11 Frederick Konigh,..  6
Eric Cock,..   9 Elias Toy,.      4
Mans Cock,...8 Johan Stelman,.   4
Johan Cock,.     7 Casper Fisck,..  10
Gabriel Cock,... 7 Staphan Ekhorn..  5
*Anders Bengtson,.  9 Peter Dalbo,..  9
*Anders Bonde,.. 11 Otto Dalbo,..  7
Sven Bonde,..   5 Johan Matson,.  11
*Johan Svenson,..  9  Antony Long,...  5
Gunnar Svenson,. 5 *Niels Matson,.   3
*Michel Nielson,.. 11  Israel Helm,...  3
Anders Nielson,..   3Anders Homman,.  9
Brita Gostasson,..  6 *Olle Dirickson,..  7
Gosta Gostasson,.  8 Anders Lock,..  1
*Jonas Nielson,..  4 Mans Lock,...  1
Niels Jonason,..   6  Hans Petterson,..  7
Mans Jonason,..3 *Hindrick Collman,.. 1
Anders Jonason,..   4 Johan Gostasson,.  3
Jon Jonason,...  2 Johan Hoppman,.. 7
Hans Joranson,..11 Frederick Hoppman,.  7
*Mans Staake,...1 Anders Hoppman,.. 7
Peter Stake,..  3 Nicholas Hoppman,.  5
*Marten Martenson, Sen.. 3 Mans Hallton,.. 9
*Marten Martenson, Jun.  10 *Johan Anderson,..  9
Mats Martenson,..  4 OllePehrsson,..  6
Otto Ernest Cock,..  5 Lars Pehrsson,..  1
Anders Persson Longaker,  7 *Hans Olofson,. 5
Peter Jocom,... 9 William Talley,..  7
Johan Bonde,..  1 Morten Knutssen,.. 6
Johan Schute,...4 Nils Trende's widow,.  7
Mats Hollsten,..  7 Anders Trende,..  4
Johan Stille,... 8 Reiner Peterson,..  2
Anders Wihler,..  4 Anders Hindrickson,.  4
Mans Gostasson,.. 2 Johan Von Culen,..  5
Niels Laican,..  5 Hindiick Faske,..  5
*Eric Mollica,... 8 Johan Hindricsson,.  5
Jonas Kyn, or Keen,.  8 Johan Arien,... 6
Mats Kyn,..    3 William Cabb,..  6
Bengt Bengtson,..  2 Hans Keen's widow,.. 5
Christian Clason,..  7 Chriestin Stalcop,..  3
Niels Gastonberg,..  3 Lucas Stedham,..  7
Eric Gastonberg,.. 7 Lyloff Stedham,..  9




168             APPENDIX.
Heads of Families.  Persons. Heads of Families.  Persons.
Asmund Stedham,.. 5 Joran Joranson,.. 1
Adam Stedham,..  8 Lotentz Osterson,.  2
Benjamin Stedham,.  7 *Johan Hindricson,. 6
Brita Petterson,..  8 David Hindricson,.  7
Joran Anderson,.. 5 Carl Petterson,. 5
*Broor Seneka,..  7 Isaac Savoy,..  7
Jesper Wallraven,.. 7 *0lle Fransson,.   7
Jonas Wallraven,.. 1 Lars Petterson,..  1
Conrad Constantine,.  Mats Repott,...  3
Olle Thomasson,.   9 Olle Stoby,...  3
Peter Palsson,..  5 Mats Stark,..  3
Johan Ommerson,     5 Johan Stalcop,..  6
*Matthias De Foss,..   6 Israel Stark,... 1
Christiern Joransson,.  1 *Paul Mink,..  5
*Carl Springer,' 5 Johan Schrage,..  6
Johan Anderson,..  7 Nils Repott,...  3
*Hendrick Jacobson,.4 Hindri'h Jacob,..  1
James Van Der Weer,  7 Mats Jacob,..  1
Cornelius Van Der Weer,. 7 *Anders Sinnika,  5
William VJan er Wer,      inderson, Jun..  3
Jacob Van Der Weer,. 3 *Anders Weinom,..4
Hans Petterson,.   5 Lars Larson,.    1
Paul Petterson,...   3 Hindric Danielson,.  5
Peter Petterson,..  3 Olle Thorson,.  4
Peter Manson,.. 3 Jonas Skagge's widow,. 6
Johan Manson,. -.  5 LarsTossa,... 1
Hindrick Tossa,..  5 Mats Tossa,..  1
Johan Tossa, -.  4 *Staphan J.orason,.  5
Thomas Johnson,.   1 Lars Larson,... 7
*Jaoob Clemson,..  1 Joran Ericson,..  1
*01le Rosse,... 5 Jacob Hindricson,..  5
Jacob Closson,.  -.  6 Peter Lucason,..   1
*Hindrick Anderson,.  5 Lucas Lucason,.  1
*Hindrick Iwarson,.  9 Hans Lucason,..  1
Johan Skrika,..  1 *Olle Kuckow,  -. 6
Mats Skirika,..  3 Hindrich Slobey,.  2
*011e Paulsson,..  9 Christopher Meyer,. 7
Johan Steelman,..  5 Hindrich Larsson,.  7
Hindrick Parchon,.. 4 MatsEricson,.. 3
*Simon Johanson,.  10 Eric Ericson,.. 
Johan Grantom,.. 3 Thomas Dennis,.. 6
Bengt Paulsson,.   Anders Robertson,.  3
Lasse Kempe,... 6 Robert Longhorn,.  4
Gostaf Paulsson,.. 6 *Anders Didricsson,  1
Hans Gostasson. 7 Christiern Thomas' widow,  6
Peter Stalcop..  6 Paul Sahlunge,..  3
Joran Bagman,.. 3 Lars Halling, or Huling,.  1
Eric Joranson,..  2
Making 139 families.
939 individuals.
NoTE.-Of the foregoing list thirty-nine were
native. Swedes, of whom Peter Rambo and Andrew Bonde had been in this country fifty-four




APPENDIX.             169
years. Those who were born in Sweden are
distinguished by an asterisk, thus, *.
The reader will perceive how much the orthography of many of the above names has
changed in the progress of time. Bengtsen is
now Bankson; Bonde has become Boon; Svenson, Swanson; Cock, Cox; Gostasson, Justis;
Jocum, Yocum; Hollsten, Holstein; Kyn, Keen;
Hoppman, Hoffman; Yon Culen, Culin; Halling, Hulings, or Hewlings; Wihler, Wheeler,
etc. etc.
With regard to the Christian names, many
of them correspond with our own, and merely
show a difference in spelling and pronunciation
between the two languages. Anders, therefore, among the Swedes, naturally became Andrew among us; Johan, John; Mats, Matthias,
or Matthew: Carl, Charles; Bengt, Benjamin,
or Benedict; Nils, Nicholas; Staphan, Stephen;
Wilhelm, and also Olave, William; Hindrich,
Henry; Michel, Michael; Jons, Jonathan, etc.
The river Delaware was called by the Swedes
and Dutch, South river, in contradistinction to
Hudson, or North river.  Schuylkill, which
signifies hidden creek, was so named from its
mouth being concealed from view in passing
up the Delaware. The Indians called it Manaiung. Many of the Swedish names of places are
no longer retained, and it is difficult, in some
instances, to identify them. Amasland is said
by Acrelius to have been in Chester county,
P




170             APPENDIX.
fifteen miles from Philadelphia. It was, probably, what is now called Upper Merion. Kalkon-hook still retains its Swedish name, and is
below Darby.
Inquiry has been sometimes made as to the
origin of the name, Wicaco. I suppose it to be
of Indian origin. It may, however, have been
given by the Swedes to this locality, as some of
their names have a similar termination; as,
Wexio, occurring in this volume, and presided
over by one of their Bishops.




APPENDIX.             171
A Condensed View of the Ministers who successively presided over the Swedish Churches in
America..
1. Reorus Torkillus accompanied Peter Menewe, who brought over the first Swedish
colony, about the year 1636, and died here in
1643, aged thirty-five years.
2. John Campanius Holm came over in 1642
with Governor Printz, and remained here six
years. Campanius was his proper surnameHolm having been added because of Stockholm
having been his place of residence. He translated Luther's Catechism into the language of
the Indians.
3. Laurence Lock came over in the time of
Governor Printz. He preached at Tinicum
and Christina. He was for many years the
only clergyman the Swedes had. He died in
1688.
4. Israel Holg came about the year 1650, but
did not remain long.
5. With Governor Rising, in 1652, a chaplain
came over, and returned after the conquest of
the Dutch in 1655.
6. Another clergyman came over in the ship
Mercury, in the year 1656, and returned home
two years afterwards.
7. Jacob Fabritius, who had been preaching
for the Dutch in New York, was induced to
settle among the Swedes, and preached his first




172             APPENDIX.
sermon at Wicaco in 1677. He officiated as
their pastor for fourteen years, nine of which
he was blind. He died about 1692.
Three clergymen arrived in 1697; from
which period we may date the regular supply
of the churches here with Swedish ministers.
These were Andreas Rudman, Eric Biork, and
Jonas Auren. The first settled at Wicaco, the
second at Christina, and the third at Racoon
and Penn's Neck.
WICACO CHURCH.
1. Andrew Rudman was the founder of the
present church, which was built in 1700. In
1702 he went to preach for the Dutch in New
York: afterwards officiated at Oxford church,
near Frankford; then in Christ church, Philadelphia, where he died in 1708.
2. Andrew Sandel arrivedin 1702. Returned
home in 1719.
3. Jonas Lidman sent over in 1719. Recalled
in 1730. The Rev. J. Eneberg took charge of
the church during the vacancy.
4. Gabriel Falk appointed rector in 1733;
deposed the same year.
5. John Dylander came over in 1737. He
died honored and beloved, in 1741.
6. Gabriel Nesman appointed rector in 1743.
Returned home in 1750.
7. Olof Parlin arrived in 1750; died in 1757,




APPENDIX.               173
8. Charles Magnus Wrangel came in 1759;
returned in 1768; died 1786.
9. Andrew Goeranson, sent over in 1766;
became rector 1768; officiated until the close
of 1779; returned home in 1785: died in 1800.
10. Matthias Hultgren commenced his official duties in 1780; recalled in 1786.
11. Nicholas Collin, of Upsal, sent over in
1770; appointed to Wicaco 1786; died 1831.
Close of the Swedish mission.
The present rector, Rev. J. C. Clay, D. D.
was elected in December, 1831, and entered
upon his duties the January following.
KINGSESSING CHURCH.
After the separation* of the three churches in
1843, the Rev. Samuel C. Brinckle was chosen
rector of this church, and continued to officiate
as such until 1850, when he was succeeded by
the Rev. J. Brinton Smith. The latter resigned
in 1856, and has been succeeded by the present
rector, the Rev. Charles A. Maison.
UPPER MERION CHURCH.
The first rector of this church, after it became
separated from  the others, was the Rev. EdWhile the three churches were united as one corporation, the elections for vestrymen were held at Wicaco
church. These elections, on account of the opposite views
and interests of the different congregations often existing,
frequently brought together a large number of voters, and
produced great excitement. The separation of the churches
has greatly tended to harmony and peace.
P2




174             APPENDIX,
win N. Lightner. He resigned the parish in
1855, and the present rector, the Rev. William
I. Rees, was chosen as his successor.
CHURCH AT CHRISTINA
1. Eric Biork built a new church at Fort
Christina, in 1698, in lieu of that at Tranhook.
Returned home 1714; died in 1740.
2. Andreas Hesselius, sent over in 1711;
provost 1719; recalled in 1723; died in 1733.
3. Samuel Hesselius, brother to the former,
sent over in 1729; returned 1731; died 1755.
4. John Eneberg, pastor, 1733; returned
home in 1742.
5. Petrus Tranberg took charge of this church
in 1742, and died in 1748.
6. Israel Acrelius, sent over in 1749; returned in 1756, died in 1800, aged eighty-six. lIe
was the author of the work on the Swedish
congregations in America.
7. Eric Unander, sent from  Racoon and
Penn's Neck to Christina in 1756.
8. Andreas Borell sent to preside over the
Swedish churches in 1757; arrived here 1759;
pastor in 1762; received the king's diploma,
constituting him provost (praepositus) over all
the Swedish churches here, where he died in
1768.
9. The Rev. Lawrence Girelius entered upon
his duties as assistant October 1767; became
provost of the churches in the place of the Rev.




APPENDIX.             175
Mr. Borell, in May, 1770.  He continued in
charge until 1791, when he returned to Sweden.
He was thee last of the Swedish ministers.
After the departure of the Rev. Mr. Girelius,
the church at Christina became connected with
the Protestant Episcopal church. For the following details with regard to the succession of
Episcopal clergymen, who have officiated there,
I am indebted to my friend, the Rev. Charles
Breck, the present rector:
Rev. Joseph Clarkson,   1792-1799.
"  William Pryce,     1800-1812.'  Mr. Wickes,        1814-1817.
t  L. Bull, D.D.,     1818-1819.
Richard D. Hall,   1819-1822.
Ralph Williston,    1822-1826.
"  Pierce Connelly,   1827-1828.
"   Mr. Pardee,        1828-1835.
Mr. Adams,          1835-1838.
Dr. McCullough,     1838-1847.
"  Dr. Van Deusen,    1848-1852.
"   Charles Breck,     1853CHURCH AT RACOON AND PENN'S NECK.
The first minister was Polfladius. He was
drowned in the Delaware in 1706.
1. Jonas Auren came over with Rudman and
Biork, in 1697; appointed 1706; died in the exercise of his functions, 1713.
2. Abraham Lidenius, sent over in 1711;
pastor 1714; returned home 1724; died 1728.




176             APPENDIX.
3. Petrus Tranberg and Andreas Windrufwa,
sent over in 1726. They divided the churches
between them, and so continued Until 1728,
when Windrufwa died. Between the time of
Tranberg going to Christina, and his death in
1748, these churches had no pastor.
4. John Sandin appointed pastor 1748; died
the same year.
5. Professor Kalm, travelling through North
America under authority from the king of Sweden, supplied the church for a few months. He
married the widow of BMr. Sandin, and returned
to Sweden, after a perilous voyage.
6. Eric Unander, sent over in 1749; became
pastor in 1751.
7. John Lidenius, (son of Abraham, abovementioned) appointed pastor in the place of
UYnander, 1756; died in Pennsylvania.
8. John Wicksell, sent over in 1760; arrived
1762; returned home 1774; died 1800.
9. Nicholas Collin, pastor 1778; appointed to
Wicaco in 1786.-See above.




APPENDIX.             177
The following Clergymen have been at different
times Assistant Ministers in the Swedish
Churches.
The Rev. Charles Lute was appointed assistant to the Rev. Mr. Georgeson in 1774.
While Dr. Collin was rector, he had for his
first assistant the Rev. Joseph Clarkson, who
was appointed in 1787, and continued to officiate until 1792.
The Rev. Slator Clay was appointed in 1792,
and officiated once a month in Upper Merion,
and when there was a fifth Sunday in the month,
at Kingsessing. Only part of his time was
given to the Swedes, for whom he continued to
preach until the day of his death, in 1821.
The Rev. Joseph Turner was appointed also
in 1792, and was, for many years, connected
with the Swedes, as one of their assistant ministers.
The Rev. J. C. Clay soon after his ordination
in 1813, was called to the same churches, and
officiated therein as an assistant for one year,
when he was called to the churches at Norristown and Germantown.
The Rev. James Wiltbank was appointed to
the same office in 1816, and performed its duties
for four years, or until 1820.
The Rev. M. B. Roche in 1820 became an
assistant minister to the Swedes, in which situation he officiated for a period of six months.




178                  APPENDIX.
The Rev. J. C. Clay became a second time
connected with these churches in 1822, having
been appointed an assistant for Upper Merion
church, in connection with the Norristown and
Perkiomen churches.*      He also officiated on
every fifth Sunday, or four times a year, at
Kingsessing. He continued to fill this station
until called in 1831 to the rectorship.
The Rev. Charles Mt Dupuy was, in 1822, appointed the assistant for Wicaco and Kingsessing, and was continued as such until 1828.
The Rev. Pierce Connellyt succeeded Mr. Du*From 1817 to 1822 he had charge for the first of these
years of the Church and Academy in Newbern, North Carolina, and the remainder of the time, (4 years) of the Church
at Hagerstown, Maryland, when, upon the death of his
father, the Rev. Slator Clay, he was called to the church at
Perkiomen, and also a second time to that at Norristown.
t The election of Mr. Connelly as assistant minister at
Wicaco, was in opposition to the wishes of many of the congregation. This opposition was carried so far as to determine some of them to prevent his officiating in the church.
When, therefore, he was to hold his first service, a fewleading individuals interrupted him as often as he attempted to
commence the service, and created such a disturbance as
to induce him to invite the congregation into the Grave
Yard, in order to his officiating from one of the tomb-stones.
But he encountered the same opposition there, and was
obliged to give up the thought of holding service on that
occasion. A suit was brought in one of our courts, by the
vestry, against those who had created this disturbance of
the worship of the church, and a verdict obtained against
them, but at the request of the vestry, there was but a
light penalty imposed,




APPENDIX.             179
puy, and officiated chiefly at Kingsessing,
though part of the time at Wicaco also, till the
close of 1831, when he accepted a call to Natchez, Mississippi.
The Rev. Raymond A. Henderson was chosen assistant to the Rev. J. C. Clay in 1832, and
continued in the churches until the close of
1834, when he was called to the French Protestant Church in New Orleans.
The Rev. John Reynolds was assistant for
one year at Upper Merion, having been appointed about the same time with Mr. Henderson.
After the two last mentioned, the Rev. William Diehl and the Rev. Samuel C. Brinckle
acted as assistants until the churches were separated.
F I N I S,