3. The Communion of Spirits and the Ministry of Angels.

The Communion of Spirit is the key principle of the religion of Spiritualism as it not only teaches life eternal but also, through the working of this principle, gives substance to these teachings.

Death cannot sever the bonds of love and friendship, therefore its natural for those that have passed to the world of spirit, would want to come back and help and be with their friends and family. Spirit cannot be destroyed though its manifestation can, and does alter. Energy cannot be destroyed; it can only change its form.
All religions believe in life after death but only Spiritualism, shows that it is true by demonstrating that communication with departed spirits can and does take place. And this happens every day of every week in Spiritualist Church’s all over the world, thanks to the dedicated work of Church members and the mediums. Our loved one’s and friends that have passed to the Spirit world take advantage of these demonstrations to bring evidence and proof of their continued existence.
(Evidence and proof can come through in the following ways; names, how they passed, family connection, children, what they worked at, dates, disabilities they had, shared memories and their personality. (There are many many different kinds of information to find out more why not come along to one of our Demonstrations or to the Divine Service each Sunday.)

There are also Spirit people/teachers who are dedicated to the welfare and service of mankind; they bring inspiration and teachings whilst others work in the Ministry of Healing.

The ministry of Angels are there for us on every level of our existence, we have only to ask and if it’s within the power of the angels they help us.
(The various scriptures of many faiths mentions Angels, and makes hundreds of references of Angels appearing with- in the bible). (I use this only as reference.)
The seven principles of Spiritulisum came through the mediumship of Mrs Emma Hardinge Britten 1823-1899. She was already a very prominent figure within the Spiritualist movement she was a gifted speaker and writer; she was largely responsible for the philosophical outlook of Spiritualism.
It was through her mediumship the principles of Spiritualism were given, by Robert Owen the renowned socialist, who had passed to Spirit a few years earlier. These principles were to become the basis of the Seven Principles, we use today. (For more information on Emma Hardinge Britten and Robert Owen there should be some books in our church library)

With this being the key principle I would also like to tell you of few of the famous names involved in prolonged investigation, who also dedicated their lives to Spiritulisum, and I have to say giving it substance.
I don’t think any other religion has went through the same examination and investigation that Spiritulisum has over the years, I would say to all involved within the Spiritulisum Movement feel proud of the fact that the early pioneers paved the way for us today, because I do.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle decided to make Spiritualism his life’s mission after prolonged investigation of many years. ‘He also became known as the St Paul of Spiritualism.’

Lord Dowding came into prominence as a champion of Spiritualism, he wrote diligently on his convictions regarding the continuity of life.

William Stainton Moses 1939-1892 a clergyman of the Church of England he became the leading light in promoting The London Spiritualist Alliance.

William T Stead 1849-1912 was a fearless champion of Spiritualism. He had gifts of Spirit-controlled handwriting.

Hannen Swaffer. Author, journalist and socialist. He sat in a home circle wherein Silver Birch, the spirit guide of Maurice Barbanell, used to speak.

Sir Oliver Lodge. Did 25 years of research, and was convinced of the reality of survival. He made his fist public statement regarding it in 1908 and in 1913 he told the British Association that “personality persisted beyond bodily death”. He became a champion of Spiritualism.

J Arthur Findlay, MBE author of the “On the Edge of the Etheric” “The Rock of Truth” “The Unfolding Universe” “The Psychic Stream” and “The Course of Ignorance”etc, he helped found ‘The Psychic News’ in 1932. A true Spiritualist.

Arthur Findlay left his home in England, to The Spiritualist National Union, which is presently known as the Arthur Findlay College, he had the foresight to recognize that a college of study was needed for the future mediums, and indeed he was right, and today the AFC is known worldwide, for its teachings and the standards that have been set, I think we owe a debt of gratitude for those early pioneers and indeed to all that work hard in spiritulisum for the incarnate and the discarnate Spirits who have contributed in guiding spiritulisum along to this present moment in time.

I think from reading this you can gather that the communion of spirit and the ministry of Angels, have definitely been at work here, guiding all the early pioneers forward in giving evidence that is beyond doubt, which scientific investigation could not disagree that the Spirit cannot be destroyed, and communication with loved ones and friends does take place. Life is eternal we do not die.

Author: Josephine Mulholland May 2010