7. Hauge's Public Appearances

HAUGE’S PUBLIC APPEARANCE

After the spiritual peace and rest followed work and struggle. He became very distressed over some things which are deep and inscrutable for a poor human, but through inquiry and prayers, through the help of God, he conquered the temptations, as he in his simple way believed in God’s Word and there found rest.

He also experienced the struggle between the yearning of the spirit and the cravings of the flesh. He took up this struggle very seriously, and fought and prayed. “I lay a whole night,” he said, “and fought and prayed to God, that I might be freed from the wicked desires and said: ‘My dear Father and holy God! I cannot serve Thee or confess Thy name to men or instruct others, when I myself am beset with wicked desires!” But he soon learned to understand that such temptations and struggles were necessary in order to keep him humble before God.

As he more and more learned to know about Adam’s shameful fall within himself the plainer he saw that the strength of God is made perfect through weakness.

Amid such inner struggles Hauge started to bear witness to his fellow men. He entered upon his duties first by speaking to individuals, leading them on the road to eternal life. When he met people on the road or they came to him in his home, he talked to them and showed them how important it is to work towards our salvation. His general conduct attracted attention and caused stir among the people; some changed, and he was gladdened in seeing the fruit of his work.

In the fall he started to hold prayer meetings, and then began the common revival. But then Hauge, with his testimony became a real testing stone for others, as he himself also was tried. Some were awakened and became worried about their salvation; others scoffed at him and trumped up all kinds of stories about him; some praised him, others criticized him; and here he stood in the midst of the excitement, with danger on all sides. But the Lord helped him and kept him, on one side from despair, on the other from pride. His motto was: The good I might have done is not done by myself, but by the good God who has enlightened me with His Holy Spirit, for which I will praise and thank Him and His dear Son, Jesus Christ.

While he experienced great joy by seeing sinners converted, at the same time as he grieved over people’s apostasy, he was forced forward to bear testimony. He felt sometimes quite despondent when he thought of the greatness of the task. Had he earlier said to the Lord: Send me! in these dark moments he said: Send somebody else! “Once I was in the woods with my brother and cut trees,” he said. “Then my mind became very agitated at the thought of the infidel race of the time, and with all my eagerness I doubted that men in general could be brought to see the truth; for the great majority of them mocked and despised me and my talk; some were indifferent, and few were sincere. Then I called to God and wept so violently that the tears streamed from my eyes, and I admonished the Lord to take this heavy duty from me, namely, to confess His name, and rather send a bishop or another great man; the people would listen to him and respect his talk, me they did not respect.”

For his own part he wished he might die. His sister Anna was sickly, and it seemed that her days were soon numbered; it was his wish then to be permitted to follow her in death, in this way to be spared from all trouble and sorrow.

Then he heard a voice in his inner self which said: “Do you wish to die now? You have formerly served sin, will you not now, when you are saved, bring Me some fruit of My work in you? You have promised to serve Me. I have often used the lowly in this world to spread My Kingdom, for to this I have called those from the plow, shepherds, fishermen and publicans. I will give you strength and wisdom, which your enemies shall not be able to withstand. Be firm in your purpose and continue in patience.” Then I said: “Yes, when Thou, my God, will strengthen me, then I shall be willing.”

Another incident which was painful for Hauge, was that he was put at odds with “Sebergianerne,” followers of Pastor Seeberg. These people were taken in by Herrnhutism, but carried their separate opinions to such extremes that it led to lawlessness and plain sin. This estranged Hauge from that trend of mind.

Through all these tribulations he was stripped of all his own, and learned to understand that it was through the virtue of the Lord he should fight and conquer, besides which he won quite a little experience, which later on in his particular calling helped him a great deal.

To be continued...