Section 248

newly acquired territory, and the pagan party once more restored tlie ancient rites. But this state of mat- ters was of short continuance. Olaf the Thick (usually surnamod the Saint), who delivered Norway from her foreign rulers, came into the country in 1015, when already a dociiled Christian, with hishops and priests whom he had brought with him from England. He resolved to force Christianity upon the people, and ac- cordingly the obstinate and refractory were threatened with contiscation of their goods, and in some cases with death itself. Many professed to yield through fear, and submitted to be baptized ; but they continued secretly to practice their pagan ceremonies. In the province of I Ualen the idolaters were headed by a powerful man named Gudbrand, who assembled the people, and per- suaded them that if they would only bring out a colos- sal statue of their great god Thor, Olaf and his whole force would melt like wax. It was agreed on both sides that each party should try the power of its own god. The night preceding the meeting was spent by Olaf in secret prayer. Next day the colossal image of Thor, adorned profusely with gold and silver, ^vas drawn into the public place, where crowds of pagans gathered around the image. The king stationed beside himself Kolbein, one of his guard, a man of gigantic stature and great bodily strength. Gudbrand commenced the pro- ceedings by challenging the Christians to produce evi- dence of the power of their God, and pointing them to the colossal image of the mighty Thor. To this boast- ful address Olaf replied, taunting the pagans with wor- shipiiing a blind and deaf god, and calling upon them to lift their eyes to heaven, and behold the Christian's God as he revealed himself in the radiant light. At the utterance of these words the sun burst forth with the brightest effnlgence, and at the same moment Kolbein demolished the idol with a single blow of a heavy mal- let which he carried in liis hand. The monster fell, crumbled into fragments, from which crept a great mul- titude of mice, snakes, and lizards. The scene produced a powerfid effect upon the pagans, many of whom were from that moment convinced of the utter futility of their idols. The severity, however, with which Olaf had con- ducted his government, prepared the way for the con- quest of the country by Canute, king of Denmark and England. The banished Olaf returned, and, raising an army composed wholly of Christians, made arrange- ments for a new struggle. He fell mortally wounded in battle, Aug. 31, 1030 — a day which was universally observed as a festival by the people of the North in honor of Olaf, whom they hesitated not to style a Chris- tian martyr. This monarch, whose memory was long held in the highest estimation, had labored zealously for the spread of Christianity, not only in Norway, but also in the islands peopled by Norwegian colonies, such as Iceland, the Orkneys, and the Faroe Islands. His short reign was, in fact, wholly devoted to the propaga- tion of the new faith by means the most revolting to humanity. His general practice was to enter a district at the head of a powerfid army, summon a council, or Thing, as it was called, and give tlie people the alterna- tive of fighting with him or being baptized. IMost of them preferred baptism to the risk of tigliting with an enem_y so well prejjared for the combat, and thus a large number made a nominal profession of Christianity. On the death of king Caimte, Nov. 12, 103.5, Olaf's son, Mag- nus I, recovered possession of the Norwegian throne; and thenceforth, till 1319, Norway continued under the sway of native kings, who were also devoted adherents of Christianity, i. e. of a Christianity as they understood it. They were zealous for the upbuilding of Romish Christianity, and even shared in the crusading move- ment for regaining Palestine. Indeed, ever since the light of Ciiristianity had ilawned on Scandinavia, a general desire prevailed among the people to visit the Hoh- Land. Several of the Norwegian kings and princes had made a pilgrimage to the Holy Sepulchre; and during the reign of Magnus Barfoed, a chieftain