4-Hauge's View of His Generation

HAUGE’S VIEW OF HIS GENERATION.

We will let this wakened man put down for us with his own words the dark slate, as he viewed it, when he received his spiritual vision. He says: “The greater part of the people live in spiritual ignorance. They commit adultery and murder; the one betrays the other, and covet their neighbor’s property instead of helping him.”

Gluttony and drunkenness and anxiety for the daily bread had the upper hand so much so that many didn’t consider these bad vices as sin. Cursing and swearing and injustices were common, and loving kindness had grown cold. The sins, manifested in many forms, had spread in all directions. Many were worse than heathens in all vices, and God’s Word and Name was not respected.

Others no doubt appear to be living decent, but are spiritually dead anyway. They pray, read and sing, but they entertain the lusts of the flesh in their hearts, and are such barren trees, bearing evil fruits. These rationalists deny Christianity in its very essence. They need no “redeemer,” they only want a “teacher.” Without conversion, without life in God, they live their days in conceit. When death comes, they start to pray and say: “Lord, have mercy upon me!” And then God says: “I do not know you!” for through “literal knowledge” or through “self-assumed consolation” nobody can come to God.

The teacher makes the way to Heaven broad, so the Lord must lament now as before: My people are lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray. The clergymen who are dead in sin, close heaven; for they speak perverse things. The carnal clergy live either in obvious vices or in debauched self-righteousness. What especially brings a curse upon them and their official duty is their avarice. They are hirelings. Such kind of shepherds are paid well to lead their flock; everybody may get forgiveness for their sins, particularly when they can pay what they are asked to pay. They deceive the souls with hope of salvation until they awake in hell.

What these ministers aimed at was a fat pastorate and money; then they pass away the time with their friends at cards, theatres or other sensual amusements, but if a poor man wants to talk to the minister, gifts are expected from him, and the minister will find some leisure time to give him. For money they judge people saved in their funeral sermons, so here may be applied the prophet’s words: “My people, those, who deem you saved, they beguile you, etc.”

Thus Hauge saw the condition of the people, and anything worse can not be said either of people or clergy. Realizing this, he was seized with fervent sorrow and compassion for his people. He intercedes for them and prays that God will help him to appear as a Lord’s witness in this, the dark night of sin. He received a reply to his prayer; he was told to confess the name of the Lord before men, exhort them to repent and seek the Lord while he is to be found. He preached conversion for his people.

He himself being one of the masses, he understood, as very few could, how to bring out the life in God in such a manner that it could be grasped even by the simplest, both in print and on platforms. He walked from parish to parish, from town to town over the whole country, to bring the “celestial flame” to as many as would accept it. In regard to spiritual talent and personal independence, he was equal to any man in the land, learned or unlearned. Therefore he could with full authority lift up his voice both to punish and admonish.

Hauge was confident in his conviction, and stood firm on his calling from God to proclaim the truth for his people and awaken the sleeping to life. When he would try to be silent, his conscience started to bother him, and he was disciplined as one who is not faithful to his calling. He felt like the apostle when he says: “Woe to me, if I don’t preach the gospel.”

To Be continued...