Árdís - 01.01.1950, Page 39

Ársrit Bandalags lúterskra kvenna
37
Hallgrimur. She must have been a woman of outstanding beauty
since the highest ransom was asked for her. Gudriður had been
married before being captivated, and as far as they knew her
husband was still living in Iceland. Hallgrimur fell in love with
this woman and decided to go back to Iceland with her and the
other captives the following spring.
Shortly after their arrival in Iceland and finding that her
husband was dead, Hallgrimur and Gudriður were married. Her
childhood faith was not easily restored to her, and her Moham-
medan leanings caused Hallgrimur grief and vexation throughout
their married life. For the next few years they lived in dire poverty,
Hallgrimur hiring out as laborer to farmers in the vicinity of
Reykjavik. At this time the parish of Hvalsnes was vacant. There
was dearth of clergymen and besides, this poor parish was having
trouble through some of its leaders who opposed the Church.
Hallgrimur was advised by his friends to apply for the parish,
and acting on this advice he went to Skálholt where Brynjolfur
Sveinsson was now Bishop — asking to be ordained to the ministry.
He was received cordially and his wish was granted. The bishop
fitted him with garments as he would need and gave him a horse,
then sént him back to his charge at Hvalsnes. This was in 1644.
His reception at Hvalsnes was not a friendly one. The leaders
considered it an insult to receive this common, poverty stricken
laborer as their minister. The seven years which Hallgrimur and
his wife spent there were years of hardship, poverty and persecu-
tion. He was frequently humiliated and embarrassed by his
parishioners. These adversities however only strengthened his
resolve to remain faithful and courageous in the administration of
his pastoral duty.
It must be remembered that the social conditions and habits of
life in Hallgrimur Petursson’s age were totally different from what
they are today. Having lived in the parish for a year I am in
position to say that the people are friendly and co-operative —
and that they love and respect their minister. Hallgrimur became
known as a gifted poet, and for his intellectual and spiritual
qualities. He helped to dispel the superstitions and witchcraft so
rampant in Iceland during the seventeenth century. Anxious to
reach and influence the illiterate masses, he applied his poetry to
the Scriptures. These would be memorized because the Icelanders