King Harold, in 990, returned to paganism and drove
out the Christian priests; but his son, Canute the Great, who began to
reign in 1014, was converted to Christianity in England, and became its
zealous friend. But these fierce warriors made rather poor Christians.
Adam of Bremen says: "They so abominate tears and lamentations, and all
other signs of penitence which we think so salubrious, that they will
neither weep for their own sins nor at the death of their best friends."
Thus, in these Northern regions, Christianity grew through one or two
centuries, not like the mustard-seed, but like the leaven, infusing itself
more and more into their national life. According to the testimony of an
eye-witness, Adam of Bremen, the Swedes were very susceptible to religious
impressions. "They receive the preachers of the truth with great
kindness," says he, "if they are modest, wise, and able; and our bishops
are even allowed to preach in their great public assemblies." In Norway,
Prince Hacon, in the middle of the tenth century, attempted to establish
Christianity, which he had learned in England. He proposed to the great
national assembly that the whole nation should renounce idolatry, worship
God and Christ, keep Sundays as festivals, and Fridays as fasts. Great
opposition was made, and there was danger of universal insurrection, so
that the king had to yield, and even himself drink a toast to Odin and eat
horse-flesh, which was a heathen practice. Subsequent kings of Norway
introduced Christianity again; but the people, though willing to be
baptized, frequently continued Pagans, and only by degrees renounced, with
their old worship, their habits of piracy. The Icelanders embraced
Christianity at their All-Thing in the year 1000, but with the condition
that they might also continue their old worship, and be permitted the
eating of horse-flesh and exposition of infants. When the All-Thing broke
up, the assembled multitudes went to the hot-baths to be baptized,
preferring for this rite hot water to cold. The Scandinavians seem at this
period to have lost their faith in their old religion, and to have been in
a transition state. One warrior says that he relies more on his own
strength and arms than upon Thor. Another says, "I would have thee know
that I believe neither in idols nor spirits, but only in my own force and
courage." A warrior told King Olaff in Norway, "I am neither Christian nor
Pagan. My companions and I have no other