Parent Page
Introduction
Philosophy
History
Finding a Medium
Find a Healer
Studying
Free Books
Home The SNU Spiritualism Find a Church SNU Shopping Links Contacts

History of Modern Spiritualism Background
Hydesville History
Emma Hardinge


Spiritual phenomena have occurred throughout history. Spirits have communicated, people have been entranced, inspired and influenced by intelligences that reside in a world unseen by material eyes. During moments of ecstasy, in dreams, reveries, drug induced states and deep meditation people throughout the ages have had experience of the spiritual. Mankind’s history, literature, folk law and fairytales are full of mystical spiritual beings both good and bad. Our religions seem all to be based upon experience with the spirit world, with angel presences pronouncing coming events, spirits in dreams giving advice, spirit voices inspiring and giving courage. In fact, Spiritualism, or the belief in and practice of communication with spirits has always existed and in all nations and all periods of time.
There appears to be a distinction between the Spiritualism throughout the ages and the Spiritualism that sprung up from humble beginnings in 1848 in a small town of Rochester, Hydesville in the USA. Modern Spiritualism seems to be a new and different source of God’s working in the world whereby all people may witness and learn openly of the existence and a communication with a spirit-world.
The Fox family, upon moving to a homestead in Hydesville New York State, were disturbed by noises, knockings, movements of objects and other apparently supernatural phenomena. The two children Catherine and Margaretta discovered that if they spoke out then the mysterious noises seemed to respond. It became clear that these phenomena were not just random manifestations of energy but were under the control of some unknown invisible intelligence. In a world where such happenings were feared and labelled by many as of satanic origin, in a world where religion regulated many aspects of life and forbad spirit communication these fantastic happenings soon gained the attention of neighbours and family acquaintances. The news of these happenings spread far and wide, at times scores of bystanders came to marvel at the unexplained knockings and noises.

This is how it is claimed that ‘modern Spiritualism’ started. But through the centuries similar happenings have occurred, local inhabitants have been disturbed, so what turned the Hydesville incident into a catalyst that stimulated the beginnings of an international movement we call ‘modern Spiritualism’?

The mid-eighteen hundreds was a time of great progress, the rail road, the printing press, rapid systems of communication of postal systems and the revolutionary telegraph system meant that news of the Hydesville events could travel to communities throughout America and beyond. This was a significant factor, but it seemed that something different was coming from the spirit world itself. A new system of communication whereby knocks were seen as representing the alphabet and were a more direct method of communication that could be heard by many. And the spirit intelligences not only provided evidence as to their identity, they directed the enquiring mortal minds to investigate, to publicise and encourage onlookers, to hold public demonstrations, and to allow scientific men to scrutinise.

The Fox family suffered scorn, ridicule, and persecution but because of them the truth of spirit communication and advice from spirit people as to how to organise communication circles came and has been followed ever since. A committee of investigation was formed and communicated with the unseen intelligence harassing the Fox family. The committee listened out for the response signal knocks and they established that the communicator was Charles B Rosna, who had been murdered and buried beneath the cellar of the homestead. An excavation of the cellar later proved that there was indeed the remains of a body buried there.

The Hydesville occurrences showed that a system of communication was possible and that spirits could direct and give guidance helping the process. They explained, and it was shown to be correct, that certain people were naturally mediumistic and that communication using a code enabled strikingly accurate and detailed information to be communicated. The printing press, cheaper newspapers and books, the greater literacy amongst the people meant that many learned about this new spirit phenomena and how it could be replicated by forming circles in homes and with the guidance of the spirits themselves. So from this first modern example sprung up development groups and spiritual phenomena flowed from many quarters providing innumerable people with personal joyful corroborative evidence of the existence of a spirit world that could communicate with those still on earth. And these people in turn became advocates to the Spiritualist cause.

The first Spiritualist church opened in 1853 in Keighley in Yorkshire. The church was opened by David Richmond who had returned home from America bringing with him a knowledge about Spirit communication and a mediumistic ability. And in 1855, first published in Keighley, was the first Spiritualist newspaper called ‘The Yorkshire Spiritual Telegraph.’

From the beginnings in Keighley Spiritualism spread throughout the country with many notable intellectuals and socialites of the day publicly endorsing the Spiritualist philosophy. Robert Owen in 1854, scientist William Crooks in 1871 and later in 1918 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Various gifted mediums became well known and written about, they helped to spread the knowledge of Spiritualism further. Significant among these was Emma Hardinge Britten who had spread the word extensively in America. In 1865, Emma returned to her native land England and demonstrated her gift of mediumship and inspired, semi-trance public speaking on the subject of the Philosophy of Spiritualism.

Attempts were made to bring together the various individuals, Spiritualist churches, groups and societies. The concept of a national federation of Spiritualist churches was discussed and written about in 1889 by Emma Hardinge Britten in the ‘Two Worlds’ magazine, a publication she had launched in 1887. Emma arranged a meeting in Manchester of interested Spiritualists to discuss the formation of an organisation that could unite Spiritualist churches throughout the United Kingdom. The meeting held on 1st April 1890 agreed to issue a circular giving information and requesting comments from Spiritualist churches, societies and individuals. And in July 1890 a first national conference of Spiritualists was held in Manchester.

It seems that Emma Hardinge Britten played a pivotal role in organising and bringing together Spiritualists both by her powerful inspired speaking and her ability to communicate by pen and publish to a wider audience. At the first National Conference in 1890, Emma advocated her concept for the fundamental basis of Spiritualist philosophy which later became the Seven Principles of SNU Spiritualism. Resolutions were carried unanimously that have since shaped the direction of Modern Spiritualism.

This is how Spiritualism started. It grew and grew with more churches and societies represented at the annual conferences. In 1901, for legal reasons, the annual conference agreed to establish a holding company and shortly after that the Spiritualists’ National Union Ltd was incorporated as a company not for profit and registered as a charity. This enabled property to be registered and held by the organisation.

Historically, Spiritualism has been beset by prejudice from other religions and the state. Mediums could be moved on or prosecuted under the Witchcraft Act 1735 and the Vagrancy Act 1824. A campaign was started to legalise Spiritualism but even as late as 1944 mediums were being prosecuted. In 1944 Helen Duncan was the last person to be tried and imprisoned for acting as a medium, accused under the Witchcraft Act. In 1951 however the Fraudulent Mediums Act was passed that effectively legalised Spiritualists to practice their religion openly and publicly. However, harassment by the authorities still occurred, for example in 1956 the police raided another of Helen Duncan’s séances in Nottingham and 36 days afterward she died, partly it is claimed due to the shock of being disturbed from her mediumistic trance state. Even today the broadcasting media are very cautious about showing mediumship and aspects of Spiritualism in a serious way, categorising and denigrating it to mere entertainment.

In 1966, the Spiritualist educational college based at Stansted Hall, Essex, ‘The Aurthur Findlay College’ was opened. Today, as well as the college on this site, there is the headquarters’ offices of the Spiritualists’ National Union.