I am sending you this letter from Father; he wanted you to read it. It looks like he received the circular letter with an open mind. I think such impersonal circular letters will also be profitable in the future if God leads in that direction. I rejoice every time Father writes anything indicating that he has received something of the knowledge of God.

Here in Horten we have had another spiritual “thunderstorm.” Br. Berg raked me over the coals for the last feast we had at Isachsen’s place, where you were also present. And it could be that I needed a beating, because I didn’t take into account at all that there were people present who were sifting my words like wheat. But Br. Berg didn’t just use the whip; he drove in the nail using his biggest sledgehammer and with all the strength he possessed.

After this thundering rebuke, I had to explain myself. Sr. Knudsen then got up and said that she had been prompted by God to remind us to arrange a horse and carriage, but that she had not been obedient to do so. Br. Isachsen similarly testified that he had suggested that Sr. Bakke should be picked up by horse and carriage by the same people as last time (my mother-in-law and I). This suggestion was ignored, which he said had taught him to follow up on any suggestion he made and make sure it was carried out.

After the testimonies from these witnesses, I turned to Br. Berg and asked what had now become of his message (the key points). His response was that now the whole thing had been put in a different light (a mistaken light, in his view).

He then resumed his attacks, recounting that I had said that I felt there wasn’t the least need to get Sr. Bakke to the meeting and that she would be just fine where she was, etc.

Throughout Br. Berg’s whole attack, Sr. Bakke was prophesying in his favor, and while I was explaining myself, she was prophesying against me, right in my face. So I then had to silence her, and I attempted to convince her of the folly of using prophecy as a means of attack. Br. Berg alleged that I didn’t possess the least bit of love for Sr. Bakke.

Following this, I had to explain that in spite of Sr. Bakke not showing me confidence, God had still used me to liberate her in the matter concerning Brun. Moreover, I had visited her at home several times in order to try and win her, as well as helping to drive her to the meetings.

Br. Berg leapt up like a raging lion and conducted an impromptu trial, followed by his cross-examination and declaration of the verdict. As a result, in my opinion, his attack finally fizzled out.

The day after, I visited Sr. Knudsen and talked over the matter. She then told me that her children had been sick for a long time over the summer, and that they had had to pay a lot for the medicine. During this time, Br. Berg had preached powerfully to them that they had sinned, since sickness had entered their home. But later, Berg had two or three of his own children in the hospital with scarlet fever, and that brought an end to that sort of talk.

Then Berg went to Moss with Sr. Bakke to get her baptized. Later, when he came to the meeting, he said that it was out of the question that those who didn’t get baptized could be true believers. As a result, Sr. Knudsen felt that she couldn’t allow Berg to hold meetings in her home any longer. But later Sr. Bakke wanted to resume having meetings, and that’s how they started up again.

You are well acquainted with the situation in Horten, and that’s why I’ve written such a detailed account. I just have to laugh at this strange purification process. Br. Berg must be a particularly coarse grindstone needed to remove our rough edges. Still, he is doing it all with the best of intentions and with a zeal for the truth, so I do think well of him in spite of it all.

As you know, I made fun of all these affronts over the last three or four weeks. The friends have kept it to themselves and have not said a word about it, but Sr. Knudsen has really taken it personally and is blaming herself for it.

Through all this, I am learning to bear more and more. Br. Berg said that since I didn’t have love, my entire ministry was nothing, all my knowledge was nothing, and everything was reduced to nothing. I felt like I had been hit on the head with a mallet, and it was on my mind throughout the first watch. But now I have come to the conclusion that this has been better for me than a whole bunch of flattery. And besides, I was the one who first started using such tactics, so I should also be willing to be dealt a blow.

Little by little, the sisters here have become used to this, so today they can bear quite a bit more than in the beginning. So, in any case, everything is pointing in the right direction.

Sometime when you are here, you can take back the barometer that you gave me. You yourself received it as a gift from Br. Wintersborg, so you should keep it. Imagine if Br. Wintersborg came for a visit and saw it in my house; he might find that rather strange. We are more attached to something we have received as a gift than something we have purchased. You have given us so many things now, so please take it back. I have discussed this with Pauline, and she agrees.

Br. Anthony is surely not offended by the fact that you were the intermediary for Sr. Palme’s article. I thought about that when reading her article today in Missionæren and Korsets Vei. I think he is extremely worried about his paper, so you might bear this in mind. You know that if he loves you, he would rather just have you instead of keeping a whole staff in tow. I have given him a taste of how that can end up.

I’ll close here for now. All the very best, and hearty greetings from your brother28,

This evening we will be going to Sr. Pauline Bergersen’s (not Roa’s) place for a small, festive gathering.