New Thought Founders

Emanuel Swedenborg
1688 - 1772

Born at Stockholm in Sweden, as Emanuel Swedberg. His father was a professor of theology at Upsala University, and afterwards became Bishop of Scara, and in his time was charged with possessing heterodox opinions. Swedenborg was a scholar from a child and was educated at Upsala University.
In 1734 he published Infinite and Final Cause of Creation, which treats of the relation of the finite to the infinite and of the soul to the body. In this work he seeks to establish a definite connection between the two as a means of overcoming the difficulty of their relationship. The spiritual and the divine appear to him as the supreme study of man. He ransacked the countries of Europe in quest of the most eminent teachers and the best books dealing with anatomy, for he considered that in that science lay the germ of the knowledge of soul and spirit.
By 1743 a profound change overtook him. Up to this time he had been a scientist, legislator, and man of affairs; but now his enquiries into the region of spiritual things were to divorce him entirely from practical matters. His introduction into the spiritual world, his illumination, was commenced by dreams and extraordinary visions. He heard wonderful conversation and felt impelled to found a new over-church.
Swedenborg said that the eyes of his spirit were so opened that he could see heavens and hells, and converse with angels and spirits; but all his doctrines relating to the New Church came directly from God alone. He resigned his several appointments and retired upon half pay. Refreshing his knowledge of Hebrew, he commenced his great works on the interpretation of the scriptures.

Phineas Parkhurst Quimby
1802 - 1866

Quimby was one of those incredible people who come once in a lifetime. He was a curious man -- not satisfied with just making clocks, he wanted to know what made them tick.
Quimby felt he had discovered Jesus' own healing technique, and what's more, he could use it to help others. He considered that an error could not only be corrected by a belief, but also by pure reason, which leads to understanding, and said, "A belief is one thing and wisdom is another." And "I found that my thoughts were one thing and my belief another."

Julius A. Dresser wrote this about Quimby:

"The man Quimby was of short stature, with a well proportioned and well balanced phrenological head; black, piercing eyes, but with a pleasant expression, and a manner that was quiet and unassuming. His mental make-up embraced an active, comprehensive, inquiring mind, with a wonderful power of concentration, and great perceptive faculties. Benevolence and love of truth so marked his character that he exhibited no desire to accumulate money, more than to meet the necessities of life and the support of his family. But the distinguishing feature of his mind was that he could not entertain an opinion, because it was not knowledge."

Warren Felt Evans
1817 - 1889

There are some conflicting notations on Evans' early schooling, but there is written by Rev. William J. Leonard, The Pioneer Apostle of Mental Science: A Sketch of the Life and Work of the Reverend W.F. Evans, M.D., Boston: T.H. Carter & Co., 1903. He had been a contemporary of Evans and a friend of the family, and had access to better information than later writers. Also there is a series of articles by Leonard in the magazine Practical Ideals in 1905, especially that in Vol. X. No. 3:

"Evans was born in Rockingham, Vermont, December 23, 1817. He was a farmer's son but prepared for college at 17 and entered Middlebury College in 1837, changing to Dartmouth College in the spring of the following year. He left Dartmouth in the middle of his Junior year to enter a Methodist seminary. In addition to his other studies, he took a course in medicine and was given a physician's license.
He preached his first sermon at the age of 21 and for 25 years he was a greatly esteemed Minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church.
His face was always turned toward the light - like all truth seekers, and becoming interested in the writing of Swedenborg, he at length found himself in sympathy with the teachings of the great Swedish seer and united with his followers in the New Church, in whose fellowship he continued the remaining twenty-five years of his life."

Mary Morse Baker-Eddy
1821 - 1910

As a child, young Mary was well read and educated. She enjoyed putting pen to paper in the form of poetry. Just before her death she published some of her poems. This one was written in those young days.

Upward

I've watched in the azure the eagle's proud wing,
His soaring majestic, and feathersome fling —
Careening in liberty higher and higher —
Like genius unfolding a quenchless desire.

Would a tear dim his eye, or pinion lose power
To gaze on the lark in her emerald bower?
When higher he soareth to compass his rest,
What vision so bright as the dream in his breast!

God's eye is upon him. He penciled his path
Whose omniscient notice the frail fledgling hath.
Though lightnings be lurid and earthquakes may shock,
He rides on the whirlwind or rests on the rock.

My course, like the eagle's, oh, still be it high,
Celestial the breezes that waft o'er its sky!
God's eye is upon me--I am not alone
When onward and upward and heavenward borne.

Malinda Cramer
1844 - 1906

Probably the most understated and overlooked early leader of the New Thought movement, Malinda Cramer, founder of Divine Science, was indeed ahead of her time.
Malinda Elliott Cramer was born in Indiana on June 12, 1844 to parents Obediah and Mary Elliott. She grew up in a large family with at least 11 children. When Malinda was a child she developed a disease which the doctors declared incurable, and she became an invalid. Later, while under treatment in New York, a physician advised her that a California climate may be her only hope of relief. So she moved to San Francisco in hopes the good weather would cure her. It didn't. So despite many years of medical treatment in 1872 Malinda married Charles Lake Cramer, a photographer, and even had children.
One morning in 1885, while in prayer she simply asked, "Is there any way out of these conditions? Is there any power in the vast universe that can heal me?" The answer came intuitively. The illumined realization of the power of the Infinite Spirit freed her from the belief that her condition controlled her.
In common with many of the other early New Thought leaders, she studied with the "teacher of teachers," Emma Curtis Hopkins. As she let go of old habits of belief, she became healed. Classes and healing treatments developed as a result of sharing her experience with others. In truth, she became a New Thought way shower. She understood her role as a teacher and healer. She recognized that the Power of healing was God.

Emma Curtis Hopkins
1849 - 1925

In 1924 Ernest Holmes, Founder of Religious Science, visited Emma to experience her teaching. He gave this description of her:

"She was nearly eighty, I believe; a very stately woman who wore a long dress and a hat at all times. I am told that she was never seen without the hat. I went to the door of her apartment in the beautiful old Iroquois Hotel, and she received me with a stiff little bow of the head and motioned me to a chair. She sat down opposite me and began to talk. It was ten minutes before I said to myself, "This is the first lesson," and it was. She talked for an hour and, when she was through, got up and made a little bow and walked out of the room. . . . She turned out to be very witty, cheerful and lovable. At one time she told me of a convention she held in Chicago, and there was a student, an Absolutist who began screaming, "I am God," and she said, "There, there, George, it is all right for you to play you are God, but don't be so noisy about it."
She was a very sweet character, and there was something about her that you felt rather than heard. She was the only one I ever knew or knew about who combined mysticism with the use of the metaphysical principle of healing."

(Ernest Holmes His Life and Times by Fenwicke L. Holmes – Dodd, Mead & Co New York. Page 196/7)

Annie Rix-Militz
1856 - 1924

A newspaper clipping was found in the cover of a copy of her book, Primary lessons in Christian living and healing.  We cannot make out the full name of the newspaper “. . . ‘and Tribune, Los Angeles, June 25, 1924.

Cult Head Buried As Disciples Give Up Hope of Return

The body of Mrs. Annie Rix Militz, 58-year-old founder of the Home of Truth, was buried today, her followers abandoning hope of seeing the corpse come to life.
For three days faithful disciples of the cult have watched at Mrs. Militz’ bier in a local undertaking parlor, firmly believing that she would make good on her promise and return to inhabit the flesh.
Mrs. Militz, who died Sunday, assured the chosen ones here before she died that she would return to them and the corpse was held until heath department officials voted it best to inter it.
So, this morning devotees of the faith joined in funeral services over the body, declaring themselves in no way downhearted over the broken promise of their leader, for, they said, she has simply found the land to which she went too interesting and beautiful to leave.