25. How Hauge Disarms His Enemies

HOW HAUGE DISARMS HIS ENEMIES.

Once he met a school teacher “with great courage and mistaken opinions,” who assailed him with cursing and profanity. Hauge answered him then that the Word of God teaches us not to carry on like that. Then the schoolmaster became enraged, struck him and wanted to throw him out, although they were in another man’s house. Hauge asked him to wait until he had paid the hostess for the lodgings. After that was done, he calmly buttoned up his overcoat and said in his peculiar, impressive way: “It is good to be well dressed when it is cold; also to be prepared with Christian love, so I can pray for those who assault and persecute me.” There words “hit the man’s heart” and loosened his tears, so he could hardly sob his farewell and wish a good journey to Hauge.

Another time it was an assessor Z., who treated Hauge cruelly. The assessor met him at the home of one of the farmers in his district. As soon as he saw him he grabbed a big stick and hit so he even injured him. Hauge was calm as usual; he patted his pursuer on the shoulder, asked him to calm his anger, pointed out to him that there awaits them both an eternity. If they should be able to congregate in the hereafter in eternal happiness, then they must be united here in God, etc. The Christian love’s superior power showed itself here also; the opponent became calm and shameful.

To Be Continued....