Lina Sandell
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Lina Sandell (full name: Karolina Wilhelmina Sandell-Berg) (3 October 1832 – 27 July 1903) was a Swedish poet and author of gospel hymns.


Background

The daughter of a
Lutheran Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...
minister, Sandell grew up in the
rectory A clergy house is the residence, or former residence, of one or more priests or ministers of a given religion, serving as both a home and a base for the occupant's ministry. Residences of this type can have a variety of names, such as manse, p ...
at Fröderyd parish in the Diocese of
Växjö Växjö () is a city and the seat of Växjö Municipality, Kronoberg County, Sweden. It had 71,282 inhabitants (2020) out of a Municipalities of Sweden, municipal population of 97,349 (2024). It is the administrative, cultural, and industrial ce ...
in
Småland Småland () is a historical Provinces of Sweden, province () in southern Sweden. Småland borders Blekinge, Scania, Halland, Västergötland, Östergötland and the island Öland in the Baltic Sea. The name ''Småland'' literally means "small la ...
, Sweden. Lina greatly loved and admired her father. Since she was a frail youngster, she generally preferred to be with him in his study rather than with comrades outdoors. When Lina was just 12 years of age, she had an experience that greatly shaped her entire life. At an early age she had been stricken with a partial paralysis that confined her to bed much of the time. Though the physicians considered her chance for a complete recovery hopeless, her parents always believed that God would in time make her well again. One Sunday morning, while her parents were in church, Lina began reading the Bible and praying earnestly. When her parents returned, they were amazed to find her dressed and walking freely. After this experience of physical healing, Lina began to write verses expressing her gratitude and love for God and published her first book of spiritual poetry when she was 16. At the age of 26 she accompanied her father, Jonas Sandell, on a boat trip across
Lake Vättern A lake is often a naturally occurring, relatively large and fixed body of water on or near the Earth's surface. It is localized in a basin or interconnected basins surrounded by dry land. Lakes lie completely on land and are separate from t ...
, during which he fell overboard and drowned in her presence. Although Lina had written many hymn texts prior to this tragic experience, now more than ever poetic thoughts began to flow from her broken heart. All of her hymns reflect a tender, childlike trust in her Savior and a deep sense of his abiding presence in her life.


Career

Sandell went on to write over six hundred hymns, including '' Tryggare kan ingen vara'' (Children of the Heavenly Father)''The Story of Our Hymns'' by Ernest Edwin Ryden (Rock Island, IL: Augustana Book Concern, 1930) pp. 176-180. and '' Blott en dag'' (Day by day). Some were published in the 1819
Church of Sweden The Church of Sweden () is an Evangelical Lutheran national church in Sweden. A former state church, headquartered in Uppsala, with around 5.5 million members at year end 2023, it is the largest Christian denomination in Sweden, the largest List ...
hymnal, '' Den svenska psalmboken''. She was friends with fellow hymnwriter Agatha Rosenius. Sandell's popularity owed much to the performances of Oscar Ahnfelt, who set many of her verses to music. He played his guitar and sang her hymns throughout
Scandinavia Scandinavia is a subregion#Europe, subregion of northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It can sometimes also ...
. Of him she once said, "Ahnfelt has sung my songs into the hearts of the people". The "Swedish Nightingale"
Jenny Lind Johanna Maria Lind (Madame Goldschmidt) (6 October 18202 November 1887) was a Swedish opera singer, often called the "Swedish Nightingale". One of the most highly regarded singers of the 19th century, she performed in soprano roles in opera in ...
also promoted Sandell's hymns by singing them in concert and financing their publication.


Personal life

She was married in 1867 to wholesale merchant and future member of the Swedish Parliament, (1839–1903). They established their residence in Stockholm. Their only child died at birth. Sandell was friends with and mentored by member of Parliament Thor Hartwig Odencrants. In 1892, Sandell became ill with typhoid fever. She died in 1903 at the age of seventy and was buried at Solna Church in greater Stockholm. Berg died due to complications caused by diabetes in October that same year.


Legacy

The train Y32 1404, of Krösatågen in
Småland Småland () is a historical Provinces of Sweden, province () in southern Sweden. Småland borders Blekinge, Scania, Halland, Västergötland, Östergötland and the island Öland in the Baltic Sea. The name ''Småland'' literally means "small la ...
and
Halland Halland () is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden (''landskap''), on the western coast of Götaland, southern Sweden. It borders Västergötland, Småland, Skåne, Scania and the sea of Kattegat. Until 1645 and the Second Treaty of Br ...
, which moves across the railway tracks between
Jönköping Jönköping (, ) is a Urban areas in Sweden, city in southern Sweden with 112,766 inhabitants (2022). Jönköping is situated on the southern shore of Sweden's second largest lake, Vättern, in the province of Småland. The city is the seat o ...
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Växjö Växjö () is a city and the seat of Växjö Municipality, Kronoberg County, Sweden. It had 71,282 inhabitants (2020) out of a Municipalities of Sweden, municipal population of 97,349 (2024). It is the administrative, cultural, and industrial ce ...
,
Nässjö Nässjö () is a locality and the seat of Nässjö Municipality, Jönköping County, Sweden with 31,782 inhabitants in 2024. History For many years, Nässjö was a rural village with agriculture as the dominant occupation. The turning point wa ...
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Halmstad Halmstad () is a port, university, industrial and recreational urban areas of Sweden, city at the mouth of the Nissan (river), Nissan river, in the provinces of Sweden, province of Halland on the Sweden, Swedish west coast. Halmstad is the seat ...
and Jönköping-
Tranås Tranås () is a Urban areas in Sweden, locality and the seat of Tranås Municipality, Jönköping County, Sweden with 14,197 inhabitants in 2010. Overview It is close to the lake Sommen in the north of Småland. Its main commercial center is locat ...
, has been named Lina Sandell. There is a statue of Sandell at North Park University in Chicago, Illinois.


References


Further reading

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External links

Images
Lina Sandell photoLina Sandell drawingLina Sandell statue in Fröderyd
Articles
The inspiration is called GodLina Sandell and Oscar Ahnfelt

Lina Sandell at Augustana Heritage
Swedish and English lyrics
Carolina Sandell at the HymnaryLina Sandell Berg at the HymnaryLina Sandell at Swedish Wikisource
Discography
Lina Sandell
on Victor Records ;Streaming audio
Lina Sandell and Oscar Ahnfelt
;Videos * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sandell, Lina 1832 births 1903 deaths Swedish Lutheran hymnwriters People from Vetlanda Municipality Swedish Lutherans Swedish songwriters 19th-century Swedish writers 19th-century Swedish women writers Women hymnwriters 19th-century Swedish women musicians 19th-century Lutherans