The Harrogate Spiritual Healing Church was declared established on March 25th 1943. With a series of healing circles and casual meetings at private addresses until a suitable public accommodation became available. On decommissioning after the war in 1946, 14 Princes Square became vacant. This lovely building, with a very special interior, was purchased by Mrs Fisher and Miss Flint. Miss Flint had an outstanding healing and mediumistic capacity.
Under the inspiring leadership of Miss Flint the Church blossomed and became established. Her vision been that rays of light from the Harrogate Spiritual Healing Church would permeate the country in the course of time.
The object of this Church is to promote Spiritual Healing and the public observance and teaching of the religious philosophy of Spiritualism, having regard for the seven principles we are a Christianity based form of worship.
All denominations are welcome to visit our Church - we are open to all. Today the Church is stronger than ever with attendance at the services ever increasing.
The Church is licensed for weddings, funerals, and naming ceremonies. Serving the community, and carrying on the work and vision of Miss Flint into the future.
The healing and meditation circle is always popular and is going from strength to strength. This is our most well established circle which was started by Miss Flint back in the 1940s. The clairvoyant development circle is well attended and sitters come from a wide area in both North and South Yorkshire.
Born on 17 December 1886. Passed over to the Higher Side of Life 12 March 1979 aged 92 years.
Alice Rosanna Flint was the second of four sisters, born in Herts and lived in London for many years. All members of her family passed before her.
She developed as a deep trance medium in the late 1920's early 30's and attended a developing circle under an experienced deep trance medium for a period of three years not being permitted to miss one week's development. Her platform work started immediately after the completion of her development when she was suddenly requested by her local Spiritualist Church to fill in for a cancellation by the visiting medium. This she did nervously and the service turned out a big success. Her platform and healing work in Spiritualist Churches never looked back. Miss Flint had made a decision - to dedicate her life to the teaching of Spirit's philosophy of life and the proof of life's continuity after the death of the physical body, but more importantly to the practice and teaching of spiritual healing. This was in thanks to the Great White Spirit and to Spirit life, after she, herself, had received a wonderful cure from Spirit healing, after a very severe operation for internal problems. Miss Flint never went back on the promise she made to Spirit for the rest of her life. She worked with her Spirit "doorkeeper" guide who was known as "The Chief" - she worked in an honorary capacity. She would never accept money or financial rewards for her successful services.
In 1934 she became very close to the Williams family in the Stretham area of London. Miss Flint worked together with Charles Williams to develop a Spiritualist Church in that area. There was a written record of a full trance circle which was held on the 12th August 1934 at the William's residence in which the whole of the Chief's circle of spirit guides and helpers entranced through her. The Chief had a custom of never using an Earth name when referring to the other spirit guides or the people who worked closely with him and Miss Flint in the Church's work. He would use a descriptive title suitable as to how the spirit guides or person was associated to the work or Church or type of personality they were. For example, Miss Flint herself, was always known as "The Cloak" or "My Cloke". Mr Charles Williams was always called "The Chief Helper". The "Spirit Doctor" in the healing group of guides was a doctor in Earth life. The Arab healing spirit was known as "Graceful". The African Zulu member of the spirit circle was called "Light", etc. "The Cardinal" had been an orthodox church priest in Earth life. The writer of this article Ralph Williams, who was the godson of Miss Flint, was always called "The Young Life".
When the Second world War started Miss Flint described how the work of the "Rescue" circle became more necessary due to the sudden passing of souls into the higher spiritual life. Her "Rescue" circle helped a lot of souls pass over to the spiritual realms more peacefully and quickly. She also described how suddenly, at any time of day or night she would be taken over by a feeling of pain or injury, and on enquiring with her guides as to what was happening, she was told the spirit guides were carrying out healing on people who had been injured in air raids.
The start of the Second World War in September 1939 changed the course of the William's and Flint's life. Early in 1940, both Mr and Mrs Williams government offices, in which they were employed, were transferred to a safer part of the country, namely Harrogate. A home was established at no 9, Birsthwith Road, off the Knaresborough Road. Miss Flint also settled there. A home healing circle soon developed, and from that a great interest developed around the Spiritual work of Miss Flint. As no suitable venue was available as a permanent home for a church, Miss Flint carried on her healing work going to people's homes and doing the healing there. Her mode of transport was by walking or going by bus, or the people would send a taxi. At the healing circle on 25/3/43 it was agreed to establish a Healing church in Harrogate. On 27/7/43 a committee was established to organise this proposal. On 25/10/43 this committee established that Chatten House was available. On 1/12/44 the purchase of Chatten House was completed, to be used as a Healing Church. Occupation could only be made when the War Office decommissioned the building, which was to be after the end of the Second World War.
The first Spiritualist Church services organised by Mr C. Williams and Miss Flint, in Harrogate were held in the concert hall, known as the Lounge Hall in the Royal Baths, at the bottom of Parliament Street. These services were conducted by mediums from all over the country who were invited to do so by Miss Flint. They proved to be successful. These services were developed by the Church group formed in 1943.
When there was confidence the war would be won and finished, the Church group purchased Chatten House in Princes Square Harrogate to be used as a Spiritual Healing Church. The building had previously been commissioned by the Army for war service, and before handing it over, the building was renovated by the government.
After the end of the war in 1945, the Williams family decided they wished to settle in Harrogate and not transfer back to London. Miss Flint also decided that she would like to remain living in Harrogate. The home 9 Birsthwith Road was sold and a new family home was purchased at 77 East Parade Harrogate which was situated much closer to the Church in Princes Square. Miss Flint continued to share her home with the Williams family.
The Church grew from there. Regular healing circles were held on Monday afternoon, for ladies only, in which the Chief was very popular because of the humorous talks which he conducted with the ladies, and of course the helpful healing.
The regular open healing circle was held on Thursday evening, and again was very popular because of the benefits every patient received. Miss Flint became known as a very successful healer all over the industrial part of Yorkshire, and was often asked to visit a patient in their home because they could not travel. This Miss Flint would do without any complaint. She did not ask or receive any payment for this work. The Church benefited by her good will.
The Church benefited from Miss Flint's multi - faceted spiritual gifts. Whenever a last-minute cancellation was received from a medium unable to visit Harrogate, and no other medium was available, then Miss Flint would always be available to do the Service. It was known that sometimes, in the latter part of her life, she might be in bed with a dose of flu and there was no-one to do the service, the Guides would lift the flu symptoms away from her, she would get up and be driven to the Church, give the service in the normal way, return home and the flu would take over again. It was one of Miss Flint's wishes that if she was asked to give clairvoyance on a Sunday evening, that she would give to the member of the congregation a symbolic flower, bunch of flowers, or certain scene in Nature in which the guides gave a symbolic spiritual meaning emanating from the loved ones in Spirit for the recipient.
Miss Peggy Flint retired from public service at the age of 80 years for medical reasons.
Church members continued to visit her at her home in 95, Hill Top Avenue, Harrogate and Church committee members would always seek her advice.
The home in Hill Top Avenue was owned by her nephew, and eventually retired from his deputy headmastership of a private college in North Wales, and came to live there.
Mrs Dorothy Williams continued to to live there as well, and cared for Miss Flint until Miss Flint's passing to higher planes on 12th March 1979.
It was often asked of the Chief would he take over another medium when she died.
His reply was that he would have, by them completed his span of working on the earth plane, and that he would be entitled to progress to higher spiritual planes. He always promised that he would keep communications open with the Guides in the Circle and follow the progress of everyone he had worked with on the earth plane.
During Miss Flint's retirement, she was often invited out by friends to go for a drive around Yorkshire, which she enjoyed very much, to local places such as Bolton Abbey, Ilkley, Fountains Abbey (where she saw spirit monks walking around) and further through the Dales, over the Moors and any seaside place on the Yorkshire coast, she loved driving past the gardens with plenty of colorful flowers.
R. M. Williams
Through the Mediumship of Miss A.R. Flint.
I would like to send a message of love and peace through my "cloak" and of hope for the days to come. First of all, to those who work in our ministry of healing, please remember that my Band and myself are always with you in the Healing Temple and I shall still contact my patients.
Your medium, whom I speak of as my "cloak" has for years followed out any wish or desire we have had or have asked for the Great White Spirit and the healing Band.
The time has come when the physical body is fast wearing out, but the soul is stronger than ever.
Many have asked, and this question will always be put to many, why does one who has accomplished such miracles in healing work have to suffer.
The normal span of life on the Earth plane is three score years and ten, but my "cloak" has spent far more in her physical body, and this physical now cries out for rest.
It is part of the Earth life to know how to suffer, to be in a world of matter but yet all the time not be part of it, but forever reaching out to greater and higher things.
This message to you is to ask for loyalty to God and your Church, and to think of this medium who, by her wonderful spirit, personality and love has enabled us to give much to the children of Earth for so long. They each remember the beauty of your Temple and its work. Much seed has been sown for the love of God in this work, and one day many of you will be able to see the results of this service and sacrifice by my "cloak".
My Chief helper and those I call my Little helpers, (Williams and Taylors) have seen much work accomplished and I know each would ask for your support for God and Spirit so that all who enter my Temple may find that peace and beauty which all children of earth now seek and can not find.
So let the thought of your Prayer Circle now be that my "cloak" may have that peace and joy in the knowledge that you are all keeping the work going and if it is God's plan, she may return to work amongst you once again. She is one who has given much and used the gifts of Spirit, which are only lent to children of Earth for their joy in the service of others.
Once again, I beseech you, stand firm, work and give yourselves likewise in service and repeat with me the words of the Communion guide.
"Breathe on me breath of God,
Fill me with life anew,
That I may love what Thou didst love,
And do, what Thou wouldst do."
My love, prayers and blessings be with you all, his peace remain with you, and in your work, with the urge to spend and be spent, in the service of the Great White Spirit always.
God Bless You All.
December 1966.
Serving the community and carrying on the work and vision of Miss Flint into the future.
The healing and meditation circle is our most established circle, which was started by Miss Flint back in the 1940’s. The Friday Mediumship development circle is also well attended with sitters coming from far and wide.
We have kept our doors open as much as possible during the 2020 and 2021 pandemic. While this has not always been possible we have made services available on Zoom and the Friday Circle has also been available on Zoom and in Church when possible.