The Agasha Temple of Wisdom was founded in 1943 by Rev. Richard Zenor (1911–1978), an intertransitory medium for the master teacher, Agasha. Zenor had begun to show paranormal abilities as a child in Terre Haute, Indiana. During the first decade of the temple’s existence, Zenor attained recognition and fame from being featured in Telephone between Two Worlds (1950), a book by the popular writer James Crenshaw. The temple became the base from which Zenor traveled and spread the message of Agasha.

Two years after Zenor’s death, Rev. Geary Salvat was chosen to continue his work. Like his predecessor, Salvat, an intertransitory medium for the Master Teacher Ayuibbi Tobabu, had manifested psychic abilities from his youth.

Although activity at the temple includes communication with the departed, it is primarily directed toward master teachers, advanced individuals who communicate teachings from the other side. From Agasha, Ayuibbi Tobabu, and other teachers, a distinct philosophy has been developed: the Universal Understanding of the God Consciousness. Its keynote is individual responsibility and spiritual democracy within the plan of universal laws. The basic laws include the Golden Rule (do unto others as you would have them do unto you) and the law of compensation (for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction). Individuals spend many lifetimes seeking to understand these laws by which their lives are governed. During the 1980s the teachings received from Agasha became the subject of a series of books by longtime temple student William Eisen. A volume on the teachings of Ayuibbi Tobabu is projected.

Membership

Not reported.

Periodicals

Agasha Temple Newsletter.

Sources

Agasha Temple of Wisdom. www.agasha.org/.

Crenshaw, James. Telephone between Two Worlds. Los Angeles: DeVorss and Company, 1950.

Eisen, William. Agasha, Master of Wisdom. Marina del Rey, CA: DeVorss and Company, 1977.

———. The English Cabalah. 2 vols. Marina del Rey, CA: DeVorss and Company, 1980–82.

———, ed. The Agashan Discourse. Marina del Rey, CA: DeVorss and Company, 1978.

Zenor, Richard. Margie Answers You. San Diego, CA: Philip J. Hastings, 1965.

Aquarian Foundation

315 15th Ave. E, Seattle, WA 98112

The Aquarian Foundation was founded in 1955 by Rev. Keith Milton Rhinehart, a Spiritualist minister. The foundation combines elements of Spiritualism, Theosophy, and Eastern philosophy into an eclectic occult perspective. It existed for many years as an independent Spiritualist congregation in Seattle. During the 1960s, however, Rhinehart became known for his “materialization” seances and later claimed contact with those same “ascended”masters originally contacted by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky (1831–1891), founder of the Theosophical Society.

The Aquarian Foundation does not have a statement of belief, which it feels would serve to prevent growth into greater knowledge. Aquarians draw inspiration from, and identification with, all of the major religious traditions, though the elements of Spiritualism and Theosophy are most evident. “Mediums,” individuals with an ability to regularly communicate with the “so-called” dead, are valued. However, the foundation does not focus upon regular contact with dead relatives and friends. Instead, contact is made primarily with Masters of the Great Brotherhood of Cosmic Light (also known as the Great White Brotherhood). The foundation believes in many of the concepts passed on by this Brotherhood through the Theosophical Society—karma and reincarnation, the evolution of the soul, the law of cause and effect, mastery of life and death, and the eventual attainment of personal mastery. Rhinehart, the primary medium for the foundation, conducts trance sessions through which the masters speak, which are regularly recorded from playback at the foundation’s many centers.

The foundation is committed to the Great Plan enunciated by the masters, who are viewed as ascended and evolved beings guiding the evolution of humanity and ushering in the present Aquarian Age. Prominent among the masters who have regularly spoken over the last decades through Rhinehart are Saint Germain, Morya, Sanat Kumara, and Djwal Kul (D. K.), popular figures in the Theosophical and I AM Religious Activity presentation of the spiritual hierarchy. Rhinehart also serves as the medium for many other “masters”including the Angel Moroni, who gave Joseph Smith Jr. the Book of Mormon; Mahatma Gandhi; Ashtar, first contacted by George Van Tassel, an early UFO contactee; Clarion, a UFO entity contacted by Truman Betherum in the 1950s; and the Master Immanuel, from South American Spiritualism. Rhinehart gained his early fame in Spiritualism because of his well publicized materialization seances conducted in the 1950s. More recently he claimed to possess the stigmata, a paranormal appearance of the wounds of Christ, which is said to have appeared on his body before hundreds of witnesses.

Membership

During the 1970s the foundation spread from its Seattle base to become both a national and international organization. Churches are located in Honolulu, New York City, Miami Beach, Anchorage, Hollywood, Dallas, San Francisco, and Portland, Oregon. Study groups are found in Hilo, Hawaii; Ft. Lauderdale; Tacoma; West Palm Beach, Florida; Austin, Texas; and Atlanta. Foreign groups are located in Vancouver and Johannesburg, South Africa.

Sources

The Aquarian Foundation. aquarianfoundation.org.

Rhinehart, Keith Milton. Soul Mates and Twin Rays. Seattle, WA: Aquarian Foundation, 1972.

Believers’ Circle

Rev. Estel Merrill, 7437 Bear Mt. Blvd., Bakersfield, CA 93313

The Believers’Circle was founded in the early 1980s by Rev. Estel Peg Merrill. Merrill had been a student of metaphysical and esoteric studies for many years before she became aware of a gift of healing. She also intuited several spirit guides, and began to go into trances and to channel messages from the spirit world. These guides/teachers were affiliated with a group called the Council, which was seen as part of the Group Mind, which in turn was a part of the Spiral Unihood (formerly known as the Brotherhood). The Council expressed its concern for humankind. Merrill’s primary guide is Levi, formerly a scribe in his earthly incarnation, who was famous as the same entity who directed Levi Dowling in the transcription of The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus Christ. Her spirit control is HiChing, formerly an astrologer in China during the Ming Dynasty.

In 1979 Merrill began to receive lessons that became the basis of the teachings of the Believers’Circle. These teachings have been collected in several books. They affirm God as the supreme power and designer of the universe. Neither male nor female, God is “uni,”and exists in and around all of creation. God’s energy is available for healing the mind and body. Humans are a form of God consciousness who are in this present life to learn God’s absolute laws and correct past mistakes. Following death, humans make a transition to spirit existence and continue their learning.

The Believers’Circle is headquartered in Bakersfield, California, but members are scattered across the continent. Members relate to Merrill primarily through the reception of the Circle’s lesson through the mail. Beginning students start with three volumes titled Spiritual Understanding and progress to more advanced lessons in God’s Prevailing Laws, God’s Energy through Thoughts, and God’s Laws of Love and Life.

Membership

Not reported.

Christian Spirit Center

Box 114, Elon College, NC 27244

The Christian Spirit Center is headed by S. J. Haddad, its president, and is based in Elon College, North Carolina. The Center is primarily devoted to translating messages received by Brazilian mediums from Portuguese into English. It also publishes books and distributes literature on spirit doctrines. Spiritualism came into Brazil through the writings of the French writer and medium Allan Kardec (1804–1869). His teachings were distinctive, at the time, for their introduction of reincarnation into Spiritualism.

The main tenets of the Center are the continuity of life after death (first taught and demonstrated by Christ in his own resurrection, and now proven by mediumship), the laws of reincarnation and cause and effect (“karma”), and people’s free will and responsibility for their actions.

In accordance with the words of Christ, “Freely ye have received, freely give,”and based upon spirit teachings to the same effect, the Center advocates mediumship as a free service. The same principle is applied to lectureships and other spiritual work. Active followers of the spirit doctrine earn their living in secular occupations.

Membership

Not reported.

Church of Essential Science

PO Box 62284, Phoenix, AZ 85082

The Church of Essential Science was founded in Detroit, Michigan, in 1965 by Rev. Kingdon L. Brown, a medium ordained originally by the National Spiritual Aid Association. Brown was an early member of the association and developed in an informal study group. In January 1964 he received his first message from the “ascended masters.” Eventually, one of the members became Brown’s guide and teacher. Brown gradually became known for his mediumistic ability, and followers were drawn to him.

Essential Science is a religion responsive to the new data available to modern man—parapsychology, philosophy, sociology, metaphysics, and mysticism. God is seen as the cause that sustains and protects all who seek God. Man comes to know God as the Divine Mind Power as he widens his awareness to include spiritual impressions. Man is body, mind, and soul. The soul is man’s divine inheritance, a part of divinity. Through the soul, man aligns himself with the God power, the basic atomic pattern structure of the universe itself, the basic energy of the universe. A significant part of creation is the fellowship of all seekers of truth. Some are in the body, some have ascended. The ascended ones become our teachers as we decide to put our spiritual development above all else.

Headquarters of the Church of Essential Science are in Scottsdale, Arizona, where Brown became pastor of the Desert Shadows Church. Other centers are located in Detroit; Chicago; New York City; Columbus and Tijeras, New Mexico; Little Rock, Arkansas; Fort Wayne, Indiana; and Palo Alto, California. Foreign centers are in Curacao, Canada, and Nigeria. Members are scattered around the country. Many were drawn to the church by the numerous personal appearances of Brown, who changed his name to Brian Seabrook.

In 1987 the church began a new public outreach with a mystical system. The purpose of this degree system of spiritual knowledge was to prepare humankind for the Aquarian dispensation about the year 2000 c.e.. It is based on the metaphysical interpretation of the Christian Bible, and the original mission of the Master Jesus. Highly symbolic and transformative, this system incorporates a new understanding of traditional esoteric practices. The aim is to bring the individual into direct contact with the Divine Essence of all earthly life. Techniques such as channeling, healing, and meditation are central.

Membership

In 2002 there were 3,500 members.

Periodicals

Monthly Reminder. • Christar Temple Degrees.

Sources

Church of Essential Science. www.essentialscience.org/.

Brown, Kingdon L. The Power of Psychic Awareness. West Nyack, NY: Parker Publishing, 1969.

The Metaphysical Lessons of Saint Timothy’s Abbey Church. Grosse Pointe, MI: St. Timothy’s Abbey Church, 1966.

Church of Metaphysical Christianity

2717 Browning St., Sarasota, FL 34237

The Church of Metaphysical Christianity was founded in 1958 by Revs. Dorothy Graff Flexer and Russell J. Flexer, two prominent mediums in the Spiritualist Episcopal Church. Dorothy Flexer had led the Spiritualist Episcopal Church in its break with Camp Chesterfield in 1956 that resulted in a number of churches and ministers leaving the church. She became independent two years later.

Metaphysical Christianity, a combination of religion, philosophy, and science, disseminates the spiritual truths as manifested in the life and teachings of the master, Jesus. It seeks to study the laws of nature—mental, physical and spiritual. Obedience to these laws is said to constitute the highest form of worship. The church also teaches and gives evidence of the continuity of life after death, encouraging each member to develop his or her own gifts of the spirit so that communion between the two worlds will become natural.

The basic spiritual laws are: the law of life, the law of love (the creative force of life), the law of truth or right thinking, the law of compensation, the law of freedom, the law of abundance, and the law of perfection. After death, the spirit continues and may communicate with those still on the earth-plane. Healing is emphasized as a spiritual art.

Headquarters of the church is in Sarasota, Florida. In 1973 there were on the rolls some 25 spiritual healers.

Membership

In 1997 the church reported 125 members.

Periodical

Focus.

Sources

Shrine of the Master, Church of Metaphysical Christianity. shrineofthemaster.com.

Davis, Charles [spirit speaking through Dorothy Graff Flexer]. A New Way of Life. Sarasota, FL: Church of Metaphysical Christianity, 1989.

———. Spirit Speaks. Sarasota, FL: Church of Metaphysical Christianity Press, 1988.

Wade, Alda Madison. At the Shrine of the Master. Philadelphia: Dorrance & Company, 1953.

Church of Revelation (California)

Current address not obtained for this edition.

The Church of Revelation was formed in 1930 at Long Beach, California, by Rev. Janet Stine Lewis (Wolford) (d. 1957). It is not to be confused with the church of the same name formed in 1974 by Harrison Roy Hasketh in Honolulu. In 1945 the church’s headquarters were moved to Hanford, California. The church teaches the Old Christian Initiate, a set of beliefs that the church calls a world-religion and a nonsectarian philosophy. The Old Christian Initiate, based on scientific truth, shows how to find spirit, understand the natural law, and have everlasting life without death. The Old Christian Initiate teaches that people survive death in a conscious state; that they can communicate with mortals through mediumship; that as a man sows on earth he will reap in the life to come; that the future life is constructive, social, and progressive, and that peace and brotherhood are to be extolled and war decried. After Reverend Wolford’s death in 1957, she was succeeded by Rev. Winifred Ruth Mikesell.

Membership

Not reported. There has been no membership information since a 1966 report that listed congregations in Hanford, Sacramento, Burlingame, and Apple Valley, California; Toccoa, Georgia; Phoenix, Arizona; and Toledo, Ohio. At that time there were approximately 500 members and 30 ministers. Recent attempts to locate congregations have been unsuccessful.

Church of Revelation (Hawaii)

21475 Summit Rd., Los Gatos, CA 95030

The Church of Revelation was founded in Honolulu 1974 by Harrison Roy Hesketh. It is an eccletic mystical Spiritualist group whose teachings center upon the one God, who is all in all as all. Hesketh calls his higher or transcendental consciousness “Tattenaiananda,”generally shortened to “Tat,”the name by which most of his students refer to him. The centers connected with the church teach a wide variety of psychic development techniques, among the most important being the Rainbow Bridge Meditation, by which the leaders take students over the rainbow bridge (that part of the inner consciousness that connects the conscious self with the spiritual realms) to the White Light of God. Tat is also in contact with the ascended masters, those spiritual beings spoken of by Guy Ballard, the founder of the “I AM”Religious Activity.

The church is headed by a board of directors. Hesketh is the president of the church. In 1983 the headquarters were moved to Los Gatos, California. The educational arm of the church is the Astral Physics School. Affiliated centers and churches are found in Honolulu; Seattle; Vancouver; and Pambrook East, Bermuda.

Membership

Not reported.

Periodicals

The New Spirit.

Church of Tzaddi

PO Box 308, Kennesaw, GA 30156

Amy Merritt Kees was semi-invalid and disabled, the victim of an accident that damaged her spine as a teenager. Shortly after the birth of her first child in 1936, however, she began to experience contacts from the spirit world. In 1958 Amy was healed completely. She dedicated her home as a center for study, meditation, and healing, and in 1959 she formed a study group, “The Open Door of Love.”She also became a student of Unity School of Christianity, the Universal Church of the Master, and the Self-Realization Fellowship. The growth of her work, along with the spiritual communications received through her daughter, Dorothe, led to the founding of the Church of Tzaddi in 1962. (Tzaddi is the eighteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet and is identified with the Aquarian Age.)

The purpose of the Church of Tzaddi is “to teach sciences, ancient wisdom, ideals and principles, philosophy, psychology, psychometry, and spiritual truths; to promote the brotherhood of man, the universal law of truth and all educational subjects; to solemnize marriages and officiate at funerals; to perform and administer divine healing, give inspirational counsel and communications and prophesy.” An extensive course for the ministry includes material drawn from Unity School of Christianity, the Bible, parapsychology, Hermeticism, and world religion. It may be taken by correspondence. Headquarters of the church recently moved from Orange, California, to Colorado. Branches are located around the country; among the most prominent is the church in Phoenix, Arizona. Its pastor, Dr. Frank Alper, is also the founder of the Arizona Metaphysical Society.

Membership

Not reported.

Periodicals

Lightline.

Sources

The Church of Tzaddi. www.tzaddi.org

Alper, Frank. An Evening with Christos. Phoenix, AZ: Arizona Metaphysical Society, 1979.

———. Exploring Atlantis. 3 vols. Farmingdale, NY: Coleman Publishing, 1982.

Johnson, Amy (Kees), and Dorothy Blackmere. Developing Spiritually. Garden Grove, CA: Bishop of the Church of Tzaddi, 1980.

Slate, Ann B. “Your Daughter Shall Prophecy.” Fate 23, no. 4 (August, 1970): 68–78.

Eclesia Catolica Cristina

2123 Grand Ave., New York, NY 10453

The Eclesia Catolica Cristina evolved from the Spiritualist Christian Church. It was founded in March 1956 by His Holiness Delfin Roman-Cardona and incorporated as the Eclesia Catolica Cristina in June 1969. The name was changed to differentiate the church from spiritist centers, and because its liturgical rituals more closely resembled traditional Roman Catholic practice.

Delfin Roman-Cardona was born to Roman Catholic parents in Utuato, Puerto Rico, on December 14, 1918. His ability at clairvoyance manifested when he was three years old. From seven to 14 he served as an acolyte at the Church of St. Michael the Archangel in Utuado. During these years, when he was twelve, he cured a neighbor who suffered from recurrent migraine headaches by placing his hands on her head. From that time, he developed as a clairvoyant and healer, never charging for his services. He eventually moved to New York in obedience to what he felt was a divine mandate.

In line with many congregations throughout South America, the Eclesia Catolica Cristina follows the practices of exorcism, prophecy, channeling, and psychic healing, all of which are modeled on rites of the ancient Hebrews and Christians. The church draws upon the spiritism of Allan Kardec (1804–1869), which it has mingled with tenets of Judaism, Christianity, and Eastern religions to preach a universal Catholicism. It does not identify with the New Age movement; it believes its practices and rituals are closer to those of ancient Christianity.

The church is organized on the model of the Roman Catholic Church, with a pontiff, cardinals, archbishops, bishops, and priests. The church ordains both men and women to the priesthood, a practice that it claims derives precedence from Atlantis, where women were held as equal to men and were granted the same ecclesiastical positions.

The college of priests elected Roman-Cardona as its first pontiff on April 25, 1965, and the pontifical elevation occurred in 1976. In the meantime, in 1972 Roman-Cardona entered a state of renunciation. After considering hundreds of testimonials and listening to many witnesses attesting to miracles performed by Roman-Cardona, the church members voted to proclaim him a living saint on October 28, 1978. He has since been known as St. Delfin I.

Roman-Cardona was reported to have healed a variety of illnesses, including some that were considered terminal. He also taught many others to do healing and exorcisms and anointed them to carry on their ministries, and he prohibited the exploitation of their abilities. The church holds weekly celebrations of the Mass and services of healing and exorcism, all without charge. Members pay a membership fee of $10 per month to assist in the church’s upkeep, with additional tithes and offerings being voluntary.

Twenty-five years after his renunciation, the church pronounced Roman-Cardona a Pure and Divine Avatar and the spirit of a Solar Angel, who is the promised Comforter. He was proclaimed the Second Savior and New Messiah of this planet by the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ on August 31, 1997. As the Second Savior, the college of priests and the faithful understand his messianic mission to be to restore the teachings of Christ, to clarify his parables, and to define God and creation through enlightened reason and logic.

Olga Roman, Roman-Cardona’s wife, was ordained a priest on June 21, 1959, and was elevated to pontifical cardinal on January 6, 1976. She will become the church’s second pontiff following the death of St. Delfin I. Cardinal Roman was born in Puerto Rico in 1938, and moved to New York as a young woman. She is the mother of three sons.

Membership

In 1997 the church operated out of a single center in New York City. There were approximately 1,500 members, 1,000 of whom resided in the United States. There were 18 priests.

General Assembly of Spiritualists

27 Appleton St., Rochester, NY 14611

The General Assembly of Spiritualists is a sovereign, self-governing ecclesiastical body. Its history as an organized religious body goes back to November 15, 1897, when it was incorporated as the New York State Association of Spiritualists. At the convention in Rochester, New York, on June 20, 1914, the delegates by unanimous vote authorized changing the constitution, by-laws, and name to the General Assembly of Spiritualists, to conform with the Laws of New York, 1914, Chapter 485, Section 1, Chapter 53 of the Laws of 1909, titled “an act in relation to religious corporations, constituting Chapter 51 of consolidated laws,” adding Article XII, Spiritualist Churches, section 262 to 273, inclusive. By this act, Spiritualism for the first time was recognized by law as a religion with distinct powers conferred by the legislature upon the General Assembly of Spiritualists. The original charter of the General Assembly of Spiritualist was signed and recorded in Monroe County, New York, on October 15, 1915.

At the convention in Buffalo, New York, on June 19, 20, and 21, 1931, the delegates voted to sever the Assembly’s affiliation with other Spiritualist groups. This was done to preserve what they saw as the principles expressed by the pioneers of Spiritualism, especially that of universal brotherhood, and to protect the movement against a felt threat from the encroachment of prejudice and sectarianism. The necessary legal steps were duly consummated and papers signed, thus establishing the General Assembly of Spiritualists as a sovereign, self-governing ecclesiastical body, with executive power vested in a board of directors. Jurisdiction extended to several states in the United States and to Canada.

The General Assembly believes in the advancement of the Spiritualist religion as an idealistic, humanitarian, and inspiring movement that gives aid to the sick through spiritual healing, and aid to the sound of body by well founded hope and faith. The General Assembly is firmly and permanently opposed to all fraudulent and dishonest imitation of real mediumship, and to the sensational display thereof. The ideal of the General Assembly is to continue to raise the standards of the Spiritualist movement and to encourage study classes, reading courses, the dissemination of Spiritualist literature, and research work, so that others may learn the reality of the Spirit World and its meaning to humankind.

The assembly issues a set of pamphlets that explain their major beliefs, including How Shall We Teach Spiritualism?, Jesus of Nazareth, The Nature of the Spirit World, Spiritualism: Fact or Fiction, Voice of Spirit, and What is Spiritualism?

Membership

Not reported.

Sources

The Church of Divine Inspiration. www.churchofdivineinspiration.com.

General Assembly of Spiritualists, State of New York. New York: Flying Saucer News, n.d.

Lomaxe, Paul R. What Do Spiritualists Believe? New York: General Assembly of Spiritualists, 1943.

Independent Spiritualist Association of the United States of America

5130 W 25th St., Cicero, IL 60650

The Independent Spiritualist Association of the United States of America was formed in 1924 by Amanda Flowers, who with others withdrew from the National Spiritualist Association of Churches (NSAC) because of her objection to the rule that forbade NSAC mediums to work in non-NSAC churches. She also wanted greater freedom to express her own theosophical views, which went beyond the beliefs of the NSAC.

Membership

In 1988 there were 120 member mediums.

Sources

Basic Course of Study. Cicero, IL: Independent Spiritualist Association of the United States of America, n.d.

International Church of Ageless Wisdom

c/o ICAW California Seminary, PO Box 194, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019

The International Church of Ageless Wisdom was founded by Beth R. Hand (1903–1977), a spiritualist minister in the 1920s and an early student of Paramahansa Yogananda, the founder of the Self-Realization Fellowship, one of the first Hindu organizations established in the United States. From Yogananda, who came to the United States in 1924, and from her studies Hand became convinced of the truth of reincarnation and karma. The Spiritualists requested her resignation, and she was forced to abandon the three churches she had founded in New Jersey. She moved to Philadelphia and opened the first Church of Ageless Wisdom in 1927.

Soon after the formation of the Church of Ageless Wisdom, Hand met Rev. George Haas, leader of the Universal Spiritual Church, a British Spiritualist body that shared Hand’s ideas about reincarnation. She brought her church into commmunion with his. She later sought, but did not receive, a formal charter from that church. Meanwhile, in 1956 Haas was consecrated a bishop by John Beswarick, bishop of the Catholic Apostolic Church (United Orthodox Catholicate), an independent British Orthodox-Catholic body, who had received orders from the famous independent bishop, Hugh George de Willmott Newman. In 1958 Haas consecrated Hand. In spite of the consecration, her inability to receive a formal charter led Hand to become independent of the Universal Spiritual Church. In 1962 she received a charter from the State of Pennsylvania. Subsequently, she consecrated other bishops of the church, and one of them, Muriel E. Matalucci, succeeded her as archbishop primate in 1977. That same year Archbishop Metalucci changed the name of the organization to its present designation.

The church’s teachings are eclectic, drawing upon Spiritualist, Hindu, Buddhist, and ancient occult wisdom teachings, though there is a primary emphasis upon Christianity. It teaches that God is the father of all that exists; that all men are brothers (hence no discrimination is allowed); souls are immortal and there is always the opportunity for reformation, reincarnation, and karma; and the planet and humanity can be saved by the power of prayer and love. God is not conceived in anthropomorphic terms. Jesus is the Wayshower, who manifested the way for individuals, all of whom are sons of God, to become one with God. Humans evolve by following the laws of the universe. The church believes in and uses the wide variety of psychic gifts as tools for human progress and service in God’s work.

The church is headed by the archbishop primate, assisted by another archbishop, one bishop, the canons-of-states, and the canons-at-large, all of whom together comprise the Holy Synod. There is an annual meeting.

Membership

Not reported.

Educational Facilities

The International Church of Ageless Wisdom California Seminary, Half Moon Bay, California.

Periodicals

Aquarian Lights.

Remarks

Associated with the International Church of Ageless Wisdom is the Michigan Metaphysical Society, headed by the popular Detroit-area psychic teacher, Sol Lewis, who was ordained by Hand. Another famous member of the church is the popular occult lecturer Colonel Arthur Burks.

Sources

International Church of Ageless Wisdom. www.icawseminary-ca.net.

Barrett, Lawrence R. Ten Principles. Atlanta, GA: Author, 1982.

Ritual Book. Wyalusing, PA: International Church of Ageless Wisdom, 1979.

International General Assembly of Spiritualists

5403 S Ridge W, Ashtabula, OH 44004

The International General Assembly of Spiritualists (IGAS) was incorporated in 1936 in Buffalo, New York, by Rev. Arthur A. Ford (1897–1971), Fred Constantine, and eight other Spiritualist ministers. Arthur Ford was the first president. Rev. Fred Jordan, a retired Navy commander, was ordained by Ford in 1937 and served as president of the IGAS from 1938 to 1974. Rev. Jerry Higgins was elected to succeed Jordan, but died before assuming the post. Rev. Fred Jordan Jr., the vice president, was then elected to succeed his father.

In 1946 the IGAS adopted a Declaration of Principles that follows word-for-word that of the National Spiritualist Association of Churches. Emphasis is placed on prayer, healing, and spiritual unfoldment and development. Communion is served regularly. There are affiliated congregations in Africa and Nepal.

Membership

In 1987 the church reported 35 congregations, 410 members, and 103 ministers in the United States, and an additional 190 members worldwide.

Educational Facilities

Shrine of the Healing Master, Ashtabula, Ohio.

Periodicals

The I.G.A.S. Journal.

Sources

Ford, Arthur. Why We Survive. Cooksburg, NY: Gutenberg Press, 1952.

Ford, Arthur, with Margueritte Harmon Bro. Nothing So Strange. New York: Harper and Row, 1958.

Royce, Clifford M., Jr. To the Spirit … From the Spirit. Chicago: Author, 1975.

Spraggett, Allen, with William V. Rauscher. Arthur Ford: The Man Who Talked with the Dead. New York: New American Library, 1973.

International Spiritualist Alliance

201–317 Columbia St., New Westminster, BC, Canada V3L 1A7

The International Spiritualist Alliance is a Canadian-based Spiritualist church headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia. It was founded to “bring into closer Brotherhood and Unity Spiritualists the world over.” Churches are located across Canada and the British Isles and include two churches in California, one in San Bernardino and the Holy Grail Foundation in Santa Cruz. There is an annual convention. The current president is Rev. Beatrice Gaulton Bishop.

The Alliance has a loose belief structure, accepting as “Principles of Spiritualism” seven affirmations, on the fatherhood of God, the brotherhood of man, the immortality of the soul, communion with the departed, personal responsibility, compensation for good and evil, and eternal progress of the soul. Members are Christian, accepting the belief in God and the creator, who is love, and in Jesus, the Lord who was incarnated for the salvation of men. Jesus became perfected in suffering and thus became both Lord and Christ.

Membership

Not reported.

Periodicals

International Spiritualist News Review. Send orders to 3371 Findlay St., Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Sources

International Spiritualist Alliance. www.isacanada.ca.

Lotus Ashram

264 Mainsail, Port St. Lucie, FL 33452

The Lotus Ashram was established in 1971 in Miami, Florida, by Noel and Coleen Street. Noel is a medium originally from New Zealand and ordained by the Universal Church of the Master. Coleen is a yoga teacher. Noel became a popular figure in the psychic community in the United States through his annual tour and his many books and writings. He specializes in psychic healing, which he learned from the Maori natives of New Zealand, and past-life reading by which he is able to trace an individual’s previous incarnations on earth. Coleen’s work stresses physical fitness through yoga, vegetarianism, and food preparation.

In 1975 a second center for the ashram, called Springtime, was opened in Chillicothe, Ohio. A chapel, healing sanctuary, and bookstore are part of the complex. In 1977 the ashram headquarters moved to Texas, at a location near the Mexican border. The ashram is governed by an eight-person board of directors.

Membership

Not reported.

Periodicals

Lotus Leaves.

Sources

The Story of the Lotus Ashram. Miami, FL: Lotus Ashram, n.d.

Street, Noel. Karma, Your Whispering Wisdom. Fabens, TX: Lotus Ashram, 1978.

———. Reincarnation, One Life—Many Births. Fabens, TX: Lotus Ashram, 1978.

Metropolitan Spiritual Churches of Christ, Inc.

National Headquarters, Temple of St. Jude, 8747 Fenkell St., Detroit, MI 48238

Alternative Address

International Headquarters: PO Box 414858, Kansas City, MO 64141.

The Metropolitan Spiritual Community Churches of Christ, Inc., was founded in 1925 by Bishop William Taylor (1887–1942) and Elder Leviticus Lee Boswell. The word “spiritual” in the church’s name indicates its basic Christian beliefs and its practice of the spiritual gifts according to I Corinthians 12. The church is trinitarian and baptizes people in the name of the “Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.” It affirms the Apostles’Creed, but replaces the word “catholic”with the word “universal.”The Gospel is described as foursquare: preaching, teaching, healing, prophecy. Incarnation, not reincarnation, is taught. The churches believe that “all men (humankind) are incarnations of the one Spirit regardless of race, creed, or condition, with full belief in creation.”

Bishop Taylor was succeed by the Rev. Clarence Cobb (d.1979), founder and pastor of the First Church of Deliverance in Chicago, Illinois. In the 1970s he brought additional churches in Accra, Ghana, and Monrovia, Liberia, into the fellowship of the Metropolitan Spiritual Church of Christ. Cobb was succeeded by Dr. I. Logan Kearse (d. 1991), pastor of the Cornerstone Church of Christ in Baltimore, Maryland. Kearse was succeeded as president of the church by Rev. Dr. Arthur L. Posey, who had founded the Temple of St. Jude Spiritual Church in Detroit. In 2008 Posey was assisted in his leadership role by Bishops James D. Tindall Sr., Charles N. Slayton, William Hamilton, William Ozier, William H. Foreman, Joseph Kennedy Jr., and Robert Smith.

Membership

In 2008 the church reported 43 congregations across the United States and four in West Africa.

Sources

Metropolitan Spiritual Churches of Christ, Inc. www.metrospiritualchurch.com/.

National Colored Spiritualist Association of Churches

Current address not obtained for this edition.

Shortly after World War I, the growing black membership in the National Spiritualist Association of Churches separated from the parent body and, in 1922, formed the National Colored Spiritualist Association of Churches. Doctrine and practice follow closely those of the parent body. Churches are located in Detroit, Chicago, Columbus (Ohio), Miami, Charleston (South Carolina), New York City, Phoenix, and St. Petersburg (Florida).

Membership

Not reported.

Periodicals

The Nationalist Spiritualist Reporter.

National Spiritual Alliance

RFD 1, Lake Pleasant, MA 01347

The National Spiritual Alliance was formed in 1913 by the Rev. G. Tabor Thompson, previously a medium with the New England Spiritualist Camp Meeting Association, and an advocate of belief in reincarnation, an opinion at variance with the National Spiritualist Association of Churches (NSAC). Otherwise, the Alliance is similar to the NSAC. An annual convention is held at Lake Pleasant, Massachusetts. An official board of directors conducts outreach work.

Membership

In 2008 the alliance reported only one center still in operation. It also reported a constituency of several thousand people who visit irregularly.

Sources

The National Spiritual Alliance. www.thenationalspiritualallianceinc.org.

Shattuck, Louise, with David James. Spirit and Spa: A Portrait of the Body, Mind and Soul of a 133-Year-Old Spiritualist Community in Lake Pleasant, Massachusetts. Greenfield, MA: Delta House Press, 2003.

National Spiritual Science Center

c/o Seekers Church, 276 Carroll St. NW, Washington, DC 20012

The National Spiritual Science Center was established in Washington, D.C., in 1941 by Rev. Alice Wellstood Tindell. Reverend Tindell was trained at the Spiritual Science Mother Church, headquartered at Carnegie Hall Studios, New York City, which was founded by Rev. Julia O. Forrest on May 29, 1923. For many years it was an active part of the Ecclesiastical Council of the Spiritual Science Mother Church and also a charter member in the Federation of Spiritual Churches and Associations, an ecumenical organization of Spiritualist groups that was organized by Reverend Tindell. In 1969, while attending a Federation meeting, Reverend Tindell suffered an accident that left her disabled and led her to turn the center over to two people she had trained during the 1960s, Reverends Henry J. Nagorka and Diane S. Nagorka.

During the 1970s the Nagorkas reorganized the center, independent of the Spiritual Science Mother Church, and moved the headquarters. Under their leadership, the center emerged as a prominent national Spiritual Science organization. ESPress, Inc., became a significant Spiritualist publishing concern, and for 16 years Rev. Henry Nagorka served as its publisher and president of the center’s Board of Directors. Rev. Diane S. Nagorka founded the School of Spiritual Science, and with her colleague and assistant, Rev. Margaret Moum, established the curriculum and theology for metaphysical studies for which the school became known. She served as its director for many years. After Reverend Henry’s death in 1986, ESPress, Inc., ceased its publishing activities, and Rev. Diane S. Nagorka assumed management of the operations of the center and school as its president and director until her retirement in June 1989.

The baton of leadership passed to the board of directors, which meets on a regular basis to determine policy and to administer the services and activities of the center. The School of Spiritual Science continues its program of metaphysical studies under the guidance of the director of education, who is appointed to the position, and presents a four-year course of study leading to certification as Minister of Spiritual Science.

The center’s nine-point statement affirms belief in God as the Universal Creative Energy, the dynamic growing nature of the universe; the drive of every entity to unite with God; the immortality of the soul; individual free will; wisdom as the latent power of God within; the reality of communication with spirit; soul-unfoldment and service as the purpose of life; and God as a just, accepting, and impersonal Force, drawing all to perfection.

Membership

Not reported.

Educational Facilities

Silent Light International Spiritual Science Correspondence School.

Periodicals

InSpirit.

Sources

National Spiritual Science Center. www.nsscdc.org/.

Moum, Margaret R. Guidebook to the Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ. Washington, DC: ESPress, 1974.

Nagorka, Diane S. Spirit as Life Force. Washington, DC: ESPress, 1983.

National Spiritualist Association of Churches

13 Cottage Row, PO Box 217, Lily Dale, NY 14752

The National Spiritualist Association of Churches (NSAC), formed in 1893 in Chicago, is the oldest and largest of the Spiritualist churches. Among its first leaders were Harrison D. Barrett (c. 1863–1911) and James M. Peebles (1822–1922), both former Unitarian clergymen, and Cora L. V. Richmond (1840–1923), a medium and author. The association was formed both for fellowship and to deal with fraudulent mediumship. The association is also important for its adoption of a number of statements on Spiritualism that have become a standard to which other Spiritualist bodies more or less adhere.

In 1899 the association adopted a six-article “Declaration of Principles,” with three more added later. These nine articles established the beliefs of modern Spiritualism:

(1) We believe in Infinite Intelligence [the influence of Unitarianism is evident in this definition of God];
(2) We believe that the phenomena of Nature, both physical and spiritual, are the expression of Infinite Intelligence;
(3) We affirm that a correct understanding of such expression and living in accordance therewith constitute true religion;
(4) We affirm that the existence and personal identity of the individual continue after the change called death;
(5) We affirm that communication with the so-called dead is a fact, scientifically proven by the phenomena of Spiritualism;
(6) We believe that the highest morality is contained in the Golden Rule: “Whatsoever ye would that others should do unto you, do ye also unto them”;
(7) We affirm the moral responsibility of the individual, and that he makes his own happiness or unhappiness as he obeys or disobeys Nature’s physical and spiritual laws;
(8) We affirm that the doorway to reformation is never closed against any soul here or hereafter;
(9) We affirm that the precept of Prophecy and Healing are Divine attributes proven through Mediumship.

Over the years, other statements were adopted on “What Spiritualism Is and Does” and “Spiritual Healing.” A set of “Definitions” was also approved. The two issues of reincarnation and the relation of Spiritualism to Christianity emerged as the major questions dividing Spiritualists. Differing answers to these two questions split the NSAC on several occasions, and dissent led independent Spiritualists to form their own organizations instead of joining the NSAC. Reincarnation, gaining popularity through theosophy, began to find favor among some mediums in the early twentieth century but was specifically condemned by the NSAC in 1930. “Are Spiritualists also Christians?” was debated by the NSAC and generally decided in the negative. Although the NSAC has drawn heavily on the Christian faith, from which most members came, it identifies its members as Spiritualists. The specifically “Christian” Spiritualists were found in other bodies such as the Progressive Spiritualist Church. It should be noted that most Spiritualists differentiate between primitive Christianity, which they believe themselves to be following and practicing, and contemporary orthodox Christianity, which they strictly differentiate from both primitive Christianity and Spiritualism.

The polity of the association is hierarchical. There are loosely organized state associations and an annual national convention. Among Spiritualists, the association has the highest standards for ordination. The NSAC is noteworthy as the only Spiritualist body to attempt to develop work among youth. The lyceum (Sunday school) was originally promoted and shaped by Andrew Jackson Davis (1826–1910) in 1863. Children’s materials have been developed and many churches have an active lyceum program. Such efforts have given the NSAC a stability lacking in most Spiritualist bodies.

Membership

In 2008 the NSAC reported 85 affiliated churches in the United States.

Educational Facilities

Morris Pratt Institute, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Center for Spiritualist Studies, Lily Dale, New York.

Periodicals

The National Spiritualist Summit. PO Box 6089, Sun City West, AZ 85376-6089. • Spotlight (for children). 1418 Hall SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506-3960.

Sources

National Spiritualist Association of Churches. www.nsac.org/.

Barrett, H. D. Life Work of Cora L. V. Richmond. Chicago: Hack & Anderson, 1895.

Holms, A. Campbell. The Fundamental Facts of Spiritualism. Indianapolis, IN: Stow Memorial Foundation, n.d.

Kuhnig, Verna Kathryn. Spiritualist Lyceum Manual. Milwaukee, WI: National Spiritualist Association of Churches, 1962.

One Hundredth Anniversary of Modern American Spiritualism. Chicago: National Spiritualist Association of Churches, 1948.

Progressive Spiritual Church

Current address not obtained for this edition.

The Progressive Spiritual Church was formed in 1907 by the Rev. G. V. Cordingley, who had been one of the organizers of the Illinois State Spiritualist Association of the National Spiritualist Association of Churches. The Reverend Cordingley had rejected the NSAC’s adoption of a “Declaration of Principles” instead of a “Confession of Faith” based on the authority of the Bible. An aggressive policy of proselytizing brought steady growth during the first decade of the Progressive Spiritual Church.

The doctrine of the church is derived from Christian affirmations as modified by divine revelations received through spirit communication. The Confession of Faith affirms belief in communication with spirits, the resurrection of the soul (but not of the body), God as absolute divine spirit, and angels or departed spirits, who communicate through mediums. Members further hold that Jesus was a medium, that spirits have desires, that the Bible is the inspired word of God, and that heaven and hell are conditions, not locations. Four sacraments are practiced: baptism, marriage, spiritual communion, and funerals.

A mother church elects officers, including a supreme pastor, a board of trustees, a secretary and a treasurer. Individual congregations elect their own officers, but are subject to the mother church. Churches are located mainly in the Midwest.

Membership

Not reported. Attempts to contact individuals associated with the church have proved futile. It is not known if the church is still functioning.

Sources

McArthur, Paul. Text Book, Ritual, Valuable Data and Selected Poems. Progressive Spiritualist Association of Missouri, 1908.

Roosevelt Spiritual Memorial Benevolent Association

Current address not obtained for this edition.

The Roosevelt Spiritual Memorial Benevolent Association was formed in 1949 by a group of independent Spiritualists. Its main purpose was to provide a home for otherwise independent mediums and churches, which it certified and chartered. It adhered to the Spiritualist doctrine, asserting communication as taught in the Bible and promoting psychical research. It also offered a study course in Spiritualism.

Membership

Not reported.

St. Paul’s Church of Aquarian Science

Current address not obtained for this edition.

The Rev. Harold C. Durbin, a Spiritualist medium who was a pastor in the Spiritualist Episcopal Church, became independent in the 1960s and founded St. Paul’s Church of Aquarian Science in St. Petersburg, Florida. In 1970 he published his book, Someone Asked, He Answered. The name of the church was derived from the zodiacal sign of Aquarius. The church posited that humanity was moving into the Aquarian Age. Jesus refers to the “man with the waterpot,” Aquarius, in Mark 14:13–15.

According to the church’s teachings, God is Universal Spirit with the attributes of power and intelligence; God is a trinity of Father (creator), Son (created), and Holy Spirit (the process of creation); man is a trinity of body, soul or mind, and spirit; Jesus the master gave the highest teachings, and people grow as they practice these teachings; man is divine creation, with all the divine attributes and access to God through Jesus; all life is eternal and must grow and evolve; the door of reformation is never closed; and by developing the divine attributes, attunement of the world of spirit (mediumship) is developed. The church accepted reincarnation.

A second congregation was established in Tampa. In the late 1970s headquarters were moved to Texas.

Membership

Not reported. Prior to the move to Texas, the church reported over 800 people affiliated with the congregations.

Sources

Durbin, Harold C. Someone Asked, He Answered. Lakemont, GA, 1970.

Spiritual Episcopal Church

141 Frost St., Eaton Rapids, MI 48827

The Spiritual Episcopal Church was founded in 1941 as the Spiritualist Episcopal Church by the Revs. Clifford Bias (1910–1987), John W. Bunker (1893–1956), and Robert Chaney (1913–2006), all prominent mediums at Camp Chesterfield in Indiana. Bias and Bunker were members of the Independent Spiritualist Association, and Chaney was a member of the National Spiritualist Association of Churches. The founders expressed dissatisfaction with an overemphasis on phenomena within Spiritualism; they wanted a greater emphasis on philosophy, particularly as channeled from the spirit realm.

In 1956 a morals charge was brought against a prominent medium, a candidate for a church office. Camp Chesterfield, where the church had its membership, was split between those supporting and those opposing the medium. After attempting to dissuade the medium from seeking office, the Rev. Dorothy Graff Flexer moved the church headquarters to Lansing, Michigan, hoping to prevent the divisiveness at Camp Chesterfield from further disrupting the church.

The church believes that Spirit is the Origin, Sustainer, and Reality in all forms of nature and in all the expression of life. The universe is spirit-built and constitutes a divine revelation of Spirit (God). The church believes in life after death, the efficacy of prayer, the duty and privilege to come into harmony and peace with the Spirit, and the divinity of all persons. Jesus is accepted as an Avatar, one of the “Christed ones”who have manifested into the world to lighten its darkness and show by precept and example the way of life leading back to the Source.

In 2008 the presiding clergy was Rev. Audrey Charlton.

Membership

In 2008 the church reported congregations in Eaton Rapids, Mt. Morris, and Owosso, Michigan.

Periodicals

Spiritualist Messenger, 610 Clinton St., Owosso MI 48867.

Sources

Spiritual Episcopal Church. www.spiritualist-church.com/.

Chaney, Robert G. “Hear My Prayer.” Eaton Rapids, MI: Library, the Spiritualist Episcopal Church, 1942.

Development of Mediumship. Dimondale, MI: Spiritual Episcopal Church, n.d.

Spiritual Israel Church and Its Army

c/o Ypsilanti Temple, 501 Eugene St., Ypsilanti, MI 48198

The exact origin of the Spiritual Israel Church and Its Army is unknown, but it draws heavily on two older African-American religious traditions, Black Judaism and Spiritualism. Leaders of the Spiritual Israel Church, such as Bishop Robert Haywood (called by the title King of All Israel) and Bishop George Coachman (the association’s Overseer), placed its establishment in the late 1930s, with some organization precedents going back to the 1920s. The forerunner of the Spiritual Israel Church was the Church of God in David, which was established by Derks Field in Alabama. At some point, either in Alabama or Michigan, Field met W. D. Dickson, who had arrived at similar ideas. After Field’s death, Dickson took on the title of the King of All Israel, which was also carried by his successors, and pulled Spiritual Israel “out of David”upon instructions from the Spirit. Spiritual Israelites credit both Field and Dickson with “restoring” the teachings of the ancient Israelites. Apparently after Field’s death, a power struggle for the leadership of the association occurred among Dickson and the surviving Field brothers, Doc and Candy. Each of the Field brothers established a separate organization, and several other groups, all containing the word “Israel” in their names, later broke away from the Spiritual Israel Church. Because of the severe Michigan winters, Dickson moved the sect to Virginia for a while, but returned to Detroit upon further instructions from the Spirit. Dickson was succeeded in his leadership by Bishop Martin Tompkin and Haywood.

Members of Spiritual Israel Church and Its Army view themselves as spiritual descendants of the ancient Israelites or “Spiritual Jews,” and their association as a restoration of the religion of the ancient Israelites. They maintain that “Ethiopian”is the “nationality” name of black people, whereas “Israel” is their “spiritual” name. They believe that the first human beings were black, starting with Adam, who was created from the “Black soil of Africa” and that all of the great Israelite patriarchs and prophets were black men. In time, however, with the sons of Isaac, a division in humanity developed. Jacob became the progenitor of the Ethiopian nation and Esau of the Caucasian nation. Spiritual Israelites maintain that most whites who identify themselves as Jews are actually the descendants of Gentiles who intermarried with the original Jews or Israelites.

Spiritual Israelites maintain that they belong to the one true Spiritual church and that the Spirit dwells in all people. Like most other Spiritual groups, they believe that heaven and hell are projections of the human mind. The Christ Spirit, which is simply the anointed power of God, has occupied the bodies of many kings of Israel.

Membership

In 2008 the Spiritual Israel Church reported 28 affiliated churches in 13 states.

Sources

Spiritual Israel Church and Its Army. www.siciaypsilanti.org/.

Baer, Hans A. “Black Spiritual Israelites in a Small Southern City.” Southern Quarterly 23, no. 3 (1985):103–124.

———. The Black Spiritual Movement: A Religious Response to Racism. Knoxville, TN: University of Tennessee Press, 1984.

Superet Light Doctrine Church

2516 W Third St., Los Angeles, CA 90057

The Superet Light Doctrine Church was founded in Los Angeles in 1925 by Dr. Josephine De Croix Trust (d. 1957), called Mother Trust by her followers. According to Superet Light belief, Mother Trust was a Light Scientist who found Jesus’Religion because she had the gift to see the light, vibration, and aura of Jesus’Words. In childhood, Mother Trust was able to see auras. During her early work in New York City, she diligently studied the auras to learn their meanings, often going without food. She developed tuberculosis, but in a vision Jesus healed her and gave her the mission of bringing to the world His light teachings. She gained a reputation around New York City as a miracle healer.

From her studies of the Bible she discovered that only the Words of Jesus shone with light. She then began to realize the secret of the Mother of God: The Holy Ghost was the Mother of God. She discovered that there are two purple hearts united in one, the Father and Mother of God. Also, she discovered from her studies of light in the Book of Revelation, the New Name “Superet,”the Parent God, Father and Mother Superet Light. Jesus Christ chose Mother Trust to bring out this truth to the world. She was told in a vision that Superet is the everlasting fire in God’s Sacred Purple Heart.

The Superet Science teaches the manifestation of God’s Light through every individual’s light atom aura. All substances that possess magnetism, especially all life, have an aura, an invisible emanation. Mother Trust, as an aura scientist, was able to see both the outer aura and inner aura (or light of the soul). The light atom aura, capable of receiving God’s Light, is produced by developing one’s inner aura. Through Jesus Christ the Superet Light is effected and people become successful in their daily lives.

The church offers several lesson series that explain basic Superet Light beliefs, such as “The Superet Lessons” and “The Golden Text Lessons.” Mother Trust wrote more than 25 books, most of which are available to the general public.

On Christmas Day, 1938, Mother Trust inaugurated the Prince of Peace Movement, for people of all religions, colors, and nationalities, as an auxiliary to the Superet Church.

Membership

In 2008 the church reported one center in the United States, with affiliated work in Mexico, Colombia, and Venezuela.

Periodicals

Newsletter of the Superetist Brotherhood and Sisterhood. 2516 W. Third St., Los Angeles, CA 90057.

Sources

Superet Light Center. www.superet.com.

Miracle Woman’s Secrets. Los Angeles: Superet Press, 1949.

Superet Light Doctrine Ministry. Los Angeles: Superet Press, 1947.

Trust, Josephine C. Bible Mystery by Superet Light Science. Los Angeles: Superet Press, 1950.

———. Superet Light. Los Angeles: Superet Light Center, 1953.

———. Superet Light Doctrine. Los Angeles: Superet Press, 1949.

T.O.M. Religious Foundation

Current address not obtained for this edition.

The T.O.M. Religious Foundation was founded in the 1960s by the Rev. Ruth Johnson of Velarde, New Mexico. The Reverend Johnson achieved her leadership through knowledge gained from study, experience, and previous lives. In 1970 the Foundation was moved to Canon City, Colorado. Its teachings were transmitted primarily through correspondence studies, “Moon Time Studies in Spiritual Culture,” which offered instruction in dreams and the Bible, ESP and psychic development, and “Atlantis” and “Original Christianity.”Teachings stressed that God is the divine one, or Whole, or Spirit, who knows, loves, and cares for all, and manifests his love through spiritual guidance. The language of the soul can supply lines of communication with the spirit world.

Membership

Not reported.

Temple of Universal Law

5030 N Drake, Chicago, IL 60625

The Temple of Universal Law was founded in 1936 by the Rev. Charlotte Bright (d. 1989), a medium under the guidance of Master Nicodemus, the control and directing voice who speaks through her. In 1965 a temple was erected on Chicago’s North Side. Teachings were given through the Reverend Bright by the Masters of the Great White Brotherhood. The control and directing voice, as well as other masters of the brotherhood, continued to speak through her son and successor, the Rev. Robert E. Martin.

The temple describes itself as a nondenominational church based in metaphysical Christianity. Members believe in God who expresses himself as a Trinity. God the Father is the universal law of life which creates, sustains, and progresses to eternal life, and Christ is the perfect demonstration of divine mind. The Holy Spirit is the action of divine mind within. Truth is found in the Bible and in all spiritual traditions. The essential duty of man, who is immortal, is to look within and begin to awaken the Christ Spirit. Only by learning and understanding universal law can we come into oneness with God. The Lord’s Supper is celebrated on the first Sunday in each month.

Classes, special workshops and lectures, and various services emphasizing communication with spirits supplement the Sunday worship. The temple maintains a library and has published numerous booklets.

Membership

In 1988 the church reported two congregations with more than 200 members served by 11 minister-mediums. There were also 12 missionaries (channels) affiliated with the church.

Periodicals

Temple Messenger.

United Spiritualist Church

813 W 165th Pl., Gardena, CA 90247

The United Spiritualist Church was founded in 1967 by the Rev. Floyd Humble, Edwin Potter, and Howard Mangan. The Reverend Humble had earlier served several independent Spiritualist churches. The United Spiritualist Church differs from most Spiritualist churches in its adoption of a centralized form of government. Power is invested in the presidency, which includes the president, first advisor-secretary, and second advisor-treasurer. Under the presidency is the board of governors. There is also a board of publication, education, and church extension and missions, and a general conference, which elects the board of governors.

The beliefs and practices of the church stem from the consensus of Spiritualism. Members believe in mediumship, both mental and physical, and follow the practices of Jesus in preaching, healing, teaching, and prophecy. Man is considered immortal; the unfoldment and development of individuals are means to bring the kingdom of God on earth.

Membership

The church reports three congregations, in Gardena, Anaheim, and Los Angeles.

Periodicals

The Spiritual Outlook. 809 W 165th Place, Gardena, CA 90247.

Sources

United Spiritualist Church. www.unitespirit.org/.

Humble, Floyd. Bible Lessons. Gardena, CA: United Spiritualist Church, 1969.

Universal Church of Psychic Science

Current address not obtained for this edition.

The Universal Church of Psychic Science was a small Spiritualist body headquartered in Philadelphia and headed by W. L. Salisbury, its president, and Clarence Smith, its secretary. The group was limited to the states of New Jersey, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. The church issued ordinations and church charters.

Membership

Not reported.

Universal Church of the Master

100 W Rincon Ave., Ste. 101, Campbell, CA 95008

The Universal Church of the Master (UCM) was formed in 1908 in Los Angeles, California, and was incorporated in 1918. Initially, it was largely a West Coast association of ministers and churches, but it began to spread across the nation in the 1960s. Among its early leaders was Dr. B. J. Fitzgerald, author of A New Text of Spiritual Philosophy and Religion, the basic book of the UCM. In 1930 the headquarters were moved to Oakland and then, in 1966, after Dr. Fitzgerald’s death, to San Jose.

The church sees itself as both Christian and Universal in its religious philosophy. While it uses much out of liberal Christianity, it also is eclectic, allowing a wide range of beliefs to exist. Its ten-point statement, drawn from the Text, affirms belief in the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man, the laws of nature and living in harmony with them, life after death, communication with the unseen world, the golden rule, individual responsibility and the continual possibility of improvement, prophecy, and the eternal progress of the soul. The emphasis on the laws of nature denies any supernaturalism or miraculous nature in the communication phenomena. The church also uses The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ by Levi Dowling as a source for its teachings.

The UCM is headed by a governing board, including the president, other officers, and trustees, which meets annually. An examining committee approves all ordinations and certifications. The board of trustees grants charters. The polity is congregational.

Educational Facilities

UCM’s Remote Theology Degree Program grants undergraduate and graduate theology degrees.

Membership

In 2002 the church reported 115 active ministers in the United States, half of them in Arizona and California, and 3 in Canada. Many more active Spiritualist ministers were originally ordained through the UMC.

Periodicals

UCM Quarterly Magazine • A Joyful Noise e-mail newsletter.

Sources

Universal Church of the Master. www.u-c-m.org/new/.

Dowling, Levi. The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ. Los Angeles: Leo W. Dowling, 1925.

Fitzgerald, B. J. A New Text of Spiritual Philosophy and Religion. San Jose, CA: Universal Church of the Master, 1954.

Universal Church of the Master, History and Principles. Santa Clara, CA: Universal Church of the Master, 1995.

Universal Hagar’s Spiritual Church (UHSC)

c/o Professor George H. Latimer-Knight, PO Box 07071, Detroit, MI 48207-7071

The Universal Hagar’s Spiritual Church (UHSC) was founded by Father George Willie Hurley (1884–1943), a contemporary of Father Divine and also a self-proclaimed god. Hurley was born in Reynolds, Georgia, and received his early training as a Baptist minister, though he later became a Methodist. After moving to Detroit, Michigan, with his wife in 1919, he joined a small Holiness sect called Triumph the Church and Kingdom of God in Christ and became its Presiding Prince for the state of Michigan.

In the early 1920s Hurley became a minister in the National Spiritual Church, probably a predominantly white organization, which served as a transition to leadership of his own church, established in Detroit on September 23, 1923. In 1924 he established the School of Mediumship and Psychology, which eventually became a secret auxiliary in each congregation affiliated with UHSC. Father Hurley maintained that the school is a branch of the Great School of the Prophets, which Jesus attended during the eighteen years of his life that are not accounted for in the Bible. He also established the Knights of the All Seeing Eye, a Masonic-like auxiliary open to both men and women. By the time of Hurley’s death, UHSC had grown to an association of at least 37 congregations (in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York City, West Virginia, Delaware, and Illinois).

Similar to other Black Spiritual groups, UHSC inherited an eclectic religious heritage, drawing elements from Spiritualism, Catholicism, African-American Protestantism, and possibly vodou or hoodoo. Father Hurley also incorporated concepts from the Aquarian Gospel of Jesus Christ, astrology, Ethiopianism, and other belief systems in his church. Sometime around 1933, if not earlier, Father Hurley began to teach his followers that his “carnal flesh”had been “transformed into the flesh of Christ.”He maintained that just as Adam had been the God of the Taurian Age, Abraham the God of the Arian Age, and Jesus the God of the Piscean Age, he was the God of the Aquarian Age. Unlike most Spiritual churches, which have assumed an apolitical posture and refused, for example, to participate in the Civil Rights Movement, Hurley took unequivocal stands on a number of social issues, particularly the status of African Americans in the larger society, and urged his followers to vote for Franklin D. Roosevelt. After Hurley’s death the strongly nationalist and critical rhetoric of his church was considerably tempered.

Father Hurley’s successors as head of UHSC have included Prince Thomas Surbadger, Mother Mary Hatchett, Prince Alfred Bailey, and Rev. G. Latimer, a daughter of Hurley. The Wiseman Board, which consisted primarily of women in the later decades of the twentieth century, serves as UHSC’s governing body. Over the years, the heaviest concentrations of Hagar’s congregations have been in southeastern Michigan, where the association’s headquarters is located, and in the New York-New Jersey area. The affiliations of individual member congregations have changed considerably over the years, and especially since the early 1960s UHSC has experienced significant fluctuations in the number of its congregations in the East and Midwest, somewhat offset by the spread of the church to California and the Southeast.

Membership

In 2008 the church reported 40 churches across the United States.

Sources

Father Hurley: Practical Spiritual Principles for Today. www.fatherhurley.com/.

Baer, Hans A. The Black Spiritual Movement: A Religious Response to Racism. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1984.

Universal Harmony Foundation

5903 Seminole Blvd., Seminole, FL 33772

The Universal Harmony Foundation grew out of and superceded the Universal Psychic Science Association, founded in 1942 by the Rev. Helene Gerling and her husband, J. Bertram Gerling. Both had been prominent mediums at Lily Dale Spiritualist Camp near Rochester, New York. Headquarters were later moved to St. Petersburg, Florida, where a seminary was opened, offering nine courses leading to ordination as minister, healer, missionary, or teacher. Headquarters are now in Seminole, Florida.

Teachings of the foundation are eclectic, drawn from the universal revelation and the tested teachings of all the world’s prophets. Study is directed toward metaphysics, healing, comparative religion, Bible, yoga, and mysticism. The seven affirmation-tenets present a religion premised on the religious and scientific demonstrations of the talents and powers of the Living Spirit. They affirm the fatherhood of God and brotherhood of man, the eternality of life, the power of prayer, spiritual healing, the reality of the psychic, soul-growth as the purpose of life, and fraternal service as the way of life. The Torch of Truth, the symbol of universal harmony, is lighted at the beginning of all services.

There is a mother church, the first chartered by the foundation, and members are encouraged to join it by participation in an annual free-will offering. Ministers are organized into a ministerial fellowship. They may apply for temple (i.e., congregation) charters. Rev. Gerling is the author of correspondence lessons offered through the seminary and a number of books. Rev. Gerling retired in 1988 and was succeeded by Rev. Nancy Castillo.

Membership

In 2001 the church reported 175 members and seven affiliated congregations.

Educational Facilities

Universal Harmony Foundation Seminary, Seminole, Florida.

Periodicals

The Spiritual Digest.

Sources

Universal Harmony Foundation. www.theuniversalharmony.com/.

Gerling, Helene A. Healthy Intuitive Development. New York: Exposition Press, 1971.

Universal Religion of America

c/o Christ Universal Church, 295 N Tropical Trl., Merritt Island, FL 32952

The Universal Religion of America was founded in 1958 by the Rev. Marnie Koski, pastor of a church in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and a former minister of the Spiritual Science Mother Church. The body is Spiritualist and Pentecostal, and emphasizes ESP and the spiritual gifts, such as speaking in tongues. Koski is also known to her followers as Soraya (meaning “Solar Ray”), because she has served as a medium for some contemporary messages from Jesus. Leaving the Kenosha congregation to assistants, Koski moved the headquarters to Rockledge, Florida, and then more recently to the Metaphysical Center in Merritt Island, Florida.

Membership

Not reported. In 1968 there were 500 members. There are two congregations, one in Wisconsin and one in Florida.

Sources

Koski, Marnie. Person Talks with Jesus. Washington, DC: ESPress, 1979.

Universal Spiritualist Association

4905 W University Ave., Muncie, IN 47304-3460

The Universal Spiritualist Association was founded in 1956 by Clifford Bias (1910–1987) with former members of the Spiritualist Episcopal Church, which had provided theological training for Camp Chesterfield of the Indiana Association of Spiritualists. Bias was succeeded as the association’s leader by Warren M. Smith, who retired from Spiritualist activities in 1990. T. Ernest Nichols has been president since 1990. A board of trustees oversees both the operation of the association and the Universal Bookstore On Line. A board of regents, presently elected by the board of trustees, oversees the operation of the Universal Institute for Holistic Studies and its Home Study System, a five-level course of study toward the Universal Spiritualist Ministry, along with its interactive Internet counterpart, the College of Religious Education (CORE). Elections are held on an annual basis, with each official holding office for three years. The board of trustees has the power to charter churches as well as license ministers and mediums who have completed the requirements of the institute.

The Universal Spiritualist Association is composed of people who believe in and practice the religion of Spiritualism, described as “the Science, Philosophy, and Religion of continuous life, based upon the demonstrated fact of communication by means of channeling (mediumship) with those who live in the Spiritual World.” The association and its churches affirm belief in the Creatorship of God, the oneness of all life everywhere, the leadership of the Christ, salvation by character, and the progression of humanity upward and onward forever. Annual institute sessions are conducted at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. Class intensives continue the association’s tradition of teaching, preaching, and practicing the great religions, including Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, and Judaism, as well as the esoteric faiths of Esotericism, Native American Spirituality, Rosicrucianism, Spiritualism, Sufism, and Theosophy. The association and its institute provide education and fellowship for devotees and adherents of the Mystic, the Psychic, the New Age, the Metaphysical, and the Traditional. Within the association, there is a mystical society, the Ancient Mystical Order of Seekers, consisting of clergy and the more serious students who wish to learn and understand “the esoteric arts and sciences.”The subject matter extends far beyond that common to most Spiritualist practices. Clifford Bias authored a series of manuals, The Path of Light, and published several books representative of their work.

Membership

In 2002 the association reported 390 members in the United States and Canada, including ministers, spiritual healers, and mediums, as well as eight churches in the United States and one church in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

Educational Facilities

Institute for Holistic Studies, Muncie, Indiana.

Periodicals

The Banner of Light.

Sources

[Bias, Clifford]. The A. M. O. S. Path of Light. 19 vols. Anderson, IN: The Ancient and Mystical Order of Seekers, n.d.

———. The Way Back. York Beach, ME: Samuel Weiser, 1985.

Universal Spiritualist Manual. Manor Grove, IN: Universal Spiritual Church, n.d.

Wallace, Austin D. Thistle Presents Prince Nikeritis. Eaton Rapids, MI: Transcendental Science Publications, 1950.

University of Life Church

c/o Richard Ireland, 5600 6th St., Phoenix, AZ 85040

The University of Life Church was formed by renowned psychic Richard Ireland (d. 1992). After serving a number of Spiritualist churches in the Midwest and East, Ireland moved to Phoenix, Arizona, in 1955. He gained a reputation during the 1960s as a nightclub entertainer, conducting ESP shows in which he read serial numbers of dollar bills while blindfolded. In the context of the church, he is a full trance medium; two guides, a Dr. Ellington and an Indian, speak through him. They answer questions for members and visitors, prophesy future events, and give spiritual teachings. Reincarnation is stressed.

The center of the church is the congregation in Phoenix, which has 1,450 members. A healing shrine is being built in South Mountain in Phoenix. Lessons written by Ireland and/or his guides are sent out around the country. Ireland tried unsuccessfully to inherit the estate of James Kidd of Miami, Arizona, who willed his money for research on the existence of the human soul. The money went to the American Society of Psychical Research instead.