Later on Brother Peter Peterson of Foboken, New Jersey and myself held a
meeting in that neighborhood and went and called on Mr. Erickson, and had a
very pleasant visit with him. Brother Peterson had been a rough seaman and
he told him of his life, and how the Lord had convicted and saved him. That
seemed to impress him.
Years later Olaf bought the farm and his parents moved to another house.
One morning Mr. Erickson did not come in for breakfast, and his wife went
to his bedroom to see what was the matter. There he was on his knees by the
bed praying. The first time she had ever seen him doing so in that
position. He got up and said, "yes, I am coming." She went back to the
kitchen, but still he did not come; so she went back to call him. Again he
was on his knees by the bed. She said, "Aren't you coming husband. The
breakfast is getting cold." He answered again, "Yes, I'm coming." But he
did not come yet. She went back the third time, and on his knees he was,
and this time he was dead. No doubt the man had been calling upon God, and
the Bible says, "Whosoever calleth on the name of the Lord shall be saved."
Hundreds of prayers had gone up for those folks. After his death Mrs.
Erickson went to stay with her oldest daughter at Westlake, Minnesota.
After being there for some time she took very sick, and she said to her
daughter, "Will you send for the preacher?" Yes, she said, "What is his
address?" (thinking she wanted her own pastor). "No," she said, "I want
your pastor, Brother Susag." I went and at the end of three days, she got
gloriously saved and got well. Later on she took sick again and passed on,
and because I was in Europe at the time, my wife conducted the funeral
service. What looks hopeless with man can be changed by prayer.
* * * * *
At one time when Olae Christaphersen was selling books in the country
between Grove City and Litchfield, Minnesota, he came to a home where quite
a number were weeping and he asked why they were so sad. The lady of the
house replied, "Our daughter, a young lady, is in the bedroom dying, and
husband has gone to town to get the coffin, as she stinks already." (Those
days they took the coffin to the homes sometimes). He inquired if he could
see her, and she said, yes. After standing looking at her a while, he knelt
and laid his hands on her and prayed the prayer of faith, and the Lord
raised her up. Years later he was selling books in N. Dakota. He came to a
nice farm home and knocking at the door a fine looking lady opened the
door. Surprising him, she said, "Come in." Unused to such courtesy, he
hesitated a moment, and she said again, "Come in, I know you. I am the lady
you prayed for down by Litchfield, Minnesota, whose father had gone to the
undertaker to arrange for the funeral. I am married and this is my home."
* * * * *
At one time a sister-in-law of Olae Christaphersen, Bastine Christaphersen,
was in childbirth. The midwife said the child could not be born without
medical help. Her husband started for Wilmer to get the doctor. At seven
o'clock she began to get blue and lost consciousness. They sent for Brother
Olae. When he came, he looked at his sister-in-law and walked out into the
woodshed, and there among the split wood he knelt down and prayed. A number
of times they called for him to come in, but he did not answer. About
twelve o'clock he came hurrying in and laid his hands on his sister-in-law
and said, "I command in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that this child
be born, and that my sister-in-law be made well." Immediately the child was
born, and all was well. In a few minutes the doctor arrived and he said it
was a wonderful miracle.
* * * * *