The Genii Forum

Excellent article about Fay and even better, a better understanding of spiritualism as a movement and culture, (than most grasp) and the role she occupied in it.

The Anna Eva Fay article went way beyond my expectations. Spiritualism in America was more pervasive than I had ever imagined. The information put forth is extremely comprehensive.

The one concept that will never cease to amaze me is the gullibility of a true believer. Even as the physical mediums were exposed time and again, their belief in the supernatural was unwavering. Even when a charlatan admitted fraud, the following would not accept anything but spiritual intervention as the cause of the demonstrated phenomena

Originally posted by Nick Maggio:

The one concept that will never cease to amaze me is the gullibility of a true believer. Even as the physical mediums were exposed time and again, their belief in the supernatural was unwavering. Even when a charlatan admitted fraud, the following would not accept anything but spiritual intervention as the cause of the demonstrated phenomena

Nothing changes 150 years on! Even then renowned magician Will Goldston was quick to proclaim medium Helen Duncan as real.Arthur Conan Doyle was another believer(in fairies also). ;)

Magician types often don't realize, this became a religious movement , that had grown very rapidly, complete with churches, denominations, (opposing) doctirnes, and para-church movements/personalities, on the same trail.
Upstate New York in the 1800's was like Los Angeles in the 1920's, and 1960's....along with spiritualism and the Shaker Movement, Smith started the Mormon Church and Russell started the Jehovah's Witnesses....all have their roots in that area and era.
What was at stake with those in the movement, was far more important, than any rope ties, or cheese-cloth ectoplasm, that magicians focused on.