Sunflower, The.
An Exponent of the Spiritual Philosophy: Its Science and Allied Subjects / A Weekly Advocate of Spiritualism / Devoted To Progressive, Religious and Scientific Thought, Spiritualism, Hypnotism, Astrology, Palmistry, Theosophy, Psychic Science, Higher Criticism.
1898--1912 [?] Semimonthly, then weekly, then semimonthly again
Chataugua, then Lily Dale, NY, and then Hamburg, NY. Publisher: A. Gaston and F.G. Neelin, and then Sunflower Publishing Co., and then Hamburg Publishing Co. . Editor: W.H. Bach and Evie P. Bach; after September 1907, Frank Walker.
Succeeds: The Cassadagan
1/1 August 20, 1898-1909. 4-16 pp. Fifty cents (then $1.00) a year.

This was individually owned by Bach but functioned as the journal for the Cassadaga Camp meeting and community at Lily Dale, New York, replacing The Cassadagan. The advertisement for the journal in The Free Man, August 1901, says that was "devoted to Progressive Religious and Scientific Thought, Spiritualism, Hypnotism, Astrology, Palmistry, Theosophy, Psychic Science, Higher Criticism." The list varied, with the masthead for 1904 adding "metaphysics" and omitting "Theosophy," but the amalgam that spiritualism had become was clear to all and was reflected in the articles and the advertisements. Over time, the journal contained fewer and fewer contributions by the surviving prominent spiritualists and devoted itself to reports on the doings of the spiritualist associations around the United States (rarely abroad), especially Lily Dale, and the happenings at the summer camps, with everything being padded with "filler" of interesting and curious events from the secular press. There were occasional transcribed messages of comfort from the departed, but the "Spirit Message Department" early on disappeared from the journal's pages, and it no longer presented rosters and schedules of traveling mediums ready to bring the good news to the small towns of America. Most notable in comparing the journal's offerings with, for example, the early issues of the Banner of Light reveals a stark decline in enthusiasm for spiritualism as a wonderful, comforting blessing and the vanguard of the progress of humanity. Also, unlike its predecessors, the pages were largely devoid of controversy over theoretical points, as believers became reconciled to the contradictions and frauds that plagued the movement and did not care enough to debate the issues. The journal regularly ran articles like George W. Kates, "The Situation," in 1907, which bemoaned the passing of the heyday of the movement and tried to present remedies (like educating the children in spiritualism) to restore the movement. Spiritualism as portrayed in the journal was largely an inherited belief and of little interest except to those involved in the politics of the movement's organizations. The most interesting feature of the journal is its advertisements, which presented the seamier side of phenomenal spiritualism and fringe healing.

The history of the camp and its newspapers is given by Bach in his A Hisory of Cassadaga Camp, printed as a premium for the Sunflower in 1899. NY State Library; SUNY, Fredonia, microfilm; LOC; NSAC, Lily Dale; Skidmore, Lily Dale (1904-1906); Cattaraugus County Historical Society.

Curatorial note: the issues n245-271, and n283-336, are of execrable quality. We are aware of the issue and are working to find a source for improved replacements. If you have such a source get in touch.

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