When Niels was fourteen years old, and was barely able to hobble about a little on crutches, he was cited to appear with a class of dozen or more children before the priest, to be catechised. This they did many times until they were able to answer satisfactorily all the questions propounded to them. At about the first of these meetings a young girl asked to be excused from the examinations, because her parents had joined the "Mormons," and she expected to. She cited in support of her plea, that the King of Denmark had granted religious liberty. Her request was complied with by the priest, who proceeded to comment on "Mormonism" then and at every subsequent meeting in a way that indicated that he must have been studying "Mormon" literature, and Niels very strongly suspected that the priest was really converted to "Mormonism," although he either lacked the courage to embrace it, or considered it impolitic to do so. Whether this surmise was correct or not, the priest seemed to have "Mormonism" constantly in his mind, and his frequent allusions to its doctrines and the scripture supporting the same had the effect of converting Niels to "Mormonism." Though he did not then declare his belief in the Gospel, he had not from that time a doubt of its truth. That priest, whose name was Holger Christopher Kongslev Thryde, was a very peculiar man, a thorough scriptorian, a keen reasoner and withal quite inspirational. When the class of which Niels was a member had received sufficient training by him to appear for public examination and confirmation as members of the Lutheran church, they were all notified to be present at the regular Sunday service in the chapel. There they were separately catechised by the priest in presence of the congregation. Their answers being satisfactory, he asked each in turn as to his willingness to enter into covenant to serve God. On being told that he was, the priest said "then give your heart to God and your hand to me." Holding the child by the right hand, he then placed his left hand upon the youthful head, confirmed him as a member of the Lutheran church and exhorted him to faithfulness or indulged in predictions concerning his future, apparently as the spirit prompted him. Of one boy he expressed regret that he had been confirmed a Lutheran, for he would soon abandon the faith. The sequel proved this prediction to be true, for the boy soon left his birthplace to live among relatives who were Baptists, and accordingly became a Baptist.