Personal Experiences of S. O. Susag

In Short

This memoir chronicles the decades-long ministry of S. O. Susag, a Norwegian immigrant turned evangelist who traveled across the United States, Canada, and Scandinavia. Written in his later years, the book serves as a collection of testimonies documenting miraculous healings, narrow escapes, and the daily hardships of a traveling preacher. Susag emphasizes a life governed by direct communication with the Holy Spirit rather than institutional training. It has endured as an inspirational text for readers interested in the history of pioneer ministries and the traditional, often demanding, expression of Christian faith.

The Story

The narrative begins with the author’s early life in Norway and his subsequent immigration to Minnesota, where he transitioned from storekeeper to farmer. His life takes a definitive turn in 1895 when he receives a divine call to the ministry. From this moment forward, the story moves through a restless, global itinerary of evangelistic service. Susag describes his work not as a career but as a series of spiritual mandates, often requiring him to travel across continents with little more than faith to sustain his needs.

Throughout his travels, the central conflict is almost always the tension between the "pioneer" style of ministry—characterized by spontaneous prayer, immersion baptism, and absolute reliance on divine provision—and the skepticism of both secular society and established, more conservative churches. He recounts being threatened by mobs in Wisconsin, questioned by suspicious authorities during wartime, and challenged by medical doctors who dismissed his claims of divine healing. He approaches these obstacles with a consistent, unwavering rhetoric: when the world presents a barrier, he offers a prayer, and the narrative consistently follows with a resolution—be it the sudden appearance of travel funds or the miraculous recovery of a "terminally" ill patient.

The arc of the story is less a linear biography and more an accumulation of spiritual crises and resolutions. He details extensive trips to Denmark to establish congregations, surviving a sinking ship in the North Sea, and facing the personal grief of seeing family members struggle with mental illness. As the years progress, the narrative remains focused on the intensity of his devotion. Whether he is sleeping in sub-zero temperatures in Minnesota, where bread freezes on the table, or praying for a dying professor to defy a doctor’s diagnosis, the narrative maintains a singular goal: to prove that the God of the Bible remains active in the modern world.

The book concludes with his reflection on a lifetime of service. Even in his final years, long after he had settled in Montana, he continued to hold services and travel. The tone remains one of gratitude and conviction, with the author expressing no regret for the physical discomforts of his youth. The ending is not a formal retirement but a testament to a life that the author believes was consistently sustained by the Holy Spirit. He leaves the reader with the firm belief that his life’s work was a successful demonstration of "unshaken faith" in the face of what the secular world might deem "unreasonable cases."

How It Unfolds

A calling takes root The author describes his transition from a farmer in Minnesota to a full-time minister of the Word. He highlights the "burning passion" that defined the pioneer ministers of his era, noting that their lack of formal training was secondary to their spiritual zeal.

The ministry hits the road Susag recounts his early travels across the United States and his repeated missionary trips to Scandinavia. He describes the daily grind of the ministry, including sleeping in unheated rooms and navigating harsh weather to reach his destinations.

Confrontations and conversions The narrative shifts to dramatic public encounters, such as the mob that attempted to disrupt a tent meeting in Wisconsin. He balances these clashes with moments of private ministry, describing how he brought people back from the brink of death through the "prayer of faith."

Provisions and providence A recurring beat involves the author’s absolute dependence on God for money and equipment. He provides specific examples of how he miraculously obtained funds for travel expenses, a desired fur coat, or his needs while traveling abroad.

A life of sustained service The final chapters focus on his later years in Montana and his continued commitment to holding services. He reflects on his legacy, encouraging readers to seek the same depth of faith that guided him through his ninety years.

The People

S. O. Susag is the central figure, a man defined by a singular, unshakable conviction that God intervenes directly in human affairs. He is resourceful and determined, often showing a stubborn, almost confrontational side when he feels his ministry or the lives of those he prays for are at stake.

Brother Tubbs and Brother Renbeck are the author’s frequent ministry partners. They serve as companions in trial, enduring the physical hardships of the road and the verbal abuse of angry crowds alongside him. They represent the "pioneer" camaraderie built on mutual prayer and shared sacrifice.

The Opponents are a recurring, nameless group of skeptics, including mobs, hostile family members, and the occasional medical doctor who doubts the efficacy of faith healing. They act as the foil to Susag’s mission, providing the friction necessary for him to demonstrate what he views as the power of God.

The "Saints" and seekers are the people Susag interacts with on his travels. These include the desperate mother asking for her child to be healed, the brother who lost his sanity, and the various individuals who contribute money or shelter. They are the beneficiaries of his work and the evidence he uses to support his claims of divine intervention.

In Its Own Voice

Regarding the intense, self-denying nature of early ministry, the author recalls the standard for his peers:

One outstanding fact in those days, when even though their training was limited, was their burning passion for souls shown in labors, fasting and prayer, and a heaven-born conviction and zeal for the truth.

Describing the harsh physical realities of his missionary work in the upper Midwest:

It was 42 degrees below zero every day, and we had to stand the bread by the heating stove and a number of times it froze so hard on the table, before we got through with our meal, that we could not eat it.

Reflecting on his approach to medical challenges and the boundaries of faith:

I have nothing against doctors, but the Lord can do what men cannot do.

What It's Really About

At its core, the book is an argument for the validity of direct, supernatural intervention in the modern world. Susag isn't interested in theology as an academic subject; he is interested in it as an operational tool. The central question is whether a person can live entirely by faith, ignoring conventional wisdom, medical prognoses, and financial security. The book contends that the "pioneer" experience—characterized by fasting, prayer, and a rejection of worldly caution—is the only way to tap into the true power of the Holy Spirit. It serves as a manual for the "earnest seeker," arguing that when human help fails, the "limitless resources" of the divine are the only remaining, and ultimately reliable, path forward.

Why Read It Today

Readers who appreciate firsthand accounts of American religious history or the mid-century "faith-healing" movement will find this a fascinating primary source. It provides a rare, unvarnished look at the internal life of an evangelist who truly lived on the margins of society, traveling by faith and often surviving on little more than the hospitality of strangers. The writing is direct and devoid of modern polish, which gives the prose an authentic, if sometimes blunt, quality.

However, modern readers should be prepared for the book’s specific period attitudes. Susag’s complete dismissal of medical science—such as his instructions to smash medicine bottles as a prerequisite for healing—may be deeply jarring or even distressing to contemporary readers. Additionally, the book’s structure is episodic and non-linear, reflecting the author’s admission that he waited too long to write these memories down, which can make the timeline feel disjointed at times. If you are looking for a historical document that captures the intensity, the isolation, and the unyielding certainty of a specific brand of early twentieth-century evangelism, you will find this memoir both compelling and starkly revealing. It stays with you because of the sheer force of the author's personality and the high stakes he attaches to every prayer.