National Spiritualist Association of Churches
The NSAC was formed as the National Spiritualist Association of the United States of America (NSA) in September 1893, during a three-day convention in Chicago, Illinois.
[1] Organization could help non-Spiritualists distinguish genuine mediumship from the rapidly proliferating varieties of fraudulent mediumship, increase communication among Spiritualists, prevent the legal prosecution of spirit mediums under fortune telling and medical licensing laws, and counterattacks by "orthodox" ministers in the press.
Among the NSA's first leaders were W. H. Bach, Harrison D. Barrett (former Unitarian clergymen), Luther V. Moulton, James Martin Peebles, and Cora L. V. Scott (spiritualist medium).
[2] The association is also important for its adoption of a number of statements on spiritualism which have become a standard to which other Spiritualist bodies more or less adhere.
By no means do all Spiritualist denominations or individual churches affirm these principles, but because of their historical significance in setting the beliefs of modern Spiritualism, all nine articles are quoted in full below.
Reincarnation, gaining popularity through theosophy, began to find favor among some mediums in the early twentieth century, but was specifically condemned by the NSAC in 1930.
The concept of reincarnation has been more recently revisited, and the current policy (2008) is that it is not sufficiently established to include it as a position of the NSAC but further investigation is warranted.
In practical terms, this means that reincarnation is not maintained as fact from the podium, but it can be addressed in unofficial gatherings.
The NSAC has two educational auxiliaries, the Morris Pratt Institute in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and The Center for Spiritualist Studies (CSS) in Lily Dale, New York.
According to legend, it is said that a "Native American spirit guide" had told him of unknown mineral deposits the mining of which Morris Pratt made an investment in.
The NSAC is involved in fund raising to restore the property and grounds in time for the 160th anniversary of the advent of Modern Spiritualism (in 2008).
