The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-11-11
BIRTH OF A CHURCH.
How National Association of Spirit
ualists Was Started.
Recognized Legal Body of Religious
Worshipers, Incorporated in
Washington According to
Act of Congress-.
Ispec.al Washington Letter.l

srHN PIRITUALISM is recognized
N religion, incorporated accord
~ ing to law," says Capt. Milan c.
Edison, one of the organizers of the Ma
tional association.
"The acts of congress covering re-
igious societies have been observed
and our incorporation, in 1893, sets
forth that The object of said associa-
ton is not for worldly profit, but for
the purpose of religion, to promote re-
igion and morality, to provide for the
erection of temples and lecture halls,
or other suitable places of worship
where the religion of spiritualism may
be taught, and to provide for the edu-
cation and licensing of proper persons
as authorized lecturers and preachers
of the religion of spiritualism.'
cit is not generally understood
throughout the land that we are a
recognized legal body of religious wor-
shippers. But, ever since the incorpora-
ton of the National association, our
status has been the same as that of
other churches, and our preachers re-
ceive all the railroad and other cour-
tesies extended to the older esta blished
churches"
There are two church organizations
in this city, and there are from 5000 to
5000 believers in the creed of spiritual
ism. Like very many of their predeces-
sors in the field of religion there has
been split or schism; one class believ-
ing that Jesus was divine, and the other
class believing that He was wonderful
medium for the disseminate on of truth.
Both bodies of believers recognize the
National association, and will continue
to dose. tits claimed that in this coun-
Spiritualist creed thanof the Unitarian
or Universalist; consequently in num-
bers they are entitled to consideration
as considerable body of citizens.
Capt. Edison says: "When came to
Washington, in 1871. found that lapge
and successful spiritual meetings had
been conducted here from about 1861.
During the civil war large meetings
were held in Union League hail. Ninth
and E streets. George A. Bacon con-
Quoted the meetings. Hei now clerk
in the civil service co,nmission. Later
equally large meetings We're held
in Harmonial hall, on the south
side of Pennsylvania avenue, near
Sixth street. Upward of 1900 peo-
pie used to attend those meetings
which were conducted by DR.. John
Mayhem and Col. j. C. Smith. In 1872
that hall was torn down and the society
moved to Lyceum hall, Thirteenth and
e streets. From 1875 to 1885 there was
no society here and the meetings were,
kept up by myself as an individual.
took the responsibility of hiring speak
ers, halls, and making collections for
the maintenance of the ceilings. Dur
ing all this period I felt the necessity
of the formation of a ma tionalassocia-
tion, and realized that dominant So
ciety must be established here, at the
capital of the nation, whose prestige
should be such as toauthorize it to call
a national convention. To this end
bent all of my energies, and finally sue
ceeded.
The present first ass,ociati ton was or
ganized and Incorporated in 1885 with
John B. Wolff as president, myself as
vice president, and Golf A. Hall as sec
rotary. Then our society rapidly grew
In numbers and strength. In October,