Arthur Findlay
Encyclopedia
Arthur Findlay MBE JP (1883- July 1964) was a writer, accountant, stockbroker and Essex
magistrate, as well as a significant figure in the history of the religion of Spiritualism
, being a partial founder of the newspaper Psychic News
and also a founder of the International Institute for Psychical Research. In his will
he left his home, Stansted Hall
, to the Spiritualists' National Union
.
, something of which his staunchly Christian
parents disapproved of - they even burned many of his books on the subject.
In 1913 he was awarded the Order of the British Empire
for his organisation work for the Red Cross.
, after an encounter with a medium known as John Sloan. With his interest in various world religions, Findlay questioned the spirits that Sloan conjured, and came to the conclusions that most gods and other deities worshipped in religions were in fact simply spirits of deceased humans. His interest increased, and in 1920 he founded the Glasgow Society for Psychical Research.
In 1923 he took part in the Church of Scotland
's enquiry into psychic phenomenon. In the same year, he retired from his profession and purchased Stansted Hall in Stansted
, England
, a manor house built in 1871.
In 1932, he became a founding member of Psychic News
, a Spiritualist newspaper, along with Hannen Swaffer
and Maurice Barbanell.
He also helped to found the International Institute for Psychical Research, which he became the chairman of. He also became an honorary member of both the American Foundation for Psychical Research, Edinburgh Psychic College and the honourary president of both the Institute of Psychic Writers and Artists and the Spiritualists' National Union
.
In his will, he left Stansted Hall to the Spiritualists' National Union
as a college for the advancement of Psychic Science, which was named the Arthur Findlay College
of Psychic Science after him.
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Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
magistrate, as well as a significant figure in the history of the religion of Spiritualism
Spiritualism
Spiritualism is a belief system or religion, postulating the belief that spirits of the dead residing in the spirit world have both the ability and the inclination to communicate with the living...
, being a partial founder of the newspaper Psychic News
Psychic News
Psychic News was a weekly British Spiritualist newspaper that was in publication from 1932 to 2010.-History, 1932-2010:The first issue of the paper was published on 28 May 1932. The name of the paper was devised by one of its founding editors, Maurice Barbanell, who said that he was told to use it...
and also a founder of the International Institute for Psychical Research. In his will
Will (law)
A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death...
he left his home, Stansted Hall
Stansted Hall
Stansted or Steanstead Hall was the country seat of the Earls of Essex during the reign of Henry VIII of England..It is now owned by the Spiritualist movement/religion http://www.arthurfindlaycollege.org/...
, to the Spiritualists' National Union
Spiritualists' National Union
The Spiritualists' National Union is a Spiritualist organisation, founded in the United Kingdom in 1901, and is one of the largest spiritualist groups in the world. Its motto is Light, Nature, Truth....
.
Early life
Aged 17, he had become interested in the field of comparative religionReligious studies
Religious studies is the academic field of multi-disciplinary, secular study of religious beliefs, behaviors, and institutions. It describes, compares, interprets, and explains religion, emphasizing systematic, historically based, and cross-cultural perspectives.While theology attempts to...
, something of which his staunchly Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
parents disapproved of - they even burned many of his books on the subject.
In 1913 he was awarded the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
for his organisation work for the Red Cross.
Spiritualism
In 1919, he began to believe in the practice of spiritualismSpiritualism
Spiritualism is a belief system or religion, postulating the belief that spirits of the dead residing in the spirit world have both the ability and the inclination to communicate with the living...
, after an encounter with a medium known as John Sloan. With his interest in various world religions, Findlay questioned the spirits that Sloan conjured, and came to the conclusions that most gods and other deities worshipped in religions were in fact simply spirits of deceased humans. His interest increased, and in 1920 he founded the Glasgow Society for Psychical Research.
In 1923 he took part in the Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
's enquiry into psychic phenomenon. In the same year, he retired from his profession and purchased Stansted Hall in Stansted
Stansted
Stansted usually refers to London Stansted Airport.Stansted may also refer to other places in England:*Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex*Stansted, Hampshire*Stansted, Kent*Stansted Park, West Sussex...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, a manor house built in 1871.
In 1932, he became a founding member of Psychic News
Psychic News
Psychic News was a weekly British Spiritualist newspaper that was in publication from 1932 to 2010.-History, 1932-2010:The first issue of the paper was published on 28 May 1932. The name of the paper was devised by one of its founding editors, Maurice Barbanell, who said that he was told to use it...
, a Spiritualist newspaper, along with Hannen Swaffer
Hannen Swaffer
Hannen Swaffer was a British journalist and drama critic.Swaffer was educated at Stroud Green Grammar School, Kent.He joined the Daily Mail in 1902. He was editor of Weekly Dispatch and helped develop the Daily Mirror into a popular newspaper. In 1913, he initiated "Mr Gossip" for the Daily Sketch...
and Maurice Barbanell.
He also helped to found the International Institute for Psychical Research, which he became the chairman of. He also became an honorary member of both the American Foundation for Psychical Research, Edinburgh Psychic College and the honourary president of both the Institute of Psychic Writers and Artists and the Spiritualists' National Union
Spiritualists' National Union
The Spiritualists' National Union is a Spiritualist organisation, founded in the United Kingdom in 1901, and is one of the largest spiritualist groups in the world. Its motto is Light, Nature, Truth....
.
In his will, he left Stansted Hall to the Spiritualists' National Union
Spiritualists' National Union
The Spiritualists' National Union is a Spiritualist organisation, founded in the United Kingdom in 1901, and is one of the largest spiritualist groups in the world. Its motto is Light, Nature, Truth....
as a college for the advancement of Psychic Science, which was named the Arthur Findlay College
Arthur Findlay College
Arthur Findlay College is a college of Spiritualism and psychic sciences at Stansted Hall in Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex, England.Stansted Hall was built in 1871, and the college was founded there in 1964. In accordance with Arthur Findlay's wishes, the college building and grounds are...
of Psychic Science after him.
On Spiritualism
- On The Edge Of The Etheric, 1931, in which Findley examines the theory that spirits are linked to subatomic physics.
- The Way Of Life
- The Unfolding Universe
- The Psychic Stream, 1939
- Where Two Worlds Meet, 1951, about Findley's encounters with the medium John Sloan.
- Looking Back
On Other Religions
- The Rock Of Truth, 1933, a history of the persecution of mediums by Christianity
- The Curse of Ignorance Volumes I and II, 1947, a history of ChristianityChristianityChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
- The Effect Of Religion On History (Booklet)
- A History of Mankind Volumes I and II
External links
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