Palm Springs Spiritualism: The Society of Spiritualist Studies

The earliest mention of the Society of Spiritualist Studies was in 1987. The Society was founded under the direction of a Rev. Peter L. King, and held regular Sunday Services. The Society advertised Healing, Lecture, and Message Services, and also noted that their workers were certified through the National Spiritualist Association of Churches (NSAC). 

A few events the Society sponsored were a series of lectures dedicated to the spiritual approach to holistic healing, and another lecture given by the director of the Desert Hospice Program which discussed end of life care. 

In 1987 the Society held their services at 55 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs. In 1988 the Society changed locations and met at the Aladdin Chapel, in Indio. In 1989 a PO Box is given and rather than regular Sunday services being listed, a phone number was listed to call regarding dates and times for classes and discussion groups. 

During 1988 another interesting change seems to have taken place, the Society seems to have disaffiliated with the NSAC and became chartered with the American Federation of Spiritualist Churches. The American Federation of Spiritualist Churches was formed in 1980s when the Camp Etna Spiritualist Association in Maine disaffiliated themselves with the National Spiritualist Association of Churches, and reorganized under their own leadership. This most likely implies that Rev. Peter L King had a strong connection to Camp Etna, and possibly may have been from Maine. 

Although the Coachella Valley has had several spiritualists, psychics, and healers serve the community over the years, the Society of Spiritualist Studies was interesting to research as this seems to have been the only organized Spiritualist group that left any actual documentation of themselves. 

To end with a quote from the great Spiritualist leader Emma Hardinge Britten, "Geographically considered, the harvest ground of this great American movement has been spread over a surface of country extending from Maine to California."