Institute for Spiritualist Mediums

The Institute for Spiritualist Mediums began in 1956 when Bertha Harris, a prominent London medium, and two associates, Ben Harrington and Russell Harwood, hosted a small gathering to discuss the formation of a new organization to assist mediums and promote mediumship. The initial group of six sent a letter of invitation to all the known mediums in the London area to join in discussions at a second meeting. A number of the prominent mediums accepted the invitation and moved toward the formation of what would initially be termed the Union of Spiritual Mediums. A periodical, Mediums, was launched. The new organization would specialize in the promotion of mediums and mediumship in particular and Spiritualism in general. It owns no property, has no paid employees, and holds no Sunday gatherings. It self consciously refuses to compete with the various Spiritualist groups already in existence.

The new union moved to assist in the training of new mediums and in the certification of mediums as they reached various levels of proficiency. Younger members are granted a Probationer's Certificate. More accomplished members may receive registration as an Approved Medium, an important acknowledgment signaling a medium's ability, public proficiency, and knowledge of Spiritualism. The union also sought ways to bring new mediums from the countryside into London to demonstrate their abilities. The study sessions began with evening meetings, and later, lectures and workshops were held during the day. In the 1970s the union instituted the first Residential Study Weekend, now a regular annual event.

At its 25th anniversary in 1981, the union's name was changed to the Institute for Spiritualist Mediums. The institute moved to create a program for home circles, and president Eileen Roberts produced a Home Circle Tutorial kit to assist these small groups that sit to contact spirits.

The institute may be contacted through its web address: http://www.ism.org.uk/.

Sources:

Institute for Spiritualist Mediums. http://www.ism.org.uk/. February 20, 2000.