Guy Warren Ballard became the founder of the "I AM" Activity, a new religious movement (along with his wife, Edna Anne Wheeler Ballard) largely based on the teachings of Saint Germain. Guy Ballard was born in Newton, Kansas and married his wife in Chicago in 1916. Ballard served in the U.S. Army in World War I, and then became a mining engineer. Both Edna and Guy studied Theosophy and the occult. The "I AM" movement started from public lectures about these encounters and grew rapidly in the 1930s. Ballard lectured frequently in Chicago about Saint Germain's mystical teachings, in which America was destined to play a key role. By 1938, there were claimed to be about a million followers in the United States. This "I AM" Activity was a major influence on many of the New Age groups that came later, such as Elizabeth Clare Prophet and the Church Universal and Triumphant.
The "I AM" Activity describes itself as a spiritual and educational organization. Its main headquarters is the Saint Germain Foundation, with headquarters in Schaumburg, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. The "I AM" Activity was the continuation of the teachings received by H.P. Blavatsky and William Quan Judge of the Theosophical Society. Ballard claims to have come in contact contact with the Mahatma who was called Saint Germain during a trip to Mount Shasta, California. Ballard provided details of his encounters in a series of books Unveiled Mysteries and The Magic Presence, using the pen name "Godfré Ray King."
Source: The History of the "I AM" Activity and Saint Germain Foundation. Schaumburg, Illinois: Saint Germain Press 2003, and Wikipedia.
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SUGGESTED EDIT:
The Emporia [KS] Gazette, 02 Jan 1940, Tuesday
"GREAT I AM" CULT LEADER, A KANSAN, DIES IN LOS ANGELES
Los Angeles, Jan. 2 (AP) -- The widow preached the funeral sermon New Year's Day for Guy W. Ballard, 60, founder and head of "The Great I Am" religious cult. Ballard, born in Newton, Kan., died Friday of a heart attack.
Ballard at times said he was the reincarnation of George Washington and his wife the reincarnation of Joan of Arc. He asserted that through "thought octaves" he could defend himself against all enemies and evils.
RODE IN YELLOW CARS
The cult had branch offices in New York, Chicago and Cleveland and churches in a number of cities. Ballard lived on a lavish scale, riding about in canary colored automobiles.
******************************
The Los Angeles Times, 02 Jan 1940, Tuesday
WIDOW PREACHES BALLARD SERMON
Funeral for Head and Founder of Religious Cult Conducted
Funeral services for Guy W. Ballard, 60, founder and head of the religious cult "The Great I Am," were held in private yesterday with his widow preaching his sermon.
Ballard died Friday from a heart attack while in his home at 2545 N. Vermont Ave.
Following the funeral oration in which the widow said that Ballard had not died but "has ascended to Heaven," the body was cremated.
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
In recent years as the prophet of "The Great I Am" movement Ballard attracted a huge following across the nation with churches in a number of key cities.
He preached that through "thought octaves" he could defend himself against all enemies, all evils. He was protected by a "wall of light."
OWNED COSTLY CARS
Ballard always traveled in expensive fashion and owned four canary-colored high-priced automobiles. At times he spoke of being the reincarnation of George Washington and that his wife was the reincarnation of Joan of Arc. He termed his mysterious invisible power K-17. This power came through the spirits of ascended saints, Ballard preached.
In Los Angles Ballard and his leading assistants used a suite of rooms at the most expensive downtown hotel as offices. He also had headquarters in Cleveland, Chicago and New York.
Ballard was born in Newton, Kan. Besides his widow he leaves a son and daughter who plan to carry on his work.
******************************
The Daily News, New York, NY, 02 Jan 1940, Tuesday
GUY W. BALLARD
Founded " I Am" Cult
(Special to the News)
Los Angeles, Jan. 1. -- Private funeral services conducted here today revealed that Guy W. Ballard, founder and head of The Great I Am cult, had been dead since last Friday. After a funeral oration by Mrs. Ballard, the former Edna Anna Wheeler, of Chicago, who served as high priestess of the cult, Ballard's body was cremated.
Ballard was born in Newton, Kan. He gave up paper hanging about 25 years ago to delve into mysticism. He started The I Am movement 10 years ago after, he said, he had received a celestial message from St. Germain when he was standing atop Mount Shasta.
Contributor: Becky Doan (46821009)
The "I AM" Activity describes itself as a spiritual and educational organization. Its main headquarters is the Saint Germain Foundation, with headquarters in Schaumburg, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. The "I AM" Activity was the continuation of the teachings received by H.P. Blavatsky and William Quan Judge of the Theosophical Society. Ballard claims to have come in contact contact with the Mahatma who was called Saint Germain during a trip to Mount Shasta, California. Ballard provided details of his encounters in a series of books Unveiled Mysteries and The Magic Presence, using the pen name "Godfré Ray King."
Source: The History of the "I AM" Activity and Saint Germain Foundation. Schaumburg, Illinois: Saint Germain Press 2003, and Wikipedia.
--
SUGGESTED EDIT:
The Emporia [KS] Gazette, 02 Jan 1940, Tuesday
"GREAT I AM" CULT LEADER, A KANSAN, DIES IN LOS ANGELES
Los Angeles, Jan. 2 (AP) -- The widow preached the funeral sermon New Year's Day for Guy W. Ballard, 60, founder and head of "The Great I Am" religious cult. Ballard, born in Newton, Kan., died Friday of a heart attack.
Ballard at times said he was the reincarnation of George Washington and his wife the reincarnation of Joan of Arc. He asserted that through "thought octaves" he could defend himself against all enemies and evils.
RODE IN YELLOW CARS
The cult had branch offices in New York, Chicago and Cleveland and churches in a number of cities. Ballard lived on a lavish scale, riding about in canary colored automobiles.
******************************
The Los Angeles Times, 02 Jan 1940, Tuesday
WIDOW PREACHES BALLARD SERMON
Funeral for Head and Founder of Religious Cult Conducted
Funeral services for Guy W. Ballard, 60, founder and head of the religious cult "The Great I Am," were held in private yesterday with his widow preaching his sermon.
Ballard died Friday from a heart attack while in his home at 2545 N. Vermont Ave.
Following the funeral oration in which the widow said that Ballard had not died but "has ascended to Heaven," the body was cremated.
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
In recent years as the prophet of "The Great I Am" movement Ballard attracted a huge following across the nation with churches in a number of key cities.
He preached that through "thought octaves" he could defend himself against all enemies, all evils. He was protected by a "wall of light."
OWNED COSTLY CARS
Ballard always traveled in expensive fashion and owned four canary-colored high-priced automobiles. At times he spoke of being the reincarnation of George Washington and that his wife was the reincarnation of Joan of Arc. He termed his mysterious invisible power K-17. This power came through the spirits of ascended saints, Ballard preached.
In Los Angles Ballard and his leading assistants used a suite of rooms at the most expensive downtown hotel as offices. He also had headquarters in Cleveland, Chicago and New York.
Ballard was born in Newton, Kan. Besides his widow he leaves a son and daughter who plan to carry on his work.
******************************
The Daily News, New York, NY, 02 Jan 1940, Tuesday
GUY W. BALLARD
Founded " I Am" Cult
(Special to the News)
Los Angeles, Jan. 1. -- Private funeral services conducted here today revealed that Guy W. Ballard, founder and head of The Great I Am cult, had been dead since last Friday. After a funeral oration by Mrs. Ballard, the former Edna Anna Wheeler, of Chicago, who served as high priestess of the cult, Ballard's body was cremated.
Ballard was born in Newton, Kan. He gave up paper hanging about 25 years ago to delve into mysticism. He started The I Am movement 10 years ago after, he said, he had received a celestial message from St. Germain when he was standing atop Mount Shasta.
Contributor: Becky Doan (46821009)
Guy Warren Ballard became the founder of the "I AM" Activity, a new religious movement (along with his wife, Edna Anne Wheeler Ballard) largely based on the teachings of Saint Germain. Guy Ballard was born in Newton, Kansas and married his wife in Chicago in 1916. Ballard served in the U.S. Army in World War I, and then became a mining engineer. Both Edna and Guy studied Theosophy and the occult. The "I AM" movement started from public lectures about these encounters and grew rapidly in the 1930s. Ballard lectured frequently in Chicago about Saint Germain's mystical teachings, in which America was destined to play a key role. By 1938, there were claimed to be about a million followers in the United States. This "I AM" Activity was a major influence on many of the New Age groups that came later, such as Elizabeth Clare Prophet and the Church Universal and Triumphant.
The "I AM" Activity describes itself as a spiritual and educational organization. Its main headquarters is the Saint Germain Foundation, with headquarters in Schaumburg, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. The "I AM" Activity was the continuation of the teachings received by H.P. Blavatsky and William Quan Judge of the Theosophical Society. Ballard claims to have come in contact contact with the Mahatma who was called Saint Germain during a trip to Mount Shasta, California. Ballard provided details of his encounters in a series of books Unveiled Mysteries and The Magic Presence, using the pen name "Godfré Ray King."
Source: The History of the "I AM" Activity and Saint Germain Foundation. Schaumburg, Illinois: Saint Germain Press 2003, and Wikipedia.
--
SUGGESTED EDIT:
The Emporia [KS] Gazette, 02 Jan 1940, Tuesday
"GREAT I AM" CULT LEADER, A KANSAN, DIES IN LOS ANGELES
Los Angeles, Jan. 2 (AP) -- The widow preached the funeral sermon New Year's Day for Guy W. Ballard, 60, founder and head of "The Great I Am" religious cult. Ballard, born in Newton, Kan., died Friday of a heart attack.
Ballard at times said he was the reincarnation of George Washington and his wife the reincarnation of Joan of Arc. He asserted that through "thought octaves" he could defend himself against all enemies and evils.
RODE IN YELLOW CARS
The cult had branch offices in New York, Chicago and Cleveland and churches in a number of cities. Ballard lived on a lavish scale, riding about in canary colored automobiles.
******************************
The Los Angeles Times, 02 Jan 1940, Tuesday
WIDOW PREACHES BALLARD SERMON
Funeral for Head and Founder of Religious Cult Conducted
Funeral services for Guy W. Ballard, 60, founder and head of the religious cult "The Great I Am," were held in private yesterday with his widow preaching his sermon.
Ballard died Friday from a heart attack while in his home at 2545 N. Vermont Ave.
Following the funeral oration in which the widow said that Ballard had not died but "has ascended to Heaven," the body was cremated.
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
In recent years as the prophet of "The Great I Am" movement Ballard attracted a huge following across the nation with churches in a number of key cities.
He preached that through "thought octaves" he could defend himself against all enemies, all evils. He was protected by a "wall of light."
OWNED COSTLY CARS
Ballard always traveled in expensive fashion and owned four canary-colored high-priced automobiles. At times he spoke of being the reincarnation of George Washington and that his wife was the reincarnation of Joan of Arc. He termed his mysterious invisible power K-17. This power came through the spirits of ascended saints, Ballard preached.
In Los Angles Ballard and his leading assistants used a suite of rooms at the most expensive downtown hotel as offices. He also had headquarters in Cleveland, Chicago and New York.
Ballard was born in Newton, Kan. Besides his widow he leaves a son and daughter who plan to carry on his work.
******************************
The Daily News, New York, NY, 02 Jan 1940, Tuesday
GUY W. BALLARD
Founded " I Am" Cult
(Special to the News)
Los Angeles, Jan. 1. -- Private funeral services conducted here today revealed that Guy W. Ballard, founder and head of The Great I Am cult, had been dead since last Friday. After a funeral oration by Mrs. Ballard, the former Edna Anna Wheeler, of Chicago, who served as high priestess of the cult, Ballard's body was cremated.
Ballard was born in Newton, Kan. He gave up paper hanging about 25 years ago to delve into mysticism. He started The I Am movement 10 years ago after, he said, he had received a celestial message from St. Germain when he was standing atop Mount Shasta.
Contributor: Becky Doan (46821009)
The "I AM" Activity describes itself as a spiritual and educational organization. Its main headquarters is the Saint Germain Foundation, with headquarters in Schaumburg, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. The "I AM" Activity was the continuation of the teachings received by H.P. Blavatsky and William Quan Judge of the Theosophical Society. Ballard claims to have come in contact contact with the Mahatma who was called Saint Germain during a trip to Mount Shasta, California. Ballard provided details of his encounters in a series of books Unveiled Mysteries and The Magic Presence, using the pen name "Godfré Ray King."
Source: The History of the "I AM" Activity and Saint Germain Foundation. Schaumburg, Illinois: Saint Germain Press 2003, and Wikipedia.
--
SUGGESTED EDIT:
The Emporia [KS] Gazette, 02 Jan 1940, Tuesday
"GREAT I AM" CULT LEADER, A KANSAN, DIES IN LOS ANGELES
Los Angeles, Jan. 2 (AP) -- The widow preached the funeral sermon New Year's Day for Guy W. Ballard, 60, founder and head of "The Great I Am" religious cult. Ballard, born in Newton, Kan., died Friday of a heart attack.
Ballard at times said he was the reincarnation of George Washington and his wife the reincarnation of Joan of Arc. He asserted that through "thought octaves" he could defend himself against all enemies and evils.
RODE IN YELLOW CARS
The cult had branch offices in New York, Chicago and Cleveland and churches in a number of cities. Ballard lived on a lavish scale, riding about in canary colored automobiles.
******************************
The Los Angeles Times, 02 Jan 1940, Tuesday
WIDOW PREACHES BALLARD SERMON
Funeral for Head and Founder of Religious Cult Conducted
Funeral services for Guy W. Ballard, 60, founder and head of the religious cult "The Great I Am," were held in private yesterday with his widow preaching his sermon.
Ballard died Friday from a heart attack while in his home at 2545 N. Vermont Ave.
Following the funeral oration in which the widow said that Ballard had not died but "has ascended to Heaven," the body was cremated.
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
In recent years as the prophet of "The Great I Am" movement Ballard attracted a huge following across the nation with churches in a number of key cities.
He preached that through "thought octaves" he could defend himself against all enemies, all evils. He was protected by a "wall of light."
OWNED COSTLY CARS
Ballard always traveled in expensive fashion and owned four canary-colored high-priced automobiles. At times he spoke of being the reincarnation of George Washington and that his wife was the reincarnation of Joan of Arc. He termed his mysterious invisible power K-17. This power came through the spirits of ascended saints, Ballard preached.
In Los Angles Ballard and his leading assistants used a suite of rooms at the most expensive downtown hotel as offices. He also had headquarters in Cleveland, Chicago and New York.
Ballard was born in Newton, Kan. Besides his widow he leaves a son and daughter who plan to carry on his work.
******************************
The Daily News, New York, NY, 02 Jan 1940, Tuesday
GUY W. BALLARD
Founded " I Am" Cult
(Special to the News)
Los Angeles, Jan. 1. -- Private funeral services conducted here today revealed that Guy W. Ballard, founder and head of The Great I Am cult, had been dead since last Friday. After a funeral oration by Mrs. Ballard, the former Edna Anna Wheeler, of Chicago, who served as high priestess of the cult, Ballard's body was cremated.
Ballard was born in Newton, Kan. He gave up paper hanging about 25 years ago to delve into mysticism. He started The I Am movement 10 years ago after, he said, he had received a celestial message from St. Germain when he was standing atop Mount Shasta.
Contributor: Becky Doan (46821009)
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