James Burns | |
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| Born | 1835 (1835) |
| Died | 1894 (aged 58–59) |
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James Burns (1835–1894) was a Scottishspiritualist,social reformer,naturopath,journalist, writer,editor, andpublisher. He advocated fortemperance,anti-vaccination andvegetarianism.
The son of a poorAyrshiresmallholder-craftsman, Burns became a gardener atHampton Court in his late teens. He became a propagandist fortemperance, and from 1858 to 1862 worked for a temperance publisher. Influenced by reading imported American spiritualist publications, and starting to distribute 'progressive and reformatory' literature to the local working population, Burns founded the Spiritual Institution in 1862, which operated from the same rooms as his 'Progressive Literature Agency'.[1] It was located at 15Southampton Row.[2]
In 1867, Burns foundedHuman Nature, a monthly publication which ran until 1877. In 1869 he brought out a halfpenny weekly,The Medium, which absorbed the provincialDaybreak, founded 1867, and was continued asThe Medium and Daybreak until 1895.[3] In 1875, Burns publishedAlfred Russel Wallace's bookOn Miracles and Modern Spiritualism.[4]
Burn was ananti-vaccinationist.[5] He chaired an organizing committee to establish a hygienic college and hospital in London for the poor. The project did not prosper but Burns was acknowledged by the British Nature Cure Association as the "Late prominent Naturopathic Evangelist."[5]
Burns died in poverty, leaving debts to his son James Burns, Jr.[6]
Burns was avegetarian.[7] Influenced byJames Simpson, he joined theVegetarian Society and during the 1860s lectured on vegetarianism. He sold vegetarian publications through his Progressive Library at his Spiritual Institution.[7] He was vice-president of the London Reform Society and a member of the Vegetarian Rambling Society.[7] He promoted vegetarianism in theMedium and Daybreak. Burns opposed the dietary views ofEmmet Densmore which he described as an "anti-vegetarian quackery system".[7]
Burns combined spiritualism and vegetarianism.[7] He established a "Progressive Food and Cooking Society" which announced cookery lessons and free food. A vegetarian publishing house and restaurant was established inClerkenwell which gave free vegetarian breakfasts to poor children.[7]
HistorianCharles W. Forward commented that Burns was "an early and ardent worker in the cause of vegetarianism."[8]
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