National Spiritualist Association of Churches - Facilities

Facilities

The NSAC has two educational auxiliaries, the Morris Pratt Institute in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and The Center for Spiritualist Studies (CSS)in Lily Dale, New York.

Morris Pratt Institute was built in 1888 of a value assessed at $30,000 at that time. It was 48' wide and 85' long and contained two large auditorium halls, one of which seated nearly 400 people. It was designed by the founder Pratt as a temple and a school for Spiritualism.

At the Ninth Annual convention of the National Spiritualist Association of Churches (NSAC)held in Washington, D.C., Morris and Zulema Pratt presented a letter to the NSAC offering them the property to be utilized "for educational purposes." On November 2, 1901, he filed a petition for incorporation which resulted in the Morris Pratt Institute becoming a corporation managed by nine trustees, two of which were to be members of the National Spiritualist Association and one was to be the President of the Wisconsin State Spiritualist Association. Moses Hull was the President.

According to legend, it is said that a "Native American spirit guide" had told him of unknown mineral deposits the mining of which Morris Pratt made an investment in. It later became the profitable Ashland Mine of Ironwood, Michigan. Pratt made over $200,000 from his investment and used part of the monies for the benefit of the cause of Spiritualism. In 1889, the Temple was dedicated.

The Center for Spiritualist Studies (CSS) in Lily Dale, New York is located on the grounds of the NSAC-chartered Lily Dale Assembly, the world's largest Spiritualist camp. The CSS is incorporated as a religious seminary by the New York State Board of Regents. The goal of the curriculum is the training of Spiritualist Clergy, Teachers, Mediums and Healers.