st was strongly influenced by the so-called "New
Theology," which had swept over all Europe at that time. His poems and
hymns from this period bear unmistakable marks of these rationalizing
tendencies. Even some of the hymns in the first part of the "Psalm-book,"
dealing with the person and attributes of God, are not entirely free from
suspicion.

However, as Wallin became more and more absorbed in his great task, his
own spiritual life seems to have been deepened and a new and richer note
began to ring forth from his hymns. In 1816 this change was made manifest
in an address Wallin delivered before the Swedish Bible Society, in which
he declared war on rationalism and the "New Theology," and took his stand
squarely upon the faith and confessions of the Lutheran Church. He said:

"So far had we traveled in what our age termed 'enlightenment' and
another age shall call 'darkness,' that the very Word of God ... was
regarded as a sort of contribution to the ancient history which had
already served its purpose and was needed no more."

The atonement of Christ now became the central theme in his hymn-book,
the pure evangelical tone of which may be heard in one of his own hymns:

There is a truth so dear to me,
I'll hold it fast eternally,
It is my soul's chief treasure:
That Jesus for the world hath died,
He for my sins was crucified--
O love beyond all measure!
O blessed tidings of God's grace,
That He who gave the thief a place
To paradise will take me
And God's own child will make me!

Kind Shepherd, Son of God, to Thee
Mine eyes, my heart, so yearningly,
And helpless hands are lifted.
From Thee I strayed; ah, leave me not,
But cleanse my soul from each dark blot,
For I am sore afflicted.
A wandering sheep, but now restored,
Ah, bear me to Thy fold, dear Lord,
And let me leave Thee never,
O Thou who lovest ever!

Again we find him giving expression to faith's certainty in a stanza that
has become very dear to the Swedish people:

Blessed, blessed he who knoweth
That his faith on Thee is founded,
Whom the Father's love bestoweth
Of eternal grace unbounded,
Jesus Christ, to every nation
A Redeemer freely given,
In whose Name is our salvation,
And none else in earth or heaven.

The poetic utterance and exalted language of Wallin's hymns made him the
hymnist _par excellence_ for festival