Spiritualists' National Union

The Spiritualists' National Union (SNU) is a Spiritualist organisation, founded in the United Kingdom in 1901, and is one of the largest spiritualist groups in the world. Its motto is Light, Nature, Truth.

Over its history, it has organised test cases regarding the legal status of spiritualist mediums, with regard to such matters as exemption from national service. In legal terms, spiritualist mediums were considered to violate such laws as the Vagrancy Act 1824, which outlawed fortune telling, and the Witchcraft Act 1735. The Union campaigned against these laws for many years. They were eventually repealed by the Fraudulent Mediums Act 1951, which legalised the practice of mediums unless it was shown that they were profiting financially from a fraudulent service.

It has also performed more everyday services, such as organising war memorial services in the wake of the First World War.

In more recent time it found itself fighting the biggest legal battle in its history in the High Court Chancery Division in 2002 (July 15 and 16, Liverpool) with Kevin West, who was at the time, President of Waterloo Spiritualist Church in Liverpool, England. Although a complicated case, its particulars dealt with who had the right to conduct services of religious worship and other activities in an affiliated church as well as exclusive possession of the property, land and assets. The Church President's defence argued that because the SNU only held the deeds on beneficial trust for the members of Waterloo Spiritualist Church, and that those same members were the true purchasers and owners of the church building, the SNU as sole trustee could not direct the affairs of the church committee.

Kevin West had written and published an article in both the church magazine and on the church website called 2B Or Not 2B. The SNU used its extensive bye laws to remove Mr West as President stating, (Letter 6) "Arising from its consideration of the enquiry report into matters in relation to Waterloo Church the National Executive Committee resolved that be suspended from membership of the Church with immediate effect on the grounds of conduct prejudicial to the ideals of Spiritualism". The SNU won the case but was not joined in the action by the Charity Commission for England & Wales. The Charity Commission joined Kevin West as a second defendant against the SNU.

True copies of legal papers can be found at the following URLs:

SNU Particulars of Claim SNU Affidavit Legal Aid contested by the Spiritualists' National Union Kevin West DEFENCE document

Also in more recent times, the Union has organised educational courses in spiritualism-related subjects, and has participated in scientific research into mediumship.

Mission Statement and Goals In 2000 the SNU adopted the following mission statement:

To Promote the Religion and Religious Philosophy of Spiritualism as based upon The Seven Principles

It also re-defined its goals as:

• To procure perfect religious equality
• To assist in the formation of new Societies and Churches
• To strengthen the fraternal relations between Spiritualists
• To increase all classes of membership
• To print, publish and distribute literature
• To promote mission work
• To do all such lawful things as are for the advancement of Spiritualism

In the same year it began work on forming what is now called the Philosophy & Ethics Committee. It was created following a series of complaints from members about the ethics of certain SNU Trust Investments. The issue was originally highlighted by an internet article about the use of what are termed "surplus funds".