Flower A. Newhouse

Newhouse in 1952

Flower Arlene Newhouse (May 10, 1909 – July 8, 1994) was an American Christian mystic and spiritual teacher.

Early life

Newhouse was born Mildred "Mimi" Arlene Sechler in Allentown, Pennsylvania on May 10, 1909. She claimed she had the gift of clairvoyance from age 6.[1]

At the wedding of Lawrence and Flower Newhouse, circa 1933

Career

In 1924, Newhouse, along with her mother and sister moved to Los Angeles.[1] Newhouse soon became a guest speaker at a number of churches and lecture halls.

Newhouse's work emphasized the purpose of life is to ascend in consciousness to directly experience oneness with the infinite creative consciousness of God through the living of Christ-love and divine union. It was said of Flower Newhouse in 1947 that she was "one of the outstanding Christian mystics of our time" who authored several books.[2] Flower described mysticism as the practice of the art of divine conscious union with God and is the endeavor of the soul to draw nearer to God through the path of reverence and love into the citadel of enlightenment.[3]

She began traveling regularly to Santa Barbara and San Francisco, and eventually throughout the United States and Canada as an invited speaker. Flower became a nationally known lecturer on topics of esoteric Christian mysticism, presenting in most major U.S. cities and several others.[4] On one of these lecture engagements, she met her future husband, Lawrence George Newhouse (July 18, 1910 - January 29, 1963), whom she married on October 31, 1933.

In 1940, Newhouse and her husband founded Questhaven Retreat and nature preserve, and the Christward Ministry (640 acres in northern San Diego county - presently 655 acres).[1] Her ministry was a hybrid theology drawing on Christian mysticism.[1] Her followers describe her teachings as "not doctrine, but a practical guide to the direct, immediate experience of God."[5]

Works

THE ARMOR OF THE SPIRITUAL LIFE THE CHRISTWARD WAY DISCIPLINES OF THE HOLY QUEST THE DRAMA OF INCARNATION GATEWAYS INTO LIGHT HERE ARE YOUR ANSWERS (VOL. 1) HERE ARE YOUR ANSWERS (VOL. 2) HERE ARE YOUR ANSWERS (VOL. 3) THE JOURNEY UPWARD KINGDOM OF THE SHINING ONES THE MEANING AND VALUE OF THE SACRAMENTS A MEASURE OF DAYS NATIVES OF ETERNITY REDISCOVERING THE ANGELS SEVEN PATHS UPWARD SONGS OF DELIVERANCE THESE TOO SHALL BE LOVED TRAVEL WITH INNER PERCEPTIVENESS THE QUEST

References

  1. ^ a b c d Sherman, Pat (April 18, 2007). "Questhaven Retreat has been a spot for spiritual growth for almost 70 years". sanelijolife.com. San Diego Union Tribune.
  2. ^ {{cite web url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sNtXAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA51&dq=%22Flower+A.+Newhouse%22&article_id=3816,6038306&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiXl8H57raKAxW-ke4BHesuGz4Q6AF6BAgNEAI#v=onepage&q=%22Flower%20A.%20Newhouse%22&f=false | source=Spokane Daily Chronicle | date=April 30, 1947}}
  3. ^ Newhouse, Flower (25 April 2017). The Armor of the Spiritual Life. Christward Ministry. ISBN 978-0910378543.
  4. ^ {{cite web url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ozRlAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA39&dq=%22Flower+A.+Newhouse%22&article_id=5377,4143774&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiXl8H57raKAxW-ke4BHesuGz4Q6AF6BAgJEAI#v=onepage&q=%22Flower%20A.%20Newhouse%22&f=false | source=The Vancouver Sun | date=May 27, 1939}}
  5. ^ "Flower A. Newhouse Biography". Questhaven Christward Ministry. Retrieved June 3, 2019.

Further reading

  • Isaac, Stephen (8 June 2017). Songs from the House of Pilgrimage: The Biography of a Mystic and a Way of Life that Foretells the Future of Christianity. Christward Ministry. ISBN 978-0910378444.
  • Newhouse and Issac, Flower and Stephen (1 August 1998). Touched by Angels: How Angels Influence Our Daily Lives. Bluestar Communication Corp. ISBN 978-1885394316.
  • Hulbert, Gwen (18 June 2021). Chantel's Song: Based on the Teachings of Christian Mystic Flower A. Newhouse. Christward Ministry. ISBN 978-1-7374607-0-1.
  • Willis, Dan (30 May 2022). Mary, Mother of Grace and Mercy: Inspired by the Teachings of Christian Mystic Flower A. Newhouse. Dan Willis. ISBN 979-8218004552.