READING LYCEUM

Spiritualism for all ages
Home
About Us
Contact Us
Site Map
LINKS
The Spiritualist  Lyceum Movement
The modern Lyceum movement came into being after a medium called Andrew Jackson Davis, while in a trance state saw a vision of Spirit children being taught and trained as if in school.  Andrew gave a lecture to a Spiritualist audience in Dodsworth Hall, Broadway, New York.on January 25th 1863 informing them of what he had seen.  The lecture rose so much enthusiasm that a meeting was arranged immediately to form and establish the Children’s Progressive Lyceum. 

 

The object of the Lyceum was to deal with all aspects of the development of an individual.  This included Truth, Justice, Fraternal love, Purity, Beauty, Music, Art, Health, Science, Philosophy, and Spirituality.  Their first objective was to cultivate and harmonies the individual physically, intellectually, morally and spiritually this was for both sexes and all ages.  Andrew thought that if it was good for those in spirit it would be good for those on earth. 

 

In the British Isles the first Lyceum was opened in 1866 by a retired school teacher in Nottingham, when extracts from Andrew Jackson Davis lyceum manual were printed by Mr James Burns in a magazine called ‘Medium and Daybreak’. In the British Isle other names of pioneers of the Lyceum movement are David Richmond, Alfred Kitson (Known as the Father of the British Lyceum), Harry Kersey and Emma Hardinge Britten. Alfred, Harry and Emma compiled the first Lyceum Manual in 1887.