How do practices of spiritualism gain popularity in ninteent
How do practices of Spiritualism gain popularity in nineteenth century Britain and why?Spiritualism started in America, New York, in 1848 by Catherine and Margaret Fox. They heard banging's and knockings in there house and started to communicate with the spirits which later became known as Spirit Rapping. Four years later it was introduced to England by Mrs Hayden, who advertised for services as a spiritualist medium in April 1952. Despite criticism from respected journals within a year numerous small groups were meeting to summon up the spirits. In 1853 Spiritualism and the abolition of slavery were the foremost topics of the day.In England spiritualism spread rapidly in all levels of society. In literary and artistic circles, middle class and intellectuals and professionals particularly in the midlands, north of England amongst the industrialised working class. In the Northeast of England it was often the miners, pit men, weavers and factory hands who became Spiritualism's most ardent supporters. Spiritualism embraced a full spectrum of beliefs because it presented a rational explanation of the survival of the spirit. This notion of spirituality lead to greater understanding or insight into the nature of the self
1875 saw the first organised missionary activity for the promotion of Spiritualism in the provinces, which soon began to produce results. It was in the industrial urban society that gave rise to an acute form of the problems of individualism that followed the collapse of social and cultural norms. He wears a dressing gown for his seance performances and speaks in a 'small high voice like a child's'. The converse was also true male spiritualists needed to cultivate 'mind passivity' which lead to rumours at time of effeminacy amongst male mediums within the context of the seance women openly transgressed gender norms, often assuming a male role which was at odds with Victorian ideals of womanhood. Rural workers flocked to the industrial towns of Lancashire and Yorkshire and the urban areas of the Northeast and to London. In 1896 at the annual conference in Liverpool a committee was formed to prepare a deed that would define a Spiritualist society and secure a legal status for these societies. Spiritualism was a revolutionary idea that conflicted with the official pattern of religious belief and consequently made almost no progress in rural areas. In the mid nineteenth century the expansion of the industrial towns in Britain led to traditional ways of life being superseded by a new urban pattern of life. Educational opportunities were restricted and paid work was seen as demeaning for middle class girls, which produced increasing unrest in the 1850's and 1860's. However the doctrine of female spiritual superiority could as we have already seen be used as an argument of restricting women's sphere of influence. Spiritualists maintained that the inevitable spread of their beliefs would guarantee the instigation of a new order. In 1841 Goodwyn Barmby promulgated the ideal woman/man/power combining masculine and feminine principles in each sex in which the basis of sexual equality was to be found. (McCabe, 1920)In 1863 James Burns established the "progressive library and spiritual institution" in Southampton Row in London. Briten used the theme of spiritual superiority in women as an argument in favour of women's influence in the male world of affairs and denounced the idea of women being confined to a strictly domestic function. This linking of public morality with spirituality dealing with the private self demonstrates the interrelation of the two and attempts to ensure that individuals in society adopt appropriate forms of demeanour.
Common topics in this essay:
Northeast London,
What's Warning,
Emma Briten,
Goodwyn Barmby,
ABSTINENCE LEAGUE,
Spiritualists BNAS,
LIMITED' Nelson,
John Brown,
Briten Briten,
Seyla Benhabib,
nineteenth century,
spiritualist movement,
spiritual superiority,
inner self,
spiritualist women,
spiritualists believed,
mid nineteenth century,
middle classes,
middle class,
spiritual power,
owen 1989,
spirit leaving body,
owen 1989 1-17,
emma hardinge briten,
spiritual role denied,
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