Protestantism in Sweden and Denmark - James Aitken Wylie

the explanation, exceedingly apt to be forgotten or
disregarded, would have been unnecessary. It is
hard to understand how material light can help us
the better to. perceive a spiritual object, or how a
candle can reveal to us Christ. Those who tolerated
remains of the old superstition in the Reformed
worship of Sweden, acted, no doubt, with sincere
intentions, but it may be doubted whether they
were not placing hindrances rather than helps in the
way of the nation, and whether in acting as they did
they may not be compared to the man who first
places a rock or some huge obstruction in the path
that leads to his mansion, and then kindles a
beacon upon it to prevent his visitors from
tumbling over it.
Gustavus I. had now the happiness of seeing
the Reformed faith planted in his dominions, His
reign was prolonged after this thirty years, and
during all that time he never ceased to watch over
the interests of the Protestant Church, taking care
that his kingdom should be well supplied with
learned bishops and diligent pastors. Lawrence
Patersen (1531) was promoted to the Archbishopric
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