presents the fundamental aspects of his
historical, folk and educational views that have made his name known not
only in Scandinavia but in almost every country in the world.

Meanwhile he again had entered the pulpit. As a compensation for the loss
of his ministry, a group of his friends shortly after his resignation
began to hold private assemblies. When Grundtvig still firmly refused to
take part in these, they decided to organize an independent congregation,
petition the government for permission to use an abandoned German
Lutheran church and call Grundtvig as their pastor. The petition was
promptly refused, though Grundtvig himself pleaded with the authorities
to permit the organization of an independent congregation as the best
means of relieving the dissatisfied members of the church and declared
that he would himself join the assemblies unless some such measure of
relief was granted. When the authorities ignored his plea, Grundtvig made
good his threat and appeared at the assemblies, drawing such a crowd that
no private home could possibly hold it, whereupon it was decided to
secure a public hall for future meetings. But when the authorities heard
this, they suddenly experienced a change of heart and offered the
troublesome preacher and his friends the use of Frederik's church for a
vesper service each Sunday.

The eight years Grundtvig served as an independent preacher at the
Frederik's church were among the happiest in his life. He rejoiced to
know that the large, diversified audience crowding the sanctuary each
Sunday came wholly of its own free will. It also pleased the now
gray-haired pastor to see an increasing number of students become
constant attendants at his services. Even so, his position had its
drawbacks. He was permitted neither to administer the sacraments nor to
instruct the young people, and the authorities even denied him the right
to confirm his own sons. Grundtvig felt especially this refusal so keenly
that he again was thinking of resigning his pulpit when the king offered
him an appointment as pastor of Vartov, a large institution for the aged.

Thus from 1839 until Grundtvig's death the chapel at Vartov became his
home and that of his friends and the center of the fast growing
Grundtvigian movement. People from all walks of life, from the Queen to
the common laborer, became regular attendants at the unpretentious
sanctuary, and the eyes of some old people still shine when they recall
th