DEATH OF HIS MOTHER--LIFE IN AALBORG--CONVERSION TO MORMONISM--HEAVENLY
MESSAGE TO ELDER KEMPE--HIS OBEDIENCE THERETO--BAPTISM OF NIELS--HIS
RELATIVES ASHAMED OF HIM--PROPOSITION TO MAKE HIM A LUTHERAN PREACHER.
If the details of the life of Niels for the next six years were written
it would be a record of helpless dependence and privation. To the
surprise of all who knew him, he continued to live, and even gain a
little strength. Life at home had become unbearable since the death of
his mother, which occurred December 6, 1854.
In the fall of 1856, when he was twenty years of age, Niels left home
and went to live among relatives in Aalborg, where he had a checkered
experience, often being made to feel that he was in the way and that
his welcome was worn out, but occasionally encouraged by real kindness
and genuine charity. One lady in particular took a great interest in
him, and, finding that he had some skill in needle work, encouraged him
to practice a kind that was much in vogue among ladies, and through
her kindly efforts he obtained considerable profitable work from many
aristocratic women.
Soon after removing to Aalborg he met and became somewhat acquainted
with some "Mormons," a family of Saints being close neighbors to his
aunt. His partial investigation of the Gospel then confirmed his early
conviction that it was the truth, but his dependent condition, and the
opposition of his relatives to such an unpopular religion, led him to
defer embracing it.
It was not until November 1, 1862, six years after he first attended a
"Mormon" meeting, that he embraced the Gospel, and then under peculiar
circumstances. Christoffer Jensen Kempe, who afterwards became well
known in Utah and Arizona, was laboring as a "Mormon" missionary in
that part of Denmark. One very stormy night he had found lodgings in
a barn, about forty-two miles from Aalborg. Some time after retiring
to rest he was aroused by feeling a hand laid upon his shoulder and
hearing a voice tell him to get up and go to Aalborg and baptize the
cripple, Larsen, whom he had seen at the Saints' meetings--that if he
ever joined the church he would have to be baptized the next evening.
Obedient to the voice of the spirit, he arose and set out afoot in the
storm. He walked the entire distance, and on his arrival in Aalborg he
called upon Niels at his lodgings and informed him that he had come to
baptize him. Niels immediately asked what prompted him to come, as he
had not even announced his intention of joining the church. Elder Kempe
related the visitation he had received forty-two miles distant, and
told of his journey for the special purpose, and added that he would
like while he was at it to baptize Niels' brother and sister-in-law who
were then living in Aalborg, and whom he had met and talked with on the
subject of religion. Niels ventured the opinion that neither of the
relatives mentioned had any serious intention of embracing "Mormonism,"
and that he was sure they would not if they learned their crippled
brother intended to do so. "However," he said, "you may try them, and
if you succeed in getting their consent you may call back for me, and I
will be ready."
The Elder promptly repaired to the brother's house and broached the
subject of baptism to the couple, saying he was going to do some
baptizing that night, and if they wished he would baptize them. They at
first favored the proposition, but when he, hoping to hasten and make
certain their decision, mentioned that Niels was going to be baptized
they lost all interest in the subject and refused to be baptized.
Returning to Niels, the Elder informed him of his failure and
disappointment. Niels was not at all surprised, and told the Elder he
should not be disappointed in him, as he was ready. They accordingly
made their way that very night a considerable distance out of town, to
find a suitable place for the performance of the ordinance, and Niels
was initiated into the Church by baptism November 1, 1862.
Some circumstances of which Niels was in ignorance at the time of his
baptism, but which he afterwards learned of, may furnish the sequel to
what was meant by the heavenly warning to Elder Kempe that Niels would
have to be baptized that very evening if he ever joined the church at
all.
Something like consternation had prevailed among the aristocratic
members of the Lutheran church in and around Aalborg about that
time, in consequence of so many of the members being converted to
"Mormonism." As a rule they were not the wealthy members who accepted
of the Gospel, as taught by the "Mormon" missionaries, but they
included those who had been regarded as among the very best and most
faithful members of the church, and they were joining the "Mormon"
ranks in such numbers that they seemed for awhile to threaten the very
existence of some of the Lutheran congregations.
The priests and their influential, loyal supporters held numerous
meetings, to discuss measures for checking this defection and restoring
the waning fealty of their flocks. Among other schemes resorted to was
that of organizing a society or club among the wealthy women of the
Church, and the collecting by them of a large sum of money, to effect
a kind of revival in the church. The lady mentioned as having taken
such an interest in procuring work for Niels was one of the leaders
in this movement. She had discovered that Niels was a very observant
individual, was a logical reasoner, had a most retentive memory and
a very thorough knowledge of the scriptures. It had been her habit
while Niels was employed at her home to test him upon these points.
Occasionally she would ask him what the preacher had talked about at
the service on the previous Sabbath, or to relate some particular thing
that he had heard or read. He would not only be able to repeat, almost
verbatim what he had heard or read, but to mimic the gestures of the
speakers as well.
Possibly she and her aristocratic associates had been impressed with
his mental vigor and been led to think that he might be utilized
in some way in arousing an interest in church affairs. Possibly it
may have been sympathy for him and the kindness of their hearts
that prompted them to think of him in connection with their revival
project. What they did was to get up a numerously signed petition to
the bishop of the diocese, to appoint Niels to act as a lay preacher
or exhorter--a kind of home missionary--to visit the members at their
homes, hold semi-private services, etc., and to be paid a regular
stipend therefor out of the funds they had collected. It could not
have been anything attractive about his personality that suggested him
for such a position, for in appearance he was repellant rather than
attractive. Even the very dogs on the street shunned him or snarled at
him and refused to be friendly or sociable with him. It could not have
been any zeal that he manifested in the Lutheran church that caused
him to be thought of, for although he frequently attended the Lutheran
service (more as a matter of policy than otherwise, for he obtained
his employment chiefly from the Lutheran ladies) he even more commonly
attended the Latter-day Saint services, and had several times been
chided by his Lutheran acquaintances for doing so. Of course Niels was
not consulted in regard to the plans of the Lutheran ladies concerning
him. His projected appointment was intended to be a surprise to him.
The bishop announced to the ladies' society that he had complied with
their petition and appointed Niels to act as lay preacher on the very
day of the latter's baptism, as already mentioned, and that evening a
meeting was held in the local Lutheran church, and the announcement
was made public. The inquiry was then made of the congregation as to
where Niels lived, so that the news might be sent to him, but no person
present seemed to know. One man, however, arose in the congregation and
volunteered the information that he was acquainted with the brother of
Niels (the same one whom Elder Kempe had hoped to baptize,) and that he
could carry the news to him of the honor that had come to Niels. He was
accordingly commissioned to do so, but when he went to the brother the
following day he learned to his surprise that he was just one day too
late; Niels had embraced "Mormonism" the night before. He knew it, for
he had witnessed the baptism.
Niels learned, soon after he was confirmed a Latter-day Saint, of
the proposition to make him a preacher of the Lutheran religion, and
of course was surprised thereat. He didn't regret having missed the
opportunity. Being sure (as he had been ever since he was a child) that
"Mormonism" was true, he would have had to stultify himself to advocate
any other creed. He was glad, however, that the temptation never was
squarely presented to him, lest in his weakness and poverty he might
have yielded to it.