At Luverne, was a noted Spiritualist, who was a thorn in the sides of the Christian people in the neighborhood. I was told he would get up and speak in the Methodist meetings, and when the people would not stop to listen, he would cry after them, ''You cannot bear to hear the truth!'' He was the talk of the country. I said to Brother Fulton, ''We had better give the people of Luverne a little light on Spiritualism before we go home.''

He said, ''Don't you do it. That man is the ablest man I ever heard speak, and he will be on hand to oppose.''

I thought, however, good would result; so we put a notice in the paper that on next Tuesday evening there would be a lecture in the schoolhouse on ''Modern Spiritualism Exposed and the Bible Vindicated.'' We knew if the gentleman would oppose, he would use the twenty-eighth chapter of first Samuel, so we prepared especially on that scripture. On our way to Luverne we met a gentleman, who had come out to meet us, and let us know a Baptist minister was expected to help the spiritualist.

We thought it a very strange combination. Spiritualism and Baptism, but we felt confident that the Lord's truth would triumph over all opposition. As we entered the schoolhouse we found it crowded. Extra seats had been brought in, and they were filled. As we entered, we were greeted with a vigorous clapping of hands. For once, I felt I was on the popular side of the question. Perhaps a very brief outline of the discourse will be of interest to the reader:

Spiritualism in Luverne 1877

''Ladies and Gentlemen, modern spiritualism is a fact. It is here and everywhere. Go where you will, you will find Spiritualism. It pervades all classes and conditions of men. It flourishes in the hut of the peasant, and sits in the palaces of nobles and kings. It revels in the haunts of ignorance, and rejoices in the halls of learning. It has found its way to the infidel club, and in churches and pulpits it has firmly entrenched itself. It originated a few years ago in the Fox family, near Rochester, N. Y. Now it numbers its adherents by millions, in all parts of the world. No movement in the annals of time has made such strides as this. It comes with a fascinating power to the sons of men.