The Shouter movement was strongly linked to the province of Närke. Kvistbro parish became a center for the shouters in Närke, where open-air meetings were held with up to 3,000 listeners. In midsummer 1843, three wandering shouters from Västergötland arrived in Kvistbro. The previous year, Smedberg had met shouters Johan Magnus Vigerell and 14-year-old Johannes Ljungholm. Around 3,000 people had gathered at this meeting. Smedberg stood on top of a wagon and spoke, preaching for several hours. He then fell from it to the ground as if dead. The 14-year-old continued preaching until Smedberg recovered. It is said that several from the audience also fell to the ground dazed.
