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Lily Dale Spiritualist Community
Town full of spiritualists,some of whom are mediums, is still in full swing after 130 years
Category Rites and Rituals
Inspiration Stump
Source www.flickr.com
Founded in 1879, Lily Dale was was formed as a lakeside religious commune and intended to be a town made up entirely of spiritualists. Formed during the height of spiritualism when it is believed to have had over eight million followers in the US and UK, Lily Dale quickly evolved some odd town practices. Among them were ceremonies involving trumpet mediums who "communicated" with the dead via lo-fi megaphones, "automatic" messages which scrawled themselves on chalkboards, and "message services" at the "Inspiration Stump" where mediums called out communiques from the dead. There was a price of course, but the crowds that flocked to Lily Dale were willing to pay for such things.
Today, Lily Dale is still going strong, and one must pass a stringent test to work there as a registered medium. Those who want to practice their craft must pass three 30-minute test readings evaluated by officials of the Lily Dale Assembly. "Message services" are still popular at the inspiration stump, though the actual stump has long been replaced by a concrete replica. Most people come for the mediums who, for between 35 and 75 bucks an hour, bring in long dead relatives, with questions like "I have a Steve here, coming from the father's side. Can you place him?"
The town doesn't take itself too seriously however, and signs abound with such slogans as "I can read your mind and you should be ashamed of yourself." Lily Dale also has a small museum dedicated to the town's history of spiritualism, and even has a grammatically questionable spirit-communique from Abe Lincoln.
See an error? Know more? Edit this place.
- Address 5 Melrose Park, Lily Dale, New York, United States
- http://www.nytimes.com/1997/08/25/nyregion/in-lily-dale-mediums-and-now-commerce-are-the-messages.html?scp=1&sq=lilydale&st=cse&pagewanted=2
- http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9B01E7D61F3EE233A2575BC0A9659C946997D6CF
- http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9F04E1D81139E433A2575BC1A96F9C94699ED7CF
- http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9C04E7DE1438E433A25751C2A96E9C94699ED7CF
- http://www.lilydaleassembly.com/
- Wicker, Christine. "Lilydale: The Town that Talks to the Dead", HaperOne, 2006.
Comments
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Anonymous
January 24, 2010
I do not see a phone number where one could contact a psychic. -
Anonymous
October 30, 2009
Having a sense of humor does not equate with "the town doesn't take itself too seriously". Lily Dale is not a sit-com setting but a genuine place to relax and to seek knowledge.
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Anonymous
August 3, 2009
If I may offer a few corrections? The name is Lily Dale, not Lilydale. Not everyone there talks to the dead. One does not have to pass a test to live there,although one must be a member in good standing of a Spiritualist church. One may seek to be tested, if one wants to be allowed to give readings there. There is no charge for the Sunday church services, which does include messages from Spirit, so one could well hear from their loved ones in spirit for free. There is a gate fee during the summer months which helps to defray the costs of maintaining the public buildings. For the $10 gate fee (waived for active military, persons over 80 and shortly before and after the Sunday morning service), you are granted access to the morning meditation, two healing services, three message services and a full church service (on Sunday this is two message services and two church services), entry to the library, the museum, and use of the hiking trails, including the Fairy Trail, as well as use of the beach when the lifeguard is on duty, the playground, the labyrinth, and the picnic areas. (And the shops.)
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