"As the years continue to roll
by, I realize how fortunate it was for me to have found the Spiritualist Camp
at Ephrata, Pennsylvania in the Amish Countryside. During the many summers at camp I sat with numerous well known
mediums, especially those exhibiting many various phases of physical phenomena
mediumship.
Memories of Camp Silver Bell
As Told to Rev. Lynn Kent in a Letter of November, 2007
By Peter R. Gaidon of Red Bank, New Jersey
As Told to Rev. Lynn Kent in a Letter of November, 2007
By Peter R. Gaidon of Red Bank, New Jersey
The photos below taken by Roland
Riley are typical lasting examples of this physical mediumship of which I
speak. Ectoplasm from the medium and
sitter are manipulated by Spirit operators for this photographic "spirit
picture". The photos are taken in a
completely darkened room utilizing some form of infra-red technology of that
time.
When first seen by me the pictures were very startling. Two of the faces are of dear loved ones that looked exactly like this when they were with me on the earth plane. Ahmed Ley is the Egyptian Master. In the picture taken of my mother, Germana, there are three dear loved ones that looked exactly as they did when here on the earth plane. The Indian is Blue Feather, her trusted guide and protector.
Roland Riley was the son of Ethyl Riley Post Parrish, the world renowned materialization medium and founder of Camp Silver Belle located on eight spacious acres at the Mountain Springs Hotel. The Camp received its name in honor of Ethyl's beautiful Indian maiden guide," Silver Bell".
Warren Smith appeared at the camp for many seasons and it was my good fortune to have sat numerous times during his many powerful materialization séances. People from many parts of the world traveled to the camp specifically to be present during his séances. Some evenings there were as many as 40 sitters present and would last three to four hours until totally completed. During these sessions loved ones, guides, teachers and masters fully materialized.
At times Warren's guide "Fire Fly" told us we could touch the materialized form and I literally danced, at times, with these forms including my grandmother who passed into Spirit 20 years before I was born. Germana, my mother, also danced with many materialized forms of her loved ones including her husband. Warren also had his famous "Thunderbird Healing Sessions". Chief Thunderbird and his healers came forth and applied healing energies to the sitters. Often we could recognize the sent of the healing herbs brought in by Spirit.
Harold Ahrens exhibited a most profound trumpet mediumship. Several trumpets simultaneously could be recognized flying around the séance room. Messages could be heard by the sitters from loved ones and Spirit Guides thru the trumpets. Ectoplasm is utilized by spirit chemists to manufacture artificial voice boxes within the trumpets in order for the manifestation for direct voice mediumship. Apports were often received through the trumpet. (Apports are tangible objects that are materialized by Spirit, in this case through the trumpet). At other times Spirit Doctors would touch a sitter with the trumpet, applying various energies for the purpose of healing.
Mildred Gourlely Smith and her guide, "Yellow Rose", exhibited a most profound form of trance. Reed Brown had developed numerous phases of mediumship including full materialization, trance and precipitation on silk in the red light. Joe riley, Roland's son, also developed trance and full materializations. William Donnelly, Ernest Nichols and Ralph Jordan were also very powerful physical mediums.
The above mentioned mediums plus many others at the camp in their own unique way demonstrated immortality and continuity of consciousness following demise of the physical body. It demonstrated that we are never alone.
When first seen by me the pictures were very startling. Two of the faces are of dear loved ones that looked exactly like this when they were with me on the earth plane. Ahmed Ley is the Egyptian Master. In the picture taken of my mother, Germana, there are three dear loved ones that looked exactly as they did when here on the earth plane. The Indian is Blue Feather, her trusted guide and protector.
Roland Riley was the son of Ethyl Riley Post Parrish, the world renowned materialization medium and founder of Camp Silver Belle located on eight spacious acres at the Mountain Springs Hotel. The Camp received its name in honor of Ethyl's beautiful Indian maiden guide," Silver Bell".
Warren Smith appeared at the camp for many seasons and it was my good fortune to have sat numerous times during his many powerful materialization séances. People from many parts of the world traveled to the camp specifically to be present during his séances. Some evenings there were as many as 40 sitters present and would last three to four hours until totally completed. During these sessions loved ones, guides, teachers and masters fully materialized.
At times Warren's guide "Fire Fly" told us we could touch the materialized form and I literally danced, at times, with these forms including my grandmother who passed into Spirit 20 years before I was born. Germana, my mother, also danced with many materialized forms of her loved ones including her husband. Warren also had his famous "Thunderbird Healing Sessions". Chief Thunderbird and his healers came forth and applied healing energies to the sitters. Often we could recognize the sent of the healing herbs brought in by Spirit.
Harold Ahrens exhibited a most profound trumpet mediumship. Several trumpets simultaneously could be recognized flying around the séance room. Messages could be heard by the sitters from loved ones and Spirit Guides thru the trumpets. Ectoplasm is utilized by spirit chemists to manufacture artificial voice boxes within the trumpets in order for the manifestation for direct voice mediumship. Apports were often received through the trumpet. (Apports are tangible objects that are materialized by Spirit, in this case through the trumpet). At other times Spirit Doctors would touch a sitter with the trumpet, applying various energies for the purpose of healing.
Mildred Gourlely Smith and her guide, "Yellow Rose", exhibited a most profound form of trance. Reed Brown had developed numerous phases of mediumship including full materialization, trance and precipitation on silk in the red light. Joe riley, Roland's son, also developed trance and full materializations. William Donnelly, Ernest Nichols and Ralph Jordan were also very powerful physical mediums.
The above mentioned mediums plus many others at the camp in their own unique way demonstrated immortality and continuity of consciousness following demise of the physical body. It demonstrated that we are never alone.
The photos below were taken between the years of 1976 and 1978 by
Roland Riley.
"Camp Silver Belle located upon
eight beautiful acres closed its doors to the public after the 1988
season. I truly miss this once holy
ground that has now been commercialized with condos, fast food restaurants and
a motel. We as Spiritualists must do
all we can to support existing churches and camp grounds that practice our
science, philosophy and religion of Spiritualism."
Signed:
Peter Gaidon
