[3] He remembered his maternal grandfather as being a positive religious influence on him, later writing: "In my associations with him I soon experienced the sweetness of being in the house of my heavenly Father.

Christian Scriver's Seelen-Schatz ('The Soul's Treasure') played a role in helping him through it, which led him to a focus on the Bible; he then went through a period in which he was influenced by Moravian teachings.

In 1780 he was ordained a priest in Kalmar, where he served as house preacher to Privy Councillor Christopher Falkengréen [sv] and as a private instructor at Danerum in Ryssby.

Schartau became renowned for his harsh and strict sermons, which came to influence several young priests, many of them in the Diocese of Gothenburg.

[citation needed] He gathered audiences from all walks of life, although professors were initially largely absent from his services and hearings.

His influence extended to preachers such as Gerhard Gerhardsson, Peter Fjellstedt, and those in the free church movement such as Lars Vilhelm Henschen.

The statue, made by sculptor Peter Linde, was a gift to the Cathedral Council received by Christina Odenberg and unveiled on 31 October 2003 by Archbishop K. G. Hammar.