The Baptists in Sweden. By Mrs. M.F. Anderson ...

188 THE BAPTISTS IN SWEDEN,
portance of obtaining from the next Diet a grant
of public money for the support of such'traveling
preachers,' and the directions forwarded to Westeras indicate the mind of the Government on the
matter.
"The Rev. Archdeacon Eklundh, of Hudiksvall,
has been sent by the Consistory of Upsala to Hassela, in Helsingland, where a meeting of Baptists
was held last midsummer, attended by about six
hundred adherents from ten parishes. Several
were baptized during the meeting, and about three
hundred united in'breaking of bread.' Mr. E. did
not reach the place till the end of August, and
spent two days in the parish church discussing with
the Baptists, in the presence of large congregations,
the points on which they differ from the Lutheran
Church. The Baptists, with their pastors, attended
in considerable numbers; and Mr. E. testifies that,
with the exception of the sacrament of Baptism,
the work of the Spirit in the conversion of the sinner, the constitution of a Christian church, and the
call to the ministry, their views harmonized with
the standards of the Swedish Church, whilst their
moral conduct was irreproachable. The visitation,
which closed with an earnest exhortation to the
Baptists to reconsider their position, did not lead,
so far as is yet known, to the restoration of any of
the separatists to communion with the National
Church. "
We have seen some of the persecutions which