“But the Path of the Just

“But the Path of the Just

is like a shining light, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.” Prov. 4:18.

“A shining light” is a suitable description of our dearly beloved brother, Elias Aslaksen.

The heavenly light was kindled in his heart when he, as a young officer cadet, met my father, Johan O. Smith, on board a navy ship in the fall of 1908. Brother Aslaksen was 20 years old and newly saved, but he had not yet broken through to a victorious Christian life, and he would weep over his defeats. He sought advice from pastors and ministers who tried to comfort him by telling him that it could not be otherwise. But, the truth-seeking young man that he was, he was not satisfied with false comfort. When Brother Aslaksen met my father, who had experienced the same thing but who had broken through to a victorious and very happy life in Christ, this same faith was born in his heart. He became thoroughly happy, extremely glad, and ventured his entire life in order to please Jesus Christ. He had an unshakable faith in God’s guidance in matters great and small, and therefore an unchanging rest and joy in God in everything that came his way during his long life. He was a man who was thoroughly tested.

The heavenly light, which includes all the virtues of Christ, radiated more and more clearly from his life, and he became a shining example for us in every aspect of life. One of Brother Aslaksen’s prominent virtues was his diligence. He was an example in using the time well, both when it concerned earthly things as well as spiritual things. When, as a young lieutenant, he left the navy to work more freely in the spiritual realm, he took on various kinds of work so as not to be a burden to anyone. He zealously cultivated vegetables and has probably picked tons of different kinds of berries throughout the years. For a time he was also a language instructor. But spiritual things came first, and they were the most important to him; this is where he was untiring in his work. In conversations at conferences, and at other times, he could continue late into the night.

Brother Aslaksen was a very diligent writer; he knew how to use the time when he was at home and when he was away on one of his many journeys by train, boat, or bus. He must have written thousands of letters and post cards, explaining the great benefit of writing to others. He wrote so much for Skjulte Skatter [Hidden Treasures] that we have enough articles to last us for several years to come. Besides, he has also written many books, brochures, and tracts. Brother Aslaksen was a very humble brother, and it was easy to be together with him. It was easy for the children and the young people, as well as older people, to get contact with him. Wisdom is very agile, and so was he.

He spoke and wrote much about rest in God. He would say that rest and joy are the firstfruits of faith. He worked to lead each individual away from using empty words, from unrest, and from anxiety.

He was radical in his preaching against all sin and was extremely quick-witted when he exposed and contrasted all kinds of conceit and vanity with God’s light and wisdom. The way in which he presented the various truths would be so living and so striking that his listeners would sometimes break out in laughter while Brother Aslaksen would remark that it was spoken in dead earnest. Whether he spoke for one, two, or three hours, it was never tiring; on the contrary, it was always interesting to listen to him. He never delivered a prepared sermon, for what he said came straight from the life he lived. One time he held a series of meetings in Oslo where many people heard him, including many preachers. For one of these meetings Brother Edvin Bekkevold had advertised a very unusual topic, and when Brother Aslaksen arrived just before the meeting was to begin, he found the stairway packed with people all the way down to the sidewalk. However, he was able to get through by telling them that he was the speaker. He had no idea what the topic was to be. Brother Bekkevold whispered it to him while he was making his way to the front to speak. What he said was so interesting and full of life that the listeners could have been left with the impression that he had studied the topic for weeks and months. The reason, of course, was that he had words of life in him.

Although Brother Aslaksen has gone home to God, he nevertheless continues to be a great blessing around the world, speaking to us by means of tapes, cassettes, and his many writings.

God be highly praised for our dearly beloved brother who has left us such blessed and great, spiritual treasures. It is a great comfort that the church is God’s work, which He will finish in glory. Eph. 5:27.