a small group of followers that migrated to the
New America to flee religious persecution.In 1744,
they started thier first settlement in Lebanon, N.Y.
Emma Harding Britten recorded that in 1803 the Shakers were informed thier gifts would be with-drawn and poured out to the people of the world and be the advent of a new era. They were told that when the gifts were returned they would come to
the world through a cottage. Eighteen years later,
this prophecy seemed to be fulfulled by the events at Hydesville, N.Y. in 1848.
Swedenbory-born in 1688 in Stockholm, Sweden was known as the Swedish Seer. He displayed
psychic powers as a child. He was an influential
member of the Swedish government. In his day he
sketched many types of inventions such as the
flying machine, a submarine and a rapid fire gun.
He also found the gray matter of cerebrum was the
seat of psychic activity and through it's sensory
impressions were transformed into thoughts. He was a noted zoologist, anatomist, metalurgist, scientist,engineer and physicist. He coined the word "Teleasthesia" a word for his clairvoyance.
Nathanial Talmadge- at 24 became a US Senator.
He was admitted to the NY Bar in 1828 and became
involved in Spiritualism in 1852. His name headed a
list of 13,000 people in a letter sent to congress to
investigate the claim of possible communication with
the so-called dead. This petition is preserved in the
government archives.
Charles Von Reichenback- in 1848 completed an
extensive study of the body aura. He wrote books
showing that bodies, especially magnets, emit a
luminous emanation visible to certain individuals.
Alfred Russel Wallace-was a surveyor and archi-tect. He explored the Amazon and Negro Rivers in Brazil. He wrote Miracles and Modern Spiritualism.
History-continued***
Lenore Piper & Guide-she was a widely known test medium with both the American
and English Societies of Psychical Research.
Her main spirit guide was called Phinuit but
was later replaced by an attorney named
George Pelham. Pelham communicated
through the written message while Phinuit
communicated through spoken voice.
She was very well known in Boston.
Amy Post-called "The Mother of Modern Spiritualism". Her family began as Quakers
but easily turned to Spiritualism. Isaac Post
developed automatic writing and was guided
by such people as Jefferson, Washington,
Calhoun, Swedenborg and George Fox. Amy
was very active in the women's right movement and a personal friend of Susan B.
Anthony. The Post's were protectors of the Fox family during rough times.
Cora L.V. Richmond-was mediumistic as a
child. She was directed by her spirit controls to leave school at 12 years old. It was felt that formal education would interfere with her spiritual work. At fifteen years old she began to appear before large audiences.With the aid of her spirit controls, she could speak
on topics such as science,politics,history and
philiosphy. She astounded experts. At 18,
she published a series of lectures and poems.
She was co-pastor of the 1st Spritualist Church of Chicago. She passed in 1923.