Books: Personal Experiences of S. O. Susag
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S. O. Susag >> Personal Experiences of S. O. Susag
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He came and went through the entire camp meeting without receiving the
faith he needed to get saved and healed, but he remained another day and I
had time to more thoroughly instruct him. He did get saved and was
perfectly healed.
A DOCTOR'S DAUGHTER HEALED
I was asked at one time to come to a certain city to preach for a certain
denomination for a couple of weeks, which I did. On coming I found that I
was to stay with a certain doctor who had a daughter five years old. One
afternoon she was sitting talking with me and I found her almost as smart
as a high school girl. Toward evening I said to her, "Honey, you are sick."
She shrugged her shoulders and said, "I'll be all right in the morning."
But she became seriously ill that evening, insomuch that the next day her
father sent for another doctor, a nurse and a lady to help. About three
o'clock the third morning the doctor came up into my room and made a
confession which he needed not to have made. Then he said, "I've come to my
wit's end; I know of no help for the child. But would you please pray for
her? But pray right away, as she may pass away any time." I began to pray
right away. I put on my clothes and ran down stairs, praying all the while.
When I got down stairs everything was quiet, and when the doctor met me, he
said, "Less than three minutes after you commenced to pray my daughter went
to sleep, and I believe when she wakes up she will be well." She slept
until four in the afternoon. When she awakened, she said, "I want to get up
and dress." The doctor said, "No, honey, you can't do that; you have been
awful sick. You will have to stay in bed and be quiet until you get
stronger." She said, "Where is Brother Susag?" He said, "Do you want to see
him?" She said, yes, so they called me and I said, "Praise the Lord,
honey." She said, "Can't I dress?" "Sure, you can dress," I said, and so
they dressed her. Then she said, "Now I want to get up and run." Again the
doctor said, "You can't do that." She said, "Brother Susag, can't I run?" I
said, "Sure, you can run," and out of the bed she went, but she stumbled
against the wall, and the doctor went to catch her. She said, "Don't touch
me. If I need help, Brother Susag can help me." Then through the house she
ran with the father, mother and nurse after her. I was standing in the
middle of the room praising God. Finally she stopped and faced her father
and said, "Can't I run, daddy?" He said, "Sure you can, honey."
Her father came and put his arms around my neck weeping and said, "You
saved the life of my child." I answered, "No, I didn't." He said, "Who did
then?" I said, "You made a humble confession and asked one of the Lord's
servants to pray, and the Lord honored your faith and healed her." "Yes,"
he said, "but if you hadn't been here she would have been dead now."
A humble confession is a sure stepping stone to faith.
* * * * *
HEALED OF PARALYSIS
Not long ago the Lord said to me. "You go to such and such a church
tonight," which I did. After service was over, a man who had been paralyzed
from his waist down for a long time, asked me to pray for him. The prayer
of faith was offered and he was instantly healed. To corroborate the above,
will say that later I met a minister of another denomination who knew the
case and he said that this man had retained his healing.
* * * * *
DELIVERED FROM A SINKING SHIP
I wish to rewrite an incident given in Brother E. E. Byrum's book,
"Startling Incidents and Experiences in the Christian Life." As it was
given to him verbally, and I did not see the manuscript to correct it after
it was written. But on reading the article in his book, I discovered that
he had forgotten some of the facts. I am rewriting it here, praying that it
may prove a blessing.
For the glory of God I desire to relate some incidents connected with my
trips to Scandinavia in the years 1904-05. While I was engaged in
evangelistic work in North Dakota in the fall of 1904, the brethren in New
York City wrote me about making them a visit. After praying earnestly for
the Lord to make known his will in the matter, I decided to go, and felt
that if I went to New York I also ought to make a trip across the Atlantic
to Norway to see my parents and relatives whom I had not seen for
twenty-four years.
In the latter part of November it was made very clear to me by the Holy
Spirit that I should go, and about the middle of December I left my home
for New York City. On the 24th of December my wife took so seriously ill
that she was not expected to live. She had faith that the Lord would raise
her up, but the children were much distressed, fearing that their mother
was going to die, and knowing that their father was on his way to a foreign
land, not intending to return for several months. They begged to have a
telegram sent to me asking me to return. Finally about two o'clock in the
night, when she was getting very low, and the children would not be
comforted in any other way, she consented to have a telegram sent to the
missionary home in New York City. Knowing as she did that it was God's will
for me to go to Norway and knowing also that if I returned so soon, I could
not go if she should recover, she prayed earnestly that the Lord would
hinder me from getting the telegram, which he did. God heard her prayer and
also healed her. After stopping with the church in New York for sometime, I
went to Boston, and thence on the 20th of January, 1905 sailed on the
Steamship Saxonia of the Cunard line for Liverpool, England. Everything
went well--the Atlantic was the smoothest I had ever seen it. I wondered
how it could be otherwise, inasmuch as my family and many people of God
were sending up earnest prayers for my safe journey. My journey from
Liverpool to Hull was by railroad, but at the latter place, I embarked on
the S. S. Tasso of the Wilson Line bound for Tronheim, Norway. Getting into
the North Sea we had a very rough voyage. We were to make our first stop at
Stavanger, but the weather was so stormy as we neared the coast that
evening that we did not dare to sail in the dark. Consequently we anchored
out in the North Sea for the night. While the ship tossed up and down and
back and forth through the night, I dreamed the ship was going on dry land.
I could hear the screeching as it went on the rocks and chills went down my
back. Then the scene changed. In my dream I seemed to be on land standing
looking at the ship going, and wondering why it did not tip over. I looked
close and on the right hand side of the ship was a large stone, almost as
high as the ship, scraping against its side. On the left side was a small
stone steadying it as it moved along. Finally it moved out into deep water
and turned to the left, and in a little while we landed at our destination,
Tronheim. In the morning I told my dream at the breakfast table and said,
"We may have an accident before we get through." The people laughed and
said, "Do preachers believe in dreams?" I said, "Yes, when they come true."
They thought there was no danger, for the reason the ship was so large.
"Well," I said, "it is very stormy weather and the sea is full of rocks
along the coast and we do not know what may happen." That day we landed
safely in Stavanger, and then went to our next stop, Bergen. Leaving there
we encountered the roughest sailing I had ever experienced. Four ships
started out at the same time from the dock, and only one was able to anchor
at the next stop, Aalesund, so we had to anchor out in the ocean. The next
morning we were able to land at the dock. Thence we went to Christiansund,
which was our last stop before our final destination. It was a good harbor,
and were ready to leave there at 8 p.m., but as the storm was still raging
out in the sea, the captain decided to remain in the harbor until twelve
o'clock. Then we should land at our destination at eight o'clock in the
morning. At twelve o'clock we left the harbor. The storm was still raging
and a heavy snow was falling. At 1:15 a.m. I felt a shock and heard the
same screeching noise that I had heard in my dream and knew at once what
had happened. Immediately the stewart came running into the stateroom
calling, "Everybody up! take nothing along. We are sinking!"
Quicker than I can tell you the seven men with me in the stateroom were up
and dressing, putting on all the clothes they could. Up the stairs they
went, throwing away their tobacco and pipes, and leaving behind their
whisky bottles, some empty and some partly empty. I got up, dressed, took
my Bible and read a little. Then I knelt down and had prayer. The stewart
came down and said, "Aren't you in a hurry? We are sinking!" I said, "No,
he that believeth shall make no haste." He looked at me and went on the
deck. The snow storm was whistling wildly through the tackling of the ship,
and the seamen were working with all their might to lower the life boats.
Others were running to and fro. Some women were crying aloud and others
were praying while the water was pouring into the sides of the ship. The
pumps were working to their full capacity, throwing out the water. It was
indeed a sad sight. As a seaman was running by, I asked him to direct me to
the pilot. He looked at me and said in a harsh voice, "What do you want
with the pilot?" and went his way. A little further on I met another
seaman, and asked him the same question. He said, "The pilots are both over
there with the captain," pointing to three men who were standing a short
distance away.
I walked over to where they were standing, conversing with one another. I
saluted them and said to the captain. "Could you spare me a minute or two?"
"If it is important, I can," he replied. "I think it is," I said. "Speak on
then," he said.
I then asked him who the pilot of the boat was, and one pointed to himself
and another man. Then I said to the head pilot, "We are off the rock now,
are we not?" "Yes," he answered. "Did you turn to the left when you turned
off the rock," I asked. "Yes," he replied. "If that is the case we need not
go into the life boats," I replied, "as this boat is going to land in
Tronhein, without loss of life."
The captain looked at me and said, "What do you know about navigation,
man?" pointing to the water that was being pumped out of the ship; "we are
sinking." "I know nothing about navigation," I replied. "Explain yourself,"
he said. Then I told my dream, and when I had finished speaking, I saw the
tears running down the weather-beaten cheeks of the pilots. Then the
captain said, "What kind of a man are you?" I answered, "An ordinary
minister." Then the pilot said to the captain, "We had better listen to
this man. He may be more right than we, because as long as this ship can
hold up, we are safe, but if we go into the boats in this fearful weather
and dark night, we shall soon be dashed to pieces against the rocks."
Then the pilot said to me, "Our ship sticks 28 feet in the water and the
rock we struck was only twelve feet under the water, so you see it is a
great miracle that our ship is not in two, and one end on each side of the
rock. Had that happened, no one would have known what became of us, for we
are now in 53 fathoms of water." Orders were then given not to lower the
life boats.
Then I said to the captain, "Is this the Tasso, that used to sail on Norway
24 years ago?" He replied, "No, that lays on the bottom of the sea six
miles from here. What about it?" I said, "I embarked on that ship at
Tronheim the 27th day of April on a Sunday afternoon at four o'clock, of
the year 1881, with 384 other young people who were sailing for England, on
our way to America. At nine o'clock we got into an awful snowstorm and just
lay drifting until one fifteen a.m., exactly the same time of night as we
struck the rock this time. We went on the rock and turned over on the side
just outside of the Agness lighthouse." Then the captain said, "What kind
of a man are you?" "Just an ordinary minister," I answered. The captain
then told me his father was captain of that ship at that time. (It might be
interesting to the reader to know that we lay on our side until almost six
fifteen in the morning when the ship straightened up as the tide arose.
Then they cut the anchor chain and we backed up and went our way.) Needless
to say, that night was one of the greatest prayer meetings ever held.
While I was speaking with the Captain, the first mate had come, a fine tall
Englishman. "Will you kindly go with me to the front end of the ship and
see if we can see any lights? We are lost. We don't know where we are." I
answered, "I know nothing about navigation sir." He said, "Please go with
me." I did, and coming out there, I saw three lights, and he could not see
any. He said, "Keep your eyes on them, and I'll run for the captain." They
both came running and the captain could not see the lights either. Turning
to me he said, "You must be mistaken." "No sir,"
I replied, "I can see them now." He then asked me the color of the lights.
After I had given him a description of them, he saw them himself and
explained, "They are steamers. Where are we? We are lost!" He called out in
agony.
We lay there until six fifteen in the morning. When we turned around to the
right between the rocks, they knew where to go. The pumps were in full
operation, but our ship was tipping backward more and more as if it were
going to stand on one end. We landed in Tronheim in the afternoon with our
handsatchels and our lives, and as soon as the pumps stopped, the ship
filled with water and sank in the harbor.
I saw an account of the wreck in two Norwegian papers after the ship had
been raised and placed on dry dock. The paper stated that the cargo was a
total loss and the ship was about thirty eight thousand dollars. That
nearly every plate from midship to stern was torn loose, just as I had seen
in my dream and the paper said they could not understand why the ship had
not sunk before, as one plate hole was enough to sink the ship. My wife
wrote me later and said, "I know why the ship did not sink. I and many
others were praying that God would keep that ship on top of the waves,
because he had one of his little ones on the ship." The Lord verified his
promises by hearing the prayers of his people to protect me and bring me
safely to my destination. The blessings of salvation never seemed more real
to me than at that time, as I was enabled to be calm and quiet through all
the perils, having the sweet assurance that the mighty arm of God was
upholding me and protecting not only me, but those who were traveling with
me. He hears and answers prayers. Those who trust and believe in him he
often saves from death and destruction.
HOMEWARD BOUND
My return trip was just as eventful as my trip to Norway. For some time I
had been praying earnestly for the Lord to direct me in getting the right
ship across the ocean, as I was to sail during the stormy season of Spring.
On the twentieth of March, 1905, I left the home of my parents in Norway,
with the intention of sailing the next morning. I was to sail on an English
boat bound for Hull, England, in order to reach the fastest boat on the
Cunard Line bound from Liverpool to New York, as I thought that would be
the best vessel to take. Soon after leaving my fathers home, I stopped at a
little seaport called Levanger to visit a relative of mine for a few hours,
expecting to leave on the evening train, but my relative persuaded me to
stay and take the early morning train. He said I would have ample time to
reach my boat in Tronhiem, but when my train entered the station the next
morning, the ship upon which I had intended sailing was just leaving the
harbor.
I did not understand what this meant, but remembered the scripture which
said that "All things work together for good to those that love the Lord."
Had my plans for reaching the fast steamer from Liverpool to New York
carried and had the ship sailed on schedule, I should have been in New York
in ten days, but now I had to make the best of the situation, so I decided
to embark on the S. S. United States of the Scandinavian-American Line from
Oslo which was due in New York just one week later than the other ship, and
if run on schedule generally arrived in New York nine days after leaving
Oslo.
We sailed from Oslo on time, but after being out at sea for a day, we found
to our surprise and dissatisfaction of many of the passengers that instead
of going direct to New York, we had to go to the Azores to pick up some
passengers from another ship of the same line, as a shaft of that ship had
been broken in a storm on the Atlantic Ocean, and the ship had been towed
to some Island. This made a very long round-about voyage.
With the exception of two or three days of storm, the weather was good, but
the waves rolled exceedingly high every day. By this we knew that farther
north in the ocean, a terrible storm was raging.
Finally after fifteen days of rough sailing, we found ourselves just
outside New York in the midst of a heavy fog, such as I had never before
witnessed. The whistles of the fog horns of the ships kept blowing and the
bells ringing as we slowly proceeded in the afternoon, but finally we had
to anchor, as a pilot from the shore entered our ship and forbade us to go
any further. He said the sea was full of anchored ships on account of the
fog, some of which had been there for three days. He said we could not move
until the wind changed and drove the fog away. I felt quite satisfied,
although like many others, I had been very seasick while on the voyage.
Early the next morning I went on the deck. There was so much unrest and
grumbling among the passengers that it was quite unpleasant for me to stay
on the ship any longer. However, the fog seemed to be thicker than ever. It
was so dense a person could hardly see beyond his outstretched arm. I went
to my room, and there while lying across the bed, prayed earnestly to God
to take away the fog. Then I went on deck and looked, but the fog seemed to
be still worse. I went down and prayed the second time, but found on my
return the fog seemed to be thicker than ever. The third time I went and
prayed, and while I was praying a voice said to me, "Change your clothes."
I knew what it meant. The Lord had heard my prayers. I arose and put on my
best suit of clothes (for I expected soon to be in New York). Then I went
to the breakfast table.
The people were complaining on account of having to remain so long on the
ship. I said, "Before we have finished breakfast, we shall be on our way
into the harbor." Some asked who had said so. I said I had been praying to
God and He had assured me that such would be the case. Eight men got up and
laughed me to scorn, saying, "ha, ha, ha," but while we were eating we
heard something rattle and someone asked. "What is that?" I said, "I
suppose they are raising the anchor." A number sprang from, their seats and
looked through the portholes and the fog was gone, and we were on our way
to the port. Then one man arose and said, "That minister's religion must be
right." After that there was no more laughing and scorning. Thank God, he
stood by me and showed himself mighty in answering my prayers and in
lifting the fog to the astonishment of my fellow travelers. Our ship was
the first one to pass into port, though some had been waiting there for
three days for an opportunity to reach New York.
After landing, I learned that the Cunard liner on which I had intended to
sail from Liverpool, had not yet arrived. It did not arrive until the next
day. According to reports it had the worst voyage that any ship of that
company had had for forty six years, and a number of passengers were badly
hurt, being thrown about by the rolling and tossing of the ship. A young
man who came across the ocean on that ship informed me that a number had to
be tied to their beds, and many were injured. After learning these things,
I perceived that the Lord had answered prayer in a wonderful way. He had
hindered me from embarking on that ship, and had thus spared me much
unnecessary suffering.
Thanks be to his precious and matchless name. It is safe to put our whole
trust in God, because He knows how to protect and shield us from harm and
danger. It is my prayer that the relating of this incident of the Lord's
dealings with me may prove a blessing and inspiration to others, and enable
them to put their whole trust in the Lord in time of difficulty and
distress. He will surely hear and answer prayer when we call upon Him in a
simple childlike manner.
* * * * *
AN ANSWER TO PRAYER
For the glory of God, I wish to relate two very definite instances of
answered prayer.
One time I was holding services nine miles north of Kerkhoven, Minn. The
meetings were very good, but I was under a very severe trial, and it seemed
very difficult for me to learn the will of the Lord as to whether at the
close of the meeting I should go home or to Grand Forks, North Dakota, Camp
Meeting. I learned that my fare from Kerkhoven to Grand Forks would be
$3.32. Then I went out into the grove three times, (I believe it was on
Friday,) and asked the Lord that on Sunday forenoon at the close of the
services He would put it in the mind of somebody to give me exactly $3.32
if He wanted me to go to Grand Forks. No one but the Lord knew my needs. On
Sunday after the service while I was shaking hands with the people, a
brother put some money in my outside coat pocket. When I left the house, I
walked to the grove to the same spot where I had prayed and knelt down and
thanked the Lord for $3.32 in my pocket, and when I had counted the money I
found that it was the exact amount for which I had prayed. He had not only
supplied my carfare, but had in this way made known His will to me. Before
I left the next morning, the brethren had given me more, so that I had
something to send to my family.
* * * * *
THE SECOND INCIDENT
The second incident I desire to relate, occurred at the time when the Lord
made it very clear to me to go to a certain place in South Dakota to hold a
meeting in a new place. This also was on Friday and I knew that the Lord
was directing me to go on the following Wednesday. I was in need of a suit
of clothes, as what I had was not fit to wear in public. I was also in need
of carfare. An elderly sister was staying with us and together with my wife
we had prayer and agreed that the Lord would supply these needs before
Wednesday morning. While we were in prayer the Lord made it clear and
definite that He would grant our petition. As we arose from our knees, I
said, "Thank God, I have the money by faith." The elderly sister said,
"Well, I suppose you will have to write to some of the well-to-do brethren
and tell them your need." "No," I answered, "The Lord will tell them. I
might make a mistake if I undertake to write to any of them." "You will not
have the money then," she said. "Yes, mother," I said, "You will see before
next Wednesday morning that I will have all I need." She doubted and said
she would see.
The following Sunday we went to Colfax, Minnesota and held a service and
received one dollar, and I said, "Thank God for one dollar." Then on
Monday, I received a letter from a brother who lived near Sisseton, South
Dakota which contained a check for seven dollars. The check was from a man
whom I did not know that I had ever seen, and he did not know my address,
but drove fifteen miles with a team and in a lumber wagon to another
brother who knew my address. He told him to send it to me immediately, as
he was impressed that I was in need. The old mother knew this brother and
said he was well-to-do, and could well afford to send it. I said to her,
"Did I not tell you that the Lord knew to whom to speak." She was very much
astonished. I also received another letter in which there was a check from
a brother whom I had not seen for four years. He wrote that while he was
coming from Crookston, Minnesota to where he had been working, and was
nearing Wadena, Minnesota, the Spirit of the Lord told him to hurry to the
bank before it closed and send Brother Susag five dollars. In his letter he
said he thought I must be in great need and that he hurried and reached the
bank in time to get the money. He further said, "May the Lord bless you and
use you to His glory."
Wednesday morning I started for Saint Paul, Minnesota with thirteen dollars
in my pocket. Arriving there, I was looking for a second hand clothing
store. I stood on the street praying for the Lord to direct me and He said,
"Samuelson, Samuelson." I walked around a few blocks and suddenly I looked
up over a store and it said, "Samuelson Second Hand Clothing." Going in,
the merchant asked if he could help me. I said, "Have you a Prince Albert
coat and vest that will fit me." He looked and said, "Just your fit," and
walked over to a show case and brought the coat and vest and put it on me.
It fit like it was made to order by a tailor. You could not see that it had
even been on a man before. He said it was an eighty five dollar coat and
vest, and it surely looked like it. It had silk facing on the lapels. I
took off the coat, and put my own back on. I felt that I did not dare ask
him the price. He said, "Aren't you going to take it." He took my coat off
and put the coat back on me. Then I prayed the Lord for courage to ask him
the price, so I said "What's your price?" He said, "A dollar and a half." I
caught my breath and said, "What did you say?" He repeated, "A dollar and a
half." I said, "Have you a pair of new trousers that will fit me?" I had to
have the silk facing taken off, for fear I would be asked to the altar for
too fine a suit.
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