tion, he successively
invited the brothers to preach at court. Their impression upon him was so
favorable that within a few years he appointed Nicolaj to become pastor
of Nicolaj church in Copenhagen, one of the largest churches in the
capital, Broder to become Provost of the cathedral at Ribe and, two years
later, Bishop of Aalborg, and Hans Adolph to succeed his brother at Ribe
and, four years later, to become bishop of that large and historically
famous bishopric. Thus the brothers in a few years had been elevated from
obscurity to leading positions within their church.

Contemporaries express highly different estimates of Brorson as a bishop.
While praised by some, he is severely criticized by others as unfit both
by ability and temperament for the high office he occupied. This last
estimate now is generally held to be unjust and, to some extent at least,
inspired by jealousy of his quick rise to fame and by antagonism to his
pietistic views. A close examination of church records and his official
correspondence proves him to have been both efficient in the
administration of his office and moderate in his dealings with others. He
was by all accounts an eloquent and effective speaker. Although Ribe was
a small city, its large cathedral was usually crowded whenever it was
known that Brorson would conduct the service. People came from far away
to hear him. And his preaching at home and on his frequent visits to all
parts of his large bishopric bore fruit in a signal quickening of the
Christian life in many of the parishes under his charge. He was, we are
told, as happy as a child when he found pastors and their people working
faithfully together for the upbuilding of the kingdom. But his own zeal
caused him to look for the same earnestness in others. And he was usually
stern and, at times, implacable, in his judgment of neglect and
slothfulness, especially in the pastors.

His private life was by all accounts exceptionally pure and simple, a
true expression of his sincere faith and earnest piety. A domestic, who
for many years served in his home has furnished us with a most
interesting account of his home life. Brorson, she testifies, was an
exceptionally kind and friendly man, always gentle and considerate in his
dealing with others except when they had provoked him by some gross
neglect or inattention to right and duty. He was generous to a fault
toward others, but very frugal, even parsimonious in his home and in his