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.
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