[SPECIAL SPIRITUALIST AND ALLIANCE ANNIVERSARIES]
The Spiritualist Alliance
LANDMARK! OUR FIRST MATERIALISATION SÉANCE
IN 95 YEARS!
25th. October 2006 saw the arrival of
English International physical medium David Thompson at the Alliance, where
he was hosted for five days and during his stay we were witness to three
wonderful and outstanding materialisation séances. David's home circle,
'The Circle Of the Silver Cord' is led by one, William Charles Cadwell,
who transitioned in 1897. He modestly states that he is the 'emcee; but
it is patently obvious that he plays a more important role in the conducting
of the séances. Behind the scenes too are numerous helpers all contributing
to the séance working correctly. David, totally oblivious of what
occurs in each séance, sits in deep [somewhat erroneously called
'unconscious'] trance state throughout. Apart from William, other helpers,
Honest Jack, Timothy and May also materialised, as did other entities known
personally to the sitters. In addition, the trumpet phenomena was enhanced
by the use of Ken's one as well as David's and the display, i.e. the speed
at which they moved around the séance room, without hitting anyone
was almost beyond belief, as indeed were the materialisations. Each helper
has very special jobs during the séance and you can read more full
reports [see excerpts from our December/January '07 'Communicator' magazine
in Special events then Specials]
Worthy of mention too is that during Ken
Pretty's long [in March 2007 - 59 years!] mediumship ministry, he has
demonstrated with, to and for very many 'old school' Spiritualists and mediums
who have since made their transition. Indeed, since the controls for such
séances have to be put in place to ensure the complete safety of
the medium, David took pains to check up on Ken through his own contacts
and it was only due to his enduring reputation that David, feeling that
he could place his trust completely in Ken, agreed to demonstrate at The
Alliance
August 2006 not only celebrates
our 95th. anniversary - it is also the publishing month of our [this] web
site.
October 28th. 1994, The Spiritrualist Alliance became a Charitable
Trust
June 25th. [1965] is the date of the official Opening and Dedication
of our present building in Carlton Gore Rd., Newmarket
July [1926] The first purpose-built church for Spiritualism in Auckland
was built by Claude Rhodes for the Progressive Church of Spiritualists and
situated at No. 7 Alma Street [actually behind the present church in Carlton
Gore Road]
August 11th. [1911] is when The Spiritualist Alliance, under its
original title of The Progressive Association of Spiritualists, was officially
formed and incorporated
More Milestones are planned for for this page in the future…
New Zealand
September 22nd. [1924] The date when Spiritualism - that is The Spiritualist Church of New Zealand - was formally recognised by its own Act of Parliament, No.2 1924.
Worldwide Spiritualism
January 25th. [1863] Andrew Jackson
Davis founded the first Progressive Lyceum For Children, formed by him after
witnessing some children classes in the Spirit World.
January 29th. [1688] Emanuel Swedenborg,
great thinker, scientist, theologian and forerunner of Spiritualism was
born in Stockholm, Sweden of. Interestingly, many years after his transition,
he became one of Andrew Jackson Davis' Spirit Helpers.
March 31st. [1848] marks the commencement
of Modern Spiritualism when two-way communication took place between the
Fox sisters and the spirit of Charles B. Rosna, an itinerant pedlar who
was, prior to the family's occupancy, murdered in their home. [Read The
Unwilling Martyrs by Miriam Pond]
April 21st. [1840] Cora L.V. Scott Richmond
was born. Known as 'The Silver-Tongued Orator' because of her fantastic
trance mediumship, she was also a speaker, teacher, author, poet and minister.
Notably, at the first Congress of World Religions in 1893, she presented
a paper entitled Presentation of Spiritualism
May 2nd. [1823] Emma Hardinge Britten
was born in England and although very psychic as a child, she did not 're-discover'
her psychic abilities until she traveled to America to be in a Broadway
play. However, her latent talent developed very quickly. Accordingly, it
was not long before she gained recognition for firstly, her quality mediumship
- and later, as one of the greatest female propagandists for early Modern
Spiritualism. She also founded the Two Worlds newspaper, one that, 120 years
on still flourishes today but it is now a monthly magazine. The Seven Principles
of Spiritualism, given by the spirit of Robert Owen came through her mediumship
too.
May 14th. [1771] is the birth date of
the aforementioned Robert Owen, British industrialist and socialist reformer
who worked for the betterment of humankind. He became a Spiritualist at
the age of 83. His son, Robert Dale Owen, an American social reformer, also
became a Spiritualist and wrote several books among which is Footfalls
on the Boundaries of Another World.
May 22nd. [1859] Arthur Conan Doyle was
born He became an avid Spiritualist and of course is well known as the creator
of Sherlock Holmes. During his life he was also knighted becoming Sir Arthur.
In Spiritualism he was affectionately known as the 'St. Paul of Spiritualism',
the reason being that because his researches so convinced him of Spirit
Communication, he travelled the world as an advocate for Spiritualism. AS
well as an author he was also a renowned journalist. [Read his book History
of Spiritualism]
June 6th. 1928 is Spiritualist Celebration
Day. This celebrates its pioneers, the Spirit World and Spiritualism. This
began in England and quickly spread to other countries across the world.
June 12 [1851] Sir Oliver Lodge was born.
He became a great thinker, a world-renowned physicist, a prolific author
and an outstanding scientist. He contributed much to both science and Spiritualism.
Indeed, in this last his prominence and outspoken affirmation of his belief
that life is continuous offered real credibility to early Spiritualism.
[Note. Some of Sir Oliver's Spiritualist books are in our library.]
August 11th. [1826] Andrew Jackson Davis
was born. Incredibly poorly educated, he nonetheless, became known in many
countries for his spirit-dictated work before the birth of Modern Spiritualism.
In fact, he has always been known as, 'The Father of Modern Spiritualism'
for it was not until the morning of 31st. March 1848 that Modern Spiritualism
'officially began. AJD, hundreds of miles away from where the Fox family
lived in New York State, awoke from sleep and a spirit voice announced 'Brother,
the good work has begun - behold a living demonstration is born!'
From that time he allied himself with the new Movement becoming its greatest
leader and exponent. A prolific author, lecturer and clairvoyant, he was
known all over the world as 'the Poughkeepsie Seer' through his ability
to diagnose clairvoyantly and produce prescriptions. Indeed, in his early
60's he qualified as a doctor of medicine. Among his many books, it is The
Harmonial Philosophy that had the greatest impact on early Spiritualist
philosophy, a small quotation from which reads 'There is no division between
science, philosophy, metaphysics and religion. For the first is the rudiment
and basis of the second. The second illustrates the first, and typifies
the third. The third unites with the second, and flows spontaneously into
the fourth. The fourth pervades and comprehends them all, and flows as spontaneously
to a still higher degree of knowledge and perfection.' The
Harmonial Philosophy is an extensive work but a good encapsulation
for modern readers was published by the Spiritualists' National Union of
UK under the title, Twelve Lectures on The
Harmonial Philosophy of Andrew Jackson Davis by W.H. Evans. AJD made
his transition in his early 80's in 1910.
October 1st. [1848] is the Birth date
of James Johnson [known as J. J.] Morse. He was one of the most eminent
trance speakers of his day and gave over 6,000 addresses, speaking before
groups with hundreds of people. Morse, as indeed did D. D. Home, also demonstrated
physical mediumship, such as the fire test and elongation. He was called
'The Bishop of Spiritualism' and
was the editor of The Two Worlds
and Banner of Light. He also published
the Lyceum Banner, the monthly journal
of UK's SNU Lyceum, which is still being published 116 years later. He helped
form the British National Association of Spiritualists in Liverpool, England.
His book Practical Occultism is
also still in print and often recommended for students of mediumship as
reading matter.
October [1928] The Sunflower was adopted
as the Official Badge of International Spiritualism.
November 14th. [1849] the Fox sisters,
Margaretta and Leah, gave the first public meeting for Modern Spiritualism
at the Corinthian Hall in Rochester, New York.
On November 22nd [1904] The skeleton
of Charles Rosna, the murdered pedlar who first communicated with the Fox
sisters was discovered in the crumbling walls of the cellar in the house
formerly occupied by the Fox family. The discovery was made by school children
that were playing in the cellar of the now deserted 'spook house' in Hydesville,
New York State. Later excavations uncovered not only the skeleton but also
a pedlar's tin pack, in common use by these, in those times. [Read
University of Spiritualism by Harry Boddington.]
More Milestones are planned for for this page
in the future…
