9. New Sweden.--The first Lutheran pastor who set his foot on American
soil in August, 1619, was Rasmus Jensen of Denmark. He was chaplain of
a Danish expedition numbering 66 Lutherans under Captain Jens Munck,
who took possession of the land about Hudson Bay in the name of the
Danish crown. In his diary we read of the faithful pastoral work, the
sermons, and the edifying death, on February 20, 1620, of this Lutheran
pastor. However, the first Lutheran minister to serve a _Lutheran
colony_ in America was Reorus Torkillus. He was born in 1609 at
Faessberg, Sweden, educated at Linkoeping, and for a time was chaplain
at Goeteborg. Gustavus Adolphus already had entertained the idea of
founding a colony in America, chiefly for the purpose of carrying on
mission-work among the Indians. Peter Minuit, a German, who had come to
Manhattan Island in 1626 to represent the interests of the Dutch West
India Company (organized in 1621), led also the first Swedish expedition
to Delaware in December, 1637. Nine expeditions followed, until the
flourishing colony was captured by the Dutch in 1655. The work of
Torkillus, who died September 7, 1643, was continued by John Campanius
(1601 to 1683), who arrived on February 15, 1643. Three years later, one
hundred years after the death of Luther, he dedicated the first Lutheran
Church in America at Christina (Wilmington). His translation of Luther's
Small Catechism into the language of the Delaware Indians antedates
Eliot's Indian Bible, but was not published till 1696. Returning to
Sweden in 1648, Campanius left about 200 souls in the charge of Lars
Lock (Lockenius), who served them until his end, in 1688. In 1654,
Pastors Vertunius and Hjorst arrived with 350 additional souls. Both,
however, returned to Sweden when Stuyvesant took possession of the
colony in 1655, permitting the Swedes in Delaware to retain only Lars
Lock as pastor. Jacob Fabricius, who, after rendering his stay in New
Amsterdam (New York) impossible, was laboring among the Dutch along the
Delaware from 1671 to 1675, before long also began to do mission-work
among the Swedes and Finns, at the same time intriguing against Lock,
whose cup of sorrow was already filled with family troubles and other
griefs. In 1677 Fabricius took charge of the Swedes at Wicaco
(Philadelphia), where he, though blind since 1682, continued faithfully
to wait on his office until his death in 1693 (1696). He preached in
Dutch, which, as reported, the Swedes "spoke perfectly."
10. Succored by the King of Sweden.--In 1692 the now orphaned
Lutherans in Delaware addressed themselves to Karl XI, who promised to
help them. However, four years passed before Pastor Rudman arrived with
two assistants, Bjoerk (Bioerck) and Auren, as well as with a
consignment of Bibles and other books. New life entered the Swedish
colony. In 1699 the new Trinity Church was erected at Christina, and in
1700 Gloria Dei Church in Wicaco (Philadelphia). From the very
beginning, however, a spirit of legalism, hierarchy, and of unionism
wormed its way into the promising harvest. The congregations were not
taught to govern themselves, but were ruled by provosts sent from
Sweden. In the interest of discipline, Andreas Sandel, who arrived in
1702, introduced a system of monetary penances. In his _History of the
Lutheran Church in America_ Dr. A. Graebner writes: "Whoever came to
church tipsy, was to pay 40 shillings and do public penance. Blasphemy
of the divine Word or the Sacraments carried with it a fine of 5 pounds
sterling and church penance; to sing at unseemly hours was punished by
a fine of 6 shillings; such as refused to submit to the discipline were
to be excluded from the congregation and to be refused interment at its
cemetery." (86.) Eric Unander, who returned to Sweden in 1760, employed
the same methods to keep order in the congregational meetings. A.
Rudman, after his brief pastorate among the Dutch Lutherans in New York
during 1702, returned to Philadelphia. From 1707 to his death, in 1708,
he served an Episcopal church without severing his connection with the
Swedes. His successors followed his footsteps. From 1737 to 1741 J.
Dylander preached at Gloria Dei Church in German, Swedish, and English
every Sunday, served the Germans in Germantown and Lancaster, and, in
the absence of their pastor, ministered also to the Episcopalians. The
same practise was observed by the provosts: Eric Bjoerk, who was
appointed the first provost in 1712, and returned to Sweden in 1714;
A. Sandel, who also served Episcopalian congregations and returned in
1719; A. Hesselius, who left in 1723, and in Sweden, 1725, published a
short report of the conditions prevailing in America; Peter Tranberg,
who was stationed at Raccoon and Pennsneck, N. J., from 1726 to 1740,
and at Christina till his death in 1748; J. Sandin, who arrived in 1746,
dying two years later; Israel Acrelius, who arrived in 1749, saw the
language question become acute, served Episcopalian congregations, and
returned to Sweden in 1756, where he published (1759) a description of
the conditions in New Sweden; Olaf Parlin, who arrived in 1750 and died
in 1757; Dr. C. M. Wrangel, who was provost from 1759 to 1768, assisted
in rejuvenating the Pennsylvania Synod in 1760, and began a seminary
with Peter Muhlenberg, Daniel Kuhn, and Christian Streit as students;
Nils Collin, whose activity extended from 1770 to 1831, during which
time he had eight Episcopalian assistant pastors in succession.
11. Church-fellowship with Episcopalians.--In 1710 Pastor Sandel
reported as follows on the unionism practised by the Swedes and
Episcopalians: "As pastors and teachers we have at all times maintained
friendly relations and intimate converse with the English preachers, one
always availing himself of the help and advice of the other. At their
pastoral conferences we always consulted with them. We have repeatedly
preached English in their churches when the English preachers lacked the
time because of a journey or a death. If anywhere they laid the
corner-stone of a church, we were invited, and attended. When their
church in Philadelphia was enlarged, and the Presbyterians had invited
them to worship in their church, they declined and asked permission to
come out to Wicaco and conduct their services in our church, which I
granted. This occurred three Sundays in succession, until their church
was finished; and, in order to manifest the unity still more, Swedish
hymns were sung during the English services. Also Bishop Swedberg [of
Sweden], in his letters, encouraged us in such unity and intimacy with
the Anglicans; although there exists some difference between them and us
touching the Lord's Supper, etc., yet he did not want that small
difference to rend asunder the bond of peace. We enter upon no
discussion of this point; neither do we touch upon such things when
preaching in their churches; nor do they seek to win our people to their
view in this matter; on the contrary, we live in intimate and brotherly
fashion with one another, they also calling us brethren. They have the
government in their hands, we are under them; it is enough that they
desire to have such friendly intercourse with us; we can do nothing else
than render them every service and fraternal intimacy as long as they
are so amiable and confiding, and have not sought in the least to draw
our people into their churches. As our church is called by them 'the
sister church of the Church of England,' so we also live fraternally
together. God grant that this may long continue!" (G., 118.) Thus from
the very beginning the Swedish bishops encouraged and admonished their
emissaries to fraternize especially with the Episcopalians. And the
satisfaction with this state of affairs on the part of the Episcopalian
ministers appears from the following testimonial which they gave to
Hesselius and J. A. Lidenius in 1723: "They were ever welcome in our
pulpits, as we were also welcome in their pulpits. Such was our mutual
agreement in doctrine and divine service, and so regularly did they
attend our conferences that, aside from the different languages in which
we and they were called to officiate, no difference could be perceived
between us." (131.)
12. Absorbed by the Episcopal Church.--The evil influence which the
unionism practised by the Swedish provosts and ministers exercised upon
the Lutheran congregations appears from the resolution of the
congregation at Pennsneck, in 1742, henceforth to conduct English
services exclusively, and that, according to the Book of Common Prayer.
In the same year Pastor Gabriel Naesman wrote to Sweden: "As to my
congregation, the people at first were scattered among other
congregations, and among the sects which are tolerated here, and it is
with difficulty that I gather them again to some extent. The great lack
of harmony prevailing among the members makes my congregation seem like
a kingdom not at one with itself, and therefore near its ruin." (335.)
The unionism indulged in also accounts for the trouble which the Swedes
experienced with the emissaries of Zinzendorf: L. T. Nyberg, Abr.
Reinke, and P. D. Bryzelius (who severed his connection with the
Moravians in 1760, became a member of the Pennsylvania Synod, and in
1767 was ordained by the Bishop of London). Unionism paved the way, and
naturally led to the final undoing of the Lutheran Swedes in Delaware.
It was but in keeping with the unionism advised from Sweden, practised
in Delaware, and indulged in to the limit by himself, when Provost
Wrangel gave the final _coup de grace_ to the first Lutheran Church in
America. Dr. Wrangel, the bosom-friend of H. M. Muhlenberg, openly and
extensively fraternized not only with the Episcopalians, but also with
the Reformed, the Presbyterians (in Princeton), and the Methodists,
notably the revivalist Whitefield. And, evidently foreseeing the early
and unavoidable _debacle_ of Swedish Lutheranism in Delaware, von
Wrangel, at his departure for Sweden, suffered the Episcopalians to use
him as a tool to deliver the poor, weakened, and oppressed
congregations, whose leader he had been, into the hands of the
Anglicans. (392.) On his way home Wrangel carried with him an important
letter of introduction from the Episcopalian Richard Peters to the
Bishop of London, the ecclesiastical superior of the Anglican ministers
and congregations in the American Colonies. The letter, dated August 30,
1768, reads, in part: "Now Dr. Wrangel intends to utilize properly the
general aversion [in Delaware] to the Presbyterians in order to unite
the great mass of Lutherans and Swedes with with the Church of England,
which, as you know, is but small numerically and in humble circumstances
in this province; through union with the German Lutherans, however, we
both would become respectable. According to Dr. Smith's and my opinion
this could be effected through our Academy. In it we could establish a
theological professorship; then German and English young men could be
educated, and as their training would embrace both languages, they could
preach German as well as English at places where both nations are mixed.
That would unite us all and make us one people in life and love. It is a
happy thought. I would desire your Excellency to speak with Dr. Wrangel,
and encourage him as much as possible. In this matter I have written to
the two archbishops, asking them to consider it carefully together with
your Excellency. I am sure that now the opportunity is good to bring
this desirable affair to a happy conclusion." (394.) In a document dated
June 25, 1789, the Swedish government served official notice on the
congregations in America that in future they could no longer expect help
from Sweden, alleging that, whereas "the purpose, the Swedish tongue,"
had come to an end, it was but just that in future also the
disbursements in Sweden should be discontinued. (401.) The result was
that one congregation after another united with the Episcopalians. By
1846 the Lutheran name had disappeared from the last charter. Thus the
entire Swedish mission territory, all of whose congregations exist to
the present day, was lost to the Lutheran Church. The chief causes of
this loss were: unionism, hierarchical paternalism, interference from
Sweden, the failure to provide for schools and for the training of
suitable pastors, and the lack of Swedish and, later, of English
Lutheran literature. The report of the Pennsylvania Ministerium of 1762
remarks: "For several generations the Swedish schools unfortunately have
been neglected in the Swedish congregations; Dr. Wrangel, however, has
organized an English school in one of his parishes where Luther's
Catechism is read in an English translation." From the very beginning
the foundations of the Lutheran structure along the Delaware were both
laid insecurely and undermined by its builders.