Ole Muthaus, like his name, was Norwegian. As a young immigrant he had settled in Minnesota. He was a carpenter by trade, a good one; but as for religion, he was an atheist. To him it was superstition to believe in a God who was over all. His boast was that he believed in "none of those things." He manifested no concern about a future life nor had he any desire for enlightenment in the things of God.
When he was twenty-five years old Ole was married. In the course of time and while he was still a young man, he was taken with an illness from which the doctors said he could not recover. Some of his Christian neighbors knew of his condition, and were distressed because of his unpreparedness for death. One of them, a native American, said to a Norwegian woman: "Why do you not visit poor Ole? You can speak his language. He might listen to you if you talked to him about his soul.”
With many misgivings she went. When she broached the subject of God and eternity, death and judgment, Ole answered carelessly and confidently: "Oh, I will soon get well! I'm not going to die. I'm not as sick as you think.”
"But," said she, "even if you do get well, 'now is the accepted time; now is the day of salvation.' Why not turn to God now anyway?”
Ole seemed utterly indifferent. The Christian's words were lost upon him; and without hope for his salvation she left the house.
When her husband, also a Christian, returned from his work that night, she told him of her visit with Ole. "Will you not go over and try to reach his conscience," she pleaded. But her husband thought: "If Ole would not listen to my wife he is not likely to pay any heed to me!" Besides he was tired and needed rest. So Ole was let alone.
His Christian neighbors went to bed leaving Ole to his restless dreams.
But GOD? Was He indifferent to this dying one, or had He any pleasure in the death of the sinner? Oh, no! Hear what happened to Ole at the midnight hour.
There appeared at his bedside one—whether man, angel or demon, who can tell?—who told him he was sure to die and must go to hell. Ole was certain he was wide awake at the time, that it was no illusion or dream. Horror filled his soul.
Late though it was, he sent immediately for his Christian neighbor, who responded gladly and came with his Bible. After hearing the sick man's story, he turned to John's Gospel, third chapter and sixteenth verse, and read to him these words, the words of Christ Himself spoken to Nicodemus: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Oh, how Ole Muthaus listened to those wonderful words of love and life! And to make sure, he asked to have these words of the Son of God read to him again.
"Is that the way it reads?—'Whosoever believeth in Him'?" he eagerly asked.
"Yes," said his neighbor, "it says, 'whosoever believeth IN HIM.'”
That very night Ole's unbelief was shattered. He believed in the only begotten Son of God. Peace like a river flowed into his soul, and his neighbor left him with his new-found joy.
This is no mere religious tale, my reader, but a narrative of facts. It is repeated here so that you, if not yet saved, may profit by it, and like Ole Muthaus, obtain everlasting life.