RELIGION

RELIGION

(BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION)

PARTICULARS OF THE AUTHOR’S RELIGIOUS BACKGROUND.

My first few years were spent in a Calvinistic environment, listening-to, but hardly comprehending, the “Death and Damnation” preaching of the Reverend James Lees, Minister of the “Lees Mission” in Shah Street, Salford, Lancashire. My mother died when I was 6yrs and 10months and my father, who was a nominal Anglican, withdrew his three children from the Chapel, after a row with relatives who also attended the Chapel. This was caused by his attendance upon a Mrs Starkey, a charming lady, who was a widow with two boys, who just happened to be a Catholic. No union occurred with her. Margery (my twin sister) and I were then about 8years of age. We attended no church from then-on until our elder brother, George, joined the Manchester Cathedral Voluntary Choir and I followed a couple of years later, about l938 or early 39 aged 10yrs.

By the time I was l4yrs of age, I had rejected the idea of the “Existence of God” entirely, although I had enjoyed some elevated sensations whilst singing Anthems in the Choir (Soaring “In the Clouds” when singing the high notes of some lovely anthem).

At the age of 16 years, I became convinced of the fact of “survival after death” (and that, therefore, there must be a “God”) when my mother returned to me one night in my bedroom, gave me a hug and spoke lovingly to me. My father and sister had been engaged with an Ouija board for some weeks and eventually convinced me that they were not pushing the glass around, to spell out messages to themselves. I had then joined a developing class at the Raby Street Church, Moss Side, Manchester, where, a week after my “vision” of my mother, I received a confirmation of this from the leader of the group and felt a “great blanket of love” laid over me. This “conversion” started me out on a course of reform and development, although I must confess that “reform” was a long and complex process. It is still continuing over eighty years later.

When I came home from overseas service with the Army in l951, I renewed my interest in Spiritualism, amongst other pursuits and also married my wife, Teresa, one of seven children of Irish Catholic parents. Although she was sceptical of Spiritualism (and religion in general), she did not discourage my interest: no doubt, thinking that anything that made me a more responsible person would turn out to be beneficial for us both.

Another experience of the “Spirit” came whilst I was sitting in a development circle about l954. A chap named Jack Slinger was sitting for “Physical mediumship” in Harpurhey, Manchester and my brother, George, told me that he needed sitters to help increase the “power” for the medium. We actually sat regularly for about a year and witnessed some rather remarkable physical phenomena, in the shape of trumpets flying about the room and ‘levitation’ of a small table in the middle of the circle. Jack’s guides were also very interesting. Towards the end of our time in this group, I found, one evening, that I had impressions of the Sphinx and the Pyramids, immediately followed by a great rush of power: under the influence of which I felt compelled to stand and throw off the power to the other members of the group. I did so and stood for a short time, during which I continued to enjoy this sensation of the power. I concluded from this that I had an Egyptian guide and, in fact, this guide has been with me to this day. Mrs. Slinger, for some reason, felt that this new development was an intrusion into the work of developing Jack's spiritual gifts. They moved to Blackpool soon after this and we lost contact with them.

I had, earlier, joined the Salford Spiritualist Church in Lord Duncan Street, (where I was born and lived for the early part of my life). The Secretary at this time was a Mrs Oliver. All the other members were women, who were not numerous and the Church was in decline. However, on Saturday afternoons, they had a wonderful open circle, which I used to enjoy greatly and I think that I commenced speaking from time to time at those circles. (This church was the last church attended by Mrs Emma Hardinge-Britten before her death. It had once been a Welsh Chapel: lovingly constructed and containing a stained-glass window, donated by Emma Britten.) Whilst serving in the Army in Gosport, Hampshire, I joined the Victoria Street Spiritualist Temple in Portsmouth for twelve months.

I also attended other circles in the Manchester and Salford district from 1953 until our family came to Australia in l957. For a couple of years we lived in Carlisle, as I was still in the Army when I married and Teresa and I attended both the USC (United Spiritualist Church) and the Christian Spiritualist Church in Carlisle. The latter was held in the old city walls, in a large room at the top of a long flight of stairs. They also had a Saturday night Circle with a marvellous atmosphere of genuine spirituality. The quality of the preaching here was the finest I have ever witnessed, in any meeting, during my long life.

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On arriving in Sydney in Feb l957, I joined the London Street Spiritualist Church, Enmore. The President at this time was a 90yr old gentleman, Mr Bennet. Other members were Frank Macken and Miss Scott. As my wife and I lived in East Hills Hostel, it was quite a drive to Sydney on my old motor-cycle. There were a lot of things about Spiritualism here that I did not like too much: ‘Flower-Reading,’ amongst other things, and people reading the paper during meetings - that sort of thing. There was also a lady who had a room fitted-out for services in Coronation Parade, not far from London Street. She advertised meetings and I attended once or twice but her attendance was very poor indeed. Otherwise, I do not think that there was very much in the way of meetings elsewhere in Sydney at that time; at least no other advertising in the papers.

In later years, interest in the Movement increased and churches and groups formed right across Sydney. A well-conducted “Open Circle” was held at Cronulla in the Public Hall, on Sunday afternoons, for many years during which all the old non-conformist hymns were sung. I often attended here: travelling, usually, by train from Austinmer. In the 90’s, from time to time, I attended a circle at Lidcombe, that was held in the Scout Hall on a Sunday afternoon.

At Wollongong, a Group was formed in the 70’s, commencing at the Eastern Star Hall, with an Open Circle conducted by a Mrs Caddick. This lady was a fine medium, who had a habit of adding ‘tit-bits’ to her messages relating to future ‘good-luck’, which I thought inappropriate for a service of worship. The group later moved to a small house, next door to the Hall, in Denison Street, where it still meets. The property was purchased by means of a loan from an elderly lady, Mrs Laurel Seymour, who conducted a Child-minding Centre at Russell Vale. Later, there was a split in the group, resulting in two ‘churches,’ both competing for the attendance of local people. As I was not a member of either group, at the time, I do not know the reason for this split, but believe that it was not based on doctrinal grounds but rather a matter of personalities. Later, I attended both meetings, from time to time. The competing body rented the Red-Cross Hall. At one time there was a short merger of the two ‘churches’ which lasted only a few months. As I was then active with the Christian Spiritualist Church in Denison Street, I was involved with the administration of the merged body, but do not now recall the precise reason for the further split. There was a deal of peevishness and personality problems in Wollongong for many years. The word ‘Christian’ was, I understand, included in the name of the group at the insistence of the Commonwealth Bank, which held the Mortgage on the property, rather than, as an indicator of doctrinal belief. At that time, ‘Spiritualism’ was hardly considered to be respectable, hence the addition of the name. I was not a member at that time and was informed of this fact by one of the Officers of the Church, at a later date.

My attendances at Wollongong were irregular, although at one period, in the l980’s, I was actually "President" of the Church. This was a much too grandiose title but I did not object, as it was a small point. As I had qualified in Law at the age of 43years, in l973, I was able to assist the Church with the forming of a Constitution and, later, with incorporation under the NSW Associations Incorporation Act, 1984. I resigned from the church in l996, although I attended from time to time until my wife’s illness made it imperative that I concentrate on her care.

Over the years, I moved around a lot to various meetings in Sydney, at some of which I enjoyed very satisfactory experiences, but this was not always the case.

My personal experience of ‘Spirit’ was enhanced in the Sixties, when I began to experience a nightly ‘presence’ of Spirit and felt a lot of massaging of my solar plexus region. I became quite accustomed to this and it did not disturb me at all. Following this, I began to enjoy ‘Astral-travelling’ dreams and these are recorded, honestly and as accurately as I could recall them, in my ‘Dream Experiences’. I believe that some of these dreams provided me with a clear insight into the nature of the spirit world, with the physical world as an extension of Spirit.

Whilst sitting quietly on my bed in the mornings, for a short time, I often felt the presence of spirit-visitors and the build-up of the power of spirit, which, I believe, is of benefit as a healing force. I also feel the physical characteristics of these spirit people, quite strongly. These attendances are experienced without any conscious invocation on my part, although I have to be in a relaxed and passive state of mind. This is a relatively recent phenomenon and gives me much satisfaction.

There is no doubt, that all religions have their origin in one form of ‘Spiritualism’ or another. The Spiritualist movement is unstable and fragmentary but, nevertheless, at its highest level, is unsurpassed by any of the formal religions, with their emphasis on ritual and display. It confirms the teaching of the Nazarene as does no other Movement, other than the Quakers. Properly understood and practiced, it reveals astonishing truths of the nature of the human spirit; Divine Guidance and the promise of a continuing immortality for all people. It abolishes ideas of ‘God’s Judgement’ and substitutes in its place a doctrine of ‘Personal Responsibility’, which means that, "we are what we make of ourselves".

The End

Austinmer,

11th June 2011