Earlier this month, on Saturday 7th June 2025, the Spiritualists’ National Union were proud to participate in a special day of remembrance for one of the great pioneers of Spiritualism – John Campbell Sloan.
“We walk in giants’ footsteps. Not just John Sloan, but many, many of the pioneers who sacrificed so much for this freedom that we experience today.”
(photos courtesy of the ISF 2025.)
Read Minister Jackie Wright and Sean Taylor’s speeches about John Campbell Sloan in full below:
Minister Jackie Wright – President of the Spiritualists National Union
Hello, everybody. My name is Minister Jackie Wright, and I am the president of the Spiritualist National Union. It is a great honor for me to be asked to contribute in this small way to the dedication that is going on at Glasgow Association Church. I would like to also thank Robin Hodson, President of the International Spiritualist Federation and his ISF colleagues for allowing me to contribute in this way.
It is fitting that you have chosen Glasgow Association Church to take part in these proceedings, to host you all because Glasgow Church is not only the flagship of the Spiritualist National Union, Glasgow City is synonymous with the name of John Sloan. A medium who is well known in the city, yes. but is also well known not just for his physical mediumship, but of the quality of his physical mediumship. Sloan’s work had a unique charm and it was always remarkable, remarkably varied, never predictable.
His aim, he always said was to provide solace to the mourners, to ease physical pain and to awaken the skeptic. It was because of Sloan’s mediumship that Arthur Findlay became convinced of life eternal. The story has it that one night he is walking through the streets of Glasgow taking in the air and he stumbles across a Spiritualist church. He goes in, he watches the proceedings. He then at the end starts to question the medium, who then introduces him to Sloan.
And the rest we can say is history. But of course, if that meeting had never happened, Arthur Findlay may never have become convinced of life eternal. He would never have written his first book, On the Edge of the Etheric, which was the highest selling book within the psychic press within its history. And of course, the Spiritualist National Union would never have been bequeathed this beautiful college that you see behind me. The interesting thing about John Sloan, by today’s standards, is that he worked for no financial gain.
There is a conversation that was had between Sloan and a lady called Mrs Dearie. And she’d said to Sloan, Arthur Findlay would like to contribute to make your life more comfortable. Sloan replied, “Well, that’s very good of him. Thank you. But what on earth do I need? I have plenty of food to eat. I have a comfortable bed to sleep in. I cannot think of anything more that I would need.” He worked for Spirit for more than fifty years, which he gave willingly and gladly for the good of humanity. Never ever asking for payment in return.
He was a man of high principles. He agreed to sit at seances for one reason only because, as most of you will know, if you are the medium in the seance you get very little from it, unlike the sitters and the visitors. But he did so with an open heart to bring comfort to those who were without hope. Such was the humility of the man. A humility that would be very hard to find in today’s commercial Spiritualism.
I’d like to leave you with a rather amusing, I found it rather an amusing story at any rate. It made me giggle. And it was relayed by a hero of mine called Earnest Oaten and was well publicised. The story goes that there was a group of people sitting for a seance within Sloan’s house. At the end of it, they all retired into the back room to warm themselves by the fire, to have a hot drink of tea, and to discuss the proceedings of the evening.
Amongst those people was a gentleman called William Jeffreys. And as he sat there comfortable in the chair being warmed by the coal fire and drinking his tea. He remarked, there’s only one thing missing from this evening. And that is a good cigar. Within seconds John Sloan had been taken over.
He had entered into that ecstatic state and his guide, Whitie, well the guides real name was White Feather but it was often shortened to Whitie. He came through and he said, ” Dim the lights. Give us a couple of minutes and we will see what we can do.”
Within a couple of minutes, landing at the feet of mister William Jeffreys was a lit cigar. It was very clearly the tip of it that could be seen glowing in the darkness. Jeffreys picked it up, wiped the end with his handkerchief, and began to puff on it with great relish. After a short while he said, ” Whitie, where on earth did you get this from?” The guide replied, “There is a gentleman walking through George Square, and we took it from his mouth and brought it here. He is still looking for it right now.” I found that both amazing and humorous at the same time.
So friends, I bid you farewell with the hope that you do have an amazing time as you reminisce about this great gentleman. But I ask you with all sincerity that you remember the qualities of John Sloan, his humility, his grateful heart, his need to serve for nothing more than the love of spirit.
We walk in giants’ footsteps. Not just John Sloan, but many, many of the pioneers who sacrificed so much for this freedom that we experience today. Let us walk in their footsteps with humility, with kindness, with a grateful heart, so we can be the example for the next generation. I hope that at some point soon, the Spiritualist National Union and the ISF can come together once again. For whatever our titles are, we are all working for the advancement of spirit.
Speak soon. Bye bye.
Sean Taylor – Ordinary Director 3 of the Spiritualists’ National Union, President of Glasgow Association of Spiritualists
In 1848 Modern Spiritualism arrived in the world with the potential and capacity to transform the world. That potential is as relevant today as it was originally in 1848. The transformation promised emerges through evolution and not revolution. When one individual comes to experience their own power and spiritual truth; that change influences their surrounding community. When you come to know that death is the greatest myth ever told, then your whole world view alters immeasurably. That change informs how you engage with the world. Our communities are shaped by individuals, local communities inform and influence nations and nations create the world in which we find ourselves.
In 1925 Mrs. St Clair Stobart (1) , wrote, “That these Teachers, Saints, and Prophets, these Witnesses of God, these Torchbearers of Divine Truths, became great Teachers because of their psychic faculty put them in touch with the spirit-world, whence they derived their inspiration, their confidence, their mandate to go forth and preach their revelations to the world. Also because being in possession of psychic gifts, their teaching was accompanied by signs and wonders which even the ignorant could recognise as coming from a supernormal, though not supernatural source”.
Through his mediumship, John Campbell Sloan served the world for 50 years as a Torchbearer, declaring to the world; that you cannot die for the life of you! Our movement so often places its focus on the medium to the cost of those around the medium, who love and cherish them, those who support their work and development also those who study and promote their mediumship.
Mediumship does not occur in a vacuum; therefore, it is important that we always pay regard to those people who support the medium. Tonight, I want to briefly focus on just some of those people who enabled this Torchbearer to shine brightly in the world.
Arthur Findlay discovered Spiritualism during an evening in September 1918, while walking through Glasgow. From this chance discovery he was introduced to a local home circle, the medium being, John Campbell Sloan. From this initial sitting Athur Findlay’s father provided evidence of survival and this planted the first footstep along the collaborative journey that led to books such as, On the Edge of the Etheric also the bequest of Stansted Hall, almost 60 years ago. During the winter of 1919, John Galloway Findlay returned from WWI, back to Scotland, enjoying some respite at his brother Arthur’s home. Arthur had mentioned to his brother John, that he had been attending Spiritualist séances and had been speaking to their father. John dismissed the account and following the conversation decided to leave for the office. Some hours later, John telephoned Arthur, to say the he would join him for a séance planned that evening in Glasgow. This led to John Galloway Findlay becoming a Spiritualist author and the inaugural president of Kilmarnock Spiritualist Church; that church continues to this day.
Through the work of Mrs. Millar, we have on record verbatim notes of many séances that Arthur Findlay attended and sourced as material for his books. Within dark séance conditions, Mrs. Millar as the stenographer to Arthur Findlay, would detail the conversations between the two worlds. Without her skill, expertise and dedication we would not have these invaluable notes and books such as Two Worlds and On the Edge of the Etheric could not have been published.
Jean Dearie is another important figure, again sitting in the dark she would record word for word the conversations that spanned the great divide. Due to the work of Jean Dearie, we know the evidence that demonstrates evidence of survival. Jean Dearie not only sat with John Campbell Sloan for a number of years; she also sat with another Glasgow voice medium. The direct voice mediumship of William Phoenix (2) is remembered because of Jean Dearie. Without her, so much of the mediumship of John Campbell Sloan would be lost and the mediumship of William Phoenix would be lost forever.
Peter Galloway, past President and Secretary of the Glasgow Association of Spiritualists’ was very influential in the promotion and development of John’s mediumship. Both John and Peter were fellow members of the Association and naturally Peter became the organiser of many of the séances held in John’s home. This led to John becoming known to the London Spiritualist societies, such as the British College of Psychic Science. Peter Galloway was very important in giving John’s mediumship a wider platform than maybe he would have achieved without this support. Peter’s role was also important as he
ensured that Spiritualists came to know the reality of life continuous through John’s mediumship. Peter Galloway’s support of John Campbell Sloan cannot be underestimated.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was a keen advocate of John Campbell Sloan and William Phoenix. Sir Arthur sat with John Campbell Sloan on a number of occasions in Glasgow and in London. The support of Arthur Conan Doyle of John’s mediumship certainly raised the national and international interest of his mediumship.
The Associate Editor of the Scientific American, Malcolm Bird, sat with John Campbell Sloan in 1923 while visiting Europe. The sittings were organised at the British College of Psychic Science. Mr. Bird (3) recorded the sittings in his book, My Psychic Adventure. These sittings were also attended and supported by Arthur Conan Doyle; again, through Doyle’s support, international interest in John’s mediumship was increasing. While at the 1923 séances at the British College of Psychic Science the recently passed Peter Galloway communicated via the direct voice.
Last but by no means least, Mrs Sloan; it is important to acknowledge her
substantial contribution to the man and the medium. Due to her love and unstinting support, the mediumship of John Campbell Sloan was able to reach so many more people than would otherwise have been the case. Her love and encouragement extended beyond the veil, so that during séances she would return to inspire John to continue with his mediumship. Had Mrs Sloan not done so, possibly John would have stopped sitting altogether. We should honour her role and contribution to the work of this Torchbearer.
Stewart Alexander initially raised the idea of replacing the original headstone of John Campbell Sloan’s grave. I first met Stewart 43 years ago as a teenager and had the opportunity of sitting in his wonderful home circle. It was here that I first met and spoke with John Campbell Sloan in the direct voice. On reflection, had Peter Galloway not supported John Campbell Sloan, then, possibly Arthur Findlay may never have written the Spiritualist classic, On the Edge of the Etheric. Stewart Alexander was introduced to a second-hand copy of this book, this book encouraged him to start a home circle and later developed his own physical mediumship. At 17, I first met Stewart and had the opportunity to visit his home circle. We’ve been friends ever since. Over 20 years later, through
Stewart’s mediumship, I met the man I was to later marry, moving from my native Wales starting married life in bonnie Scotland.
Recently I became the current President of the Glasgow Association of Spiritualists, where Peter Galloway, John Campbell Sloan and Arthur Findlay started this journey. Somehow, here I stand tonight, President of the Glasgow Association, celebrating the man and medium who I first spoke to over 43 years ago and where my spiritual journey started. I’m not quite sure how all of this has happened.
The International Spiritualist Federation had provided us with a gift this evening, to celebrate and commemorate the life and work of John Campbell Sloan. We are grateful to the ISF for their hard work and dedication to achieving a fitting memorial. We also acknowledge and remember those people who enabled this Torchbearer to shine brightly in the world, so that people could come to know, that death is the greatest myth ever told.