Vilhelm Moberg - The Emigrants

Dean Brusander was a powerful clergyman who guarded the dignity and sanctity of his office well. Always he had maintained the purity of the evangelical-Lutheran church with unflagging zeal; never sparing himself, he watched over the flock God had entrusted to him, protecting it from heterodoxy. Now he sent promptly for the churchwarden, Per Persson of Åkerby, who confirmed the story of the unlawful meetings in Kärragärde. It was said throughout the parish that Åke Svensson had returned in the shape of his nephew. And Per Persson could affirm that Danjel used evil words about the dean, and called him a neglectful shepherd, because brännvin was distilled and sold in the parsonage.

Brusander was provoked that a parishioner should question his lawful right, shared by all the clergy who cultivated land. And on the King’s estates too brännvin was distilled and sold, as well as on the Prince’s manor at Bäckaskog. The farmer in Kärragärde had therefore, through his criticism, committed a serious crime against the Crown. The sale and serving of brännvin in the parsonage was nowadays allowed only on weekdays; the drink was stimulating to laborers and servants after a day’s toil. It was true that the well-known Dean Wieselgren in Västerstad wanted to abolish brännvin altogether, and that in un-Christian hatred he persecuted his colleagues who only enjoyed their legal rights. Wieselgren in his blindness wanted to rob the peasants of their lawful trade; if they were not permitted to distill their grain to brännvin, the agriculture of the country would in a short time be ruined and the farmers impoverished. The price of grain would drop so low that the farmers would be bankrupt, which in turn would make the poor people more insolent; it would be difficult then to obtain servants and day laborers. Who would want to do day labor if a bushel of barley could be bought at six shillings?

Dean Brusander called Danjel Andreasson of Kärragärde to appear at the parsonage, and in the presence of his assistant, Pastor Krusell, and the churchwardens of the parish, he questioned the farmer at length.

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At this inquiry the assistant pastor made notes which were signed by the churchwardens as unbiased witnesses and deposited in the archives of the parish.

“Summoned homeowner Danjel Andreasson was first questioned briefly in religion by Dean Brusander; he showed satisfactory knowledge in the foundation and order of the salvation tenets. Questioned specifically, Danjel Andreasson admitted that at the present time several loose people maintained their residence in his house, to wit: court-martialed soldier Severius Pihl, disabled servant wench Sissa Svensdotter, unmarried female Ulrika of Västergöhl and her illegitimate daughter Elin. Ulrika being known since her youth for her lewd and immoral life, during which she had conceived four illegitimate children of whom three died in infancy. Danjel Andreasson admitted that he fed and protected these people in his house.

“Questioned Dean Brusander: ‘Is it true that in your house you conduct meetings with your housefolk and neighbors?’

“Answered Danjel Andreasson: ‘It is true, Mr. Dean.’

“Asked Dean B.: ‘What do you do at these meetings?’

“Answered Danjel A.: ‘I explain the Bible word to my listeners.’

“Asked Dean B.: ‘You admit then that you are practicing the office of the ministry?’

“Answered Danjel A.: ‘I do what the ministers do not: I preach God’s true word.’

“Asked Dean B.: ‘Who has given you power to do this?’

“Answered Danjel A.: ‘God’s Spirit has given me that power in my heart.’

“Said Dean B.: ‘You are seized by an evil spirit. No one is allowed to be minister unless called and ordained according to the church law. In the presence of these honest and trusted men I herewith command you, Danjel Andreasson, to forgo all ministering pretensions in the future!’

“Answered Danjel A.: ‘You, Mr. Dean, have no power to forbid me this.’

“Said Dean B.: ‘God has entrusted your soul to me. I am your spiritual authority. In all spiritual things you must obey me and no one else.’

“Answered Danjel A.: ‘The Bible teaches that I must obey God before man. You are a man, Mr. Dean.’

“Said Dean B.: ‘In Romans, Chapter 13, verse 2, the Bible says, “Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.” Do you not admit that my power is from God?’

“Answered Danjel A.: ‘No, Mr. Dean.’

“Asked Dean B.: ‘Do you refuse to obey law and order?’

“Answered Danjel A.: ‘There is no law over the righteous.’

“Asked Dean B.: ‘Are you obsessed by such religious vanity that you call yourself righteous?’

“Answered Danjel A.: ‘I am possessed by God’s Spirit. The guide for my conduct is the Bible and my conscience.’

“Asked Dean B.: ‘Can you tell me: What is conscience?’

“Answered Danjel A.: ‘He who is reborn will find out what conscience is. I hear that you are not reborn, Mr. Dean.’

“Said Dean B.: ‘The devil, the soul-destroyer, is whispering his answers into your ears! Have you preached that no man has a right to keep possessions for himself alone?’

“Answered Danjel A.: ‘Yes. You, Mr. Dean, should have preached the same, if you had preached God’s true word.’

“Asked Dean B.: ‘Do you accuse me of false teachings?’

“Answered Danjel A.: ‘In Acts 4, verse 32, it is written of Christ’s church: “And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things in common.” You, Mr. Dean, have never preached Christianity for this parish.’

“Said Dean B.: ‘You lean on some words in the Bible while you tear down others. You also have said that I am a negligent shepherd and lead my flock headlong to hell when they are drunk. Is it true you have said this at your unlawful meetings?’

“Answered Danjel A.: ‘It is true, Mr. Dean.’

“Asked Dean B.: ‘How can you defend this false testimony about your spiritual guide?’

“Answered Danjel A.: ‘Is it not true, Mr. Dean, that you sell brännvin from the parsonage still?’

“Answered Dean B.: ‘I use my possessions as I see fit. What right have you to deny me my income, to which I am lawfully entitled during my tenure of office?’

“Answered Danjel A.: ‘People get drunk from your brännvin, Mr. Dean, and in their drunkenness they commit violence and adultery and other crimes against the Ten Commandments. Doesn’t he who breaks God’s command earn hell, Mr. Dean?’

“Said Dean B.: ‘You are called in for questioning, not I.’

“Said Danjel A.: ‘As long as I served the devil I received praise from you, Mr. Dean. Now when I serve God I am called in for questioning and receive blame and censure.’

“Said Dean B.: ‘Your case is now clear, Danjel Andreasson. You have here admitted — in the presence of unbiased witnesses — that you have broken the law by practicing the ministry. You should now receive your punishment in civil court. But I wish your repentance, not your ruin. If you retract your heresy, and promise no longer to preach or to spread your false and ungodly doctrines, I will grant you grace and forgiveness for what you have done.’

“Answered Danjel A.: ‘The grace belongs to God alone. Accordingly, you, Mr. Dean, have no grace to bestow on me, nor can I receive grace from you.’

“Said Dean B.: ‘In the presence of these witnesses I have forbidden you to preach. If you still pursue your illegal activities you will be sued in civil court and be fined or sentenced to bread and water in prison. On a third offense you are liable to two years’ exile.’