In the Netherlands and Scandinavia
201
against the Romish champions. He declared that the teachings of the
Fathers are to be received only when in accordance with the Scriptures;
that the essential doctrines of the faith are presented in the Bible in a
clear and simple manner, so that all men may understand them. Christ
said, “My doctrine is not mine, but His that sent me,” [
John 7:16
.] and
Paul declared that should he preach any other gospel than that which he
had received, he would be accursed. [
Galatians 1:8
.] “How, then,” said
the reformer, “shall others presume to enact dogmas at their pleasure,
and impose them as things necessary to salvation?” He showed that
the decrees of the church are of no authority when in opposition to the
commands of God, and maintained the great Protestant principle, that
“the Bible, and the Bible only,” is the rule of faith and practice.
This contest, though conducted upon a stage comparatively ob-
scure, serves to “show us the kind of men that formed the rank and
file of the army of the reformers. When we confine our attention to
such brilliant centers as Wittenberg and Zurich, and to such illustrious
names as those of Luther and Melancthon, of Zwingle and Oeco-
lampadius, we are apt to be told that these were the leaders of the
movement, but the subordinates were not like them. Well, we turn
to the obscure theater of Sweden, and the humble names of Olaf and
Laurentius Petri—from the masters to the disciples—what do we find?
[244]
Not illiterate, sectarian, noisy controversialists—far from it; we see
men who had studied the Word of God, and who knew well how to
wield the weapons with which the armory of the Bible supplied them;
scholars and theologians, who won an easy victory over the sophists
of the schools, and the dignitaries of Rome.”
As the result of this disputation, the king of Sweden accepted the
Protestant faith, and not long afterward the national assembly declared
in its favor. The New Testament had been translated by Olaf Petri into
the Swedish language, and at the desire of the king the two brothers
undertook the translation of the whole Bible. Thus for the first time the
people of Sweden received the Word of God in their native tongue. It
was ordered by the Diet that throughout the kingdom ministers should
explain the Scriptures, and that the children in the schools should be
taught to read the Bible.
Steadily and surely the darkness of ignorance and superstition
was dispelled by the blessed light of the gospel. Freed from Romish
oppression, the nation attained to strength and greatness it had never