Summary
During the summer of 1880, two years before Storm's mission house is built, a French ship called L'Univers sails from New York to Havre, France. The ship's captain sees the ghostly figure of his mother, dressed like a priest, and two acolytes, performing a funeral rite presumably for him. As soon as these specters disappear, a ship collides with L'Univers, causing immediate panic and action. The captain, however, is unafraid, as his mother's appearance gave him "a foretaste of death which was sweet and mild."
Unafraid of death, an older woman, Mrs. Hoggs, calmly finds a lifeboat as the other passengers fight to escape, many falling overboard in the chaos and individuals shooting one another for spots on the overturning lifeboats. An American mother and honeymooning couple also witness savagery and violence as people attempt to save themselves at any cost. As Mrs. Gordon lies dying, she thinks of God and accepts her death, hearing an unidentified voice proclaim, "That which is needed to make life as easy as death is UNITY, UNITY, UNITY." Soon after, she is rescued, though most passengers float lifeless in the water.
In Dalarna, an elderly woman, Eva Gunnersdotter, makes her way out of her hut in the woods to attend one of the Hellgumist meetings on Ingmar farm. However, Hellgum himself is exiled in America. As she walks, she reflects on the past five years of Hellgum's sect and bemoans how many villagers "backslid" in their religious faith. Because of Hellgum's recent teachings on punishment and hell, Eva imagines her idyllic, snow-covered village violently destroyed by the rapture. Seized by a premonition, she declares in the middle of town that because of the unbelievers, the entire community "must all perish."
She joins with other Hellgumists who appear dejected at their low numbers and anxious that Hellgum called a meeting during the week. Together, the group reads Hellgum's letter, which reveals that in Chicago, Hellgum converted the Gordon family to his cause after Mrs. Gordon experienced a spiritual awakening during the shipwreck of L'Univers. The Gordons established a commune in Jerusalem, and Hellgum encourages his followers to move there and join them. Though most of Hellgum's followers fear leaving their homeland and families, Eva believes that Hellgum's invitation means that "God wanted to spare them" from the impending rapture "as He had once spared Noah and Lot."
One after another, the Hellgumists feel the "Voice of God" convicting them to move to Jerusalem, except Eva, who hears nothing. Infuriated, she curses the other Hellgumists, claiming they are "misguided fools running after false prophets," and decides to stay, believing that she and the people in Sweden "shall live" while "fire and brimstone will rain" on those who go to Jerusalem.
Gertrude and Ingmar stand on the site where they will build their future house, discussing how they will decorate it and exchanging secrets about the preparations they individually made. Eva passes by, mumbling that Gertrude and Ingmar's "happiness shall last no longer than from daybreak to rosy dawn," though the young couple believes the prophecy cannot apply to them.
The parson drives through a blizzard and reaches a massive snowdrift at Ingmar Farm. Though risking his life, he decides to climb over it without any help, as "he had not exchanged a word with either Karin or Halvor in upward of five years" due to their conversion to Hellgum's faith. However, the pastor's horse is lost in the snowdrift, and he seeks help from those at the farm, who receive him warmly and invite him to stay for supper. When the pastor returns home, Halvor gives him a message to read during church, announcing that the Ingmar Farm is up for sale because the Hellgumists are moving to Jerusalem.
Hök Matts Ericsson and his son, Gabriel, survey their farm and its bountiful crops, which are up for sale. Though Ericsson is pleased and excited to move to Jerusalem, he feels melancholy selling his property after all the work he put into his farm, which was once "a piece of wasteland" of which half "was bog, the other half a mass of stones." He also fears that the corporation to which he sells his farm will disrespect and destroy the land. His son tries to convince him that moving to Jerusalem is God's reward for working hard and a more fulfilling life than running a farm. However, when Ericsson goes to sign the deed of sale, he refuses until Gabriel says that regardless of his father's choice, he will go to Jerusalem. Though Hök Matts Ericsson does not want to leave his son, he cannot bring himself to sign the deed.
Analysis
The description of the shipwreck serves multiple purposes in the text. Jerusalem is based loosely on the American Colony in Jerusalem, established by Horatio and Anna Spafford. Like Mrs. Gordon in the text, Anna Spafford survived a lethal shipwreck, losing her children in the process, which urged her toward religion. In the context of the text itself, "The Loss of L'Univers" comments on Hellgum's assessment of humanity and the value of faith during times of crisis. Hellgum believes that human beings, faced with crisis, will prioritize their own profit and survival, abandoning Christian principles and unity—though they may turn to certain forms of religion in the process. The chaotic violence during the shipwreck proves Hellgum's point. As Mrs. Gordon lies dying, and the sailors encounter the grim image of hundreds of lifeless bodies, they turn to prayer and religion to process their trauma. Thus, in the novel, religious devotion is a natural consequence of traumatic events.
Biblical allusions are a motif used throughout the text, both explicitly and implicitly. Hellgum's letter is sealed with seven stamps, which Eva Gunsdatter equates to the "Seven Seals" of Revelation. In the final book of the Bible, a prophet predicts that breaking the seven seals on a sacred scroll will usher in the apocalypse. According to Revelation, the world's destruction will create a paradise called the "New Jerusalem." Similarly, Hellgum's letter, containing instructions for his followers to travel to Jerusalem, incites a period of turmoil and destruction in Dalarna. However, the Hellgumists intend to create a paradise in Jerusalem. Thus, Eva's comparison is apt and prescient.
The format of the chapter "Hellgum's Letter" evokes a religious sermon. Halvor reads Hellgum's letter aloud to the Hellgumists gathered for a religious meeting. In his writing, Hellgum employs phrases such as "For be it known unto you," "It so happened," and "said of them," which mimic the writing style of the King James Bible. Thus, Hellgum's account reads like a Bible story, demonstrating his belief in the significance and superiority of his own religion, which he sees as an extension of God's providence. The letter is ironic and comedic, as Hellgum is known as a poor public speaker. However, he enraptures his followers through his writing and is exiled from Dalarna, yet maintains a sense of his own importance.
Eva, the most devoted of Hellgum's followers, is the only one who does not hear "the Voice of God." Though she criticizes other villagers for their faithlessness and unwillingness to follow Hellgum, she quickly condemns the Hellgumists who received spiritual confirmation. Eva's highly ironic change of heart adds a layer of depth to the theme of religious devotion. Eva's passion for Hellgum's cause was born primarily through a desire for connection and belonging, as she spent most of her life at the fringes of society, living in solitude in the woods. The Hellgumists sought her out to convert her, providing her with companionship and a purpose. However, when Eva experiences exclusion and belonging, she rescinds her loyalty. For her, religious devotion was a tool for connection.
The chapter "Hök Matts Ericsson" opens with Hök Matts Ericsson surveying his land, which he intends to sell. The pastoral descriptions of the farm parallel the novel's opening chapters, where Ingmar Ingmarsson admires his land while contemplating forgiving Brita. This parallelism emphasizes the theme of "Connection to Land and Community." In fact, for Hök Matts Ericsson, connection to land supersedes religious devotion, as he refuses to sell the land. Though he believes going to Jerusalem is necessary for "his soul's salvation," he is still unable to forsake his legacy and the fruits of his labor. He signs his first and middle name but cannot write Ericsson, his family name.
