Psychic News The independent voice of Spiritualism

Thanks to the dedication of a New York Spiritualist minister and his son, more than 70 unique lecture recordings have become available as CDs.

The New York Spiritualist Community of Lily Dale played a great part in this project, as it was there that the Rev Dominic J. Fioretti met his wife Lynn, (now the Rev Lynn Fioretti), in 1970. Both are lifetime members of Lily Dale Assembly, where the original recordings of the wide-ranging Spiritualist topics were made on reel-to-reel tapes between the 1950s and 1970s.

Lily Dale became a Spiritualist centre and place of pilgrimage in 1916, when the childhood home of Kate and Margaret Fox was moved there from Hydesville.

Since then the centre has greatly developed and now attracts approximately 22,000 visitors during the course of a year. They attend workshops and lectures given by experts from all over the world, including some of the finest mediums and healers.

The newly available CDs form an invaluable record of lectures at Lily Dale, covering such subjects as Spiritual Consciousness, Abraham Lincoln, The Great Spirit of the First American, The Historic Story of Spiritualism, Prophesies of the Great Pyramid, Aura of Colours, and many more.

Rev Dominic J. Fioretti is dedicated to bringing the historic Lily Dale Assembly recordings to the world.

The oldest recording (1928) is of Chief Os-Ke-Non-Ton (1888-1955), of the Mohawk Tribe of the Bear Clan.

After schooling in Toronto he returned to his people, becoming a mystic and devotee of the Great Spirit, to whom he composed songs. He  developed a fine singing voice, which took him to New York City, where he made recordings and became known as the American Indian version of Enrico Caruso.

He appeared throughout Europe, and in 1927 sang to an audience of 45,000 people in the Hollywood Bowl. He also performed in royal command concerts in the UK, and played the Indian medicine man in Coleridge-Taylor’s Hiawatha at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

The other aspect of his life was 
his devotion to Spiritualism. During 
the 1930s and 40s, until his transition 
in 1955, Os-Ke-Non-Ton appeared on the Lily Dale platform and held healing sessions at the Assembly Hall and in his wigwam.

Another unique recording is of a Houdini séance in the 1930s. There is also a series of scrapbooks forming part of this historic collection.

The welcoming entrance to Lily Dale Assembly at 5 Melrose Park, Lily Dale, NY 14752, USA (Photo: Plazak)

Marc Fioretti, son of Dominic and Lynn, is editor of the recording project,  in charge of the sales and distribution side of the business. The CDs are of recordings made by various prominent mediums, teachers and lecturers who were popular at Lily Dale.

Mediums featured on the recordings include the Revs William E. Hammond, Arthur Ford, Arthur Myers and William G. Turner.

Dominic Fioretti (65), became a Spiritualist in 1965, when he joined a church in Buffalo. His teacher was the Rev Edith Wendling, a student of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. One of her recordings is in the CD collection.

Mr Fioretti had a Roman Catholic upbringing, but was disillusioned, and told Psychic News he found that Spiritualism answered many of his questions and filled a void in his life. 

The whole CD collection comes under the title of The Higher Powers of Spiritualism. It is now complete, unless any additional rare material comes to light.

When Dominic Fioretti learned of the existence of the old tapes, he went to the expense of having them transferred to CD format. He started the project in 7, and 
has only recently finished the task.

“I always had a great admiration for the forefathers of Spiritualism,” he explains. “I was moved by spirit to give an opportunity 
for others to listen and enjoy these teachings, as I have.”

Now that opportunity has arrived, and Dominic’s son Marc has taken on the marketing side of the project.

Lists, further information and orders for the CDs are available by email from: RevDominicFioretti@live.com or by post from: 
Rev Dominic Fioretti, 77 Church Street, Lancaster, 
New York, 14086-2637, 
USA.

The cost of a CD is $20 
(2-CD set $30), and scrapbooks start at $40. PayPal or Money Orders are acceptable, and prices are negotiable depending on the size of the order.
 

• For more information on Lily Dale Assembly, visit: www.lilydaleassembly.com

• To watch a fascinating Pathe film of Chief Os-Ke-Non-Ton’s visit to the UK in 1936, visit: www.britishpathe.com/video/os-ke-non-ton 

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