Copied from their Church Record, and presented to the Society by Col. Robt. G. Johnson.

By letters to the Arch-Bishop and Consistory of Upsal, dated the 8th of July, 1778, I solicited in pressing terms for my recall. I had then officiated for above 8 years within the Mission, to wit: as Minister extraordinary in all the congregations from my arrival, the 12th of May, 1770, till the 19th of Aug. 1773; from that time as Rector of Racoon and Penn's Neck; and since the year 1775 as Commissary of the Mission.

I had consequently not only served the usual term required for obtaining preferment at home, but I was moreover under absolute necessity of departing. The rents of the Church lands had by the depreciation of the current money, and the dearness of many necessary articles, fallen to a tenth part of the real value. The Congregations had suffered great distress from the War, and many of the more able members were as usual unwilling to contribute for the support of Public Worship.

There was no prospect of peace or civil order for several years, and consequently no hopes of relief, a temporary vacancy though preju. dicial to the eongregations, was therefore inevitable; at the same time a saving of the little Church revenue after my departure would shorten

this vacancy by adding to the support of my successor. All this was fully represented in the mentioned letter, with an express declaration, if no speedy alleviation of my present distress would be effected, I should not even wait for the recall, but depart the next spring. It must be observed that my want of subsistence would not have been grievous if I could have drawn my Commissary salary, but this was impracticable, as all communication with Sweden was cut off by the dreadful disorders of the times.

After the seat of war had been removed from the Delaware, I obtained at least more tranquility, and therefore resolved to wait for my recall, repeating my solicitations for it by several letters for two years. My request was at last granted by his Majesty's gracious resolve of the 22d Nov. 1782.

The reason of this delay was that the Consistory had not sooner presented my petition, because the King had by a previous resolve signified to them his pleasure, that the American Missionaries should remain in their stations until the event of the war was known. Probably this arose from an opinion that the Swedish interest in America was considerable, and might in case of independency be of some advantage to Sweden.

In May 1783 I received this recall: with the greatest pleasure I should then immediately have finished a long and painful exile from my dear native country, but personal concerns and anxiety for the Congregations, determined me still to continue for some time; especially as the urgent plea of necessity had now ceased with the return of peace. I therefore informed the Consistory of my resolution to remain for a short time, until the Congregations could be supplied with a successor, declaring also, tha in case his Majesty was pleased to continue the Mission, I was willing to take upon me the charge of the churches of Wicacoa, Kingsessing and Upper Merrion, which were becoming vacant by the recall of the Rev. Matthias Kutegren; as a new comer, however meritorious, could not be useful in that station, because of the extinction of the Swedish language; I also expressed my willingness to assist my successor in Racoon and Penn's Neck by all the influence I derived from long services and personal connections.

On this request his Majesty was pleased by resolve of the 10th of August, 1785, to appoint me Rector of the before mentioned Congregations, and also to leave Racoon and Penn's Neck vacant, until they should express their option of his Majesty's future regulations of the Swedish Mission. This was, that whereas the congregations in their present mature state must be sufficiently able to support their own

ministers, and whereas they had nearly lost the language of their ancestors, which language was a principal tye of their connection with Sweden; therefore the congregations could not in future obtain any ministers from Sweden, without a formal stipulation to defray the whole expense of the voyage in coming and returning, and to afford them a decent support during their continuance in the ministry." The King was pleased to add, that future Missionaries who might choose to go upon those terms, should not be entitled to the superior privileges of pensions and preferments granted heretofore to American Missionaries. The congregation of Racoon, yet feeling the distresses of a calamitous war, and being also involved in a most difficult enterprise of erecting the New Church, could not iumediately comply with these conditions.

I therefore informed the Arch-Bishop that for the present a temporary vacancy was eligible, and that I would to the utmost of my power lessen the disadvantages thereof. It must be remarked that the Swedish government had already in the year 1773 by the Ministry of the Mission proposed to the respective congregations a partial reform of the former plan, to wit: that they should defray the expense of the voyage from London to America, and from here again to that place for their respective pastors; the Crown as usual defraying the expense from Sweden to London, and from thence home. The intervening war prevented any attention to this proposal. It was laid before the respective vestries on the return of peace: those of Wicacoa with its annexes, and of Christiana, resolved to defray the said part of the voyage, in case they should request the favour of Swedish successors after their present pastors; that of Racoon and Penn's Neck promised to contribute according to the ability of their less opulent churches. In the mean time the Swedish language decreased daily by the decrease of the ancient people. The Clergy themselves were sensible of the great difficulty attending the usual change of Missionaries every seventh or eighth year, and represented the matter in its true right to the ArchBishop and Consistory. The vestry of Wicacoa, Kingsessing, and Upper Merrion received with grateful respect my appointment to their churches, and acknowledged their great obligation to the King and his glorious antecessors for the tender care so long displayed for their spiritual welfare; and at the same time declined a continuance of this favour, as the great change of circumstances must hereafter make the mission a burden to the crown, and a painful task to the Missionaries, without an adequate benefit to these congregations, which had totally lost the language of their ancestors: they therefore signified that on

my departure the mission would cease in their congregations. The vestry of Christiana Church in like manner expressed their intention to chose for themselves after the Rev. Lawrence Girelius. The Congregations of Racoon and Penn's Neck, did not immediately resolve on this affair, but by my advice waited for a year, until the debt incurred for the new Swedesborough Church was somewhat reduced, by the rents falling due after my removal; and in the view of knowing how long the Mission might continue in the other Congregations, under Mr. Girelius and myself. The continual decay of the Swedish language by the decease of ancient respectable members; the probability of our speedy return to Sweden, the unpleasing situation of a solitary missionary, and the great expense of a probably frequent change of ministers, scarcely supportable from the small revenue of their churches, finally determined their coincidence in sentiment with their sister congregations. The Rev. Lawrence Girelius went home in May 1791, with his wife and four children.

The Arch-Bishop of Sweden, Doctor Uno Von Proil, having submitted to his Majesty these sentiments of the Congregations, received the King's final resolve, which he communicated in a letter addressed to the vestries of all the churches that compose the Swedish mission, dated Upsula, the 25th of June, 1789, of which the following is an extract:

"The King approving of the reasons that induce the Congregations henceforth to chose their Ministers, rather than to be supplied with Swedish Missionaries at the expense of the Swedish Crown, has thereunto given his gracious consent; and in consequence thereof permits the yet remaining Swedish Missionaries, the Commissaries Lawrence Girelius and Nicholas Collin, to return to their native country, as soon as their circumstances may render it convenient-at the same time the King from the love he bears to the Swedish name, appreciates unto all the members of these congregations, as in great part descendants from Sweden, all manner of felicity, spiritual and temporal, and will have them assured of his royal favor.

It shall also be my sincere wish and ardent prayer, that Almighty God may with his grace and mercies embrace the members of these Congregations jointly and individually; and that the gospel light which was first kindled in those parts by the tender solicitude of Swedish Kings, and the zeal of Swedish Clergymen, may there, while days are numbered, shine with perfect brightness, and produce the most salutary fruits.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of the Father and the

fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with and over you all, wishes from a most sincere heart, Your affectionate servant,

UNO VON PROIL."

The first Swedish colony arrived in the year 1634, and was followed by three or four reinforcements during the succeeding years, til 1654. The Swedes acquired by a fair purchase from the natives all the western coast of Delaware from Cape Henlopen to Trenton, and extending due west for a distance of forty miles. Their first principal settlement was at Christiana Creek, where they had a considerable Fort and a Church. After some years they formed considerable establishments along the river forty or fifty miles beyond Philadelphia, and had a church at Tinnicum, where also was the Swedish Governor's residence. The Low Dutch had some time before the arrival of the Swedes in America taken possession of the North River, and founded New Amsterdam, now New York.

They had also got a slender footing on the Eastern shore of the Delaware, and built a fort called Nassau, where Gloucester now is.This vicinity naturally created a jealousy, which produced contests, and finally open hostilities, which terminated in conquest of the infant Swedish Colony, as it was not supported by Sweden, which at that time was engaged in a war with several of the first powers in Europe. After the death of those Clergymen who accompanied the colonists from Sweden, the people became very destitute until on their humble address to Charles the 11th, King of Sweden, the Mission was instituted which continued without interruption till this time.

This Mission was composed of three different Rectorships, to wit: Wicacoa with Kingsissing and Upper Merrion in Pennsylvania; Christiana in Delaware; and Racoon with Penn's Neck in West Jersey.The Clergy consisted of the three respective rectors, and in the later times, a minister extraordinary or common assistant. One of the ordinary pastors was also Provost or Commissary, having a degree of superintending authority over the whole Mission.

The Extraordinary had from Sweden a yearly salary of thirty three and one-third pounds sterling. The Commissary office has from the time of Mr. Saudin had fifty pounds ditto. The Crown bestowed every coming Missionary fifty pounds ditto, money to defray the expense for the voyage, and an equal sum on returning.

While waiting for preferment after their return, they had adequate pensions, the Commissaries one third more than the others. They also obtained very good employments: several having been rewarded with the best Rectorships in Sweden.

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