The first meeting for the winter of the First Spiritualist Church was held at the opera house Sunday evening, November 22, 1902. The Bemidji orchestra furnished a few choice selections, and vocal music was well rendered by a specially selected choir. A large congregation was present to listen to the sermon, which was brilliant and full of golden worth. Mrs. Ted Smith, the chaplain, has achieved much notoriety throughout the state since the annual convention in Minneapolis, where she lectured before the delegates under the spell of inspiration. She is a gifted speaker, and under her guidance the Spiritualist church is becoming firmly entrenched in Bemidji.
Mrs. Ted Smith, formerly Miss Cora Kincannon, who came to Bemidji in the spring of ’94, was the first minister of any denomination to push through the wilderness of Beltrami county and locate at Bemidji. In the winter of ’94-5 Mrs. Guy H. Remore, of the Remore hotel, opened her parlors to the first Spiritualistic meeting held in the village. During the winter private meetings were held every Sunday evening at the hotel, at that time there being only Miss Kincannon and her family believers in that doctrine. Mrs. Remore was greatly interested in the work and was the means of showing many favors to the few settlers that would meet at her home to investigate the teachings.
The first public meetings were held in the fall of ’99 at the hall over the Gillmore drug store. At that time there were only about ten active members. The society increased and the audiences grew so large that it was necessary to procure a larger hall, where the meetings opened in the fall of 1900. The meetings were exceedingly successful during the winter, as seating capacity was out of the question and very often standing room was not to be had. It was thought best, if possible, to hold the first meetings in the city hall this winter so all who wished to learn more about the beautiful teaching would not have to stand during the services.
In the spring of ’99 Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Ceo. Kates, of Philadelphia, came to the rescue of the little society and made them a chartered society of the State of Minnesota with a membership of twenty-three active members. At the present time [Nov 1902] there are about forty-five members and upwards of 150 or 200 actual believers in the religion in and around the city. Last fall Mrs. Ted Smith received her ordination papers and is licensed to preach the gospel of Spiritualism, officiate at funerals and perform marriage ceremonies. (Bemidji Pioneer, Nov 27, 1902)