CHAPTER VII.

LABORS IN SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA, 1889

I must now go back to 1889. In November of that year I was sent as a missionary to the Lake Shetek country, in Murray County, Minn. It was the scene of a great massacre of the whites during the Indian outbreak of 1862.

The gentleman to whom I was directed proved to be very peculiar. He claimed to have had a very remarkable conversion the winter previous. When he discovered I was a minister, he was very much elated ; said he had been praying the Lord to send one, and he was certain I was the one the Lord had sent. He interested himself greatly in opening the way for meetings. ''When will you begin?''

''Tonight.''

''But you are tired, and had better rest an evening or two.''

''Yes, I am tired; but there is a great work to be done, and but little time in which to do it. So the meetings begin tonight.''

The neighborhood was soon apprised of the meetings, and the first one was held at Mr. Dan Greenman's. A goodly number was present, and good attention was paid to the word spoken. After meeting we determined to hold the rest of the meetings in the schoolhouse. I was lead to that conclusion for two reasons; First, people feel more free to go to a schoolhouse than to a private dwelling; and lastly, I noticed that while the older ones were attentively listening to the minister in one room, some children were having a little war in an adjoining room, and some of the parents had to go in and settle them. Not enjoying such little side attractions, I preferred the schoolhouse.

The schoolhouse was a poor affair, with no stove in it. The good people got a coal stove, and neatly lined the inside of the house with building paper, so it was fairly comfortable.

The people manifested a good degree of interest in the meetings, especially our peculiar friend, to whom I had been directed when I first entered the neighborhood. He thought the meetings were just right until I inadvertently incurred his displeasure. I will mention some of his peculiarities. He had an idea that, as a son of God, he had