Persecution for Preaching the First Angel’s Message
In Sweden, as in other countries, the most bitter opposition to
the reformation was from the clergy. As the reformers gained the
ascendency, and Protestantism became the State religion, they grew
intolerant and oppressive. The priests of Sweden possess great influ-
ence, though their authority is limited. In every town there is a church
council, which has power to forbid all preaching that is considered
dangerous to the State Church, or that will cause division in it. Of
this council the priest is a member; but while he may desire to enforce
the law, he can do nothing if the other members of the council are
opposed. The law is now very unpopular, and is not often enforced.
There is a strong public sentiment in favor of freedom of speech and
conscience, but as we have seen, the Lutheran clergy are jealous of
any influence which shall weaken their hold upon the people, and the
spirit of intolerance and persecution is not extinct.
The preaching of the first message in Sweden excited much opposi-
tion, and the experience of those who took part in the movement is full
of interest. The message was brought to this country from England. In
the province of Orebro it began to be proclaimed in the year 1843, by
several laymen, called “ropare.” These preached with great earnestness
that the hour of God’s Judgment had come, and a wide-spread interest
was aroused among the people. In the fall of the same year, two young
men were moved to give the warning. The people assembled in great
numbers to listen to their preaching, and the meetings were continued
both day and night, sometimes in a private house, and sometimes in
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the woods. Many were roused from their careless security, and led
to confess their sins and to seek mercy and forgiveness in the name
of Jesus. But the greater the interest, the greater the opposition and
persecution. There were some who declared the preachers to be insane,
or laboring under some strange disease. The priest of the State Church
made several attempts to stop the preaching, and to lull the people to
sleep again; but without avail. Finally the police were ordered to arrest
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